Intermittent Fasting. Does it work? | Elesha Kelleher

I do not usually write about trendy diets, however, I am very intrigued by the health benefits associated with the intermittent fasting diet. And I might add, it goes against all of the principles nutritionists are taught—never to skip breakfast and to eat frequently throughout the day. Out of curiosity, I decided to try it for one week.

Some of the health claims linked with intermittent fasting: increased insulin sensitivity which leads to better blood sugar control (blood sugar control is the cornerstone of this diet); increased loss of body fat; aids with weight loss because less time to eat means less calories consumed; decreases risk of heart disease and cancer; may help ward off Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases; and it makes our cells more resilient which can improve fine lines. Wow, right?!

There are a few ways intermittent fasting can be done, you can look this up online for details and find what schedule may work for you. One quick explanation…the fasting period can be 12-18 hours. I went right in with the 18 hours because I was only experimenting for a week. Some people may find it easier to start off with a 12 hour fast, maybe slowly increasing up to 18 hours. During my 6 hour “eating window”, I consumed a sensible, healthy diet as I normally would. My schedule was typically no eating from 7pm until 1pm the next day.

For the first two days or so, I was a little hangry. My tolerance for the hunger must have increased because it became easier as the week went on. During the fasting period, water and zero calorie sparkling waters are allowed, so is tea and black coffee. You can have bulletproof coffee or I added a small amount of heavy whipping cream (full fat cream is only fat and no carbohydrate which will not interrupt the fasting period).

I kept up my normal exercise routine and began to feel better and adjust after a few days. By the end of the week I had lost three pounds. I did cheat a little one day over the weekend, which I would encourage for anyone so they don’t burn out —on any type of weight loss plan.

Intermittent fasting seems like one of the easier diet plans to follow, there are not a lot of dos and don’ts, or expensive food to buy. For those accustomed to eating breakfast and prefer to eat meals and snacks throughout the day, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it. This tried and true method still does work, as long as you are eating sensibly. But if you would like to try intermittent fasting to see if it could work for you, you definitely should!

To get set up with this method or to discuss a different plan schedule an appointment with me for an initial visit.

Email: nutrition@choosegrace.org or call 504-345-2481.

-Elesha