There is a lot of hype around Intermittent Fasting, or IF. But is the hype worth it? We’re going to get into what exactly IF is, the pros and cons of it, and decide if IF is right for you!

What Is It?

Intermittent Fasting is fasting for a brief period of time. There are many different types of IF (we discuss below). A fast can last for any number of hours, days, or even months! In fact, many religious groups practice some type of fasting during certain holidays or times of the year!

What Are the Benefits?

There are definitely a handful of benefits to fasting for brief periods of time. Some of those benefits include:

An Increase in Energy

Since fasting gives your body a break from constantly digesting food, you have more energy to use in other areas of your life, like working out, spending time with our friends, or even watching a good movie!

A Reduction in Insulin Resistance

When you eat, your body needs to produce insulin to regulate your blood sugar levels. A fast, or break, from eating gives your body the rest it needs from constantly trying to balance out your hormones, and can help decrease your insulin intolerance (if you’re experiencing any type of insulin resistance).

A Reduction in Inflammation

You may have found that certain foods can cause you gas and/or to bloat. This is a type of inflammation. The break that IF gives you allows your body more time to get rid of that bloat and inflammation. It also helps reduce inflammation found in other areas of the body too!

Weight Loss

IF isn’t a diet to help you lose weight. However, people who have success with weight loss while intermittent fasting often find this success because they have an improved consciousness to what they are eating and therefore, tend to make “healthier” options.

An Improvement in Memory & Brain Function

These two improvements tend to be from less occurrences of brain fog and blood sugar crashes!

So, What’s the Downside?

One of the biggest downsides to IF is that you are putting restrictions on yourself. Some people don’t do well with restrictions, others thrive. If you usually don’t do well with restrictions, proceed with caution as this restriction may be too much and/or cause other bad habits to form. 

Another con to IF is that it may not work with your life. Maybe you schedule changes from day to day. One night you work late and the other day, you work early. IF could be hard to manage if your schedule is constantly changing. On the flip side, IF may fit perfectly with your schedule. For example, if you’re a nurse and work 12 hour shifts, you may find that IF works perfectly with your schedule!

You Mentioned There Were Different Ways to Fast…

I did. There are multiple ways to fast, I’ve highlighted some of the more common options below:

The 16/8 Approach

In this method, you fast for 16 hours of the day and consume your daily allotted calories within an 8 hour window. 

The 18/6 Approach

In 18/6, you fast 18 hours of the day and have a 6 hour eating window. 

Eat-Stop-Eat

Also known as a 24 hour fast, this method is when you restrict food for 24 hours, one time a week.

The 5:2 Method

This method of fasting is when you eat how you normally would for 5 days in a row, and then you dramatically reduce the amount you eat (to about ~800 calories) for the remaining 2 days.

Is IF Right For Me?

That is a question that only you can answer. If you’re curious about it, I say give it a try and see how it goes. And I would also suggest starting small. We all naturally fast (during our sleep!), so the best place to start is to begin by seeing if you can wait an extra hour or two before you eat the first meal of the day! If you find success with that, push it back another hour or two! Another suggestion is to stop eating an hour earlier, the night before.

My Opinion on IF

I personally like IF for some people, but not all. I am currently in a phase of my health where I am fasting intermittently, and finding success with it. I chose to start practicing IF about 6 weeks ago when I noticed a lot of inflammation in my body. With a vacation coming up, I want to reduce that inflammation and feel better in my skin! I’m currently following the 16/8 approach (but started the first week and a half fasting about 12 hours a day and pushing each day back another 30-60 minutes), but I find that on some days, I have to eat earlier than when I would because I am just hungry! Fasting has really allowed me to rediscover my own hunger cues, reduce some inflammation, and provide me with more energy in the afternoon - no more 3pm slump!

Did you form an opinion on IF? I’d love to hear your thoughts - share them below!

Veronica

Photo by Kaizen Nguyễn on Unsplash