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Intermittent fasting (I.F.) has become an extremely popular trend worldwide.

With many people singing its praises... and research suggesting that it could have a lot of benefits for our brains and overall health... the trend is likely to keep growing.

There are different ways you can do intermittent fasting, but The 16/8 Method is the most popular.

With this method, you fast for 16 hours out of each day... and then you have the other 8 hours to consume all the calories your body needs.

So, if you keep it up for at least a month... what results could you see after intermittent fasting for 30 days?

Here's a few things to expect:

Weight Loss

If you want to shed a few extra pounds, try the 16/8 fasting method. Each day, you have an eight-hour window to get your grub on.

Some people prefer to skip breakfast and eat between noon and 8 p.m... Others choose to avoid calories late at night and stick to the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. schedule...

But by minimizing the hours that you can consume calories in a day... you could end up losing weight and lowering your blood sugar + blood pressure.

One reason for this is because restricted feeding patterns can help reduce the amount of food a person eats, which could lead to weight loss.

For the best shot at success, you should practice clean eating during the 8-hour eating period.

Stick to a balanced diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats to maximize the I.F. weight loss benefits.

Consuming too much junk food and snacks can make weight loss more difficult.

Improved Mood

When you don’t eat for prolonged periods, the levels of specific hormones in your body can go up or down.

In turn, the brain triggers a defense system.

As the body tries to protect itself from any negative effects resulting from higher than normal hormone levels, the cellular stress resistance mechanism kicks in.

Various chemical changes — which can help your mood — happen in the brain while fasting, including:

• Levels of dopamine, neurotransmitters, epinephrine, and cortisol may increase

• Insulin and leptin levels may go down

• Serotonin and tryptophan may increase

• Cerebral glucose decreases

There is also a production of ketone bodies that helps boost your mood, promote neuro-neuronal (brain) protection, and lower pain sensations.

Lower Blood Sugar

Intermittent fasting results in more insulin sensitivity, which may help in preventing type 2 diabetes and lowering blood sugar levels.

High blood sugar is linked with a smaller hippocampus — which is a seahorse-shaped structure found in your brain that's linked with mood, memory, and learning.

So, lower blood sugar could help you improve your brain health.

After 30 days of intermittent fasting, insulin levels decrease due to increased insulin sensitivity.

The change leads to lower blood sugar levels during the fasting period and shortly after eating.

Is Intermittent Fasting for Everyone?

No. While I.F. could have amazing benefits, it isn’t for everyone.

Talk to your doctor first to determine whether it is safe for you to do intermittent fasting.

Those who are advised to avoid it include:

• Pregnant or breastfeeding women

• Anyone under the age of 18

• People with advanced diabetes or those on diabetes medication

• People with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia

Also, results vary for each person, and you may not lose the same weight or feel the same way as someone else who also does I.F. for 30 days.

So, don’t be so hard on yourself if you're not seeing results right away with I.F.

Conclusion

Is intermittent fasting for you? Let us know how it goes if you give it a try.

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