If you’re trying to lose weight, there are several factors that you have to consider. Obviously, eating nutritious food and exercising regularly are just some on the priority list. Through the years, certain diets and meal plans have also become popular among groups of people. Intermittent fasting (IF) is one example. It’s a method of eating that follows a strict schedule and contributes to your weight loss efforts.
Just like any other habit, you want to make sure that you’re doing IF right for it to yield the most promising results. We totally get you: it can be very disappointing to see how after exerting all your time and effort, things don’t end up the way you want it to, or they don’t seem as effective.
So, how exactly does intermittent fasting work? We asked Dr. Melina B. Jampolis, MD, podcast host of Practically Healthy by Dr. Melina, and Dr. Amy Lee of Nucific to find out. Keep reading to see what they have to say about IF and the most common mistakes everyone should avoid.
What You Need To Know About Intermittent Fasting
According to Dr. Lee, “This is an eating regimen where people eat only at a certain time frame. The whole mission of IF is to restrict overall calories that are eaten per day.” As for health benefits, she says “it can be overall weight loss, leading to improvement of comorbid conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, [inflammation], and chronic pain, just to name a few.”
The Different Types Of Intermittent Fasting
•12-hour fast, 12-hour eating window
•16-hour fast, 8-hour eating window
•One meal a day
•5:2 (which is eating a restricted meal regimen for two days and then on the other five days, you would eat regularly)
•Alternative day fast
Dr. Jampolis describes even further the different ways you can do intermitten fasting. She explains, "The most common is time restricted eating (TRE). [It is] when you eat during a set number of hours each day. Eight hours is the most common and researched, but some people fast for longer. [There are those who] do one meal a day (OMAD) which is essentially a 24-hour fast. You can also do alternate day fasting in which you fast one full day and eat normally (or slightly more) the next. [Another option] is called the 5:2 method where you eat normally five days per week and eat 500 to 600 calories two days per week."
She also notes, "If done correctly, any time of intermittent fasting can be beneficial in terms of both weight loss and cardiometabolic health (blood sugar/diabetes/cholesterol/heart disease). It may actually have more health benefits even without significant weight loss. [As a matter of fact, intermittent fasting can also be] easier for some people as there are fewer food and beverages decisions to make. [As a result, it helps those] who don't want [to count] calories, macronutrients, or serving sizes all day every day."
“In general, restricting overall calories does work for reasons of weight management,” says Dr. Lee. However, she notes that “for some people, this becomes a bit difficult because the moment you stop eating things such as carbohydrates, fats, [and] processed foods, your body can withdraw from it.” As a result, “you would feel cravings and hunger which can very well dictate your overall adherence and compliance.” Dr. Lee advises, “What you have to accept is that when you are not eating, you should be thinking [about] and prepping what you will eat with the mindset of [consuming] the most healthy ingredients. Also, you have to eat in a way that also fulfills your daily nutrients so there is no room for junk food.”
The Worst Intermittent Fasting Mistake
Dr. Lee shares that the most common intermittent fasting mistake is “when one fasts all day [then] when it is feeding time, they eat whatever they want–including highly processed, caloric-dense foods which defeats the purpose of a healthy diet.” She adds, “The body will adapt to a starvation state and end up storing all calories (both good and bad) into fat to prepare for the next fast.” As a result, “a lot of people who [don't] understand this concept don’t find themselves losing the weight they expect.”
Besides this, Dr. Jampolis notes, "The biggest mistake that I see people make with the type of IF called time restricted eating is pushing the 'eating window' too late. (Research shows that the optimal window is 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) If people eat later, 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for example, they can actually have worse metabolic and weight loss outcomes as we now understand that calories consumed later in the evening are actually handled differently by the body which can impair weight loss." She adds, "Another common mistake is overeating or choosing unhealthy, highly processed foods during your eating window. Both can have an adverse effect on weight loss and general health."
Intermittent Fasting Tips
Admittedly, Dr. Jampolis believes that "longer fasts are more challenging for women as we are not designed from an evolutionary standpoint to go long periods without eating." She continues, "I usually recommend TRE for female patients and also for older patients to protect their muscle mass and avoid large drops in blood sugar which could put them at risk of falling. And while you don't have to pay as much attention to foods, choosing nutrient dense, minimally processed foods is still important for optimal results both from a weight loss and a health perspective."
According to Dr. Jampolis, "Research also shows that with TRE, you can [fast] five days per week and still get very good results. In my opinion, it is the most livable." She tells us that she also likes the 5:2 method and often recommends a more modest version to patients to make up for over indulgence on weekends. Dr. Jampolis shares, "I tell them to choose two days during the week (not consecutive to make it easier) to reduce calories ranging from 800 to 1,000. [Make sure you don't] overdo it on non-fasting days as you can easily completely offset the benefits."
In conclusion, you have to understand that it still all boils down to proper eating and following a well-balanced diet. Even if you fast for a long period of time, you still have to be conscious about the food that goes into your body afterwards. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, it’s still best to go with items with more nutritional value.
