In a nutshell, intermittent fasting is just that: fasting intermittently. It’s also referred to as time restricted eating.

It’s limiting calorie intake during certain hours/day or days/week. It’s more of an eating pattern than a diet. It limits when to eat, and not so much what to eat. (Sometimes that’s NOT a great thing) And that’s part of it’s appeal to people who don’t want to count calories or use a food log to track everything.

Some would say that it’s a more natural way to eat because humans evolved without refrigerators, drive-throughs, or 24-hour convenience stores. We now have access to food (including junk food) all day long, so eating several meals per day plus snacks may be less natural than fasting from time to time. It’s only in recent human history that we have access to food all day, every day– so fasting can help with over-consumption.

There are lots of variations on this theme. They include:

• 16/8 which is 16 hours of fasting, and eating only within the other 8 hours (often 11:00 – 7:00pm or 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm.)
• 5:2 days of fasting, where you eat regularly for five days of the week, then take in just 500-600 calories/day for the other two (non-consecutive) days.
• There’s also the fasting mimicking diet where a few times per year, you calories restrict for 5 days straight, mimicking a fast.

IS INTERMITTENT FASTING EFFECTIVE FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

Intermittent fasting can help folks to lose weight because it can help you to eat fewer calories, and burn more calories too.

Lots of people say they have success with it. But what do the studies say?

According to one review study, intermittent fasting helped people to lose 3-8% of their weight over 3-24 weeks. In this study, people also lost 4-7% of their waist circumference (i.e., belly fat).

Another study of 100 people with obesity showed that after a year, the people who fasted on alternate days lost more weight than people who didn’t change their eating pattern. But, (and here’s where it’s interesting) they didn’t lose any more weight than those on a calorie restricted diet. Out of the people who were to follow the intermittent fasting protocol, 38% of them dropped out.

Sticking with a diet (or a healthy way of eating) is one of the keys to weight loss success. So, if you can’t stay with a weight-loss diet, you’re less likely to lose the weight and keep it off.

One of my favourite resources on fasting is The Complete Guide to Fasting by Dr.Jason Fung, MD. – if you’re interested in learning more about the benefits.

BEFORE YOU CONSIDER INTERMITTENT FASTING

Intermittent fasting is not for everyone. People who are underweight, or have eating disorders shouldn’t fast. Neither should women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are breastfeeding.

Certain medical conditions can be worsened with longer periods of fasting. Also, people taking certain medications can be prone to side effects with intermittent fasting as well. Fasting if you have blood-sugar imbalance can be very hard on the body too.

One of the reasons people drop out of the intermittent fasting eating pattern is that it’s hard to stick with the fasting part. They eat more than the allowed (low-level of) calories when they’re supposed to be fasting. And when they finish fasting, they may overindulge due to the reaction of the appetite hormones and hunger drive while fasting.

Also, the hours and days of fasting can be very difficult. So having strong social support will be key to those intermittent periods of fasting. For some people, sticking to a healthy, nutrient-dense weight loss diet is the key to success, and intermittent fasting might not be for them.

CONCLUSION

Intermittent fasting seems to work for some people. It can help you lose weight and reduce belly fat. But, it isn’t safe for everyone. It can also be difficult to stick with.

For the best chance of long-term weight loss success, finding a diet, you can stick with is key.

I have been working with fasting personally and with clients so feel free to reach out before jumping into it. Support is a big factor in success!

What about you? Have you or someone you know tried intermittent fasting? What were the results? Let me know in the comments below.

Also, enjoy the recipe below. It’s a great dense snack that will help to keep you full when you’re in your eating window.

Recipe (Whole food): Almond Butter Energy Bites

Makes about 12 energy bites

INGREDIENTS

1 cup oats
⅔ cup almond butter or your favourite nut butter
½ cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet and dairy-free if possible)
½ cup flax seeds, ground
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir.
2. Using a tablespoon to measure, roll into about 12 energy bites.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can roll the bites to coat them in cocoa powder for a bit of extra flavour and to prevent them from being too sticky.

References:

https://authoritynutrition.com/intermittent-fasting-guide/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/not-so-fast-pros-and-cons-of-the-newest-diet-trend