by Elizabeth Meyer, RD LRD
The 4th of July has come and gone, and it always seems a little bit like New Years. People feeling like they need to lose weight, detox, set new goals regarding fitness and nutrition; you name it. Are you in the same boat? I know I could probably make a few changes for the better.
Three people in the last week have asked me what I think about intermittent fasting (IF). Does it work? Is it safe? How do you do it? So many questions, understandably so, since it’s newer, and there are many options.
There’s not necessarily anything magical or easy about IF; it’s still a ‘diet’ that takes work, planning, self-control – all the things that sometimes make these lifestyle changes hard. Maybe you’re at a weight loss plateau, or you’ve researched IF on your own and you’re curious about giving it a shot. Maybe you’ve heard it can help with blood sugars. Whatever is sparking your wonder, hopefully this can help you out.
There are multiple kinds of IF – some go longer without food (14-16 hours) making your time to eat an 8-10 hour span. Some include days of fasting and days of “regular” eating such as two days of fasting – but you still get around 500-600 calories on fasting days. There is another version involving fasting for 24 hours a couple days a week and some are as simple as not eating right away when you wake up or maybe forgoing those snacks we treat ourselves with after dinner, or just maybe eating dinner earlier than normal.
These are just a few examples. But you do have options. If you have a family, it might be as simple as adjusting mealtimes (I’m using the word “simple” loosely). Dinner never seems to be served before 8 p.m. in my house. If it’s just you or you and a loved one, and you feel you can handle two days of fasting, great, maybe you want to try that option out. It’s really about personal choices.
Here’s the deal: There are health benefits of IF, but not necessarily any different than the benefits of losing weight in other healthy, planned out ways. People have been shown to lose weight from IF, but it still takes a lot of hard work and planning. If you have diabetes or are prone to an eating disorder – this might not be an option that’s good for you. And it’s still important to make good food choices (fruits, veggies, lean protein, whole grains and low fat dairy) to fuel your body with the right things.
Normally, I have the tendency to be super negative about diets, fad diets, or anything that sounds too good to be true, but I honestly think IF could be a good plan for some people. Not everyone. That’ just crazy to assume. But I think it could help give some people the jump start they need or help with a plateau that just won’t go away.
Some options really don’t require a crazy amount of work and could initiate changes or end some changes you’ve been meaning to work on (for me this would be eating chips and salsa before going to bed, literally on my way up the stairs 😊 no judgment please).
Elizabeth Meyer is a licensed registered dietitian. Her posts appear monthly on OYT.