Intermittent fasting has it place, but I have always said it should not be long term. However, if it works for you then do what works. A new study showed that intermittent fasting may not produce the desired level of weight loss and it may also result in muscle loss.
If you’re new to intermittent fasting, it is a time-restricting eating regimen. It involves fasting 12 or more hours a day. It’s definitely popular today.
There is data out there that shows that such fasting causes weight loss and improves metabolic health. Some like this diet because it allows them to eat what they want as long as it’s within the short feeding window. Therefore, you consume less calories in a day.
One study, which is a fairly robust study, did show that overweight adults who fasted for 16 hours per day, gained almost no benefit from such fasting. They lost an average of just two to three pounds over a three-month study period. The control lost almost as much weight.
There was one surprising result. Most of the individuals who were doing intermittent fasting also lost most of the weight, not from body fat but from lean mass, which includes losing muscle.
More studies will be needed, but this study is indicative that no diet is a silver bullet. I recommend eating cleanly, avoiding diets, and use your workouts to help control weight, in addition, to controlling stress. If you are going to do intermittent fasting, I recommend doing cycles and working with a professional to help.
If you have questions on nutrition or diets, reach out to me at pat@patsgym.com or DM me….
