You’ve probably heard of intermittent fasting (IF), thought about trying it, or maybe have no idea what I am talking about (that’s ok!). Either way, here are my thoughts.

IF is a pattern of eating. It’s a framework where you allow yourself to eat during a specific window of time each day. Technically, we already do this when we sleep. The more well-known patterns are:

16:8 You fast for 16 hours and then eat during a window of eight hours. For example, only eat between 11am to 7pm.
5:2 Two days of the week you decrease caloric intake to 500/600 calories per day for women and men, respectively.

Focusing On 16:8

What Are The Benefits?
Research is generally positive but inconclusive; No long term studies have been conducted on humans.

IF requires very little though-process to implement. You technically don’t have to alter what you eat—you just have to eat within a certain window of time. Not much thinking involved, which is sometimes good enough.
It has helped with weight loss, although not much different than other more standard weight loss programs. There are also no studies showing that it can keep the weight off, which to some extent is the more concerning part of any weight loss program (avoiding the yo-yo effect)
Improves blood sugar control
Decreases insulin resistance levels and blood pressure
Reduces overall inflammation and controls chronic illness due to reduction in cells that cause inflammation (monocytes), reduces overall oxidative stress. This is very promising!
Better longevity and less age-related diseases (study in rats). Basically, DNA changes with age and that calorie restriction slows down the process of that change. Does The Okinawa Program ring a bell?

The Downfalls?

It may be too difficult to follow. After all, it involves fasting i.e. going without food for long periods of time, and who enjoys that?!
Some research has shown that skipping breakfast may lead to increased stress hormones, while eating within a few hours of waking improves weight loss and insulin resistance. We are still unsure how IF effects our circadian rhythm.
It can interfere with our natural hunger cues, which is basically disconnecting us (more) from listening to our bodies and its needs. Most people don’t like to feel hangry.
IF can increase mental fogginess, decreases alertness, and take a toll on your blood sugar levels (high and low)
IMPORTANT: It can lead to unhealthy obsession with food or promote an unhealthy relationship with food, especially if this is your natural inclination

Yay or Nay?
I generally like and follow some principles of IF. I like promoting the idea of “gut rest” to help your body catch up, to help promote better digestion, improve sleep, and improve GI symptoms such as bloating or gas. That said, I usually promote a 12-14 hour gut rest with emphasis on not eating towards the latter hours of the night and eating within 2-3 hours of waking.

Should You Try It?
It depends. Work hours, social life, and presence of health conditions determine whether it would be a good fit. Here are some tips to consider:

Try if you are generally healthy – maybe you discovered you have high blood pressure, prediabetes (elevated HgA1c), or want to manage your weight.
Avoid if you have uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid condition, hormonal changes i.e. menopause, or pregnant/breastfeeding.
Start slow. If you eat as soon as you wake up and snack in bed before going to sleep (fasting window of 6-7 hours), widen your fasting time by not eating for 1 hour after waking and 1 hour before sleep. If that feels good, extend by another hour and see how you feel.
Hydrate adequately. You can drink water, teas, black coffee while fasting, but mostly highlight water.
What are you hoping to get out of it? Check in with yourself to see if you are achieving it through IF. If not, then make adjustments.

If you try IF, please share your experiences. Feel free to tag me on Instagram or write me directly.