{"id":5785,"date":"2020-06-29T04:18:01","date_gmt":"2020-06-29T04:18:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/?p=5785"},"modified":"2020-06-29T04:18:01","modified_gmt":"2020-06-29T04:18:01","slug":"what-is-intermittent-fasting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2020\/06\/29\/what-is-intermittent-fasting\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Intermittent Fasting?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right;\">by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2018\/06\/16\/vive-health-nutritionist-megan-crockart\/\">Megan Crockart<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.balancingnutrition.com\/\">Balancing Nutrition<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>The term<strong> Intermittent Fasting (IF)<\/strong> has been around since 2012, although fasting of various types has been around since at least 5<sup>th<\/sup> century BC or longer and is regularly performed by many religions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">The term IF means that we fast for a certain period of time each day eg. we eat in a particular timeframe window (7am-3pm) or we have days where we eat less than other days eg 5:2 (two days of the week only 500 calories gets consumed).<\/p>\n<p>There are various ways you can do IF, which can make it a little easier.\u00a0 The idea is that if you follow the time frame version, you go without food for 16-18 hours (usually overnight).\u00a0 Once you have been fasting for a 12 hour window you will start to get value as this is technically when your body goes into a fasted state, although the 16-18 hour window shows more health benefits.\u00a0 Therefore, you then only eat during the remaining 8 hour window during the day.\u00a0 Studies have shown that eating earlier in the day has more advantage such as 7am-3pm compared with later in the day such as 11am-7pm (although this still will achieve results).<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2020\/06\/29\/what-is-intermittent-fasting\/intermittent-fasting-pic\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5787\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5787 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/intermittent-fasting-pic.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"358\" height=\"253\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/intermittent-fasting-pic.jpg 1008w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/intermittent-fasting-pic-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/intermittent-fasting-pic-768x543.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 358px) 100vw, 358px\" \/><\/a>Most of the studies and information on IF has come from how it works with men\u2019s bodies and their hormones.\u00a0 Some women can\u2019t tolerate it or can\u2019t tolerate the longer fast of 16-18 hours.\u00a0 Start with 8-12 hours and see how you go.\u00a0 If you wake up really hungry or stressed, then listen to your body and eat.\u00a0 See how your body goes increasing these fast times or move the fast time to different times of day and see what works best for you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>7am-3pm (optimal from studies carried out)<\/li>\n<li>10am-6pm<\/li>\n<li>11am-7pm<\/li>\n<li>2pm-10pm \u2013 only if you go to bed later (although not ideal)<\/li>\n<li>6pm-2am \u2013 only if you are a night shift worker<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>IF works much better eating along with the body\u2019s circadian rhythm and only eating during daylight hours.<\/p>\n<p>Addressing stress, anxiety, sleep and some severe gut issues is a must before starting IF.<\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What are the health benefits?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Weight loss without feeling hungry &#8211; Between meals (no snacking), our insulin levels go down and fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy. We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down. The entire idea of IF is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat. This increases your ability to become fat adapted (your body burning fat for fuels instead of carbs);<\/li>\n<li>Improves blood sugar balance by increasing insulin and leptin sensitivity which then in turn decreases metabolic and diabetes risk plus the risk of heart disease;<\/li>\n<li>Reduces inflammation and helps to fight free radical damage;<\/li>\n<li>Reduces cortisol if it\u2019s suited to your body type \u2013 some people will have an increase in cortisol first thing in the morning to get the body going after a long fast, so it may not be a suitable method of eating for some (especially women);<\/li>\n<li>Supports and improves healthy gut function and gut bacteria &#8211; Having a break from eating is optimal for healthy digestive function. If we are bombarding it with food non-stop, it doesn\u2019t get the chance to break things down and take it\u2019s time to do what it has to do.\u00a0 A good amount of time between eating is 3-4 hours to really let that meal be digested.\u00a0 Fasting at night while you are sleeping is the best time to do so, especially when it comes to gut health.\u00a0 At night we go into what is called \u201crest and digest\u201d and we certainly don\u2019t want to be interrupting this time with food.\u00a0 Starting your fast at least 2 hours before you go to bed is optimal (if you can\u2019t do the earlier fast times) to ensure you are not in the early stages of digestion when you hit the pillow;<\/li>\n<li>Improves brain function;<\/li>\n<li>Can boost athletic performance;<\/li>\n<li>Due to all of the above it can increase energy levels and lengthen your lifespan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>There are a number of health conditions that it is thought to help with that include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Weight loss resistance and obesity<\/li>\n<li>Insulin resistance\/pre-diabetes<\/li>\n<li>Joint inflammation such as arthritis<\/li>\n<li>Fatty liver disease<\/li>\n<li>Brain fog<\/li>\n<li>Gut issues, especially IBS\/SIBO<\/li>\n<li>PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Intermittent fasting is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">not<\/span> for everyone.\u00a0 Some people shouldn\u2019t do intermittent fasting such as:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Pregnant and breastfeeding women;<\/li>\n<li>Children and teenagers;<\/li>\n<li>Some health conditions eg type 1 diabetics can do this, but should work with a health care professional to ensure hypoglycaemia doesn\u2019t become a problem. Some people with thyroid conditions may also not tolerate this lifestyle choice;<\/li>\n<li>Those with a history of eating disorders as it could initiate a relapse;<\/li>\n<li>Some people just know when they try it that they are not suited to doing IF and that is OK.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What do you eat if you are doing IF?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Obviously if you are eating highly processed convenience \u201cjunk\u201d foods and drinks IF is not going to have great effect.\u00a0 You don\u2019t have to restrict calories (unless you choose the 5:2 option) when doing time frame IF.\u00a0 But you do have to ensure you are eating healthy.\u00a0 Good protein and fats are crucial, especially when you break your fast eg breakfast (at whatever time of day that is).\u00a0 Avoiding sugar and refined grains is a must.\u00a0 Eating whole foods such as fruit, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains, protein and good fats is recommended.\u00a0 Drinking lots of filtered water is a must.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2020\/06\/29\/what-is-intermittent-fasting\/veggies-at-the-markets\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5788\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5788 alignright\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/veggies-at-the-markets.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"362\" height=\"241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/veggies-at-the-markets.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/veggies-at-the-markets-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 362px) 100vw, 362px\" \/><\/a>You don\u2019t need to do IF every single day to get results either. A few times a week can valuable.<\/p>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t up to doing IF, then at the very least try not to snack \u2013 unless you really have to have something to eat.\u00a0 Just eat 3 main meals a day and have at least that 2 hour window of no eating before bed.<\/p>\n<p>I personally do intermittent fasting of around 12-14 hour fast most days.\u00a0 My body likes this timeframe and I have seen some great benefits.\u00a0 I listen to my body and know the longer fast time of 16-18 hours is not suitable for me.\u00a0 But if I wake up really hungry and can\u2019t possibly face the day, then I eat which is usually at least 8 hours after my last meal.\u00a0 Most nights I finish eating for the day by around 6pm only having a cup of chamomile tea before bed.<\/p>\n<p>If you would like guidance and more personalised advice on IF, then contact me to book in a consult \u2013 <a href=\"mailto:megan@balancingnutrition.com.au\">megan@balancingnutrition.com.au<\/a> or 0417 679 287.<\/p>\n<p>*I am not a fan of extended fasts or water fasting and feel this definitely needs a health professional\u2019s guidance.<\/p>\n<p>References available upon request<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2019\/03\/28\/benefits-omega-3-essential-fatty-acids-bonus-recipe\/megan-crockart-vive-blog-mini\/\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-5295\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-5295 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Megan-Crockart-Vive-Blog-Mini.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"222\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Megan-Crockart-Vive-Blog-Mini.png 800w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Megan-Crockart-Vive-Blog-Mini-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Megan-Crockart-Vive-Blog-Mini-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Megan-Crockart-Vive-Blog-Mini-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2018\/06\/16\/vive-health-nutritionist-megan-crockart\/\">Megan Crockart<\/a>\u00a0is a qualified Holistic Nutritionist &amp; a self-confessed foodie! Megan has a special interest in working with individuals with allergies, food intolerances, SIBO, eczema, pre- &amp; post-natal health &amp; children\u2019s health.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.balancingnutrition.com\/\">Balancing Nutrition\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>To book a consultation with Megan please click\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ezybook.net\/pages\/vivehealth\/\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Megan Crockart | Balancing Nutrition The term Intermittent Fasting (IF) has been around since 2012, although fasting of various types has been around since at least 5th century BC or longer and is regularly performed by many religions. The &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/2020\/06\/29\/what-is-intermittent-fasting\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5787,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1665,6,4,433],"tags":[1865,735,1036,926,12,907,1866,1038,1037,927,43,1152,1864,673,107,9,713,44,116,434],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5785"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5798,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785\/revisions\/5798"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5787"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vivehealth.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}