Actually, both of them are to make changes in the food intake, quantity and hours of consumption. But they differ in their methods and range of benefits. Therefore, there is a dire need to learn about whether fasting or calorie restriction can fulfil your health and wellness goals. Let’s learn it together.

Fasting vs Calorie Restriction

In the text, fasting is saying no to foods and drinks but for specific hours. It can be intermittent fasting, where you have to eat within few hours. The rest of the hours in a day should be spent on fasting. You can simply extend the fasts to several days as well, the so-called extended fasting.

Fasting Types

• Intermittent fasting (IF) – eat and fast
• 16/8 IF method, where you fast for 16 hours and eat during an 8-hour window
• 5:2 IF method, where you eat normally five days a week and restrict calories to 500-600 for the other two days.
• Alternate-Day Fasting – days of eating and days of fasting
• Time-restricted feeding (TRF) – eat within a window of time each day and fast for the remaining hours

How Fasting Works?

In fasting you are hungry, this way your body turns on a metabolic switch. It stops using glucose for energy. Instead, it consumes ketones. This process is ketosis. It occurs while your body breaks down stored fat to gain energy in the absence of food.

Calorie restriction CR is a ‘Quality over Quantity’ method. It means you can reduce overall calorie intake without changing your usual timing of meals. The main focus is on eating nutritious foods where fewer calories are consumed than expended while consciously limiting total calorie uptake. Calorie restriction is often paired up with portion control and mindful eating.

Calorie Restriction Methods:

• Continuous calorie restriction (CCR) – reduce daily calorie intake by 15-40% for a long period
• Calorie cycling – zig-zag dieting periods of high and low-calorie
• Meal skipping – intentionally skip meals regularly or as needed

How Calorie Restriction (CR) Work?

CR reduces the total energy intake of the body which further slows down the metabolic rate. Plus, there is an increase in autophagy (self-eating). This process maximizes the cellular repair and maintenance in the body.

Fasting vs Calorie Restriction: Similarities Between Two

Both methods:

• Improve Insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation
• Help in weight loss and increase metabolic rate
• Involve consuming fewer calories than usual
• Promote cellular repair and maintenance
• Have a risk of nutrient deficiencies
• Regulate blood sugar levels
• Create calorie deficit

Fasting vs Calorie Restriction: The Major Differences

Comparing the Health Benefits of Fasting and Calorie Restriction

Here are the health benefits of fasting vs calorie restriction. Actually, both have quite similar effects and benefits. Anyhow, the major focus is on weight loss, metabolic health, longevity, cognitive benefits, and immune system effects.

Weight Loss Effects:

Fasting increases the breakdown of the fat stored in the body for weight loss. In fact, there is a shift to ketosis, a metabolic state where body fat is used for energy. Additionally, fasting increases the body’s ability to burn fat rather than muscle mass loss. Calorie restriction also reduces calorie intake by a specific percentage. But, it decreases muscle mass too which is not good. Both processes have similar weight loss effects as clear from a study.

Related post: 6 Weight Loss Foods For Lean Physique!

Metabolic Health Benefits:

The speed of metabolism determines the health status of a body. By keeping fasting or restricting calories you can gain metabolic health benefits. So, fasting improves insulin sensitivity which means there is a reduction in diseases like type 2 diabetes. Plus you can improve lipid profiles to have a perfect working heart. Calorie restriction also decreases insulin resistance to improve glucose metabolism. It may lower blood pressure and reduce unnecessary swelling to stir up metabolism.

Related Post: Best Healthy Supplements To Live A Better Life!

Longevity and Aging Benefits:

Living a long life feels like a dream right? Therefore stay hungry for a while and let your body do the work. When you are fasting, your body works speedily to increase the repair work and maintain cells. This decreases the signs of aging. Also, human growth hormone is secreted to keep your body updated. Calorie restriction can take part in longevity and anti-aging. It activates genetic pathways to DNA repair. Research also says that reducing calories for a day decreases oxidative stress, which prevents age-related diseases.

Cognitive Benefits:

The brain has to be healthy for good body performance. Fasting has cognitive benefits that can cause improvement in memory. It also increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which keeps the brain in check. Moreover, calorie restriction too decreases the risk of cognitive decline like one feels in Alzheimer’s disease. It can be a brain booster to perform learning and adapting to new situations. Furthermore, it uplifts the mood and keeps the motor neurons active to carry out the limbs or other physical functions.

Related post: Nutritional Tips For Longevity, 5 Foods To Add To Your Diet!

Immune System Effects:

The immune system helps us fight negative thoughts and battle diseases, viruses and other infections. Not eating for a few hours can give worthy support to the immune response. The fasting body can fight off bacterial infections and cut off unwanted inflammations. Also, fasting produces adiponectin hormones to boost immunity. Restriction in a day’s calories changes the immune responses to decrease autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions. Plus, it promotes immune cell turnover to guard against pathogens.

Related Post: Dietary Secrets For Excellent Immune Health!

How Does Fasting Promote Calorie Restriction?

You can not directly restrict calories by fasting. Actually, there is a unique form of fasting, intermittent fasting (IF) which is more like calorie restriction. It has the advantage over normal calorie restriction because it prevents malnutrition and is more suitable for most people.

But fasting can achieve calorie restriction in a few ways:

• Reduced Eating Window – limit the eating timeframe because there’s less opportunity to eat.
• Appetite Control – regulate hunger hormones like ghrelin to make you feel fuller.
• Metabolic Shift – burn fat for energy instead of glucose to reduce calorie needs.

What Researchers Comment On the Benefits Of Fasting vs Calorie Restriction?

Science has made a lot of progress and collected information on fasting. Here are some comments from researchers on the benefits of fasting vs calorie restriction:

• Valter Longo‘s experiments on fasting and calorie restriction show that it is good for weight loss, can deal with metabolic restrictors, reduce insulin levels and speed up autophagy.

• The research by Dr. Rafael de Cabo says that both methods can increase lifespan, survival rate and delay age-related diseases in mice.

• Another study in Medical News Today found that intermittent fasting has similar results for weight loss as calorie restriction has. Also, it was rather less potent for burning body fat.

Is Intermittent Fasting Good Or Calorie Restriction?

Both methods are good in their own place. There is a lot of ongoing research and debate. As always, the best solution is the method that works for your longevity. If you can stick to it for a long time to increase your lifespan, just choose it.

Most people find intermittent fasting easier because calorie restriction can be difficult to track at times. But calorie restriction is suitable for the person who likes to have structured eating plans. Another thing to note is your personal goals, preferences, and your metabolism.

Fasting or Caloric Restriction For Losing Weight

As findings by Healthline, both of them contribute equally to weight loss. But weight loss is seen to be more prominent in persons who follow strict eating plans.

Style of eating is easy to choose if you can keep up with it for a long time, says Megan Hilbert, a certified dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching. She also added that one must look at their body state before starting weight loss. Also, calorie restriction is not a good suggestion if you are pursuing it long-term because it decreases the basal metabolic rate (calories required for daily function) to a dangerous level. This makes you hungry and you end up eating more, ruining your weight loss journey.

Related Post: Top 5 Sports For Weight Loss To Sweat It Out!

Ending Remarks

So who wins in the fasting vs calorie restriction battle? No one actually! Of course, both have tons of benefits. While they may be similar but have different focuses and implementations. But we have seen that both are all-rounder in keeping your body healthy and extending your lifespan. You can either go intermittent fasting or calorie restriction but you have to balance it with what your body needs.

If you can’t come up with your go-to stop, find a good dietitian and plan with them.

So are you adapting to the rapid effects of fasting or the steady progress of calorie restriction? Either can be your answer. Just remember one thing forever; being healthy is a priority. Go, explore and enjoy!

Related post: How Benefits Of Fasting Can Boost Your Metabolism?

The post Fasting vs Calorie Restriction – Which Offers More Health Benefits? appeared first on Activ Nutrition.

Fasting can help your body in several ways and can renew it inside and out. It can help your gut, heart and brain to improve its function. In short, it has a positive impact on every single crucial organ that helps you survive better. So as we talk about the benefits of fasting let us find out how it can improve your metabolism.

What Is Fasting?

Fasting is a common practice observed for centuries. It can even be a cultural thing or a religious act. It occurs for a specific period to voluntarily abstain from eating or drinking. Many religious texts also mention fasting as a means of spiritual purification and self-discipline.  It might be a common religious ritual but it is gaining popularity in recent years due to its potential health benefits.

Technically, Fasting is the restrictive period from the foods or particular food items and drinks. It usually lasts for 24 to 72 hours.

Different Types Of Fasting Methods

It can be performed in different forms to achieve the benefits of fasting. Each one of them comes with its guidelines and objectives:

1. Intermittent Fasting – 16 hours fast and eating within 8 hours
2. Water Fasting – only drink water for a designated period
3. Partial Fasting – eat specific foods or liquids while avoiding others
4. Juice Fasting – drink freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, no solid food, please!

How Fasting Benefits The Body’s Metabolism?   

The metabolism is the cellular work of a body to maintain physical activities. And the purpose of fasting is not starvation. Instead, it serves as an energy booster to speed up the metabolic rate. Also, the benefits of fasting can boost the body’s metabolism in a lot of positive ways.

Likewise, fasting influences metabolism by:

• Controlling the secretion of various hormones (insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, and cortisol).
• Producing ketones which are an alternative energy source for the brain and other tissues.
• Triggering autophagy where damaged body cells are broken down and recycled.

What Are the Benefits Of Fasting In the Month Of Ramadan?

As we mentioned earlier, fasting is a sort of sacred thing in a particular religion. Specifically, for Muslims, there is a whole month (Ramadan) dedicated to gaining the maximum benefits of fasting. It is not starvation for 30 days. Instead each day the period of fast starts from the sun rises and ends as the sun sets. During this period no food or water is allowed.

Fasting in Ramadan is good for solving digestive issues, and restoring heart and brain health. Plus, it is a complete detox that is good for the skin as it can treat acne scars and promote a healthy complexion. A good point is that Ramadan can help in weight management and can also improve the blood lipid profile (for cardiovascular health). Apart from physical health, the benefits of fasting also comfort mental and emotional well-being. It is excellent for developing self-discipline and compassion for poor communities.

Top 10 Benefits Of Fasting For Health

1. Longevity And Slow Aging

The best thing about fast is that it can slow down the natural aging process and can tighten the loose skin muscles. So, slow aging low-key means promoting longevity. Science also adds to the longevity benefits of fasting. In 2021, a scientific study confirmed that fasting can increase the production of bacteria called Christensenella found in the gut that promotes longevity. It can also decrease the chances of developing diseases and can produce collagen to delay aging.

Try our hair and skin bundle for a glow!

Related Article: Nutritional Tips for Longevity!

2. Detoxification

Among the benefits of fasting, it is also a complete detoxification process. It means it can clear out the blood and improve its circulation throughout the body. Fasting is one of the fastest and smartest ways of detoxing (rebooting the body). While on fast your body tends to break down the internal wastes to gain energy, this in turn cleanses the toxins present in the body. Thus, a cleaned digestive system can indeed help the other organs to function properly as well. The better the gut is, so is the body.

Try Activ Nutrition’s N-acetylcysteine capsules for detoxing!

3. Weight Loss

You can also get weight maintenance, control and weight loss benefits from fasting. When your body is in the starving phase, it can break down the already present stored fat in the body especially the fat around the belly area. Break down of belly fat means you get a slim tummy. This fat can now serve the purpose of keeping you going to do the tasks for a fasting day. And if you are fasting with proper and utmost care, you are more likely to lose fatty tissues to get in a better shape. A study in 2015 says that nine percent of body weight can be reduced as you fast for a complete day.

Take ISO slim protein formula for weight loss!

Related Article: How Pro Athletes Lose Weight?

4. Immunity Boost

One of the best survival skills is to keep your immune system strong. Fasting is known to reduce the unnecessary swelling and inflammation in the body that restricts the immune response. When the inflammation subsides during fasting hours, the immune system can get an instant boost.  Also, the immune system is full of white blood cells (WBCs) that get replaced more quickly as you fast. Upon breaking the fast, new WBCs stimulate the production of red blood cells and platelets to heal the body.

Take adrenal switch capsules as an immunity booster!

Related Article: Dietary Secrets For Immune Health!

5. Brain Health And Cognition

The brain is very important to control our daily actions and you have to nourish it well for its better function. Fasting can stimulate cognitive abilities and mental faculties which means you can focus more and achieve mental peace and clarity. The research states that fasting can increase nerve cell production. Also, it protects the brain collapse from Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It can also decrease the swelling in the brain area.

Add Focus yootropics and Brain yootropics in your daily life to support your brain.

6. Healthy Heart Function

The heart is the centre of the body to control the blood supply. Also, heart diseases are the common reason for the increasing death rate. Many people died from cardiovascular diseases in 2020. Fasting can benefit the heart as well. It actually maintains the correct blood pressure and the pumping of the blood to supply it towards the brain and other organs. Research suggests that fasting can have a good effect on heart health by reducing the bad cholesterol levels and triglycerides that cause death in overweight people.

7. Gut Health

The metabolic rate of the body largely depends on the health status of the gut. A healthy gut can boost the metabolism to support a quality lifestyle. Gut supporting benefits of fasting are increasing the amount of the bacterial community that resides in the gut and making the gut microbiome. Constant digestion puts pressure on the gut thereby fasting gives your gut break and regulates the bowel movements to prevent constipation. Also, it increases nutrient absorption and produces more amount of short-chain fatty acids. Therefore, it can protect the gut from gastric disorders.

Check our gut health bundle!

8. Cancer Prevention

Cancer is deadly therefore you can do fasting techniques to protect your body from cancer-related deaths. American Chemical Society published a research paper summarizing the benefits of intermittent fasting which states that it may give protection from toxicity (from Chemotherapy). It can hinder the growth of the tumour cells as well. Fasting may reduce the risk of cancer. However, be mindful of your cancer type and stage before fasting because it can have negative impacts too if practised carelessly.

Related Article: 6 Gym Workouts To Reduce Risk Of Lung Cancer!

9. Support Growth Hormones

Hormones are important for survival, especially the Human growth hormone HGH. This hormone is a major protein that takes part in muscle development, weight maintenance and metabolism boosting. Regulation of hormone production comes under the benefits of fasting. A review study indicates that fasting can increase the production of HGH particularly basal HGH up to 10 times. The higher concentrations of HGH were found to be associated with a fast of 37.5 hours.

Try hormone regulator supplements!

10. Control Blood Sugar

Insulin sensitivity is a crucial factor in controlling blood sugar levels. Fasting can naturally tackle the rising blood sugars by increasing insulin sensitivity. This may prevent the type 2 diabetes symptoms and risk. More sensitivity to insulin can then signal the body to transport the glucose to the cells performing metabolic functions. In other words, we can say that fasting reduces insulin resistance and lets it carry out its function peacefully, which is to control the sugar levels, and its sudden spikes or crashes in the blood.

Related Article: Australian-Meal Plan For Diabetics!

Other Health Tips For Increasing Energy And Metabolism

• Practice meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises to reduce stress, or spend time in nature.
• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day, and eat fruits and vegetables as hydration foods.
• Include protein in every single meal of a day to maintain metabolic functions.
• Eat at regular intervals throughout the day to keep your energy levels steady.
• Do weightlifting or bodyweight exercises to rev up your metabolism.
• Spend the morning outside to get sunlight for vitamin D production.
• Take supplements such as iron, B vitamins, and magnesium.
• Be active throughout the day by playing basketball.

Related Article: Why Is Basketball Healthy? 10 Reasons

Ending Remarks

Fasting is a good practice with deep historical and cultural roots. It offers numerous health benefits beyond its spiritual essence. Plus it has the same effect on the brain as doing exercise for a whole day. So if you are too for gym, fasting is there for you.

You can keep fast for religious observance, weight management, or detoxification. That way you can achieve particular benefits of fasting easily and selectively.

But it should be approached thoughtfully because it is not meant to starve you. With proper guidance, you can gain maximum advantages while not compromising overall well-being. As always, if you are trying new things for healthcare, you have to be cautious.

Also, fasting is a lifestyle change. Therefore you should check individual needs and health conditions to derive the most benefit from this ancient tradition.

Check out Activ Nutrition’s lifestyle supplement range to live a healthy life!

The post How Benefits of Fasting Can Boost Your Metabolism? appeared first on Activ Nutrition.