Intermittent Fasting has quickly become one of the most well known health trends. There are some that do it everyday and others that think it's nonsense. My belief as a Clinical Nutritionist is to never disregard anything, look at the facts, and if it makes sense, use it as a tool for those who could benefit from it (for your own personalized approach to your goals, you can sign up for an Initial Consultation HERE - FaceTime/Skype appointments available upon request). Because of that philosophy, I spend most of my time researching everything in the nutrition, health and wellness world, and as of late, Intermittent Fasting has caught my eye.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
There are many different variations of Intermittent Fasting, but probably the most popular is window fasting. This is where you choose a window of time, between 4-8 hours, to eat your meals. Most of us wake up in the morning and eat right away. With Intermittent Fasting, you wait to eat your first meal until the window starts. For example, one window could be between 12pm and 8pm or 10am and 6pm.
Are there benefits?
For some people, Intermittent Fasting can be a great tool for increased health and vitality. I've used it with some of my clients who are athletes in order to increase growth hormone levels to form lean muscle. Intermittent Fasting has also been found to be a great form of fat loss while still maintaining lean muscle.
One really exciting thing that studies have found with Intermittent Fasting is that it increases Autophagy. This is a big, science word that essentially means cellular clean up. This cellular clean up is associated with boosted immune system, increased brain health and decreased risk of cancer. On top of that, in humans Intermittent Fasting has been found to decrease inflammation which can make your skin brighter, energy levels higher and muscles less sore between workouts.
Should I do it?
Intermittent Fasting can have seriously impressive results for those who are trying to lose weight, gain muscle and increase energy levels - but it's not for everyone. Just because Intermittent Fasting works and feels right for some, does not mean that it's for everyone - and that's a good thing! It means that you're an individual with a specific biology, culture and background. Like I mentioned earlier, there are many different tools that are used to hone in and tailor your lifestyle to fit your goals and food preferences. Intermittent Fasting is an advanced tool that can be used for some amazing next level benefits. Making sure that you use it the right way is just as important, if not MORE important than using it at all.