Which one are you? A 5:2, 20:4 or a 16:8? Or perhaps you’re more of a 24?
So what are these baffling figures? Personal best fitness times? Number sequences? Important dates in history? No, they are all variants of the latest trend to hit healthy living; intermittent dieting.
Intermittent dieting is as the name suggests, a diet plan which is followed at set times.
This may work for people who find the demands of a full time diet too of a commitment.
Every time an expert discusses how to fast they usually include the 24 hr diet, the 16:8, and the most talked-about eating plan, the 5:2.
New to the concept of intermittent dieting and not sure how it works or about incorporating it into your schedule? Don’t worry; we explain all the basics in the next section!
We also explain how drinking matcha tea can help you with your chosen plan.
24 Hour Diet
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This is a period of extended fasting, which allows participants to eat once daily.
Basically you fast from either midday to midday (and eat one good lunch on day one and then wait twenty four hours to eat again) or you could choose to have an evening meal and then nothing until dinner the next evening.
This is generally repeated two or three times a week. It is not intended to be followed everyday!
Matcha can work wonders by sustaining concentration and providing a much needed treat during the long ‘hungry’ hours.
20:4 Diet
The 20:4 diet is often followed by people also doing a low carb or keto diet. Learn more by visiting Ruled.me’s keto food list.
The idea is simple, you fast completely for twenty hours a day, in which time, you only consume calorie free drinks.
Then you have a four hour ‘window’ of eating, in which you are ‘allowed’ to eat. If you are following a low carb diet, this is when most people consume plenty of protein such as nuts and meat.
The beauty of the 20:4 diet is it will help the body to start burning and not storing fat.
Your body has two ways of storing the food in it, glycogen and body fat. Glycogen is what the body accesses the most easily and is the food we have just eaten. But when we fast, we make the body choose to break into the reserves of energy stored within body fat.
If we are constantly eating, every couple of hours or so, then we will be less likely to achieve the burning of body fat than if we go a solid period of time without any food at all.
However, one of the draw backs of the 20:4 diet is that it requires, at least initially, a lot of will power to do it. And flagging energy levels are often an issue.
This is where consuming a liquid such as matcha tea is beneficial. It can give a surge of gentle energy, with nearly no calories.
16:8 Diet
The 16:8 is exactly the same idea as the 20:4 only a bit gentler an introduction to the concept of intermittent fasting. It may be the one to choose when you are just getting started with IF.
Once again, matcha or green tea makes an excellent companion to this lifestyle.
5:2 Diet
Perhaps the one you may have heard of, the 5:2 diet it popular because for five days of the week, followers can eat what they like. Okay, maybe not COMPLETELY what they like, but a normal 1800-2500 calorie healthy eating plan.
The fasting period is restricted to a mere two days of the week.
However, even within these two days, total starvation is not required. The 5:2 still allows for up to 500 calories to be consumed. This is approximately equal to one light meal or a couple of healthy snacks.
The five two can be adhered to very easily, with little changes being made to daily routine. It might be ideal for people not wishing to disrupt their weekly schedule but only diet on weekends. Alternatively it allows for fun on weekends and a few treats during the week, with strict adherence only twice weekly.
Green and matcha tea can work well around this diet plan, especially on fast days, giving you the energy you need to power through the cravings you will experience.
The Unique Benefits Of Matcha Tea To Intermittent Fasting
Matcha tea is often chosen by adherents of intermittent fasting because of its health benefits.
These are an added bonus to any diet plan of any description.
Two major advantages of matcha tea are its fat burning and energy boosting qualities.
· Fat Burning
Matcha and green tea both work to actively boost the metabolism and burn fat.
· Energy Increase
Matcha tea gives an energy surge, gently. Unlike coffee, which can leave you with the jitters and some unpleasant after affects, matcha will wake you up slowly and naturally – the perfect start to any diet or fast day!
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