I was intrigued by intermittent fasting when I first watched a YouTube video by Dr. Eric Berg a few years ago. In this video (and several others on his channel), he not only describes what intermittent fasting is, but also highlights the several benefits it can bring.

Fast forward to today, I have been performing intermittent fasting for three years. Therefore, it has essentially become a lifestyle for me now. Because of this, I feel like I have enough experience to share what intermittent fasting can do you for body, whether it be physically or mentally. Firstly, what is intermittent fasting?

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles through periods of eating and fasting. So it’s not exactly a diet plan, but more of a timescale of when you should eat. However, to really reap the benefits from intermittent fasting, a nutritious, healthy and balance diet is recommended. Oh, it’s also worth mentioning that when you’re fasting, it’s not a dry fast. Therefore, you can consume fluids but must ensure they are zero-calorie beverages. I keep it simple and stick to water!

Methods of Intermittent Fasting

There are several ways to perform intermittent fasting. The most popular methods are:

1. 16-8 Method

This is also called the Leangains protocol and is what I personally follow. Essentially, you fast for 16 hours and have an 8-hour eating window. This is probably the easiest plan to implement as you can still fit in your lunch and dinner (and whatever in between).  Of course, the only thing you do miss is your breakfast (unless you wake up at 12pm!).

2. 5:2 Diet

On this method, you normally eat for five days and restrict your calorie intake to 500 to 600 calories on two non-successive days in the week, i.e. Tuesday and Thursday.

3. Eat-Stop-Eat

On this plan, you will fast for 24 hours, either once or twice a week. Then eat regularly on the non-fasting days.

On intermittent fasting, you’re reducing your calorie intake which leads to weight loss. However, it will only work if you’re not overindulging on junk food or compensating by eating more during allowed eating periods. Most people prefer the 16-8 method because it’s more sustainable, simple, and easy to follow. It’s no wonder that it’s also the most popular!

Intermittent fasting health benefits

• Fasting can promote longevity and reduce aging. Most of the research I’ve seen attributes this to reduced calorie intake.
• Fasting can increase autophagy. Autophagy is the process that your body uses to recycle cells. It’s linked to many health benefits including reduced risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
• Fasting can increase human growth hormone. Human growth hormone helps increase energy, increase bone density, and increase/retain muscle.
• Fasting can help you get into a state of ketosis, where you’re running on fat instead of glucose.
• Fasting can reduce inflammation and improve gut health.
• Fasting can improve cognitive function.
• Some people have better skin when fasting (maybe due to autophagy).
• Fasting can help with weight loss.

These are just some examples but there are a ton more!

Benefits I have experienced

• Exercise in a fasted stated – I normal perform my workouts in the morning, which means I work out in a fasted state. This has actually helped me perform my workouts much more effectively and can bring many other benefits!
• Increased natural energy – I now have more energy throughout day, which has led to an increase in productivity. Why do we have more energy? This is as when we are fasting, we use fat for energy. Fat is digested slowly and must be sent to the liver for processing (to ketones) before it can be used for energy. This process happens steadily and consistently with no up and downs, meaning we have more energy, feel better and our concentration levels and cognitive function is also higher.
• Better diet decisions – As you have less meals in a day due to the reduced eating window, there is less chance of binging or eating bad snacks. This has led to overall better diet decisions as I now look to make the most out of the 2 meals I have in a day. Also, because I stick to the 12pm-8pm method, it means I no longer have late night snacks!
• Reduced cravings – Sometimes I used to crave unhealthy snacks throughout the day when working. These cravings have seemingly gone away. I usually have a water bottle by my side which keeps me full between meals.
• Increased water consumption – I fill up a lot more with water since I don’t eat breakfast in the mornings. This helps me stay hydrated and feeling good. Not to mention the various benefits drinking water can bring. On a normal day, I usually drink around 4-5 litres of water.

Drawbacks of I have experienced

• Increased anxiety – This was especially prevalent at the start. I was worried that I may not be able to keep up with the lifestyle change. I was also worried that it may impact my body negatively. The internet can be a great tool learning about things like intermittent fasting. However, when doing your research, please check the sources as there is a lot of misinformation out there.
• Stomach pain – I do occasionally get a stomach pain a day after I have a bad meal or day of eating. For example, Sunday’s I normally incorporate the odd cheat meal. This can sometimes lead to a very light stomach pain the next day. However, its nothing serious and I think its because the cheat meal comes as a shock to the body. Overall, I would actually recommend having a day or time where you can binge on whatever you want. The best diet is a balanced one.

Commonly asked questions

Q. Does Intermittent Fasting make you feel weak?
A. As intermittent fasting is a cycle of eating and fasting, the long-time gap between your 2 meals can make you feel weak. It is important to follow this diet under an expert’s guidance with a disciplined regimen of eating healthy food at the right time.

Q. During the period of fasting can we drink water or have any type of fruits ?
A. During the fasting phase, you should avoid eating fruits or infact, any eatables. But can definitely go for water or low caloric beverages like sugarless black tea or black coffee.

Q. What kind of exercises can one do while intermittent fasting?
A. Due to long fasting hours, you might feel lethargic and fatigued during exercising. Therefore, it is necessary to consider essential factors like timing of workout, nutrients adjustment according to the kind of workout and most importantly, how your body responds! If you feel dizzy and get exhausted easily, it is better to go for light workouts for short duration like yoga and low-intensity workouts. With heavy exercises, the timings and rightly balanced nutrition is extremely important. This is the reason why an expert’s supervision and guidance play a crucial role.

Q. Does intermittent fasting reduce muscle mass?
A. Studies have shown that intermittent fasting does not cause muscle loss when compared with other calorie- restricted diets, unless followed for long. Muscle loss occurs as a result of calorie deficiency. Hence, the right proportion of macronutrients plays the key role.

Hopefully this post has been a good insight into intermittent fasting. Is intermittent fasting for you? The best way to find out is to try it and see how you feel. Start small by maybe doing it 1 or 2 times a week, and slowly build from there. It is also worth consulting with your doctor first to ensure that intermittent fasting can be safe for you. We are all unique and individual, so intermittent fasting may not be for everyone.

Hope you find this useful. If you have any questions about my experience, just let me know!

And, if you’ve been experimenting with intermittent fasting, I’d love to hear about your experience!