Most dieting trends require a person to revise their shopping list and re-stock their kitchen with special new products. But the latest trend doesn't require one to buy or eat literally anything at all (at least for a day or two each week).
In 2018, intermittent fasting became the most popular diet in the country, according to a survey conducted by the International Food Information Council. Dozens of celebrities, including Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lopez and Nicole Kidman, have endorsed the diet, and #intermittentfasting now has more than 3 million mentions on Instagram.
But fad diets are never one-size-fits-all, says local licensed and registered dietitian Pamela Kelle, who has been practicing for 25 years.
"Some people, by the habits of their normal lifestyle, do eat in a manner that lends itself to intermittent fasting," Kelle says. But IF is not everybody, she stresses.
Here, Kelle helps us better digest the intermittent fasting fad.
Intermittent fasting comes in three flavors:
* The 16/8 diet involves fasting for 16 hours each day and eating only within an eight-hour window.
* The 5/2 diet involves consuming just 500 calories on two non-consecutive days each week.
* The 24-hour fast involves consuming no calories one day each week.
Is one version better than the others?
When determining which if any fasting diet is best, one must examine his or her goal. If the goal is weight loss, Kelle would not recommend the 5/2 or the 24-hour fast.
"Very low calorie diets are a setup for a binge," she says, explaining that those non-restricted days often become a free-for-all.
And there's reason for that.
During a fast, the body switches from using carbohydrates as fuel to using fat for fuel. But as it adjusts, it is common for the body to crave sugary, fatty foods, which provide quick energy.
"Many find [those cravings] a real challenge if they were fasting just to lose weight," says Kelle.
The 16/8 diet, however, can be sustainable, and it can help achieve weight loss, she says. That's contingent, of course, on how a person eats within that eight-hour window. A pattern of healthy eating must be established, and calories must be reduced in order to lose weight.
Staples of a balanced diet, says Kelle, include lots of vegetables, potassium- and fiber-rich fruits like apples, bananas and oranges, and high-fiber whole grains like quinoa, oats and rice.
Other than weight loss, what are the benefits to fasting?
Purported benefits of fasting range from weight loss to lower cholesterol to improved sleep, which is one claim that Kelle supports. "The less calories that have to be processed means that nocturnal cellular repair work is more efficient and effective," she says.
However, she adds, "Remember there are blogs, Instagram posts and anecdotal accounts of success, but more long-term studies need to be conducted."
Here are a couple findings from early studies.
Fasting and cancer
In 2012, a University of Southern California-led study found that fasting helped activate the immune system, while making some cancers more vulnerable to chemotherapy treatments. In fact, multiple cycles of two-day fasts combined with chemotherapy cured 20% of mice with advanced cancer and 40% of mice with a less advanced form of that same cancer.
No mice survived that were treated by chemotherapy alone.
Fasting and diabetes
In 2019, a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, studied 14 people observing Ramadan, a spiritual practice that involves a strict 30-day fast from sunup to sundown. Blood samples taken before the fast, four weeks into the fast and one week following the fast revealed higher levels of protein known as TPM. This protein plays a key role in improving one's sensitivity to insulin, thus protecting against diseases such as diabetes.
Who should try it?
Kelle says she does not generally recommend the 5/2 or the 24-hour fast. Diets that involve periods of caloric restriction followed by periods of unchecked eating do not help change a person's relationship with food, she says. Moreover, "[they are] not supported by research, and could lead to binge behavior."
However, the 16/8 diet may work well for someone who enjoys a large breakfast and lunch and a small dinner, who isn't inclined to snack, and who doesn't eat before bedtime, Kelle says.
Who shouldn't try it?
A person who has a very active lifestyle, who works out intensely or who has blood sugar issues needs to eat at regular intervals in order to keep fuel available, says Kelle.
"Also, someone who gets hungry easily may be best eating on a schedule every four to five hours to keep them from overeating at the next meal," she says. "And, of course, children absolutely need to eat more frequently some even every three hours."
Can a person drink coffee or tea while fasting?
Yes. And some experts even suggest small amounts of protein could be consumed in the fasting period. Just not carbohydrates.
When coming off a fast, what should a person eat?
If it's a 24- or 48-hour fast (as in some religious fasting), easily digested foods, such as cooked vegetables or fruit, with rice or bland foods are the easiest reintroduction to a normal diet.
Is there anything first-time fasters should anticipate?
"[Clients have told me] they notice food thoughts and obsessions rise pretty quickly, and they need to have a plan in place of what and when they will eat," says Kelle. "They notice triggers of eating such as commercials and what stress does to their eating habits."
Any other considerations before trying IF?
Fasting can affect dining out and social eating patterns, so it means strategic planning on when and with whom you will eat. It can get complicated.
Read more from the original source:
Intermittent fasting is touted by celebrities including Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. But should you try it? - Chattanooga Times Free Press
