I should begin this post with a disclaimer and a few caveats. I am neither a clinical professional nor a dietitian, so this information should not be interpreted as medical advice. I am simply sharing my experience.
OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get to the fun part. I tried intermittent fasting (henceforth referred to as IF) upon the recommendation of my physician Dr. Veerula of Fort Wayne Integrative Medicine. (Side note: if you’re looking for an MD, he’s your guy.) He had told me about a host of benefits associated with IF, including fat loss, improved mental clarity and slowing down the aging process. I had hit a plateau with my weight, in addition to experiencing some other symptoms. I figured I had nothing to lose, as this program costs no money and is both flexible and simple, as Cynthia Thurlow explains in her TEDx Talk.
So I set out to try IF for three weeks leading up to my birthday. Here are the ground rules I followed (mostly):
Consumed all food and drink only during an 8-hour window (mainly 12:30p -8:30p) and fasted for 16 hours
Drank my usual 90 ounces of water (plus unsweetened coffee and tea)
If I could distill my IF experience so far into 3 points it would be these:
I was less hungry. It was a bit of a transition for the first few days, but once I got past that I felt less hungry and my blood sugar seemed to be better regulated. Overall I believe I consumed fewer calories because I had a narrower window of time in which to eat. I did lose a pound of fat and about .33 percent in body fat.
I was more mindful about what I ate. Staying on track required me to plan more in advance than I had in the recent past. With only 8 hours to consume 3 meals, I found myself being more strategic about what I ate and when.
My workouts didn’t suffer. In general I worked out in a fasted state. I didn’t notice any difference in my performance. I didn’t feel dizzy or weak. I did try to be intentional with my dinner if I had a workout in the morning. These were the times when I’d eat a more carb-heavy meal the evening before so I could bun through a quick source of energy the next day.
In general, IF was fairly easy to integrate into my life. But like any lifestyle change, it requires foresight and sacrifice. I plan to continue eating this way, at least during the week.
If you have tried IF, I’m anxious to hear about your experience. Share your comments below.