Eat very little for a couple of days, then eat whatever you’d like for the rest of the week, and lose weight… Sounds easy, but if you’re seeking weight loss, does intermittent fasting stack up?
What is it?
The idea of reducing your kilojoule (energy) intake from food to lose weight is nothing new, and while fasting has been a part of many religions for centuries, doing so on some, but not all days of the week for health is a relatively new concept.
Popularised by diet programs like the ‘5:2 diet,’ a typical week of intermittent fasting might involve two (non-consecutive) days of eating around 25 per cent of your energy requirements, then eating normally on the remaining five days of the week. Other programs are more arduous, and suggest ‘fasting’ every second day.
Top Comments
Obviously the writer of this article hasn't read the CSIRO research https://www.csiro.au/en/New...
I was over weight, bordering on obese for over 20 years. I tried dieting but usually caved in by dinner on day 1!
I heard about intermittent fasting 6 years ago. I lost 20 kgs in the first year and another 10 in the 2nd. That was over 4 years ago and I've easily been able to keep it off and stay at a healthy weight ever since. No dieting. No calorie counting. No guilt with eating chocolate here or there. And no forced salad and tuna (I'd rather eat cardboard) for lunch.
I noticed a difference from day 1. After that first day I was suddenly able to 'hear' what my body was trying to tell me. Now I eat when I'm hungry and I eat until I'm no longer hungry, not until I'm full! I eat the food that I enjoy without guilt. Portion control is easy when you are able to listen to your body.
It may not be for everyone but it's the only thing that has ever worked for me and I have never once felt like I was on a diet which makes it long term sustainable.