If you are trying to lose weight, you must have heard the buzz about intermittent fasting by now-the latest weight loss plan taking the world by storm. What is it all about and what are all the rules?
The truth is, all of the various weight loss plans are effective at achieving short-term weight loss. But what will it take for you to maintain the weight loss long-term? Most diet plans’ stringent rules do not seem to stick for most people, especially with diets that eliminate entire food groups, as in the Atkins, Keto, and Paleo plans. The weight roller coaster ups-and-downs can be exhausting and exasperating.
But whether considering an intermittent fasting or another diet plan, it’s vital to ask yourself if it’s something you can sustain in the long run before you start making changes and sacrifices. Opt for a lifestyle change, not simply a short-term solution to what we all know is a long-term problem when devising a weight loss plan for yourself.
Now, intermittent fasting is not necessarily a diet per se, but an opportunity for a lifestyle change for some. Albeit, it may not be right for everybody. Its principles mostly focus on when you eat, rather than what you eat. Of course, you don’t want to binge on zoolbia-bamieh and halva during all your eating hours, either…but you get my drift. Intermittent fasting seems to resonate with some people who find it to be a more practical and less challenging option than other diets that mandate intricate rules and extreme restrictions.
Today, I’m going to show you exactly what you need to do to get started and share some of the pointers that I share with my own patients. If you find intermittent fasting appealing after reading this article and yearn for more information, I dive deeper in several videos I have created on this topic on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/MajdMD. I have also created a free Intermittent Fasting Patient Guide that I hand out to my own patients and YouTube viewers. Here’s the link for those of you who would also like a copy: http://eepurl.com/gyTJNn.
First, it is vital to understand the cause of obesity and why intermittent fasting works. The culprit? In a nutshell, persistently elevated insulin levels. And all foods stimulate insulin release by the pancreas to some extent-yes, that means even protein (meat, chicken, fish, etc.) and fatty foods (dairy, avocados, nuts/seeds, etc.)-although they do so to a much lesser extent than carbohydrates. But if we want to achieve weight loss, we need to suppress this insulin release in our body for prolonged periods of time (hence, “fasting”) and do that frequently (i.e. “intermittently”).
If you think about it, numerous religions and cultures (including our own) have incorporated fasting into their traditions for various spiritual or health reasons. Note that our ancient ancestors were intermittently fasting naturally throughout history while they waited to hunt. They consumed and then had to fast again until they hunted once more. Supermarkets and kaboberies did not exist.
Fast forward to today-our access to food is too easy now. But perhaps our bodies are not designed to consume so much throughout the day. And no doubt the advent of processed foods also has a dirty hand in the ever-increasing obesity epidemic we are facing. Most processed foods are high in carbohydrates, the primary dietary cause of obesity. Just so you are aware, if it comes in a package…it’s processed.
Bottom line, we need to eat less frequently and consume less carbs.
So how do we suppress our insulin levels long enough to lose weight? Here is how it works:
MOST POPULAR VERSION:
• A 16/8 schedule: fasting every day for shorter 16-hour time intervals with an 8-hour eating window. You can choose any 16-hour time period that works best for you.
• As an example, if you stop eating at 8 pm in the evening, you will fast until 8 am in the morning PLUS 4 more hours-therefore, you will break your fast at 12 pm (noon). Then you can eat your two meals between 12 pm and 8 pm.
OTHER VERSIONS:
• A 24-hour fast: refers to skipping 2 meals a day, not all 3. For instance, if you eat dinner at 7 pm, you will skip breakfast and lunch the next day as you fast until 7 pm, when you will eat dinner once again.
• A 36-hour fast: refers to skipping meals for an entire day. If you eat dinner this evening at 7 pm, you will fast the entire next day as you skip all 3 meals, but then have breakfast the following morning.
• With these more stringent versions, fasting days should comprise only 2-3 days of the week-NOT daily.
• In my opinion, incorporating these two schedules long-term is not sustainable for most people. If you do decide to initiate them, consider backing down to the 16/8 fasting schedule after nearing or reaching your goal weight.
TIPS:
• During the 8-hour eating window in the 16/8 fasting schedule, you can have plain coffee, tea, broth, or water-but nothing else. No added honey, milk, sugar, or creamers. If you must have something mixed in, opt for a tiny amount of a high-fat, zero-carbohydrate creamer; but it’s best to even skip that.
• Do not overeat during these 8 hours because that may mitigate all your efforts.
• Consider breaking your fast gently with a handful of nuts.
• Avoid snacking in between meals – that means you can eat your lunch and your dinner during that 8-hour window, but do not snack in between.
• Avoid refined sugars-found in foods such as bread, potatoes, pasta, rice, sweets, etc.-as much as possible. If unavoidable, opt for whole wheat versions instead.
• Opt to obtain most of your carbohydrate sources from veggies and fruits.
• The longer you have been overweight, the longer it will take for the insulin levels to down-regulate. Consider a one-month trial.
• The first few days beginning a fasting plan (and up to the first two weeks) may be challenging for some. You can gradually reach your 16-hour goal through time if necessary.
• Once reaching goal weight, you can consider decreasing the frequency of the 16/8 from daily to every other day or several times a week.
INTERMITTENT FASTING BENEFITS
• It’s safe for most people-but make sure you do not fall into any of the contraindication categories listed below. It goes without saying, however, that you should always run any diet plan by your doctor prior to initiation.
• It’s free-no meal plans to purchase, no pricey ingredients, no membership fees.
• It’s easy-the rules are simple, there are no intricate rules to follow.
• It’s flexible-you can combine it with any other diet plan or restriction.
• It is achievable long term for some people and easily incorporated into almost any lifestyle.
• Energy levels and metabolism increase.
• Blood sugars decrease.
CAUTION:
Intermittent fasting may not be appropriate or safe for everyone, including:
• Diabetics on certain medications and/or insulin-you may still be able to implement intermittent fasting, but with very close supervision by your doctor.
• Those with a history of eating disorders-fasting can trigger the same tendencies.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women
• Children
• If you’re on blood pressure-lowering medicine, regularly check your blood pressure. Blood pressure may decrease with weight loss and your medications may need to be adjusted by your doctor.
Although it appears very promising so far, it is important to note that we still do not have long-term studies on intermittent fasting. Therefore, you should always consult your doctor prior to initiating any type of diet plan.
Sanaz Majd, MD, is a board-certified family medicine physician who hosts a patient-education YouTube channel (@MajdMD), sharing home treatment tips for common medical conditions. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram: @SMajdMD.
