Intermittent Fasting can help address one of the major hormones that have been tied to weight gain around the belly -- insulin. But there are other factors outside of fasting that can contribute to a balance in the storing hormone insulin.
Time-Restricted Fasting
With this type of IF, you choose an eating window every day, which should ideally leave a 14- to 16-hour fasting period. (Due to hormonal concerns, Shemek recommends that women fast for no more than 14 hours daily.)
A combination of diet and exercise may help symptoms. A person can perform exercises that burn fat, such as running, walking, and other aerobic activity. Reducing the calories a person consumes can also help.
Studies show that, on average, intermittent fasting can lead to a weight loss rate of approximately 0.55 to 1.65 pounds (0.25–0.75 kg) per week, accompanied by a noticeable reduction in waist circumference, indicating a decrease in belly fat.
“This suggests the visceral fat can adapt to repeated fasting bouts and protect its energy store,” he said. “This type of adaptation may be the reason why visceral fat can be resistant to weight loss after long periods of dieting.” Dr Larance said using a mouse model was a useful analogue ahead of studies in humans.
As part of a 2019 study, researchers followed 19 adults with metabolic syndrome whose meals were spread over a 14-hour window and found limiting meals to a 10-hour window (followed by 14 hours of fasting) was associated with weight loss, smaller waist circumference, lower blood pressure and LDL “bad” cholesterol.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle through a balanced diet, regular physical activity, proper sleep, and stress modification can help with managing and reversing hormonal weight gain and decreasing the associated health risks that may result if it is not addressed.
A hormonal belly looks like an accumulation of fat around the belly. It looks like excess fat on the stomach that cannot be removed. Hormonal imbalances can lead to excess fat accumulation in the belly area.
Both 12-hour fasting and 16-hour fasting can be effective for weight loss, but 16-hour fasting may be more effective because it may lead to a greater reduction in overall caloric intake (through a more condensed eating window) and promote more significant reliance on fat burning.
Two ways for women to reap the benefits of intermittent fasting without the side effects of hormone imbalance include the 5:2 fasting method, and the 12, 14, or 16-hour fast.
Additionally, it will take your body a while to get used to this new eating schedule. So don't expect results right away. You may need to wait between 2 and 4 weeks to see or feel any results.
At a high level, intermittent fasting helps optimize metabolism, balance hormones, reduce overeating, decrease fat storage in the body, reduce weight gain and improve overall health. Some patients will pair intermittent fasting with a ketogenic diet to expedite their results.
However, the studies on eTRF do consistently show that starting the fast before 8pm (and therefore having your last meal before 8pm) is ideal. An example of eTRF could be a 16 hour daily fast with an eating window of 10am-6pm.
Intermittent fasting itself doesn't directly cause weight gain. Gaining weight while fasting usually comes from overeating, low protein intake, and/or too much caffeine. Eating nutrient-rich food, drinking water, and being active can help us avoid gaining weight with intermittent fasting.
Estrogen deficiency can also impair the action of insulin, making it harder to regulate blood sugar and leading to increased hormonal belly fat and abdominal weight gain.
In fact, hormones and belly fat are so intertwined that some researchers suggest that the fat acts like an “extra organ” or gland. As a result, losing belly fat often takes hard work, especially if you're in your 40s or older.
Menopause belly fat is primarily caused by hormonal changes associated with menopause. It is associated with an increased risk of health problems such as heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Beer belly fat is usually caused by excessive alcohol consumption and a diet high in refined carbohydrates.
The first body type is the ADRENAL and the adrenal belly, which is caused by increased levels of cortisol. When going through stressful periods, the production of cortisol increases, and this, in turn, increases the accumulation of fat around the waist, leading to a saggy abdomen.
You should aim for 10,000 to 12,000 steps per day, but remember diet is key to losing weight. Can I lose 2kg a week with intermittent fasting? Yes. Typically people chose a period of time during the day that you will fast which will last 16 to 20 hours.
The rules for this diet are simple. A person needs to decide on and adhere to a 12-hour fasting window every day. According to some researchers, fasting for 10–16 hours can cause the body to turn its fat stores into energy, which releases ketones into the bloodstream. This should encourage weight loss.
Stage 2 (12-18 Hours): Partial to Full Ketosis
In Stage 2 of fasting, you start to switch into fat-burning mode. Intermittent fasting for 16-18 hours a day allows you to burn through your body fat which makes it easy to stay in a calorie deficit and lose weight.