The Truth About Intermittent Fasting (Pros and Cons)
There has been a lot of buzz lately about intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is basically squishng your daily meals into a smaller eating window each day. It is not about eating more or less necessarily, you could technically eat the same amount of calories as you would on a regular diet, and because you are eating in a smaller frame of time, you can therefore eat larger meals that may be more satisfying for you. There are definitely pros and cons to both and from my experience I can attest to both.
Pros of intermittent fasting:
May increase mental sharpness/clarity
Studies have shown it may promote better blood sugar regulation
Are able to have larger meals
More room in your diet / can save daily calories to eat out with friends or family
Allows your body more time to heal, regenerate, and digest food
Do not need to think about food for longer periods of time during the day
Less time spent preparing meals
Cons of intermittent fasting:
May lead to binging/overeating cycles
May not be able to enjoy breakfast with family - or other meals depending when you arrange your eating window
May lead to a drastically large increase in appetite when you do break your fast
Large food quantities in smaller periods of time may lead to uncomfortable bloating, indigestion, and/or abdominal distension
Less even energy throughout the day
May have stomach pains or headaches from not eating during fasting period
May disrupt circadian rhythms if early-day fasting
May cause acid-reflux or diminished sleep quality if eating the majority of your calories before bed
Intermittent fasting helps decrease calories consumed for many people because you can eat the same sized meals as you were before, but by eliminating a meal or two, you can easily eliminate those calories. It is not a diet secret. It won't magically change your metabolism. You still can't just eat whatever you want or however many calories you want - it is simply a TOOL to help decrease calorie consumption. A weight loss TOOL you can keep in your toolbox.
At the end of the day, intermittent fasting is not a magic pill. It will not automatically lead to weight loss, especially if it leads to binge eating. It is simply a tool to help reduce calories. If you are doing well and are happy and are getting results on a diet of many meals and snacks a day, feel free to continue your healthy eating habits! It's not about WHAT'S BEST - it's about WHAT WORKS. Remember that. Don't diet hard - diet smart. And if intermittent fasting is an easy, effortless way for you to lower your calorie intake without any negative repercussions - I'm all down for that for you!
As I say time and time again, the answer relies on what works for you and what your preferences are. And its okay if these change over time. Experiment if you'd like to see how intermittent fasting works for you. If starts to lead to unhealthy overeating though, it is best to return to smaller more frequent meals. For me, with a history of binge eating, I find it best to eat smaller meals throughout the day in order to truly enjoy and savour my small portions of food each time I eat.
May you live your best life!
Love, Amanda.
Pros of intermittent fasting:
May increase mental sharpness/clarity
Studies have shown it may promote better blood sugar regulation
Are able to have larger meals
More room in your diet / can save daily calories to eat out with friends or family
Allows your body more time to heal, regenerate, and digest food
Do not need to think about food for longer periods of time during the day
Less time spent preparing meals
Cons of intermittent fasting:
May lead to binging/overeating cycles
May not be able to enjoy breakfast with family - or other meals depending when you arrange your eating window
May lead to a drastically large increase in appetite when you do break your fast
Large food quantities in smaller periods of time may lead to uncomfortable bloating, indigestion, and/or abdominal distension
Less even energy throughout the day
May have stomach pains or headaches from not eating during fasting period
May disrupt circadian rhythms if early-day fasting
May cause acid-reflux or diminished sleep quality if eating the majority of your calories before bed
Intermittent fasting helps decrease calories consumed for many people because you can eat the same sized meals as you were before, but by eliminating a meal or two, you can easily eliminate those calories. It is not a diet secret. It won't magically change your metabolism. You still can't just eat whatever you want or however many calories you want - it is simply a TOOL to help decrease calorie consumption. A weight loss TOOL you can keep in your toolbox.
At the end of the day, intermittent fasting is not a magic pill. It will not automatically lead to weight loss, especially if it leads to binge eating. It is simply a tool to help reduce calories. If you are doing well and are happy and are getting results on a diet of many meals and snacks a day, feel free to continue your healthy eating habits! It's not about WHAT'S BEST - it's about WHAT WORKS. Remember that. Don't diet hard - diet smart. And if intermittent fasting is an easy, effortless way for you to lower your calorie intake without any negative repercussions - I'm all down for that for you!
As I say time and time again, the answer relies on what works for you and what your preferences are. And its okay if these change over time. Experiment if you'd like to see how intermittent fasting works for you. If starts to lead to unhealthy overeating though, it is best to return to smaller more frequent meals. For me, with a history of binge eating, I find it best to eat smaller meals throughout the day in order to truly enjoy and savour my small portions of food each time I eat.
May you live your best life!
Love, Amanda.
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