Healthy Weight Loss With This Fasting App 

What is intermittent fasting?

Unlike diets, intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. It focuses on when you should eat rather than what you should eat. This makes it an enticing healthy eating option for some, as you only need to restrict your eating for one or two days a week, allowing you to eat “normally” the rest of the time.

There are two types of intermittent fasting options available in the Lifesum app: the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan and the 6:1 intermittent fasting plan. Essentially, these numbers break down to how many days you eat as you regularly would, versus how many restrictive days you’ll follow. In both plans, you should aim at eating balanced and nutrient-dense meals, rather than calorie-dense.

The 5:2 intermittent fasting plan simplifies healthy eating

By following the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan, you limit your energy intake (500 calories for women and 600 calories for men) on two days of the week. You then follow a normal diet according to your energy requirements for the remaining days. There are no limits on what type of food you are “allowed” to eat, however a varied and balanced diet is recommended to meet your nutritional requirement. On the fasting days, it can be helpful to eat low-calorie, high-volume foods.

The 5:2 intermittent fasting plan works for you around your calendar, your lifestyle, and your food preferences. There are no off-limit foods, you’ll typically have fewer cravings, and you’re pretty much guaranteed quick weight loss.

The Lifesum app helps you keep track of all these moving pieces with food, macronutrient, and vegetable trackers, so you know you’re working towards your goal without worry. All of the math is calculated for you, so it’s as easy as scanning barcodes or searching your foods in the app to add them to the Diary.

Whether you want to lose weight, or maintain your weight and eat healthier, the Lifesum app has all the tools to keep you on track at all times.

What can you eat?

The Lifesum app does all the calculations for you, and gives you helpful recipe suggestions on what to eat on your fasting days. It’s the best way to do 5:2 intermittent fasting and have fun with it.

Realistically speaking, you can enjoy all of your favorite foods while on intermittent fasting; the trick is to eat them within specific time windows. For the 5:2 plan, you have two days per week, which you choose yourself, where you consume a restrictive amount of food. On the other five days, you eat in line with your regular energy requirements. 

Here is a non-comprehensive list of foods to enjoy on your five normal days:

• Grains (oats, buckwheat, barley, quinoa)
• Legumes (lentils, black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas)
• Vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, peas, Brussels sprouts)
• Root vegetables (potato, sweet potato, beetroot, parsnip)
• Fruits (pear, apple, banana, mango, strawberries, blueberries etc.)
• Oils (canola oil, virgin olive oil, sesame oil)
• Seeds (chia, psyllium, sunflower, pumpkin, hemp)
• Low-fat dairy (plain quark, cottage cheese, plain yogurt)
• Eggs
• Fish
• Poultry

While on your limited-calorie days, you want to eat high-volume, low-calorie foods. This includes:

• Green vegetables (spinach, kale, lettuce, cucumber, zucchini)
• Eggs
• White fish (cod, haddock, tilapia)
• Low-fat dairy products (low-fat yogurt, low-fat quark)

How can the Lifesum app help me?

The Lifesum app helps you make the most of your intermittent fasting plan. It comes with carefully curated recipes, and built-in trackers for food, water, exercise, to help you stay on target and in line with your health goal. It’s like having your own nutritionist and personal trainer right in your pocket.

You’ll also receive many tips and encouraging messages to stay motivated. So download the Lifesum app today and get started on your health journey, or take your existing healthy eating regimen to the next level!

Health and wellness benefits of the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan

For some, your stomach may shrink because of the limited eating time, meaning you’ll eat less overall, which can be beneficial for weight loss or weight maintenance. Some people also experience health benefits such as brain clarity and feeling more energized. For more health benefits, it’s recommended to speak with your primary care physician.

Tips while following intermittent fasting 

It’s best to schedule your workouts around your limited-calorie days to ensure you have enough energy to complete it for your physical wellbeing. Additionally, while it’s important to drink enough water every day, it’s even more important to stay hydrated during your fasting days to curb hunger pangs and ensure your body is hydrated.