Full disclosure: I get so many inquiries from clients and people in general asking, “what is intermittent fasting, and what’s your opinion on it,” that I have been wanting to write this article for a long, long time! But here is the thing: I typically try to actually do a diet at least a couple times before writing about it. That way I’m able to also share my personal experience with the protocol. But with my busy client schedule and athletic training routine, I couldn’t find a compelling enough reason to impose intermittent fasting and time restricted eating into my day to day life. So, I’m sharing this article purely from research and observation in my field of nutrition coaching work. So let’s dive in! What is intermittent fasting? It’s a popular eating pattern that has gained a lot of attention in recent years for its purported health benefits. It involves alternating periods of fasting and eating, with the goal of improving overall health and weight management. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at intermittent fasting, its benefit claims, it’s potential drawbacks, and whether I think you really need to do it.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. There are several different approaches to intermittent fasting, but the most common include:
- Time-restricted eating: This involves eating all your meals within a set time frame, typically between 8-10 hours each day, and fasting for the remaining 14-16 hours.
- Alternate-day fasting: This involves eating normally one day and then fasting for the entire next day.
- 5:2 fasting: This involves eating normally for five days of the week and then restricting calories to 500-600 on two non-consecutive days.
Intermittent fasting is not a diet in the traditional sense, but rather an eating pattern that can be combined with any type of healthy diet. It does not restrict the types of foods you can eat, but rather when you can eat them.
Some Useful Perspective on Whether You Need to Intermittent Fast
Keep in mind that our bodies do a daily ‘fast’ automatically, every time we go to bed. And, humans have been doing all sorts of awesome physiological change and transformative stuff with their bodies, for a long time, before we started asking, “what is intermittent fasting” in the first place. And if it never surfaced as a health and fitness trend, we would all carry on doing what we do best– adapting and figuring things out. Any time you think you need to follow someone else’s eating or diet theory in order to achieve your goals, just try to remember that you were born with the ability to take perfect care of your body with what you have– access to healthy food and the ability to move, sleep, and manage life’s curveballs. So a good question to ask yourself might be: “Would time restricting my meals make my process harder or easier? Can I do this and sustain it in the long term? Would this process be rewarding or unpleasant?” The idea that we need to suffer or be hungry in order to achieve a wellness objective is not only scientifically false, it is also not a very productive or healthy mindset. Take me for example. So far, at age 56, I’ve pretty much been able to achieve any health, fitness, and body composition goal I have set for myself without the need to intermittent fast. In fact, when I thought about doing it, I couldn’t find enough good reasons to mess up my eating schedule, which currently supports a very active lifestyle. I’d recommend really practicing being a “curious student” when evaluating an eating style like intermittent fasting. Don’t be afraid to put it under some scrutiny, and truly decide for yourself whether it would be a fit for you.
What I’ve Observed in Clients Who Have Done Intermittent Fasting
My direct professional experience with intermittent fasting is mostly when I am onboarding a new client. In the initial consultation, an occasional client will share that they have consistently carried out or tried an intermittent fasting program. Every single one of theses clients were unable to sustain the eating style over time. And the majority of clients reported feelings of deprivation, awkwardness at social dinners that were outside of their “feeding window,” and an eventual rebound where they lost whatever gains they made (gaining lost weight back), in addition to other concerns and constraints. I have had a handful of clients organically stumble upon an intermittent fasting approach that worked for them, but only after we had coached together for a while. Once these clients were able to get a better handle on their own eating habits and behaviors, and design a lifestyle that worked for their goals, it worked out that eating in a smaller window was actually a great fit for them. In these cases, the clients had already laid a solid foundation of healthy habits, knew how to manage their intake of food in a way that supported their needs and goals, and knew how to listen to their body for feedback– in order to know that the intermittent fasting schedule was in fact a fit for them. Figuring it out through your own process of coaching and personal development is a lot different than just doing it because everyone else is, or because the Instagram algorithms keep feeding you intermittent fasting content. Now that I’ve shared some of my personal and professional views about “what is intermittent fasting,” let’s dive into the science!
Purported Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has been studied for its potential health benefits, which include:
- Weight loss: Intermittent fasting can help reduce calorie intake, leading to weight loss. Studies have shown that it can be as effective as calorie-restricted diets for weight loss.
- Improved insulin sensitivity: Intermittent fasting may improve insulin sensitivity, which can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- Reduced inflammation: Studies have shown that intermittent fasting can reduce inflammation in the body, which is a key contributor to many chronic diseases.
- Improved heart health: Intermittent fasting can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which can reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Improved brain function: Intermittent fasting has been shown to increase brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that is important for brain function and may protect against neurodegenerative diseases.
- Increased lifespan: Studies in animals have shown that intermittent fasting can increase lifespan, although more research is needed to confirm if this is true in humans.
There is not a lot of human research on intermittent fasting. Most of the data we have to rely on today comes from animal research. I am aware of some clinical experiences shared by functional doctors who use fasting to help treat their patients. But this kind of fasting is not necessarily intermittent. This would be more of a 3 day fast to induce cell autophagy for particular treatments and health objectives. And it wouldn’t be a regular way of eating.
Potential Risks of Intermittent Fasting
Despite the many positive claims about intermittent fasting, there are some potential drawbacks to consider.
- Hunger and cravings: Fasting can be difficult, especially at the beginning, and may lead to increased hunger and cravings. This can make it difficult to stick to the diet long-term.
- Nutrient deficiencies: Depending on the type of intermittent fasting you choose, it may be difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs to function properly. For example, if you are not eating for an entire day, you may not be getting enough protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- Disordered eating: For some people, intermittent fasting can trigger disordered eating behaviors, such as binge eating or restriction.
- Difficult to manage in a normal, happy life: Social dinners, pancakes with your kids, vacation, or just a brutally busy schedule can all make it extremely difficult to comply with intermittent fasting.
- Difficulty maintaining: While intermittent fasting can be effective for weight loss and improving health markers, it may be difficult to maintain long-term. Once you stop fasting, you may regain the weight you lost if you don’t continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly.
- Metabolic adaptation: If you are eating less as a result of intermittent fasting, but not making sure you are supporting your basal metabolic activity levels through exercise, your body’s metabolic activity could diminish. This is not ideal for long term weight management, health, vitality, and longevity.
So What is Wrong With Hunger and Cravings?
Nothing really. But it’s important to have an informed understanding of hunger and cravings before we just start imposing them on ourselves. Hunger: Is a signal that it’s time to eat. That doesn’t necessarily mean we should rush to eat as soon as we feel hungry. If you know what real hunger feels like, you can manage it and you’ll know when and how much to eat. If you don’t know what real hunger feels like, you may have a harder time managing your hunger pangs. In this case, doing a fast can actually be extremely helpful in helping to learn that being hungry is okay, and that you won’t die if you’re hungry for a day, or maybe even two. This would be more of a mental reset than anything. And you shouldn’t need to do it day in and day out. In fact, any time a client tells me they are afraid to feel hungry, I actually recommend a one day (modified) fast, to help them overcome the fear of hunger. Cravings: Another physiological signal, cravings are your body essentially nudging you to eat something particular because it is trying to achieve homeostasis. This gets a little complicated, because this unbalance can be coming from stress, emotions, association, or a nutritionally unbalanced diet. What we teach in nutrition coaching is to first: be okay with cravings and identify what they are really all about, and second: give the body what it is actually asking for (like a healthy meal, a walk in fresh air, a cuddle with the dog, or a hug). As you can see, when you simply restrict and “overcome” hunger and cravings through an intermittent fasting protocol, you may be missing an opportunity to develop powerful awareness and behavior change around how and why…and when you eat.
What is Intermittent Fasting- The Bottom Line
In my experience, the majority of people who think they are intermittent fasting are actually just restricting calories. By reducing their eating window, they end up cutting a meal (essentially) and from those reduced daily calories, they experience weight loss. So, if all you’re going to do is restrict calories, do you really need intermittent fasting? It’s a fair question. If you want to do intermittent fasting right, it would be most advantageous to make it a part of a more broadened approach to your nutrition and wellness practices. Making sure your basic health and wellness skills like knowing how to eyeball your portions, how to eat slowly and mindfully, how to eat the amount of food that supports your needs and goals, and how to manage your daily life with a simple strategy for getting enough protein, vegetables and other key nutrients, should be a prerequisite before trying intermittent fasting. But, if you do decide to give it a try, here are some tips:
- It’s a good idea to run the idea by your primary care provider before diving in. With their knowledge of your medical history, they’ll be able to advise you.
- Choose an intermittent fasting method that works for you: There are several different approaches to intermittent fasting, so choose one that suits your lifestyle and preferences. If you are new to fasting, it may be helpful to start with time-restricted feeding (daily).
- Plan your meals: If you are doing time-restricted feeding, plan your meals for your eating window ahead of time. This can help ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need and prevent overeating, or worse- undereating.
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water as this will contribute to overall health and balance as you introduce your body to something new.
- Start slow: If you are new to fasting, start with a shorter fasting period and gradually increase it over time. This can help your body adjust to the new eating pattern.
- Listen to your body: If you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or weak during fasting periods, listen to your body and break your fast. It is important to prioritize your health and safety.
- Stay nourished: Intermittent fasting should NOT be about deprivation, but about simply shortening the time you eat, and filling that shortened time with the right amount of nutrient-dense calories to support your body over the long haul.
- Break your fast with a nutritious meal: When you break your fast, make sure to eat a nutritious meal that includes protein, healthy fats, and fiber. This can help keep you feeling full and prevent any possible overeating trigger after the extended window of fasting. It is also helpful to eat slowly when you break your fast for the same reasons.
- Don’t try intermittent fasting if you have a lot of anxiety around dieting, have experienced disordered eating in the past, struggle with negative body image, or in general feel you don’t have a healthy, happy, calm relationship with food. Intermittent fasting can make you vulnerable to developing unhealthy thoughts and behaviors around eating, and that wouldn’t be a very good outcome.
Intermittent fasting is definitely not for everyone! I have a questionnaire that I offer to clients who want to try intermittent fasting, that is designed to help determine whether the eating style would be a good fit. This demonstrates that jumping into time restricted eating or extended fasting should be well thought out and planned before moving forward. I hope my experienced point of view has provided some fresh perspective on the intermittent fasting trend. I have helped hundreds of people in my nutrition coaching practice in Pasadena. So all my viewpoints here come from observation and real evidence presented by my clients. If you think you might like to join my family of clients and explore nutrition coaching for yourself, you are welcome to book a complimentary coaching call here! I’d love to hop on the phone and find out where you are with your health and fitness, where you would like to be, and how I can help you get there! Thanks for reading! Learn more about nutrition & health coaching here!
Other Sources: Effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging, and disease. d Effect of Alternate-Day Fasting on Weight Loss, Weight Maintenance, and Cardioprotection Among Metabolically Healthy Obese Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial.Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism.Intermittent fasting interventions for treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Metabolic Effects of Intermittent Fasting. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes.
