Intermittent Fasting: Game Changer or Just Another Fad?

This is a topic I get asked about ALOT. Intermittent fasting is a dietary approach which allows the participant to eat only during a designated window of time each day. For example, someone may choose an 8hour eating window like 11am-7pm. That means that from 7pm until 11am the following day, this person is not allowed to eat. 8 hours is typically the most common, however, this "diet" allows for customization by the user based on their needs and lifestyle.

Often you'll hear claims about all the amazing benefits of intermittent fasting, but to be honest, many are unproven. So, what do we actually know about intermittent fasting? Well, I'm glad you asked. This dietary approach is used to assist in periods of weight loss. The idea being that, if you have a shorter amount of time to eat during the day, you'll eat less, which will result in weight loss.

For the most part, this is a sound theory, but there are a few caveats. Firstly, in order for weight loss to occur, we must be in a caloric deficit. Intermittent fasting can help to create this deficit, but it does not guarantee it. If the person using this style of diet does not manage their calorie intake appropriately, it is very possible that they will exceed their calorie limit, and no weight loss will occur.

Secondly, some of the major issues people have during periods of weight loss are maintaining muscle and dealing with hunger. For these reasons, it is important to keep your protein and fiber intake fairly high. High levels of available protein while in a caloric deficit are very important for maintaining muscle mass and both protein and fiber are the most satiating macronutrients. The issue we run into with intermittent fasting is that because these macronutrients are so dense and satiating, it is difficult to get enough of them during a short eating window.

Finally, intermittent fasting does not take into account the needs of the individual. Those who are diabetic need to be able to control blood sugar and a large fasting window may not support this, teens going through a growth spurt or athletes that have high physical demands need large amounts of caloriesand often at specific times. So if you are someone who is thinking about trying intermittent fasting, make sure you weigh the pros and cons to determine if this diet is right for you.