Intermittent fasting.

Can it help you lose more weight than a traditional, energy-restricted diet — without the hassle of calorie-counting? Improve insulin sensitivity for more stable blood sugar levels? Live longer?

Let’s find out together. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about intermittent fasting, including:

• What it is
• Its (research-backed) health benefits, and
• A bunch of useful tips on how to incorporate it into your life for best results

What is intermittent fasting?

Unlike other diets, intermittent fasting doesn’t care about what you eat, but when you eat.

With intermittent fasting, you switch between fasting (i.e., not eating) and eating regularly.

The 3 most widely practiced intermittent fasting types practiced today are:

Now, because you must be wondering — the type of intermittent fasting you choose comes down to 2 primary things: 1) your lifestyle and 2) your physique goals.

#1 (lifestyle) is kind of self-explanatory.

E.g., alternate day fasting wouldn’t make sense for you if you’re extremely physically active across all days of the week (you might run out of steam on fasting days!)

And as for #2 (physique goals)? We’ll cover that in more detail in a bit.

Does intermittent fasting work for weight loss?

OK. So, how does intermittent fasting fare on the weight loss front?

Well, there are only 2 main things you need to know:

1. Intermittent fasting works for weight loss. When initiated, intermittent fasting tends to cause more weight loss than no intervention. Researchers still aren't sure why intermittent fasting is associated with better hunger and appetite regulation — individuals tend to either passively consume fewer calories or better tolerate consuming fewer calories.
2. But it’s not any better than traditional calorie-restricted diets. Here’s the catch. 🎣 Intermittent fasting doesn’t typically cause more weight loss than a “traditional” diet with continuous calorie restriction.

Intermittent fasting health benefits

But either way, that still means intermittent fasting works for weight loss, right? Plus, doesn't it offer several impressive metabolic health benefits — from lowered blood pressure to triglycerides to HbA1c*?

*HbA1c is your average blood glucose level for the last 2 to 3 months.

Welll. The truth is that human studies on the health benefits of intermittent fasting have been mixed and limited.

We must also entertain the possibility that the benefits we see resulted simply from weight loss. After all, the body of evidence linking weight reduction and favorable metabolic changes, including:

… is way more extensive and credible than those linking intermittent fasting and its various "health benefits".

Of course, this isn’t to say intermittent fasting doesn’t improve metabolic health.

Instead, the point we’re driving at is that, until more research is done, we cannot reasonably conclude that intermittent fasting provides additional health benefits beyond what’s typically seen from weight reduction.

What to know before trying intermittent fasting

“Whatever. 🤷 As long as intermittent fasting works for weight loss, I’m in.” — is this you?

If so, there are 2 things you need to know before jumping on the intermittent fasting bandwagon:

On the other hand … here are 5 appetite regulation strategies that might just work for you:

How to Stop Appetite Naturally (5 Hunger Management Methods)

Hunger can quickly derail your weight loss aspirations. But you don’t have to be hungry — here’s how to stop appetite naturally while on a diet.

GymStreak BlogGene

How to approach intermittent fasting

If you’re serious about trying intermittent fasting and building as much muscle mass as possible, the best way forward is to adopt the 16:8 intermittent fasting type, while ensuring:

• At least 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, that is
• Spread relatively evenly across at least 3 meals throughout the 8-hour eating window

Also, an important reminder: always seek clearance from your primary healthcare doctor before you start intermittent fasting.

Don’t forget the other core principles

Just because intermittent fasting is primarily concerned about when you eat doesn’t mean you can treat your stomach like a trash can. 🗑️

You should still stick to basic, good nutritional practices, such as:

• Building your diet around whole, minimally processed foods (i.e., limiting your consumption of ultra-processed foods)
• Eating lots of fiber-rich vegetables and fruits

Beyond all that, don’t forget to strength train — because that provides the stimulus your muscles need to grow.

Not sure how to get started on a proper diet and/or training plan for the best results? GymStreak can help. This smart, AI-powered personal trainer app does everything a qualified PT does (at a fraction of the cost!), including:

• Tailoring your workout and nutrition plan to your preferences and goals
• Providing much-needed guidance on exercise form
• Keeping you motivated and on track with your fitness goals
• … and more.

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