Intermittent Fasting: Myths, Facts, and Everything You Need to Know About This Practice

However, not everyone can opt for this option, as there are medical conditions that prevent its effectiveness and increase the likelihood of significant side effects.

On the other hand, if you decide to adopt intermittent fasting among your regular habits, you should first consult your trusted nutritionist and your family doctor.

It is important to rule out any pre-existing disease that affects the success of this practice.

What is intermittent fasting?

“Intermittent fasting is a period in which we are not going to eat,” says nutritionist Fernanda Alvizures. According to her, the most common type is 16:8, which consists of fasting for 16 hours and eating during the remaining eight hours.

In this case, experts mention that it is a meal at noon and dinner scheduled at 8 p.m. According to nutritionist Evelyn Paniagua, to break the fast we must start and end this fast with the intake of protein.

Proven benefits of intermittent fasting

Paniagua says that the main benefit is that it allows you to keep your weight under control. Nutritionists agree that these are the main advantages of this practice:

• Helps maintain stable sugar levels
• Prevents high blood pressure
• It is also useful for preventing high cholesterol levels.
• Lowers insulin levels
• According to Alvizures, it improves brain function.

Myths about intermittent fasting

First of all, intermittent fasting is not suitable for everyone. According to Paniagua and other experts, it is not recommended for pregnant or nursing women, diabetics, hypertensive patients, patients with kidney or liver disease, or nutrient-related pathologies. It is also not recommended for people with eating disorders or during childhood and adolescence (under 20 years of age).

As for the side effects of this practice, a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) indicates that when switching to an intermittent fasting regimen, many people will experience hunger, irritability, and a decreased ability to concentrate during periods of food restriction. However, these initial side effects usually disappear within a month, so patients should be warned about this.

Does intermittent fasting help you lose weight?

Intermittent fasting can be effective in reducing your weight. Alvizures mentions that what happens to the metabolism during such fasting is that the body goes into “reserve” mode.

That is, while we fast, the body uses the energy source it has stored, with carbohydrates being the main source, since they are stored mainly in the muscles and the liver. “When we use up those sources, we start using fat as our energy source, since there is no glycogen or carbohydrates, that is how it works,” says the specialist.

However, there are some disadvantages to intermittent fasting, such as eating disorders, which make it difficult to maintain this practice in the long term. Furthermore, without the guidance of a professional, we can overindulge, which hurts our health, such as loss of muscle mass and the “rebound” effect.

Recommendations

• The first recommendation is to consult a specialist and follow his or her guidance methodically.
• Get informed about it, says Alvizurez. The professional mentions that she does not recommend it because it is not a sustainable practice in the long term and prefers other alternatives for weight loss, but that, if someone wants to do it, they should seek proper advice.
• Patience. This is key to adapting to this new eating practice since it takes time to become familiar with a new habit, Paniagua mentions. The expert also mentions not losing motivation during the process.
• Experts say that not every professional can prescribe specific intermittent fasting interventions, so it’s important to find the right one. However, your doctor may advise gradually reducing the calories you consume daily.