Cebu City - Low carb intermittent fasting (LCIF) is one of the common trends nowadays for people who want to lose weight. This is their response of the increasing overweight obesity in the world.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), globally, obesity affects 800 million individuals, placing them more at risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers. It has also emerged as a major risk factor for severe disease during the COVID-19 pandemic, making people living with obesity twice as likely to be hospitalized if tested positive for COVID-19. In the Philippines, around 27 million Filipinos are overweight and obese, based on the latest survey of the Department of Science and Technology's Food and Nutrition Research Institute. For the past two decades, overweight and obesity among adults in the country has almost doubled from 20.2% in 1998 to 36.6% in 2019.
Many people especially on social media had been posting photos of them losing weight, some in the span of 6 months and some just for a month. There are numerous LCIF groups on Facebook with more than 80k to 2.1M members. With the influence of social media and positive feedback from various social media groups, many body-conscious individuals has been seeking to lose weight and are encouraged by the positive testimonies of others.
But what is LCIF? LCIF is a combination of the low carb high-fat (LCHF) diet and intermittent fasting (IF). This is an eating plan that switches between fasting and eating on a regular schedule. It is a diet method of eating that reduces carbs and replaces them with fats. This diet method can aid weight loss and is linked to a growing number of health benefits like reducing blood sugars, stabilizing blood pressure, and can positively impact those with conditions such as heart disease and diabetes mellitus.
Does LCIF have downfalls? The answer is YES! There are some drawbacks to LCIF. Side effects such as nausea, constipation, diarrhea, weakness, headache, fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness, and insomnia are common. Not all individuals are fit to engage in LCIF. Individuals who are hypersensitive to dietary cholesterol or often referred to as “hyper-responders” and individuals who have kidney disease and other serious illness conditions must talk to their doctors first before engaging in this diet plan to avoid serious coplications in the future. It’s always better to maintain a healthy eating plan and stick to the principle of moderation, variety, and balance. Follow the Pinggang Pinoy and the 10 Kumainments for a healthier and fitter you. // NO I Armie D. Plando, RN
Source: https://www.healthline.com › nutrition › lchf-diet-plan-an.
