Over the next few weeks we’re going to do a mini nutrition series on the AdMac Fitness blog, where we’ll be taking a look at a few of the more popular diets approaches, breaking them down, discussing the good, the bad and the ugly about them. We’re taking opinions out of this and are giving you the facts, backed up by what the science says.
We’re approaching these from a weight loss perspective primarily.
The first blog in the series is about Intermittent Fasting - an approach that has gained in popularity over the last decade. Intermittent fasting continues to be popular and is the subject of a lot of research, discussion and books.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Simply put, intermittent fasting is a dietary approach where overall calorie intake is reduced by undergoing periods of fasting.
The fasting period can be adjusted to suit the requirements and preferences of the dieter, but typically most people will fast for 16-24 hours at a time. During the fasting window they’ll only be allowed to consume water (if following the fast strictly), but other people allow black coffee or BCAA drinks as well.
Essentially there are two schools of thought on Intermittent Fasting approaches. Some people who follow intermittent fasting will eat every day in an ‘eating window’, which will last from 1-8 hours. Other people will fast for 24 hours, then eat ‘normally’ for the rest of the week. There’s no right or wrong way of doing this - the choices are largely down to personal preference.
Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Weight Loss?
The short answer to this question is yes, it does.
The longer answer is that yes, it does, but only if you eat normally when you’re back into your eating window.
Intermittent Fasting works the same as any other diet, by restricting your calorie intake. In this case, it does it by reducing the amount of times that you eat. If you skip meals, but simply over-indulge when you’re allowed to eat again then you’ll still gain weight. The important thing with intermittent fasting is to treat the eating window normally - keep your portion sizes appropriate and still eat healthily.
Yes, it may allow you a little extra dietary flexibility, but it certainly isn’t a green light to eat a load of junk.
Does Intermittent Fasting Help in Other Ways?
Pre-clinical studies are showing remarkable health benefits across the board when it comes to fasting. In research by Cabo and Mattson, fasting protocols have been shown to be beneficial to patients suffering with a wide range of clinical issues including caners, age-related neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases etc. Whilst it’s too soon to claim fasting is a miracle approach, it does back up earlier research around autophagy.
Another interesting observation from the research shows that there are psychological benefits to do with fasting. Research shows in the early stages of fasting people can become irritable and angry, but once this first wave passes (usually after an hour) then the fasters become much calmer and able to control emotions around food more effectively. Other research shows that in lots of cases, people following a fasting protocol experienced ‘positive affective experiences of increased sense of achievement, reward, pride, and control’.
For me this last line is important, because I’ve seen a lot of dieters fail because they lack control when it comes to food. If by using an intermittent fasting approach for weight loss they could regain a sense of portion control it could lead to them feeling empowered and more able to resist cravings and urges to make poor choices around food.
The black and white nature of fasting - you’re either eating or you’re not, can be easier to deal with for some people than the need to make lower calorie choices when faced with a more appealing (yet higher calorie) option.
Should we all be Intermittent Fasting?
No, not really. It’s important when we talk about training and nutrition to not put everybody in the same boat - we all metabolise food differently and we all have different requirements from our diet. It’s also important to say that although there’s a lot of positives around the research with intermittent fasting, it’s not a magic approach that will guarantee weight loss - it still needs discipline to work effectively.
What the research does show us is that it’s possibly an effective way for people to regain control over their emotions with food, and it’s also a simple way to control calories - IF you don’t over-indulge when you’re allowed to eat again.
Furthermore, there is positive research around digestive stress and improvements in biomarkers concerning a wide range of health and disease issues. If you are suffering with diabetes, COPD, heart disease etc then this may well be worth looking into with more depth to make a decision as to whether or not this approach will work for you.
Intermittent Fasting for Health and Weight Loss - Concluding Thoughts
It’d be wrong of us to suggest that intermittent fasting is the golden ticket to health and weight loss on it’s own, but it certainly is an approach that has helped millions of people around the world lose weight, improve their health and regain a sense of control over their lives.
Speaking from a strictly weight loss perspective, it’s no better or worse than standard calorie reduction, but it might be far more suitable for people who lack control around food. In that case, it may prove to be far more effective than relying on yourself to make lower-calorie decisions.
The important point to take away is that if intermittent fasting works for you, keep doing it. If you’ve unsuccessfully tried other approaches and they haven’t worked, maybe give it a try to see if it helps you to lose some weight and improve your health.
If you’d like some help using intermittent fasting for weight loss, contact us on 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!