I briefly tell you what intermittent fasting is, how it works, what the advantages and disadvantages are AND I give you my opinion on this diet.
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting or alternate fasting is a method where regular fasting is part of the diet and lifestyle.
There are several forms of intermittent fasting. For instance, you can fast part of the day, fast every other day, or fast periodically like 5 to 2 (eat 5 days, fast 2 days).
A popular topic I get a lot of questions about is intermittent fasting. For example, there are both men and women who successfully practice intermittent fasting within The hormone factor lifestyle. These experiences and results, by the way, do not mean that this is suitable for everyone.
How does intermittent fasting work?
There are several reasons why people choose periodic fasting. For instance, it can be a way to lose weight, because chances are your average calorie intake goes down in the short term. Whether this is also true in the long term and whether there is a yo-yo effect depends, of course, on the person, the person's motivation and whether this fits or will fit seamlessly into his or her life. In addition, there is also something to be said for giving the digestion, immune system and metabolism some rest from time to time by not eating for a while (1).
What are the benefits of intermittent fasting?
- It often reduces your calorie intake, allowing you to lose weight (in the shorter term).
- Digestion gets rest and that can be an advantage when there are many complaints in this area.
- Blood sugar is less likely to be disrupted. When you suffer from blood sugar fluctuations and insulin-resistant are, this may offer advantages.
- The immune system is activated less frequently and this can lower inflammatory activity in the body. This can be seen in reduced inflammatory activity and better cholesterol profile (LDL vs HDL). Every meal time, the immune system needs to be on standby and especially when you do not digest and tolerate these foods optimally.
- Fasting can growth hormone increase (2), (3).
What are the disadvantages of intermittent fasting?
- Not everyone can sustain prolonged periods of not eating in an obesogenic world full of temptation. Sometimes it even leads to compensatory behaviour (with unhealthy food choices) and a higher calorie intake. Also, social pressure will sometimes be hard to parry when you once again have to explain why you don't cozy up to dinner (4).
- Not everyone can exercise well on an empty stomach. This also depends on what kind of sport you do. By the way, you can adjust your timing of meals accordingly if this bothers you (5).
- At adrenal exhaustion the risk of low blood sugars and feeling lethargic is increased when doing intermittent fasting. Cortisol after all, is one of hormones that is supposed to maintain blood sugar and after chronic stress (burnout), this system is sometimes suboptimal. In some people, this goes away after a few days and in others it does not.
- It is not always suitable if you are on medication and with certain illnesses. It is also not recommended for women when pregnant and while breastfeeding.
What is my opinion?
I think intermittent fasting is an excellent method if you are highly motivated and can apply it well in your daily life and sporting endeavours. Also, if you have digestive problems, this method can be a good way to take some of the load off your digestive system.
However, if the fast is much effort and if you suffer from blood sugar dips, lethargic feelings and compensatory behaviour then I would use a different method choose. Side note, of course, that the food sources and meals you use are healthy and that you don't opt for unhealthy junk food in an intermittent fasting pattern, but that should come as no surprise.
The Hormone Factor method I have developed for a larger target group that wants to stay closer to the average Dutch eating behaviour, which is why I opted for 4 eating moments a day: breakfast, lunch, snack at 15.30h and dinner.
My advice always remains: go on the search and find out what works best for you. After all, we are all different.
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18 Response(s), post a comment too!
I have been doing if 14/10 for a month now and just had a measurement at the gym. Lost a bit of weight and fat mass has increased and muscle mass has decreased. Not really motivating and doubt I should continue if.
Hello Ralph,
Is it better to eat breakfast now and eat less for the rest of the day and not eat from 8pm. I notice that I get really sick if I don't eat breakfast.
If you don't do well on this (even after withdrawal), I wouldn't choose intermittent fasting at all then in your case.
Ha Ralph, I have been doing fast 5 since Monday, so 19 hours of fasting, 5 hours of eating. I really like it, because I don't have to think about food all day, but I do notice that around 12 o'clock I get a slight headache and don't feel so great. Is that normal? Of course, I've only just started, should I just give it a few weeks?
Obviously, this is a big change to your diet. Your body is just not used to this. Perhaps this will go away as your body adjusts.
A friend of mine did if, without breakfast, and only gained weight.
A nutrition professor with 40 years of experience from Wageningen advises not to skip a meal, breakfast.
Drinking enough water is especially important. I am a 68-year-old man and a type B diabetic on tablets.
What is wisdom?
I have been doing it for a few months now, I only want to lose weight at my belly and not my whole body. Is it okay to continue with this then.
Take a moment to read the blog on belly fat, point 4: https://www.dehormoonfactor.nl/gezond-afvallen
Since I have been doing i.f, a couple of years now, I RARELY have the flu. And if I have a flu it is over within 1/2 days. Have lost 16 kilos and stay at a stable weight nicely. Even allergies like eczema has significantly reduced. Even thinning hair (less hair growth on head) seems to be in remission. Also no more suffering from bleeding gums etc, etc... I have been on 2 meals a day (within a 5-hour block) for a few years now outside of that I eat nothing. Three times a year, I eat nothing for 3-5 days in a row. I also walk for almost an hour 5 days a week, always in short-sleeved shirt, even in winter. Weekly cold shower. Got to a point where I started to feel good mentally in addition to feeling good physically. Waking up early in the morning, brimming with energy. Strong focus... All you need is self discipline. Body gets used to it and the need for unhealthy food is WAY off. Large amounts of food are no longer needed either. Just wanted to share this.
Super result Frank! Keep up the good work 😀
Hello I have been doing IF for almost 3.5 months now on the recommendation of my daughter
Diagnosed diabetic in April after 3 months IF 16/8 the values are back to normal and I was allowed to stop the medication I am almost 15 kilos less so happy am just comfortable in my skin
I also do this by default every day has become a habit for me I guess that's it.
If you want to use F I for breakfast, what about Tolbutamide use?
This should definitely be consulted with a doctor. Doctors at Turn Diabetes Around may be able to help with this. https://voedingleeft.nl/keer-diabetes-om?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw65-zBhBkEiwAjrqRMGZXeBr2Cr0SxyJ9Bh-97u2oyw-EVWWuv5i5ZGm-_0OxjT78UXkmVhoC25cQAvD_BwE
I see the benefits of IF written above. Now a new study has surfaced with some staggering results:
https://nos.nl/artikel/2513387-amerikaanse-hartstichting-waarschuwt-voor-vasten-kans-op-voortijdig-overlijden
Lowering insulin, inflammation, etc. should lead to a different outcome (less heart disease), right? How do you view that?
The study says nothing. Among other things, it says nothing about the individuals' overall lifestyle or what exactly they eat when they are not fasting. The conclusion that the increase in such conditions is due to fasting is almost laughably hasty.
This research indicates that if you want to lose weight that if can actually help. People who have cancer are generally already leaner because of the disease. Cancer feeds on sugars, and if you follow if and then stuff yourself with sugars in the hours you are allowed to eat... 1+1 I say. Other thing they say is that muscle mass gets thinner. Ok but then where does it say that one does or does not exercise? If your muscles are getting thinner then ws you are not consuming enough protein and exercising minimally. So this study says a lot of scaremongering but says nothing about what the people who spent 15 years participating in this study are doing.
Think about that? Think logically and research how a body works and can repair itself, then you already know that this NIS article is wrong.
My friend does this because she thinks it is good to get the waste products from her medication out of her body this way. Is this correct?
Greetings Marleen
The essence of getting waste products out of your body is drinking lots of water, preferably mineralised. At if by 16/8, you should drink at least 3 litres of water. So in that sense, your friend is right.