Introduction to Intermittent Fasting

It seems like everyone has been talking about Intermittent Fasting (#IF) in the past couple of years and what once seemed like a fad diet has now become a real routine for many people. We wanted to provide an introduction to Intermittent Fasting, outlining what intermittent fasting is, the benefits of intermittent fasting, why you should / should not do it, and most importantly how to do it. If you have been feeling bogged down by decisions on what to eat and what not to eat (or how much!), this blog offers over 100 minutes of food for thought!

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent Fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them. In this respect, it’s not a diet in the conventional sense but more of an eating strategy.

Intermittent fasting seems to have originated with laboratory experiments on animals in the 1940s, where researchers discovered that calorie restriction brought on by intermittent fasting appeared to extend the animals' life spans. Even though the first real experiments date back to the 1940’s, fasting has been practiced for thousands of years with many different religious groups and global cultures (think of Ramadan for example). Humans these days are simply eating too much too often and IF is a nice way to control our food intake, be a little more grateful for everything we can eat and remove the “bad food” from our diets like chips, sweets etc.

Intermittend fasting as a diet became popular in the 2000’s with celebrities like Jack Dorsey, Elon Musk, Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Kourtney Kardashian, Hugh Jackman and many more swearing by it.

It’s important to mention that restricting calorie intake for an extended period of time could be dangerous for: children and adolescents, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who have diabetes, people taking certain medications, people with a history of eating disorders.

There are a number of different ways to do intermittent fasting and these are the most popular options:

Time-restricted eating - This is the most common type of fast where you fast for 16 hours and eat for 8 hours. This is called the 16/8 method. During the 8-hour eating window, you can eat as many or as few meals as you like – it’s entirely up to you. Some people prefer to eat just one meal per day, while others will have 2 or 3 smaller meals.

The 5:2 diet - A bit more intense and you should see a doctor before doing this, the 5:2 diet involves eating as you normally do 5 days of the week and restricting your calorie intake to 500–600 on the remaining 2 days. Some people even stop eating for 2 days.

Eat Stop Eat - The Eat Stop Eat method is all about adding 24-hour fast once or twice per week. So you can eat normally Monday and Tuesday then fast 24 hours on Wednesday, eat normally again Thursday and Friday and fast on Saturday.

Alternate-day fasting - Similar to the Eat Stop Eat but with alternate-day fasting, the goal is to fast every other day.

Fasting for longer periods of time (24 hours or more) is generally not recommended for beginners, as it can be quite challenging both physically and mentally. If you’re new to IF, it’s best to start with the 16/8 method and gradually work your way up to longer fasting periods if desired.

There are many potential benefits of intermittent fasting, including weight loss, improved mental clarity and decreased inflammation. Additionally, IF may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

How should people do intermittent fasting?

While there are many different intermittent fasting schedules, the most important part is that you find one that works for you and fits into your lifestyle. If you're new to intermittent fasting, it's best to start slow and gradually increase the duration of your fasts.

There are a number of health benefits associated with intermittent fasting, including weight loss, improved blood sugar control, reduced inflammation, and increased brain function. IF can also help you live a longer and healthier life.

Many doctors and IF experts swear by this schedule:

6am / 7am Breakfast - Yes, breakfast is still the most important meal of the day and should be taken seriously, as the Better Health Channel states “breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period. It replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy levels and alertness, while also providing other essential nutrients required for good health. Many studies have shown the health benefits of eating breakfast. It improves your energy levels and ability to concentrate in the short term, and can help with better weight management, reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease in the long term”.

11am / 1pm Lunch - This is probably the most important meal of your day and it should also be the biggest meal of the day - don’t be afraid to eat a nice plate of carbs or a bit more over lunch. As Chubb states “not only does a big lunch keep your metabolism running at its best level, it also ensures you're using all the energy from the food you consume. If you were to eat a big meal at night, your metabolism will slow down while you sleep so all those extra calories you consumed will be stored as fat”.

2pm / 3pm Snack - This will be your “last meal” of the day - here you can have some fruit or a yogurt or both. Try not to eat fatty things as these will not keep you feeling full for the remainder of the day. Choose foods that give you energy like oats, bananas, avocados.

This is it - you now wait until you have completed your 16 hour fast and can eat your breakfast again. It can be very tough especially for the first 1 or 2 days but you will quickly notice how your body gets accustomed to not eating in the evening and you won’t have less energy or feel different at all. It’s obviously quite hard to participate in any social gatherings as you will only be allowed to drink water, tea or dark coffee but you can decide to Intermittent Fast 3/4 days a week on days that you would stay home anyways. Remember you need to do what feels good for you and there is no exact formula. If you feel like skipping breakfast works better for you that is also completely ok just try not to overeat at dinner.

Foods to Eat on an Intermittent Fasting Diet

If you're thinking about trying intermittent fasting (IF), there are a few things you should know before you get started. One of the most important things to keep in mind is what foods you should eat while following an IF diet.

There are a few different schools of thought on this subject, but in general, it's best to stick to whole, nutritious foods that will help you feel satisfied and energised throughout the day. That means plenty of lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables and fruits.

Of course, every person is different and some may find that certain foods trigger hunger or disrupt their fasting schedule. So, it's important to experiment a bit and see what works best for you.

Here are a few specific food suggestions to get you started on your IF journey:

Lean Protein: Chicken, fish, tofu, legumes

Healthy Fats: Avocado, olive oil, nuts and seeds

Fiber-rich vegetables and fruits: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, celery, cucumber, grapefruit, spinach

Pros and Cons of an Intermittent Fasting Diet

If you’re considering trying an intermittent fasting diet, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. On the plus side, intermittent fasting can help you lose weight and feel more energetic. It can also improve your mood and cognitive function. On the downside, intermittent fasting can cause headaches, fatigue, and irritability. It may also make it harder to concentrate and could lead to overeating. When trying Intermittent Fasting remember to drink a lot of water and try not to eat more than you would generally eat (you can of course eat a bit more at lunch but don’t stuff yourself).

It’s important to note that intermittent fasting is not a diet; it’s simply an eating pattern. This means that you can still eat whatever you want during your eating windows; there are no specific food restrictions like there are in other diets.

What are the Benefits?

When it comes to intermittent fasting, there are a lot of potential benefits that can come from doing it. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply improve your overall health, intermittent fasting may be able to help you.

One of the main benefits of intermittent fasting is that it can help you lose weight. When you fast, your body is forced to start using up stored energy, which means it will start burning fat. Intermittent fasting can also help you tone your muscles and improve your body composition.

Intermittent fasting has also been shown to have a number of other health benefits, such as improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and lowering cholesterol levels. It has even been linked to a reduced risk of some chronic diseases, such as heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

Quick Read

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of fasting and eating. It generally involves skipping breakfast and restricting your eating to a smaller window of time during the day.

There are many different ways to do intermittent fasting, but the most common is the 16/8 method, which involves fasting for 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window. This can be done daily, or on alternate days.

If you're new to intermittent fasting, it's important to start slowly and work your way up to longer fasts. Begin with a 12-hour fast (for example, by not eating from dinner one night until breakfast the next morning), and gradually increase the length of time you fast until you reach your goal.

There are many potential benefits of intermittent fasting, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, decreased inflammation, and increased brain function. However, it's important to note that more research is needed before any of these claims can be definitively made.

If you're interested in trying intermittent fasting, talk to your doctor first to make sure it's safe for you and discuss what approach might work best for you.