Intermittent Fa sting

INTERMITTENT FASTING is the fasting diet with a modern twist. There are different types, such as alternate-day fasting, in which you fast for one day or have only a very low calorie intake (e.g. 500 calories per day), and eat normally the next day.

Another t ype, time-restricted feeding, is more common among athletes, and involves fasting for most of the day (usually between 16 and 20 hours) and fuelling only during the remaining four to eight hours. So, if you had your last meal at 8 p.m. and are doing a 16/8 time-restricted fast, you’d have to skip breakfast and can only start eating at 12 noon the next day. You can then have your lunch, snacks and dinner in that noon-to-8 p.m. window.

For both types of intermittent-fasting diets, the longer the fast, the smaller the eating window and the greater the energy restriction (as you would still need to have balanced meals during the feeding hours, without overeating).

What does the science say?

Research shows that both sprint and endurance performance are reduced with intermittent fasting. It is not surprising that there is no advantage to performance with this diet, as it promotes long hours without eating and generally leads to reduced overall caloric intake, poor recovery, and increased risk of overtraining.

When it comes to weight loss, just as with any traditional calorie-restricted diet, research shows that fat loss occurs without compromising muscle mass. (It’s important to note that in these studies, intermittent fasting was paired with a strength training program, which helped maintain lean mass).