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Intermittent Fasting
by Hannah Boyl
A popular practice in the realm of weight loss and nutrition is something called intermittent fast-
ing. The idea is to consciously create a fasting period and eating window. While there are many forms of
intermittent fasting, including protocols where the individuals fast for the entire day, the most popular
is referred to as time restricted eating. This is usually in the form of the 16:8 method where the fasting
window is 16 hours and the eating window is 8 hours. This eating pattern is suggested to give the body
the downtime it needs to shift from focusing on digestion to other tasks like repair and restoration of
cells elsewhere in the body. When the body has the time to focus on these processes, the results may
be helpful to our health including reducing fat mass and inflammation while improving lean muscle
mass, heart function, aerobic endurance, and other metabolic pathways.
One of the major reasons why intermittent fasting works for weight loss is because of the calorie
restriction that happens whether you’re aware of that or not. For example, if you decide that your eating
window is from 10 am to 6 pm, you’re possibly eliminating nighttime snacking or even a breakfast meal.
There is belief that it is more difficult to overeat if the portion of the day that you are eating is de-
creased. Be aware, this can become an issue if you’re not allowing yourself enough time in a day to eat
at least the minimum number of calories needed to sustain basic body functions. Another issue arises
for some in only eating one meal per day, this concentrates all nutrients into a very small window and
may be problematic and leave you feeling unpleasant. Usually only eating one meal per day will not

allow an individual to meet their baseline require-
ments.
While the time of day for eating is not specified,
some research encourages the eating window to
align with the circadian rhythm. If this practice is
followed, eating only occurs when the sun is out
and eating earlier in the day is encouraged. This
would mean the individual eats close to the time
of waking and ends 8 hours later, before the sun
sets. Many find that fasting in the morning and eat-
ing later in the day is easier. While there are still
benefits seen from a later eating window, this may
not be the most advantageous in terms of health.
Intermittent fasting is not for everyone and overall
health should be taken into consideration before
starting such a regimen. For those with conditions
related to blood sugar or with certain medications,

this may not be the best option
for you. For those that have a
hard time eating enough food
as it is or scheduling meals is
already stressful, this may not
be the best option for you. It’s
always wise to speak to your
doctor and/or a qualified nutri-
tion professional before mak-
ing any drastic changes to your
diet.

KELLY@SPORTSFINESTMAGAZINE.COM 989 545 0735 SPORTSFINESTMAGAZINE.COM May 2019 SPORTS FINEST MAGAZINE • 33