Intermittent Fasting and Starvation. The Differences

Intermittent Fasting without Starvation

Intermittent Fasting without Starvation

It’s not uncommon to hear people talking about intermittent fasting and starvation. This is understandable considering the period spent without food or drink having no calories while engaging in an intermittent fasting schedule. Nevertheless, starvation and intermittent fasting are two different things for many reasons. Here is an enlightening read to understand the differences. Enjoy reading!

Introducing intermittent fasting

As an intermittent fasting practitioner, you are required to eat for a specific period or number of times daily or weekly. This is completely different from refusing to eat for no reason. Intermittent fasting is about spurring your body to burn off fats for energy – not to spend a whole day without food to burn a consumed food. This is how you differentiate between maintaining weight and losing weight. When you fast, it’s not advised to starve yourself for so long that you begin to shake or enter the scary starvation mode. Also, the idea is not to deprive yourself of nutrients necessary for growth and development, as is the case with starvation. 

Intermittent fasting without starvation

While intermittent fasting may seem like starvation, it’s not the case. One’s mindset is one of the key differences. Starving yourself means that you are purposely depriving yourself of food needed to fuel your body. Certain underlying mental issues are usually connected to starvation. Besides, you also deny your body essential nutrients to sustain a quality life.  

On the contrary, intermittent fasting involves knowing the next period to eat and consuming nutrient-rich foods. Furthermore, you are not mandated to fast for an extremely long period to the point of dilapidating your own health. In other words, a positive mindset and a planned schedule are associated with intermittent fasting. 

Understanding the negative impacts of starvation

Here is another way to spot the difference between starvation and intermittent fasting. When you engage in a fasting weight loss program, you don’t express the malnutrition side effects associated with starvation. By starving yourself or lacking sufficient nutrients, you may experience numbness or lightheadedness. Other possible side effects include abdominal pain, constipation, and nausea. If you experience similar symptoms while fasting, it’s due to a lack of sufficient foods intake or paucity of nutrients needed by your body.

How to perform intermittent fasting correctly

Before you can experience intermittent fasting results, it’s important to eat healthy foods. Advisably, consider going for whole, fresh foods – not processed or canned products. Also, endeavor to consume fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and lean proteins. They will help sustain you across your fasting period.

a Conclusion:

Now that you understand the differences between starvation and intermittent fasting, do not deprive yourself of food to lose weight. Intermittent fasting is available in various protocols. Endeavor to check out the various options and choose the best intermittent fasting plan for yourself to start with. Stay healthy – not starved!

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