My Experience with Intermittent Fasting

*Disclaimer: Please consult with your doctor before beginning any fasting practices into your diet. If you have a history of disordered eating, intermittent fasting may be triggering, and is not recommended for anyone recovering from an eating disorder.

Intermittent fasting has been gaining popularity among the wellness and biohacking communities recently, and for good reason. New research has shown some pretty legit benefits, ranging from fat loss to improving insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance (how well your body handles carbs) to protecting your brain against diseases like Alzheimer’s.

So what actually is intermittent fasting?

As the name suggests, intermittent fasting is the process of alternating between times of fasting and times of eating. From an evolutionary perspective, it makes sense that humans evolved going through natural periods of fasting when food was scarce, unlike the 24-7 access we have to food nowadays. Intermittent fasting also relates to the concept of circadian rhythms, the internal 24-hour clock that regulates various hormone levels in the body and can be affected by external stimuli, such as light and dark. For example, you’ve probably heard that darkness stimulates melatonin, the hormone that promotes sleep. These rhythms also affect our digestive processes.

For example, studies have shown melatonin (the hormone released in the evening to promote sleep) blocks insulin secretion (the hormone you need to process blood sugar). Just as light and dark can affect our circadian rhythms, the times we eat also sends messages to our body about what time of day it is, so eating outside of these rhythms (such as late at night) can disrupt our natural circadian rhythms. There are different methods of IF, ranging from fasting multiple days a week, to extending the natural fast between dinner and breakfast to 12-16 hours – I’ll be focusing only on the latter, as I don’t practice full-day fasting.*

Intermittent fasting has been studied extensively in animal models, and has been shown to:

• Promote weight loss and burn fat (even when two groups of mice were fed the same number of calories, the mice eating in an 8-hour window weighed less)
• Stimulate autophagy (the clean-up process your cells go through to kill off the parts that aren’t functioning well – you want this to happen on the reg if you want to age well)
• Improve glucose tolerance & insulin sensitivity (meaning your body is better equipped to burn carbs and keep your blood sugar stable)

HOW I INTERMITTENT FAST

1. I DO IT WHEN IT’S EASY // I DON’T DO IT EVERYDAY

I see intermittent fasting as another tool in the toolbox. I fast with a goal in mind, I may even go weeks at a time without intermittent fasting at all. Typically, I do 16-hour fast a couple of days a week, and strive for at least a 12 hour fast most weekdays (example would be eating dinner at 7, and eating breakfast at 7). On the 14-16 hour fast days, I make it easy for myself by eating an early dinner. If I can eat dinner by 5 pm, then I can achieve a 16 hour fast if I eat breakfast at 9 am. For me, this is very doable, I never feel hungry or restricted on this schedule. If it’s a hectic day and I can’t eat dinner until 8 pm, I won’t try to do a 16 hour fast (which would mean waiting until noon to eat).

2. I NEVER FIGHT MY BODY

This is a huge focus of fasting for me, and really all parts of my diet. I never fight my body. If I had planned to do a 16 hour fast but start feeling really hungry at 13 hours, I just eat. It’s not a big deal, and I know I can try fasting again tomorrow. This is crucial to make sure intermittent fasting never crosses over into disordered eating / being over-controlling with food. I’ve had a history of that in the past, so I’m really cautious here. Also, I’ve found on days I push my fasting window even when I’m not feeling it, I end up over-eating because I go into my first meal of the day starving, which defeats the whole purpose.

3. I FAST WITH FAT

Because women can be more sensitive to fasting in relation to hormone balance and fertility, I include pure fat in my fasting window in the form of bulletproof coffee or bulletproof matcha. The pure fat doesn’t raise insulin levels, so you’re getting the benefits of fasting, while still nourishing your body with healthy fats and calories to start the day. Oh, and your brain will be on fire, in the best way. If you like to add stevia like me, make sure you choose a brand that isn’t suspended in alcohol (like Trader Joe’s liquid stevia) or mixed with actual sugar (disguised as dextrose or maltodextrin in brands like Stevia in the Raw), because those will trigger the release of insulin.

Bulletproof Coffee: 1 cup coffee (I use Bulletproof Ground Coffee), 1 tbsp Bulletproof Brain Octane Oil, 1/2 tbsp grass-fed ghee (optional), Sweet Leaf liquid stevia) Bulletproof Matcha: Recipe here

BENEFITS I’VE EXPERIENCE FIRST HAND

1. IMPROVED DIGESTION

I have sensitive digestion, and I’ve found intermittent fasting works WONDERS for improving my digestion. If I ever have an upset stomach in the evening, I make sure to eat an early dinner and a late breakfast, and that extended break gives my body the time it needs to get my digestion back on track.

2. LEANED OUT STOMACH / REDUCED BELLY FAT

If I’m ever feeling a little puffy, or just want to get my abs poppin’ for an event, I always rely on intermittent fasting. Usually, within a week or so, I notice my stomach really leaning out, which considering I’m not even reducing my calories or upping my exercise, is a major win.

Note: Intermittent Fasting is often used as a tool within the ketogenic diet to aid in fat-loss. This article gives a great overview of keto and fat-loss if this is something you’re interested in! 

3. REDUCED CRAVINGS

Whenever I feel off track / have been overindulging in sweets leading to sugar cravings, a few days of IF really helps me get back on track. I find that starting the day in a fat-burning mode helps reduce sugar/carb cravings throughout the day.

4. MENTAL CLARITY

There’s something really wonderful about starting a day without a glucose hit and an insulin spike. I find I’m most clear, awake, and focused on mornings I’m doing intermittent fasting with a bulletproof coffee or bulletproof matcha.

*Women can be more sensitive to fasting than men, and with limited studies on the effects of extended fasting on fertility, I choose to take a cautious approach and avoid any extreme fasting that could negatively affect my fertility. More information on this here Have you tried intermittent fasting? What’s your take on it?  Interested in learning more about IF?  I really liked Max Luagavere’s podcast interviewing Dr. Satchin Panda, a leading researcher in the field of IF and circadian rhythms.