The Science of Intermittent Fasting
The science behind intermittent fasting remains unclear. The alleged benefits of intermittent fasting seem to stem from calorie restriction rather than eating during specific times.
Intermittent fasting. You’ve heard of it. Your friend has heard of it. Your fitness-enthusiast friend definitely knows about it.
The newest weight-loss fasting trend has spread across the country. Intermittent fasting has become one of the most popular health trends. Its promises of weight loss and improved health benefits make intermittent fasting tempting.
What exactly is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?
During the fasting periods, minimal is consumed, or even nothing at all. One of the most popular intermittent fasting diets is the Leangains (16:8) approach. During this fast, one should eat all their daily calories in an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours of that day. During the fasting period, beverages with zero calories can be consumed, and no caloric intake is made during this time.
Research on Intermittent Fasting
A lot of the current excitement about intermittent fasting is still based on some of the early animal studies, mostly on rats. They found that for the same amount of food, it led to weight loss, improvements in body composition, blood sugar metabolism, among other exciting things.
However, the science behind intermittent fasting remains unclear. The alleged benefits of intermittent fasting seem to stem from calorie restriction rather than eating during specific times. Though a small study suggested that intermittent fasting improves cardiovascular health and reduces body fat, further research is necessary to make any definite conclusions about the fad.
Besides, much of the existing evidence for intermittent fasting’s benefits has emerged from studies involving mice, not humans.
Is Intermittent Fasting a Better Way to Lose Weight?
When it comes to which is best for losing weight and all the health benefits that flow from that, it really boils down to which one is the most sustainable for you. What suits your lifestyle personality and preferences? Because when it comes to weight loss, your ability to maintain a lower weight long-term trumps just about every other consideration.
Unfortunately, human studies on intermittent fasting haven’t been quite so dramatic. Intermittent fasting and restricted eating windows tend to lead to weight loss—but that's because people following these regimens end up eating less.
These approaches also can lead to improvements in body composition, cholesterol, and blood sugar metabolism, but no more so than in people who lose weight through more traditional dietary approaches.
Although we keep hoping to discover a magic formula that allows us to lose weight without actually eating less, we haven’t found it yet. It still does come down to taking in fewer calories than you use.
When You May Not Want to Fast
Before you adopt the IF lifestyle, consider these caveats. Intermittent fasting may not be right for you if:
- You’re suffering from chronic fatigue
- Your hormones are out of whack
- You’re a woman trying to maximize fertility
- You suffer from an eating disorder
Personal Experience with Intermittent Fasting
I’m a fitness freak, and I base all my training and nutrition protocols on scientific literature and evidence (Google and articles don’t count!). In 2012, there was a scientific literature published about a new diet protocol where you restrict your eating time, and the weight melted off like magic! Being the science geek that I am, I decided to try it.
It DID NOT help me lose more weight, and sadly, it wasn’t as magical as the hype made it out to be!
However, it’s 2020, and I’m still doing IF! It’s been 8 years, and I LOVE IT! Not cause it helps me lose more weight (which it doesn’t), but it just makes me feel good not having to crave food all the time.
I just enjoyed the schedule. There’s a four to six-hour window when I consume all of my foods. Once I got used to that, I did not have cravings whatsoever for the rest of the day. I still felt like I had energy, but I didn’t feel the need to eat or snack.
I have a hectic schedule. I usually wake up at 6:30 in the morning, get to the gym by 7:30, and then work 10-6pm. As you can see, I don’t have time for breakfast or any meal in between.
I’m pretty sure most of you reading this have similar time constraints. So why not just skip breakfast and stick to 2 meals (lunch and dinner). The first few weeks are going to suck, but once you get used to it, it gets so much easier. If you stick to healthy foods, skipping a few meals will make you eat less, which in turn will help you lose weight.
