In an interview to The Indian Express, Comedian Bharti Singh revealed that she lost 16 kgs in a span of 10 months. Here’s everything you need to know about Singh’s weight loss journey.
Source: Instagram/bharti.laughterqueen
On intermittent fasting and eating home-cooked meals
Source: Instagram/bharti.laughterqueen
In the interview, Singh said that she followed intermittent fasting in order to lose weight. Speaking about it, she said, “When we were doing Khatra Khatra Khatra, I would often talk to all these actors and they mentioned how they would fast for long hours. I decided to give it a try. While initially I would crave food late at night, I worked hard on it and now my body has accepted the new change. I don’t follow any diet, I just don’t eat anything between 7 pm-12 pm. I have my regular parathas, eggs, dal-sabzi, everything I have always liked.”
On making health a priority
Source: Instagram/bharti.laughterqueen
In another interview to NDTV Food, Singh revealed that losing weight or becoming slim wasn’t the goal she was aiming for. “Losing weight or getting slim was never my objective. I only started this diet to get fit.,” she said. Additionally, she told The Indian Express that “the last 30-32 years I haven’t taken care of myself, and would eat at odd times. That caused a lot of issues and I was even at borderline diabetes. I also got asthma during my stint on Khatron Ke Khiladi, and would also get tired really easily. Now, having shed my extra kilos I am feeling so much lighter and don’t even have any health issues.”
Since Singh is a popular comedian, her weight loss journey could serve as a source of inspiration for many of her fans and followers who are looking to try the method for themselves. But is intermittent fasting for everyone? We got in touch with Manav Bajaj, Nutrition Expert at Zomato and Founder of M&N Nutrition, to understand the truth behind intermittent fasting, whether it requires expert guidance and the best way to inculcate it into your fitness regimen.
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iDiva: How effective is intermittent fasting in a woman’s weight loss journey?
Manav Bajaj (MB): “When it comes to women, I’d define weight loss as fat loss. Now, intermittent fasting, if used in a planned manner, is an important tool that aids fat loss. However, if it’s done in an unplanned way, you can end up losing a lot of weight but that’s just muscle loss.”
iDiva: Does intermittent fasting work better when coupled with strength training?
MB: “Yes. When you couple it with strength training, you have muscular adaptations that help you on a hormonal level. So if you work out along with intermittent fasting, then you gain muscles which makes you burn fat faster.”
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iDiva: Can anyone start intermittent fasting or do they need to do it under an expert’s guidance?
MB: “Historically, fasting has always been a part of our lives. But these days people are going overboard with it. They don’t know what to eat during the non-fasting hours so supervision would be helpful as you will be able to get the right results in the desired amount of time. Nowadays, people want to lose 10 kgs in 10 days but that’s just muscle and water. So even if you start intermittent fasting on your own, it’s better to have at least some basic guidance in place.”
iDiva: Could you share some tips on the best way to follow intermittent fasting?
MB: “It differs from person to person. One way is to fast for 24 hours on any two non-consecutive days of the week. So you don’t eat anything for those 24 hours. The other way, which is also the most common and effective way in my practice, is the 16:8 intermittent fasting rule. You fast for 16 hours and then you eat two to three meals in the remaining eight hours. In my opinion, the 16:8 fasting rule is more effective than the 24-hour rule as not everyone can fast for one whole day.”
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iDiva: What can people consume during the 16 hours fasting period?
MB: “Usually, people end up having coffee or green tea but if you have too much of these, it can have different repercussions. You can include non-calorie foods but they need to be regulated. For example, I won’t advise four cups of black tea but maybe one cup is fine because if your energy level is dropping, it will pump you up a bit.”
iDiva: What are some dos and don’ts when it comes to intermittent fasting?
MB: “Keep a check on your hydration levels and have enough water during the fasting period. Also, don’t just blindly look at calories. You need to focus on the micronutrients. A pizza may be 800 calories but a meal comprising chicken breast and vegetables will also be 800 calories. However, the latter would have a lot of micronutrients that are beneficial for the body. Additionally, before you start intermittent fasting, always get a blood test done because you never know when your sugar levels could drop or you might have a pre-existing condition because of obesity or other reasons.”
Have you ever tried intermittent fasting? Let us know in the comments.
Social and lead image credit: Instagram/bharti.laughterqueen
