What Are the 7 Types of Intermittent Fasting?
Registered dietitians often hear “Tell me what to eat.” Now, they might be hearing “Tell me when not to eat.” It’s called intermittent fasting (IF), a dietary approach that involves alternating planned periods of fasting with regular eating. Proponents say this diet is the key to lasting weight loss, better metabolic health, and a longer life.
Proposed Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting: When it comes to weight loss, there are two thoughts behind why intermittent fasting has the potential to work. The first: “Periods of fasting produce a net calorie deficit, so you lose weight,” explains Rekha Kumar, MD, a specialist in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.
The other concept is more complex: This approach may prevent what’s called the “plateau phenomenon” from happening, Dr. Kumar says. In the well-known so-called Biggest Loser study, researchers followed up with participants from the TV show after six years. Despite their initial impressive weight loss, they had regained most of the weight, and their metabolic rates had slowed such that they burned far fewer calories than would have been expected.
Excerpted from Everyday Health
