Intermittent Fasting- Is It Worth It?

Intermittent Fasting….it’s all the rage these days. Everyone from your Aunt Sally to your BFF to big time celebrities are doing it, so should you? I mean, apparently you can eat what you want but it's just during certain times and then you’ll lose weight, right? Before you jump right into another diet sister, let’s chat. 

Intermittent Fasting is a diet pattern where you only eat during certain times of the day. It cycles between fasting (when you’re not eating) and eating (obviously when you’re, eating!). Depending on who you talk to,  intermittent fasting can look like only eating from 12-8pm every day, or it could even look like not eating for full days during the week. People claim that this brings many health benefits- like weight loss, energy increase, cellular reproduction, and the list goes on.

So is it worth the hype? The truth is, there is just not enough research yet. Intermittent Fasting has not yet statistically proven to lose weight (according to a new study published in the journal of the American Medical Association). In fact, the fasting group of this study showed that 60% of the weight they lost was lean muscle mass, which is what we actually want to keep on our body! This is definitely something to consider, as it may not be as “great” as it seems if you’re intermittent fasting for weight loss. 

Now, there is some exciting research on benefits with the brain, and there is even some research that it can help with epilepsy. Please note, most of this research has been done with animals. This can be a diet we can use for treatment (like children who have seizures), but the important point to note is that it is used for a short term benefit medically. This is much different than using it as a long term solution for weight loss.

It is important to note, that for many women, intermittent fasting can be a hormone disruptor, and if you are pregnant, nursing, if you have diabetes, or have a history with eating disorders, we do not recommend you do this.

From an intuitive perspective, forcing our bodies to only eat during certain times is not recommended. It goes against your body’s natural hunger cues, and again puts that wedge between you and a healthy, intuitive relationship with your body/food. Keep in mind, that any eating pattern that goes against our body does not set us up for a sustainable relationship with food.

Listen, we know that the media does a fantastic job of marketing new diets, and can create some really compelling stories that make us want to jump right in! Having a diet allows us to feel more “in control” and the rules are sexy because it seems like if we follow them, we will get the results! Take an honest look though- how many of those diets you’ve tried have worked? Are you still “abiding by the rules”? Something to consider.

If you are considering intermittent fasting, ask yourself WHY you are doing this? Is it driven by the weight loss and health benefits you read about on the internet? What is your WHY behind this? Consider if it is something that can be sustainable for you long term. 

We always encourage you to do research, and test it out for yourself, but these are just some considerations we recommend you take with you before deciding to intermittent fast. For more on nutrition, intuitive eating, improving your relationship with food, and overall life/wellness advice, join us on Fit Friends Happy Hour!