Intermittent Fasting Diets

Intermittent fasting is a way of working periods of fasting around a normal eating regimen. In these cases, fasting often means no food at all. However, sometimes fasting simply means eating significantly less food. Intermittent fasting claims to do plenty of healthy things for the body, such as develop insulin resistance, burn fat stores and detoxify the body.

Warrior Diet

• The warrior diet is part of the trend of diets that encourage people to eat the way humans used to eat ages ago. It's based on the idea that people should eat less in the morning -- this is know as the undereating phase -- and eat more at night, the overeating phase. The undereating phase causes the body to burn more fat stores because the body has a whole day of activity ahead. The overeating phase slows the body down, which is helpful right before sleep, and should hold the body over during the natural fast that occurs when people sleep.

Eat Stop Eat Diet

• The eat stop eat diet also claims humans should eat like their ancestors. This diet endorses the idea that people should fast for a 24-hour period once or twice a week. If you do this a certain way, though, it won't seem like you're fasting for an entire day. For example; if you eat your last meal at 5:00 p.m., you can eat again at 5:00 p.m. the next day. This meets required 24-hour fasting period, but also makes fasting significantly easier.

Every Other Day Diet

• The every other day diet encourages people to consume a normal day's worth of calories, which is 1,800 to 2,400 calories for men and 1,200 to 1,800 calories for women, then eat 300 to 400 calories the next day. The theory is that this kind of eating essentially keeps your metabolism from slowing down, which happens with low-calorie diets over an extended period of time.

Tips to Help With Intermittent Fasting

• You should avoid eating primarily carbohydrates before a fast because they can make you hungry sooner. You can drink water to help feel full while fasting. You should also eat plenty of vegetables since they are low in calories and filling.

Warnings About Intermittent Fasting

• Intermittent fasting diets are not for everyone. If you have ever had an eating disorder, it's best to try losing weight with a more traditional diet. Pregnant women should avoid intermittent fasting diets. If you have a history of any serious medical problems, such as diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke or hypertension, you should avoid going on an intermittent fasting diet. You should consult a doctor before starting a diet that heavily uses fasting.