Common Misconceptions About Intermittent Fasting

If you want to lose weight or simply improve your health, wellbeing, and fitness levels in general, then you might have heard about intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting refers to a type of diet where you either fast completely or restrict your calorie intake for a certain period of time. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and how long you want to fast for is up to you. There are some popular options to follow such as the 5:2 diet which involves restricting your calories for two out of the seven days of the week, or the 16:8 pattern which involves an eight-hour eating window daily. However, before you get started, there are some myths about intermittent fasting that you should be aware of.

You Can Eat as Much as You Want

Being able to eat as much as you want when you are not fasting is a common misconception about this type of diet. However, intermittent fasting is just like any other kind of diet and eating too much when you are not fasting means that you are probably not going to see the results that you want. During your eating windows, you should eat meals that are balanced and nutritious.

You’ll Be Hungry

Chances are that you are going to feel hungry when you are fasting, especially when you first start, or when you are coming to the end of a 12 hour fast. However, over time, the body will get used to this due to the release of cortisol, a hormone that helps to curb hunger and control appetite. When you are fasting, your body will increase cortisol release. During eating windows, you can also help to better control your hunger when fasting by eating healthy fats and protein. These foods digest slower, providing you with a source of energy for longer.

Fasting is Better for Weight Loss

While intermittent fasting can certainly be an effective way to lose weight when done right, it’s important to remember that it is not the only way to achieve weight loss and what works for one person might not work as well for another. There is no evidence to suggest that fasting is a better option for weight loss compared to other diet options.

You’ll Definitely Lose Weight

To be successful and beneficial, it’s important to be strict about fasting and take care to eat balanced and healthy meals during the eating windows. Many people have a misconception that you will always lose weight from intermittent fasting even if you don’t track what you are eating during eating windows. However, if somebody does not stick to the fasting windows or is consuming too many calories during the eating windows, weight loss may not occur. To get the most from intermittent fasting, you should control your calorie intake during eating windows, eat balanced meals, and exercise regularly.

While there is a lot of buzz around intermittent fasting as a way to get healthy and lose weight, it’s important to know what’s true and what’s a misconception before you start this type of diet.