A new year often comes with a weight loss resolution and a slew of techniques to knock off those holiday pounds.
One popular technique, intermittent fasting, involves not eating for long periods of time.
There are two popular ways to do intermittent fasting. The first is to fast for 16 hours, eating only during an eight-hour window.
The other is called alternate-day fasting. In alternate-day fasting, the dieter can eat anything they want one day, while limiting themselves to 500 calories the next. A study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that fasting can help the body switch from storing to burning fat, a switch that researchers say has benefits beyond weight loss.
"We also saw decreases in blood pressure so it could contribute to heart health," said Dr. Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, Chicago.
But some experts say intermittent fasting is not for everyone because fasting can lead to binging.
If you're thinking of trying intermittent fasting, consult your doctor first.
