Intermittent Fasting - Is it worth "weighting"?

This quarantine is starting to have psychedelic effects on my brain. I swear that I can hear my fridge calling out for me. Each food item has a different voice and personality, some gruff and aggressive, while others speak softly and are more inviting. What is happening!?

The California Raisins are back and this time they brought friends!

Between coaching sports and teaching physical education, my average step count was somewhere between 15-20K. As a wellness coordinator traveling across campus, it was between 8-12K. In quarantine, it has fallen to 1-2 K if we don’t consciously choose to go for a family walk or bike ride. The extra pounds were coming fast & furious! I needed an intervention.

I was starting to resemble a sloth.

DISCLAIMER: I can’t stress this enough - if you have any type of medical condition, you need medical clearance before attempting something like this. The effects on blood sugars levels or drug interactions could be devastating.

Seek medical advice before starting any new diet or exercise program.

Prior to this, I had never tried intermittent fasting. There is growing evidence that in healthy populations it can lead to weight and body fat loss, increase metabolism, improve mental clarity and concentration, increase energy, improve blood cholesterol profile, and possibly extend our lifespan.

To some degree, all of us practice fasting. Unless we are waking up through all hours of the night to snack, we typically go 6-8 hours without consuming food. Those that skip breakfast, might be fasting for 10-12 hours. I’ve been doing an 18-hour fast for the past few weeks, only eating between the hours of 12pm and 6pm. In the mornings, I consume an ice cold glass of water with 5g of BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids - the building blocks of protein); in the evenings, the only thing I will drink is a green tea. On Saturday & Sunday, I will eat an early breakfast with the family, but I try to avoid eating anything after dinner.

Mmm ... breakfast!

Without significant exercise, I’ve averaged less than 1 lb/week. Nothing crazy, but a healthy and sustainable rate. Once I resume being more physically active (go away snow!), I would expect this to increase until I develop a new ‘set point’. A ‘set point’ is hardwired into our DNA - our bodies adapt to stay within a certain range. Only by making lifestyle changes (improving our diet, increasing physical activity) can it change - the older we get, the longer it takes to change.

Here is why I’ve enjoyed this experiment.

• Focus on nutrient-dense vs. calorie-dense foods

• Reduced caloric intake - once you eat your healthy foods, there isn’t much room for junk!

• Less craving for high-fat, high-sugar foods

• Hunger pains are decreasing

• Avoid late-snacking

• Less gastric upset

• Save money on groceries

• Less dishes to wash & dry

Intermittent-fasting doesn't cost anything and can save you money. No expensive supplements or high-priced "health" foods.

I haven’t seen many drawbacks, but fortunately, I’ve been fairly healthy my entire life. I am way more conscious of the time and count down the minutes until lunch. I am more appreciative of the weekend, when I can enjoy a nice breakfast with the family - I don’t think I could continue fasting without it. I plan on continuing for the foreseeable future, but want to gauge the quality of my workouts. If my workouts are compromised due to less energy, I will avoid fasting on intense workout days.

If you’d like more information on different intermittent fasting protocols and the results from studies, I’d encourage you to check out this article from Precision Nutrition.

Great resources for making healthy lifestyle changes.