OMAD, 5/2 & 16/8: Intermittent fasting diet techniques decoded

The celebrity-endorsed 16/8 method (of intermittent fasting), where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window, might help maintain energy levels while keeping nutrition in check, but experts suggest that one must take some things into account before following these diets.
Nutritionist Suman Agrawal says, “One must remember that there is no one size fits all diet. As a nutritionist, I do not recommend it to everyone, especially older people, diabetics, and people with acidity issues.”

Know your intermittent fasting

16/8: Eat during an eight-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours. This method is followed by global celebrities, including Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Aniston, Hugh Jackman, Elon Musk, Heidi Klum, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt among others.
OMAD (ONE MEAL A DAY): Gulshan Devaiah spoke about following this diet (since 2018), which comprises an hour of eating and 23 hours of fasting (during which he has tea or coffee).

ALTERNATE DAY FASTING (ADF): Eat 0% to 25% of your normal calories alternate days 5/2 You eat normal food without counting calories for 5 days, and on the other 2 days, you have a calorie-controlled meal.

THE WARRIOR DIET: Undereat for 20 hours in a day, and then you can consume as much food as you want at night EAT STOP EAT Go without food for a period of 24 hours, once or twice a week.

Jennifer Aniston’s secret to fitness: The 16/8 plan

Jennifer Aniston swears by the 16/8 plan. The Friends alum reportedly wakes up around 9am, before drinking celery juice, meditating and working out. She told a magazine: “When I wake up, I have warm lemon water and then I have a shake or avocado and eggs. I sprinkle a little coconut oil on that.” For lunch, she has “vegetables or salad with protein”, which she “repeats for dinner”.

Pros

Might extend longevity

Makes our resolve to eat right stronger

Helps to abstain from eating junk, which is one of the reasons for weight gain

Improved weight management

Increased insulin sensitivity

Could help reduce inflammation


Cons:

Chances of muscle loss or muscle wastage, which could lead to lowering of metabolism

Your immunity could be impacted

Acidity problems

– Inputs by Suman Agrawal and Karishma Shah