INTERMITTENT FASTING: The Evidence-Based Spark-Notes
Updated: Nov 10, 2020
Somewhere between the Insta-spam, Dr. Oz's science fair demonstrations, and your friendly neighborhood mirror-enthusiast in the gym...you've heard of it: Intermittent fasting.
First breakfast was the most importantly meal of the day. Now we're dropping it like a clingy ex and opting for a hot helping of fasted cardio instead. So what happened? What is this "intermittent fasting" business and is it really worth forgoing a steaming stack of flapjacks for?
The term "intermittent fasting" refers to a type of fasting where you alternate between short periods of eating and fasting. The most common types of intermittent fasting include:
1. Alternate-day fasting - Consuming little to no food one day, and eating as normal the next
2. The 5:2 diet - Eating as usual for five days, and then fasting for two
3. Time-restricted feeding - Narrowing your food intake to a set time frame - usually 8-10 hours per day - allowing your body to be in a fasted state for a slightly longer duration.
Like most fads within the industry, the origins of this hot-topic stem back to presumptions of how our cave-dwelling ancestors would have eaten.
Its true. Our ancestors could not eat three meals every day. If fact, they likely consumed meals much less frequently, often