Intermittent Fasting: Fancy terms for "Don't stuff your face all day long"

Yes, I'm cynical. I hate on a lot of diet fads, but not without reason. The intermittent fasting diet is the newest thing to hit the scene, and, surprise-surprise, I think it's overrated. 

The basis for most of these diets are actually rooted in common sense. For example, the Paleo diet emphasizes whole foods instead of processed foods. The Atkins diet downplays the role of carbohydrates in a sedentary world. Intermittent fasting - known as a dieting pattern to followers, not a diet- is based on the concept of only eating during a set amount of hours to achieve caloric restriction. 

My thing is this: did anyone think that eating consistently for 24 hours was a good idea prior to this diet?

I get it, it gives people a routine or a schedule, and that can be nice at first. Most people choose to eat in an 4, 6, or 8 hour window. 

The "studies" (I have yet to find a solid, long term, peer reviewed study on the topic) state that the followers of intermittent fasting took in less calories overall in a 24 hour period. I wonder, however, if these claims are based on what the previous intake was of the same person or the intake across a statistical population norm...hmm. 

I did some research on the topic for the latest newsletter coming out for Edgewater Athletic Club. This is the resulting article. If you have any thoughts or feelings on the topic, I would love to hear what you have to say. 

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DIET(ITIAN) REVIEW: 

INTERMITTENT FASTING

     
I'm a firm believer that there are positive lessons in even the most extreme fad diets. The dieting pattern that has recently blown up on the scene is intermittent fasting. 

WHAT IS IT? 
The basis of intermittent fasting (IF) is working periods of fasting (no food) into your lifestyle. While there are tons of different dieting patterns advocated by proponents of IF, these are the two most common options: 

• Longer IF 1-2x a week: This is taking a longer fasting period (up to 24 hours) and repeating 1-2x a week. Note that 24 hours is not skipping a whole day, as stopping to eat on 6pm Tues and then having your next meal at 6pm Wed is 24 hours. 

• Shorter "Daily" IF: This means that it is done more than a couple times a week (can be daily) with a condensed eating window and less fasting than seen above. There seems to be a wide range in the time of day and duration of fast. Some articles propose an 8 hour window of eating time, others say 6 or 4 hours. While most advocate having this period during the day, others recommend it in late evening (I would not recommend this, unless you work nights). 

ALLEGED BENEFITS OF IF

• Weight loss
• Increased insulin and leptin sensitivity
•  Normalizing ghrelin levels 
• Lowering triglyceride levels 
• Reducing inflammation, lessening free radical damage
• Preserving memory function and learning

POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF IF 

• Chance of overeating (binge) after a fast, making weight loss benefits not happen (calorie excess overall).
• Less of a focus on making healthy food choices
• Longer fasts are a bigger stress on the body, and may not be suitable for people who have already a high stress load or metabolic/blood sugar/health* concerns
• May not work well with high active lifestyle if calories are still too restricted overall.

DISCUSSION FROM THE DIETITIAN

 

The concept of intermittent fasting is not a new one. We've known for a while that caloric restriction results in a significant reduction in chronic disease and a longer lifespan. Caloric restriction in this sense is not malnutrition or undernutrition, but simply eating enough to maintain a healthy weight without the use of excess exercise. 

 

The benefits that are claimed to be associated with intermittent fasting are really the benefits of eating less: 

 

-Insulin, ghrelin, and leptin are dose-response hormones. They are released in response to how much you eat. The more you eat, the more these hormones are released. The more they are released, the less sensitive your body is to them, and the less your body will respond to them. 

 

-Consuming less carbohydrates in your diet will lower your plasma triglyceride levels. New research has also linked excessive carbohydrate consumption to deteriorating mental states such as Alzheimer's and dementia. 

 

-Free radicals (see the article about micronutrients to the right) are created from the normal process of metabolism in our body. The less we eat, the less we metabolize, and the less free radicals (inflammation) we form. 

 

The take away here is that intermittent fasting is a way to get you to eat less overall. It doesn't focus on the quality of your meals. Most of us can benefit from eating less, but it doesn't have to be in a fixed amount of time. 

 

If you're the type of person who likes to follow a regimented schedule, has a moderately sedentary lifestyle (you're not running around all day long for your job or kids), and doesn't take medications that would require the presence or timing of food, then this diet may work for you. Make sure that you fill your fed state with lots of vegetables, fruit, lean protein, and some complex carbohydrates.