Intermittent Fasting
If there is one thing that gets advertised a lot today, it’s anything that promises to help us lose weight. Trim down. Tone up. Most of these recommended paths are actually products that require a sale and a shipping label (think diet pills, smoothie mixes, etc.), but some are techniques that aren’t so easy to slap a price tag on. Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular. What is intermittent fasting? It’s an approach to eating that requires the participant to cut calories by either skipping meals, not eating at all on certain days, or limiting eating to certain hours of the day.
Not every approach to losing weight is equal (or healthy) and any plan should be discussed with a doctor. According to research currently available, it does seem that limiting food intake has long lasting benefits including the reduced risk of developing certain diseases that are common in old age. It also appears to lengthen the amount of life that’s spent in good health (Blalock, 2018).
There are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind if this is something you intend to try. First of all, no one who has a history of eating disorders should ever attempt a fasting diet for personal or religious reasons. It’s too easy to tip out of control. You should also know that when you restrict food, it increases the release of dopamine in the brain when you do finally eat, which can actually increase the chances that you’ll binge on that ice cream in the freezer. It’s hard not to do when you’re feeling sooooo good and just hit your fasting goal!
One of the most common methods of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method. This involves skipping the breakfast meal altogether and only eating for an 8 hour period of the day, thus giving your body twice as long to rest from eating and digest. Most people make their eating window from 12 to 8 or 1 to 9. But even with this, there are potential negative side effects. Studies show that those who skip breakfast actually tend to have a higher body mass than those who eat earlier. A higher caloric intake in the morning instead of at dinner has also been linked to better weight loss and/or maintenance. The site I have linked to below does not recommend that children or adolescents skip breakfast, as they will have already fasted overnight while they slept (Blalock, 2018).
Instead of intermittent fasting, try these approaches to eating to help maintain a healthy weight: focus on the quality of food you are eating, “fast” or do not eat for the 8-12 hours that you sleep each night with just a little time added before you sleep and after you wake, plan snacks that consist mainly of fruit, vegetables, or nuts, drink more water, eat at the table with others, cut back as much sugar as you can, and increase your level of activity (Blalock, 2018). Every walk around the neighborhood counts!
Reference: Blalock, L. (2018). Intermittent fasting: Is it safe for kids? CHOC. Retrieved from https://health.choc.org/intermittent-fasting/.
Challenges/Points:
Intermittent fasting is a common approach to cutting back calories as a way of losing weight.
This technique is NOT recommended for children or teens as there is not enough research to suggest that it is safe for those in the midst of developing and growing.
Instead of trying intermittent fasting, focus on eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting out as much sugar and processed food as possible, and increasing your level of activity.
Questions:
Were you familiar with the concept of intermittent fasting before this?
What weight loss techniques have you watched family members or friends use? Did they seem like healthy approaches?
Who is an adult you trust who could encourage and support you on your weight loss journey?
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