In a previous post, I mentioned that there is some evidence that intermittent fasting may be a viable option for fat loss. One compelling body of work is the ebook EatStopEat from Brad Pilon. After reading Brad’s materials, we had one of our trainers, Nikki, fast for two 24 hour periods each week for 4 weeks. Here are her results/experiences:
– 6 lbs of fat loss in 4 weeks! This is amazing considering that Nikki was already very diligent with her exercise and eating habits. Though fat loss was not a goal of Nikki’s, the reduction in calories resulted in relatively drastic results. Also, per the books prescription, Nikki reduced her exercise to just three days a week of weight training and no cardio at all.
– A more relaxed approach about food. Every trainer knows the burden of packing your food for the day and hauling it to work in a giant cooler. By having two days off from eating, Nikki was totally relieved on the days when she didn’t have to worry about when/what to eat. Nikki was also more relaxed on her non-fasting days by not feeling like she had to eat every three hours. She now just eats when she is hungry.
– Nikki also noticed more clarity on the days when she was fasting. It was hard for her to describe it, but she actually embraced the feeling of an empty gut and the simplicity of her days without food.
Overall, it was a pleasant experience for Nikki. So much so that she decided to continue fasting throughout the fall. She has a lot of football parties on the schedule and needs to balance out her calories!
As far as the science behind intermittent fasting, head over to EatStopEat and see what you think.
Rick Mayo
