Is Intermittent Fasting Good for You? The Pros and Cons

What Is Intermittent Fasting?




Intermittent fasting refers to alternating between fasting and eating at specific times and for specified periods. So, rather than focusing on what you eat, this approach zooms in on the durations that you eat and don’t eat.




This diet follows research that indicated that fasting for extended periods or limiting meals to one a day has several health benefits. Humans can go without food for prolonged periods, even days. Our history, when we were hunter-gatherers, backs up this notion.




Studies also show that people had healthier bodyweights roughly 50 years ago, before computers, phones and televisions glued us to one spot. Scientists theorized that the prevalence of obesity and diseases such as type 2 diabetes has a lot to do with extended screen time and snacking.




How Does Intermittent Fasting Work?




Although there are different ways to implement intermittent fasting, all have regular eating and fasting periods at the core – for example, eating during an eight-hour window and fasting for the rest of the day (16 hours), or eating only one meal a day, three days out of a week.




Studies show that hours without food deplete sugar reserves. Once this happens, your body burns fat for energy. This is called metabolic switching.




On average, most people constantly eat or snack during their waking hours and never reach the state of metabolic switching. They only accumulate fat stores. By fasting intermittently, you program your body to burn fat and consequently lose weight.




Intermittent Fasting Approaches




As stated, there are different ways that you can implement intermittent fasting.




A daily approach involves eating for six or eight hours a day and fasting for the remainder – for example, a 16/8 or 18/6 plan. Most people can manage this, but it may not be as successful in sustaining weight loss in the long run. Eating smaller, healthier meals throughout the day proved to be a more effective weight-loss strategy.




The 5:2 approach refers to eating as usual five days a week, and eating only one meal, with a maximum of 800 calories, on the remaining two days. It’s not advisable to have your one-meal-only days consecutively. The experts advise spreading them – for example, on a Monday and a Thursday.




Prolonging fasting periods to 24, 36, 48 or 72 hours can be risky. There’s also evidence that if the body is without food for too long, it starts ‘stockpiling’ fat to ward off starvation.




When starting intermittent fasting, you may initially feel moody and hungry until your body adjusts to your new ‘normal’.




To Eat or Not to Eat




Here’s where the bubble bursts a little. Intermittent fasting doesn’t mean that you can eat whatever you want during your ‘eating periods’. A balanced diet is essential for losing weight and maintaining good health. This means that calorie-packed, deep-fried and sugary delights are not doing you any favors.




A diet consisting of lean protein, fresh greens, healthy fats and whole grains is the way to go if you’re serious about losing those extra pounds. Intermittent fasting makes it possible to enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods, and there are no specific restrictions, such as no carbs or meat.




During fasting periods, you’re allowed water and beverages with no calories, such as black coffee.




Benefits of Intermittent Fasting




Intermittent fasting influences your metabolic processes, which impacts both body and mind. Medical research found that it can safeguard the organs against chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, dementia-type disorders, some cancers, and heart issues.




In a nutshell, intermittent fasting:




• Improves thinking and memory to boost cognitive functioning.
• Helps fight high blood pressure and improves resting heart rate for better cardiac health.
• Boosts physical performance. Research indicated that men who fasted for 16 hours burned fat without losing muscle.
• Aids weight loss and combats obesity.
• Improves the condition of type 2 diabetes sufferers by lowering fasting glucose, insulin and leptin levels, and reducing insulin resistance.
• Promotes wound healing and tissue health.

Downsides of Intermittent Fasting

Although intermittent fasting research showcased many positive results, it should be mentioned that most of this research was done on animals. While studies including humans replicated some of these positives, it’s not certain if all the benefits will apply to people.

It’s advisable to get your doctor’s green light if you are over 65 years or still growing (children, adolescents and young adults). Intermittent fasting may also not be suitable for people with:

• Diabetes, especially those using blood glucose medication.
• Heart, kidney or liver disease.
• Eating disorders (or a history of eating disorders).

Intermittent fasting may also not be safe if you take blood thinners, diuretics or blood pressure medication, or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Many find it challenging to stick to these set fasting/eating routines and ‘load up’ on comfort foods during their eating periods. Doing this is far from healthy. It’s better to fast for shorter periods and gradually introduce your body and mind to this new way of doing things.

Struggling with weight loss is a battle that many face day after day, week after week, and year after year. Intermittent fasting is not an easy, quick ‘fix it all’, but it is a viable solution for those who want to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

By: @Sam (Samantha Brooks)