To Fast or Not to Fast; that is the question

Today I thought I’d share with you my experience with Intermittent Fasting and what I’ve learned.

I’ve always had a fear of being hungry and have never liked not knowing when my next meal would be. My portion sizes can be fairly large (I eat more than my husband) …. just in case I might not eat for a while. So, when my Personal Trainer suggested I try Fasting, I met the challenge with some trepidation.

Firstly, what is Intermittent Fasting (in brief)?

Intermittent Fasting (IF) basically means "occasionally not eating". During IF you have specific times when you eat (Eating Windows) and specific times when you don’t eat (Fasting Periods). There is also Intermittent Energy Restriction (IER) which means "occasionally eating less food", such as the 5:2 diet. IF or IER are ways in which you can give your body a break from eating for certain periods which may have a beneficial effect on your health.

There are various ways of Fasting, but I am going to talk to you about my experience with the 16/8 method (or in my case, often the 13/11 method). This is one of the most common IF methods. It involves fasting for 16 hours each day and restricting your eating to an 8-hour window. For example, you might eat from 12 PM to 8 PM and fast from 8 PM to 12 PM the next day, or you may choose to fast for a 16 hour period during waking hours, depending on your lifestyle. It’s flexible so you can choose what works for you.

The reason Intermittent Fasting has become popular is because of the potential health benefits it can offer, such as weight loss, better blood sugar control and improved metabolism. It is also thought that IF may have a positive effect on menopausal women experiencing hot flushes because it can stabilise the blood sugar. IF may slow cognitive decline and slow some of the ageing process. Fasting could be part of cancer prevention and treatment.

There has been lots of research into Fasting and Intermittent Fasting and research is ongoing into the benefits. Medical practitioners may use Fasting for their patients such as those with cardiovascular disease, Type II Diabetes and as mentioned above with cancer treatment. If you have any of these health issues, make sure you consult your Specialist before embarking on any kind of diet or fasting protocol.

On this note I should state that Fasting isn’t for everyone. It is not suitable for those people with a history of disordered eating, for those who need a high energy intake every day such as athletes or those doing heavy manual work. It’s not suitable for children/adolescents, elderly people, pregnant or lactating women. And for those ladies still menstruating (I am not) you need to make sure if you are going to fast you should note that there are certain times of your cycle where it will not be beneficial. It’s also generally not suitable for those people on medications that require a strict timing or to take the medication with food.

If you prefer a regular eating schedule, or a regular eating regime fits your lifestyle then it’s probably not for you, and if you think that you might overeat at the end of 16 hours because you are absolutely ravenous then this might not be suitable for you either. The meal that breaks your fast should be a normal size, nutritious meal.

Gosh this is turning into a long Blog, and I was going to talk about ME!

Let’s talk about Me!

So…. The reason I started experimenting with IF was more for my digestive system than anything else and I also wondered whether it would help my cognitive function, and maybe my blood glucose levels (although I’m not due a blood test until next March so I guess I won’t know about that until then).

I started by downloading an App, called Zero, that tracks my fasting and has a timer. I love it because I press a button when I start my Fast and it gives me a count down. It also helps me not to cave in and eat because I must press the button to end the fast and it’s recorded. I’d hate to have a DNF (Did not Finish … or in this case Fast).

I embarked on this ‘experiment’ with a bit of nervousness because I do not (did not) like being hungry at all, as I mentioned at the beginning. I chose to start with a 13-hour fasting period and 11 hour eating window, starting the Fast after dinner in the evening and eating my first meal 11 hours later, for 3 days each week. Easy because I’m, asleep for at least half the time!  The first several times I found it really difficult, I was hungry and kept thinking about food. I caved a few times. I have to say black coffee was my friend (NB some protocols say not to have black coffee).

Then it became so much easier and a normal part of my week. The first few times I also carried around a Protein Shake just in case I couldn’t cope with it and need something RIGHT THEN otherwise I’d commit murder! I now fast on a Sunday night thru to Monday morning, Wednesday night thru to Thursday morning and I try for one other day during the week depending on what I’m doing. The Sunday and Wednesday night works well for me because I attend a yoga practice on Monday and Thursday morning and it feels so much better doing this on an empty stomach, rather than feeling bloated and worrying about my breakfast coming up in Downward Dog or a Plough Pose! It is a definite incentive! Having something to focus on is also a great distraction.

Since then, I have done a few 16:8 fasts which weren’t easy for me, and I have to admit the first time I did it I also had a 1.5-hour hard training session with my Personal Trainer right before breaking the fast. I admit to being a bit Hangry toward the end. Since then, however I now know I can do them, not as easily as the 13:11 but it’s doable. The difficulty with the 16:8 is the timing, for me, is that it means I don’t break the fast until midday and that doesn’t often suit my lifestyle. I’m usually out and about doing something. I, of course, could then go longer on the fast and wait for a suitable time to eat but I haven’t been brave enough to try a longer fast ….. yet (never say never).

What I’ve learned about me:

1. I know that many people omit breakfast just because they don’t feel like eating, or can’t face it first thing in the morning but I was not one of those people. I started talking about Fasting to people and then realised I was just not eating breakfast like lots of other people and had to laugh at myself. I’ve learned that having regular meals is important to me for my health and fitness as much as anything. Eating is important to me, and I’ve always been brought up to have three meals a day. I hate not knowing when my next meal is going to be!

2. I’ve learned that as long as I know when I’m going to break my fast and what meal I’m going to have, I can do it. I prepare my food or protein shake in advance so it’s ready for me. Depending on what I’m doing it’s in the fridge waiting for me or I take it with me. I make sure I do this so that I don’t grab the first thing that’s available which maybe something that doesn’t help towards my goals.

3. The biggest achievement for me is that I’ve learned to be hungry and not uncomfortable with it. It no longer sends me into panic mode. I understand that I'm not going to die of starvation if I don't eat IMMEDIATELY! I don’t feel the need to nip into the supermarket for a bar of chocolate or a ‘plastic’ sandwich with white bread and ultra-processed meat.

4. Something I have noticed is that the feeling of hunger ebbs and flows. You’re hungry at the normal time you eat but then the hunger dissipates, it may come back again but then goes away again. This Monday I noticed that I didn’t even get hungry, and I fasted for 15 hours without batting an eyelid.

5. I’ve learned that planning and preparing food ahead helps enormously in my daily life. A case of just being more organised. Don’t get me wrong I’m not rigid and if I get an offer to go out for breakfast or lunch, I won’t refuse the invite.

6. I’ve noticed that I feel less bloated (most of the time) and that my digestive system is working a lot better, which was my aim in the first place. I feel better for it. Obviously missing one meal three times a week does give me a small weekly calorie deficit, but I haven’t lost weight (which is OK as it wasn’t my intention in the first place).

7. I can’t tell you whether my cognitive function is any better but that could be a long term ‘thing’. Maybe you get more benefits regarding that if you do longer or more regular fasts.

8. It’s important to be flexible and recognise when fasting is not a good idea. If I’ve had a bad night’s sleep ahead of a morning fast, then I might decide to eat breakfast to give me the energy. If we’re going out for a night out and eating late then I might not fast the next morning as the eating schedule wouldn’t fit in to my day. If I’m not feeling well, I won’t fast. You must listen to your body. It does not mean you have failed; it just means the time wasn’t right.

Conclusion:

In conclusion when I started doing this it was a BIG deal for me (and I know it’s probably a simple thing for a lot of people) and I’m just grateful that I’ve overcome the fear of hunger and I do feel it’s helped my digestion or my gut biome or both. Maybe it’s not giving me the same benefits as a different Fasting protocol (such as 24 hour fast, or Alternate Day Fasting) but for now I’m happy and feel I’ve achieved something and I will continue.

If you’re considering IF make sure you are certain of the reason why you’re doing it and recognise it’s all an experiment and you must find something that works well for you. We’re all different and what works for one person may not work for another. You must make sure you recognise when it’s not working and be prepared to stop.

Remember, IF is not suitable for everyone and before trying IF it is a good idea to check with your doctor/health practitioner to make sure it’s safe for you.

So what about you?

Have you tried Intermittent Fasting? I would love to hear how it’s working for you.

Are you considering Intermittent Fasting? What’s your goal? What are you going to try?

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