Would you recommend intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is not something that our team of Registered Dietitians recommends.

There are many different diets out there that tout themselves as superior for weight loss, but at the end of the day, any weight loss that comes from those diets or strategies is going to come back to being in that caloric deficit.

While there is nothing superior about intermittent fasting in terms of how many calories you burn that way or how it impacts your metabolism, for some, it can help to create that caloric deficit as many people tend to overeat or choose unhealthier foods outside of that window of eating. So for example, if you tend to eat high calorie desserts or maybe mindlessly snack later in the evening, choosing to not eat after a certain time in the day can help you eat less calories on average.

It is, however, possible to do intermittent fasting and not lose weight. This can happen in the case where you feel so hungry by the time that your eating window starts that you end up eating more than you would have on a normal eating schedule. Or, for example, some people may look at that eating window as a free-for-all where they overindulge knowing that they won't be able to eat after a certain time. So in general, if you end up eating the same amount (or more) or type of foods that you would have eaten regardless of that eating window, then intermittent fasting won't cause weight loss.

It's not for everyone, but some people do enjoy and benefit from it it. If you are considering intermittent fasting, I would recommend asking yourself how sustainable it would be for you to stick with long term and how you can work in a variety of foods and nutrients into your window of eating.

Remember that what your diet consists of will play a much bigger role in sustained health and weight loss than whether or not you are eating at certain times.