Benefits to Intermittent Fasting

This post by no means is a scientific dive into the benefits of intermittent fasting. I would recommend the likes of Andrew Huberman if that’s what you’re looking for. But if you are considering trying intermittent fasting and are curious about some of the benefits, below are just some of the many benefits, very simply put. 

Weight loss

Intermittent fasting is a great way to lose weight. One of the reasons this is the case is because it causes you to only eat during a certain part of the day, aka during your eating “window,” while fasting the rest of the day. It’s a good way to regulate your eating. Assuming you are not splurging during this eating window, without a doubt you will lose weight. Remember, the key to losing weight is to be in a calorie deficit. So make sure you’re burning more calories than you’re eating. 

There are many studies out there that provide evidence for the best times to eat; times that are best for the goal of losing weight. From my personal experience, I have always had the best results from the six hour eating window, from 12pm-6pm (18 hour fast). Every time I adopt this method of eating, I consistently lose a couple of pounds a week, which is always my goal when wanting to lean up. 

I strongly recommend using a calorie or macronutrient calculator before starting intermittent fasting. There are many of these calculators online and you can simply Google one. 

Remember, you can’t out-work a bad diet. No matter what diet you do, including intermittent fasting, if you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, you will not lose weight. Get in that deficit and reach your goals!  

Self control and discipline 

By only eating during a certain window within a day, naturally it forces you to have self control and discipline. Being consistent with eating only within your eating window can have a dramatic affect on your brain and, as your self control and discipline for food increases, that self control will inevitably trickle into other aspects of your life. Whether it be working out consistently, creating good habits at work, abstaining from alcohol, etc; the discipline of controlling your eating patterns will take root in other areas of your life.  

Structure

When you have a set time to eat within a day, it takes away the randomness of eating food throughout the day. I don’t know what your eating habits are like now, but it’s not uncommon for people to have no structure when it comes to eating. Maybe sometimes you eat breakfast as soon as you wake up, other times it’s delayed or skipped altogether. Maybe you snack throughout the day, eat before bed time, etc. When your eating is not structured, it’s easy to lose track of the number of calories you’re consuming. You would be surprised how common it is for people to miscalculate their calories, thinking they aren’t eating as much as they are. This unfortunately leads to weight gain and other negative aspects. This issue is easy to avoid and prevent when you have a set eating window. 

Time 

If you really sit and think how much time you spend regarding food, you would quickly realize it’s a lot. You have to prepare and cook it, pack it or bring it with you, eat it and then digest it. By having a set eating window, you aren’t constantly being consumed by doing the above things. Instead of taking the time to prepare, cook, and eat throughout a normal day, with an eating window you only have to worry about those things during a limited set time. When you decrease the time you spend surrounding food, it opens the door to allow you to focus your time on other things. I firmly believe this style of eating increases productivity because you’re spending less time messing with food and have more time to do other things.  

Health 

Though this is not a scientific post on intermittent fasting, I have to briefly touch on some health benefits to this style of eating. When you give your body a break of consistently eating and digesting food throughout the day, it allows your body to recover. Breaking down food makes your body work. It’s good to give your digestive system a break. 

Fasting also allows your body to replenish cells at a better rate. When your body isn’t constantly tasked with breaking down food, the rate of your bodies ability to regenerate cells increases. It’s super important for your body to regenerate cells, as this is what helps your body fight off cancer and other serious health conditions. I’ve learned this concept is especially important before bed time, as sleep is your bodies main way of regenerating cells. If your body doesn’t have to break down food during nighttime, it allows your body more time to replenish and regenerate cells. The common rule out there is to not eat within 3 hours of your bedtime, to allow your body to get in this advantageous fasted state. When you intermittent fast, it makes it easier to get your body into that state. 

Consider trying fasting for yourself and please take the time to do your own research, in greater depth. I hope this has helped and motivated you to try out intermittent fasting.