Intermittent Fasting. The newest yet one of the oldest forms of nutritional upload, or maybe I should say nutritional timing. In the beginning of time it was more about the availability of food. Mankind did not have the luxury of the abundance we have today. You had to track it, fight it, clean it and bring it back to the village. This could take days. In another place and time mankind chose to not eat do to religious beliefs. Throughout history we have done “intermittent fasting” not even knowing it.

Today there is great advancement in science. The study of nutrition now has also looked into timing, not just calorie restriction, to lose weight.

Personally I have had great success with intermittent fasting. I choose the 16:8 or Lean Gains method. Basically you eat during a window of time without caloric restriction then you simply don’t. There are certain rules that apply. You can have water, black coffee. It is important to educate yourself with the process and consult your physician before you jump into any program. We are going to concentrate on the actual “fasting” aspect. Not the do’s and don’ts.

I would like to share some information that dietitian Trinh Le wrote recently for you guys.

Intermittent fasting is more about when you eat rather than what you eat. A typical plan puts you on a scheduled fasting phase followed by a non-fasting phase. The former is where you may skip meals or eat significantly fewer calories to generate the energy deficit needed for weight loss. This allows more food flexibility and higher calorie goals in the latter phase.

A typical, calorie-restriction weight loss plan encourages a small daily restriction of 250–1,000 calories depending on how much weight you have to lose and how fast you want to lose it. While this may seem like a lot, it’s small compared to the thousands of calories slashed during the fasting phase of an intermittent fasting plan.

Intermittent fasting can be a safe choice for weight loss, but it all depends on how you approach it and how your body responds. Fasting is not for everyone and you shouldn’t try intermittent fasting if you are pregnant, diabetic or healing from a traumatic event such as surgery. Critics of intermittent fasting also point out that all this emphasis on restriction can backfire and encourage bingeing and other disordered eating behaviors. Our physical and mental health histories are all different, so if you have trouble deciding whether intermittent fasting is for you, consult a healthcare professional. Generally speaking, though, there’s little evidence to say intermittent fasting isn’t safe for healthy adults who have a bit of weight to lose.

The human body is designed to deal with fasting. It did not evolve to have food every hour of the day. Fasting triggers hormonal changes that are beneficial for your body. When you fast, insulin levels drop, allowing your cells to release stored fat and use it more effectively. Fasting also stimulates a housekeeping process called “autophagy.” With no food around to process, your cells can use that spare time to remove damaged or misfolded proteins. It doesn’t matter if you choose intermittent fasting or daily calorie restriction, fasting for a few hours enables your body to fulfill this important task.

It’s important to note that fasting is not the same as starvation. Going for days without eating or eating a very low-calorie diet indefinitely is not safe.

Also known as “eat stop eat,”  this plan involves fasting on 3–4 non-consecutive days per week. A 24-hour fasting phase is followed by a non-fasting day where you can eat as much as you’d like.

A 5:2 fasting plan means fasting on two non-consecutive days per week where you eat between 20–25% of your daily calorie needs. On non-fasting days you can eat normally.

With the Lean Gains and the Warrior Diet, you fast anywhere from 8–20 hours per day. You can eat freely during your non-fasting hours. Scheduling fasting hours overnight can make this plan easier.

There’s no one-size-fits-all diet for weight loss. Intermittent fasting can be helpful, but first consider whether it fits into the lifestyle you want to lead. If you try fasting and it’s not for you, cutting calories the old-fashioned way can still help you lose weight. Listen to your body, and pick the plan that works for you. Regardless, don’t forget calorie quality matters, too. As you’re losing pounds, nourish your body with nutrient-dense foods including fruits, veggies, grains, lean proteins and healthy fats.

Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. It’s our passion and pleasure to help (those willing) to achieve their fitness goals.