“Allison from work tried Intermittent Fasting and lost 6 lbs! Does that mean I should be doing it too?”
Girl, wait for one… let’s take a closer look:
Intermittent fasting (IF) is simply time-restricted eating.
The most common approach is restricting your eating period to eight hours per day (say 10 am to 6 pm) and fasting for the other sixteen.
IF has proven to have significant anti-aging health benefits (reduce systemic inflammation, reduce oxidative damage, etc.)…. but does that mean it’s better for weight loss?
Research clearly shows that intermittent fasting isn’t inherently better for weight loss than traditional dieting.
That said, some people do lose weight faster on an intermittent fasting diet simply because…. IF helps them control their caloric intake and prevent overeating.
IF is simply a tool in the tool belt to help you adhere to a caloric deficit.
So should you try it?
Well…. maybe.
There is evidence that a diet with a lower meal frequency, like IF, can help with appetite control. However, there’s evidence to the contrary as well…
So all this means, if you’re curious about time-restricted eating, you must try it for yourself and see how your body responds.
The best diet is the one you can stick to, that you can see yourself doing long term, and that makes sticking to your caloric goals easy and enjoyable.
Personally, I prefer a traditional diet structure of eating 3-4 meals evenly spaced throughout the day. I like training fed and full of energy.
I’m curious if you tried intermittent fasting… how long did you last? Comment below!