In this article
By now, you’ve probably heard about intermittent fasting, also known as IF, the buzzy diet trend that seems to be a magic bullet for weight loss – even according to actual medical professionals (and of course Kourtney Kardashian).
According to its proponents, intermittent fasting does more than help you lose weight. Its benefits are also said to include better brain and heart health, a decrease in blood pressure and insulin sensitivity, and even increased longevity.
So, you’re probably either saying “Sign me up!” or “What’s the catch?”
What exactly is intermittent fasting?
To begin with, intermittent fasting isn’t a diet that cuts calories or excludes certain types of foods. IF is a way of eating that doesn’t restrict what you eat but when you eat. One of the most popular methods of intermittent fasting is called the 16:8 diet, because you fast for sixteen hours, and then you’re free to eat whatever you choose during an eight-hour window.
Even though it’s recommended that you stick to a healthy diet while you’re on the plan, no food is off limits. Most people following this plan abstain from eating before bedtime and after waking up, choosing to eat during the middle of the day. Other IF plans include fasting two days a week, or alternate day fasting. During fasting periods, it’s important to stay hydrated and drinking water is encouraged. Some plans allow tea, coffee, or even bone broth.
How does intermittent fasting help you lose weight?
Why is IF successful? According to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine by Johns Hopkins Medicine neuroscientist Mark Mattson, "Alternating between times of fasting and eating supports cellular health, probably by triggering an age-old adaptation to periods of food scarcity called metabolic switching. Such a switch occurs when cells use up their stores of rapidly accessible, sugar-based fuel, and begin converting fat into energy.”
In other words, your body stops burning what you’ve just eaten for fuel and begins to burn its own fat for energy. Mattson added that studies have shown that this switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress, and suppresses inflammation.
Intermittent fasting worked for Nissa Graun, mother of two. She previously told Mom.com that a combination of the keto diet and intermittent fasting helped her lose 90 post-pregnancy pounds and cured her gestational diabetes.
After losing 80 pounds on IF, 43-year-old mom Martine Etienne-Mesubi told NBC News, “I feel amazing. I feel fantastic. I have newfound confidence I’m saying ‘yes’ to so many things. I’m excited about life and my future with my family. I’m a better mom and a better wife.”
Benefits and risks of intermittent fasting
IF sounds amazing, right? Eat what you like, lose weight, and get healthy all at the same time? However, nothing is perfect, and, like everything else, IF has its disadvantages — and even dangers.
“There are certain people who shouldn’t consider fasting in any form,” says Sara Jackson, registered nutritional therapist and naturopath. “These include children, type 1 diabetics, diabetics using insulin, and anyone who is pregnant or thinking about trying to conceive, or is breastfeeding.”
Additionally, many experts worry that IF can be a danger to those already vulnerable to disordered eating. “Intermittent fasting is a gateway to an eating disorder,” stated Evelyn Tribole, registered dietitian and co-author of Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works.
The Center For Discovery, an eating disorder clinic, also warns of the dangers of IF. “You should avoid fasting altogether if you are at risk of an eating disorder,” they cautioned.
"Intermittent fasting could be problematic for individuals with bingeing issues, or anyone who might have trouble controlling how much they’re eating on the non-fasting days,” Rene Ficek, RDN, CDE, and lead nutrition expert at Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating, told CafeMom.com. "Also, people practicing this diet may feel light-headed, dizzy, tired, and nauseated, and their workouts may suffer."
If you’re still tempted to try the intermittent fasting lifestyle, your first step — as with any diet regimen or change to your normal eating routine — should be discussing the pros and cons of the IF diet with your medical provider. After that, give it a try. You just may be one of the many people who’ve lost weight and improved their health with the help of intermittent fasting.
