popular diets simplified - Part 4

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

What is it? 
IF diets require prolonged fasting (no eating) periods of typically 12-16 hours before consuming your calories for the day in a much smaller window of time than eating throughout the day. 

Who should avoid IF diets? 
IF can be a great form of dieting, allowing significant time for the digestive system to metabolise and process the food we have eaten. However there are some pitfalls: 

• Athletes for example may find it hard to fuel & refuel appropriately. Recovery from vigorous exercise could be impeded. 
• Those who train earlier in the morning may suffer muscle atrophy (muscle protein breakdown) from neglecting pre & post workout nutrition outside the feeding window. 
• Anyone on medications for health issues, pregnant women or those who have suffered or struggle with eating disorders 

What does the research say? 
Again we have another trend that is lacking longer term research to back up a lot of its claims. Much of the supportive research is based on animals and there are many substantial health benefits associated with fasting. I'm only going to focus on the weight loss research, here's what we know:

• There is no data to support longer fasting periods over 10-12 hours providing greater weight loss. 
• IF has been shown to help support weight loss over no treatment but compares similarly to other forms of calorie restriction. 
• Also the types of food ingested through the eating window play a major role in the success of this form of dieting. Fasting is not a free for all to eat what you like, you still need to make good choices.
• Fasting is hard! 

Final thoughts
Personally I quite like the idea of fasting and have used it myself sporadically and with clients to create structure and routine. However fasting can be one of the hardest options to adhere to. The combination of fasting and healthy eating choices can be an extremely successful combination for weight loss.
Similar to that of the PBD it can be hard to get a full spectrum of protein, micro-nutrients in a smaller eating window. Tracking your daily intakes is a necessity on both.
Overall this form of eating can be beneficial over a short period of time, however if you're someone who enjoys breakfast or trains early this probably is not the option for you. When planning and developing your own eating routines make sure to use options that fit to your lifestyle rather than what the current celebs are all over. EAT REAL FOOD!

​Check out the other posts in the series, Gluten Free, Keto.