{"id":15962,"date":"2013-07-31T13:35:46","date_gmt":"2013-07-31T17:35:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/daily-burn.sta.oomphcloud.com\/?p=15962"},"modified":"2016-07-14T16:05:55","modified_gmt":"2016-07-14T20:05:55","slug":"intermittent-fasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/health\/intermittent-fasting\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Intermittent Fasting Really Work?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Intermittent
Photo: Pond5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There\u2019s a new trend in dieting these days \u2014 not eating. Yup, \u201cfasting\u201d became a popular trend in the U.K. with The Fast Diet<\/a><\/i> by Dr. Michael Mosley and has trickled over to the states in several variations, including The 8-Hour Diet<\/a><\/i> by David Zinczenko, consulting editorial director at American Media, Inc. And while fasting itself<\/i> is certainly not a novel concept (people have been doing it for religious reasons for hundreds of years<\/a>), \u201cintermittent fasting\u201d as a weight loss method seems to be the new trend.\u00a0But is it safe? And does it really <\/i>work?<\/b> We talked to fitness and nutrition expert JJ Virgin, bariatric surgeon Dr. Marina Kurian and Dr. John M. Berardi of Precision Nutrition to find out.<\/p>\n

While there are different levels of intermittent fasting (IF) diets, two of the most buzzed about are The Fast<\/i> Diet <\/i>and The 8-Hour Diet.<\/i> The Fast Diet<\/i>, sometimes referred to the 5:2 diet, encourages people to eat normally five days per week, and trim calorie intake down to 500 to 600 calories total for two non-consecutive days. In terms of weight loss, participants can expect to shed about one to two pounds per week, says Dr. Mosley on his website<\/a>. The 8-Hour Diet, <\/i>on the other hand, limits the window of time for calorie consumption to eight hours per day, which is supposed to make the body burn fat and calories<\/a> more efficiently. According to MensHealth.com<\/a> (the brand author Zinczenko used to work for), The<\/i> 8-Hour Diet<\/i> works on a cellular level and triggers the energy centers of the body\u2019s cells (mitochondria) to selectively burn fat for energy. The diet is also said to reduce the amount of cancer-causing cell damage caused by the typical American diet, the site says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: 5 Intermittent Fasting Methods: Which One Is Right for You?<\/a><\/p>\n

Both diets claim that, in addition to helping participants lose weight (and keep it off), they\u2019ll also help regulate blood sugar, possibly prevent diabetes, slow the ageing process, and prevent or minimize risk of heart disease. So far, these claims have only been supported by small human studies or animal studies<\/a>. Our experts also noted that there isn\u2019t much scientific research in support of IF diets as effective, long-term weight loss plans.<\/p>\n

Still, that doesn\u2019t necessarily mean they\u2019re meritless, assuming you\u2019re a healthy individual with realistic weight loss goals, some experts suggest. The positive aspect of these weight loss plans is that they challenge people to get in touch with hunger levels, says JJ Virgin, nutrition and fitness expert, author of The Virgin Diet<\/i>. \u201cUsually we\u2019re eating because we are tired, thirsty or bored. Ask yourself why you\u2019re eating again,\u201d Virgin says.<\/p>\n

Learning the difference between when you think you\u2019re hungry and when you\u2019re actually<\/i> hungry was one of the biggest takeaways for John M. Berardi, MD, Chief Science Officer of Precision Nutrition<\/a> and author of Experiments with Intermittent Fasting<\/i> (based on his own experiments with various intermittent fasting plans over the course of six months).<\/p>\n

\u201cTrial fasting is a great way to practice managing hunger,\u201d says Dr. Berardi. \u201cIt\u2019s an essential skill for anyone who wants to get in shape and stay healthy and fit.\u201d Though Dr. Berardi started off at a healthy weight, he lost 20 pounds in six months and reduced his body fat from 10 percent to four percent while maintaining most of his lean muscle mass, he says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>Is the IIFYM Diet Right for You?\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

But is it dangerous?<\/h3>\n

While people should always check with their doctor before starting any<\/i> weight loss plan, there are certain individuals who should steer clear of this type of diet, says Marina Kurian, MD, assistant professor of bariatric surgery at NYU Langone Medical Center. Those with insulin resistance issues, diabetics, pregnant women and people with low blood sugar should not try these plans, she says, as they could be dangerous to their health.<\/p>\n

Virgin says this diet might also be problematic for women who are under chronic stress and have adrenal issues. \u201cYou\u2019ll be stressing your body out more by following an intermittent fasting plan, which can lead to insomnia and possibly fertility issues,\u201d Virgin says. Research has linked<\/a> very low-calorie diets to chronic psychological stress and cortisol production, which has been shown to interfere with weight loss. The bottom line? If following this diet stresses you out or interferes with your sleep patterns, it could also impede weight loss.<\/p>\n

Intermittent fasting could also be problematic for individuals with bingeing issues, or anyone who might have trouble controlling how much they\u2019re eating on the non-fasting days. \u201cDon\u2019t let five of those days [or eight hours] be free-for-alls,\u201d says Virgin. Both diets encourage eating wholesome, nutritious foods as often as possible during the times you\u2019re not fasting.<\/p>\n

Do fasting and exercise play nice?<\/h3>\n

As long as you\u2019re adequately hydrated, Dr. Kurian says light to moderate exercise on lower-calorie days is generally safe, assuming you feel up to it. But if you don\u2019t have the energy for exercise (or feel light-headed or dizzy), it may be best to save your strength for higher-calorie days. Plus, because exercise causes the body to burn through its glycogen stores, it\u2019s important you\u2019re able to refuel with a balanced meal or snack (including protein, carbs and fat), optimally within 30 minutes of working out.<\/p>\n

If you already follow a regular exercise routine, it may be best to save your most intense workouts for days when you\u2019re not fasting. After all, the goal should be to make the most of your workout session and that\u2019s more likely to happen when you\u2019re properly fueled with quality calories, Virgin says.<\/p>\n

RELATED: Intermittent Fasting: Should You Exercise on Empty?<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Bottom line: Is it worth trying?<\/h3>\n

As far as results go, regular fasting isn\u2019t objectively better for losing <\/i>body fat, Dr. Berardi says. While he says his <\/i>IF experiments worked quite well, the intermittent fasting approach (bigger meals, less frequently) didn\u2019t produce better fat loss<\/a> than a more conventional diet approach (smaller meals, more frequently) might have.<\/p>\n

And though it\u2019s not dangerous to follow if you\u2019re a healthy individual, Dr. Kurian says, she wouldn\u2019t recommend this weight loss plan to her patients.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to know what you\u2019re capable of doing for a diet,\u201d says Dr. Kurian. Instead, she recommends people aim to lose about a pound a week for long-term sustainable weight loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cAsk yourself if you can do this for life. It\u2019s important to follow a weight loss plan you can maintain long term,\u201d Dr. Kurian says. It\u2019s also key to have a plan in place for the maintenance phase, after you\u2019ve hit your weight loss goal. Otherwise, you\u2019ll be more likely to regain the weight assuming following these fasting plans isn\u2019t feasible for the rest of your life, she says.<\/p>\n

Intermittent fasting can work, but it\u2019s not for everyone \u2014 nor does it need to be, Dr. Berardi says. \u201cIn the end, IF is just one approach, among many effective ones, for improving health, performance and body composition.\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about the intermittent fasting diets discussed in this article, visit The 8-Hour Diet<\/a> and The Fast Diet<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not sure if intermittent fasting is for you? Experts weigh in on whether the diet trend is safe and effective for weight loss. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":16039,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,7,18],"tags":[41,48,341,371],"class_list":["post-15962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-diet-nutrition","category-health","category-weight-loss","tag-diets","tag-fasting","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2mens-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16039"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}