Intermittent Fasting: The Mind-Body Benefits of Conscious Calorie Restriction

Intermittent fasting has emerged as a popular dieting technique that is associated with a wide-range of physical and mental benefits, from weight loss to increased motivation.

The basic idea is to limit the hours during which you consume food each day. Often this means eating only within a specific time window and fasting for the remaining hours. It’s a form of calorie restriction that is designed to get you to eat less and burn more calories over a 24 hour period.

Intermittent Fasting Methods

There are different types of intermittent fasting that are based on different eating schedules. The most common methods include:

• 16:8 Fasting Method – Among the most prevalent approaches, the 16:8 method entails consuming all meals within an 8-hour window, followed by a 16-hour fasting period.
• 14:10 Fasting Method – An easier alternative to the above, the 14:10 method provides a 10-hour eating window, with fasting lasting for the remaining 14 hours.
• One Meal A Day – Advocates of this method limit their daily intake to a single substantial meal, fasting for the remainder of the day.
• Alternate Day Fasting – Alternating between a 24-hour “fast day” (when the person eats 0-25% of usual energy needs), followed by a 24-hour non-fasting “feast day” period.

During fasting periods, individuals typically permit themselves to consume water, as well as low-calorie beverages like black coffee or green tea. Occasional consumption of small snacks, such as salads, fruits, or nutrition bars, may also be permissible, depending on your preferences and goals.

The Flexibility of Intermittent Fasting

One interesting aspect of intermittent fasting is its flexibility in dietary choices.

Unlike conventional diets that often mandate specific food restrictions, intermittent fasting primarily focuses on altering eating patterns rather than food composition. Individuals don’t have to change any of their current food preferences, only the times which they eat them.

According to psychologist Evan Forman at Drexel University, many dietary fads are hard to commit to because they require constantly making the “right choices” for every meal. One reason intermittent fasting has a reasonable success rate is because it takes this pressure off of people.

In theory, you can practice intermittent fasting while still eating fast food and junk food, though it’s obviously not recommended. Prioritizing whole, nutrient-dense foods is advisable for optimal health outcomes.

Navigating 21st Century Dietary Challenges

In today’s world, obesity and over-eating can be just as much of a health problem as starvation and under-eating, especially in areas where there is easy and abundant access to fast food, convenience stores, and junk food.

Our ancestors had to work for each meal by hunting, fishing, or traveling for miles to find food sources, but now we don’t even need to leave our homes anymore to find sustenance, we can just order dinner on a mobile app or get our groceries delivered to our front door each week.

Technological advancements have been both a blessing and a curse. Much of today’s diet consists of easily accessible supernormal foods that are highly processed and engineered to hijack our natural tastes and preferences, which can often lead to overconsumption.

Consider the evolution of our relationship with sugar: while our ancestors perceived it as a natural reward found in fruits, today, it is frequently encountered in the form of candy bars and sugary beverages. This shift shows the divergence between our biological wiring and the modern food landscape, where hyperpalatable foods are ubiquitous.

There’s an evolutionary mismatch between our natural instincts and our contemporary surroundings which, if left unchecked, can lead to unhealthy habits and lifestyle choices.

Intermittent Fasting as a Countermeasure

Intermittent fasting can be a safeguard against this modern tendency to over-eat and over-consume.

By restricting the window of time you allow for eating each day, you’ll often end up eating less over a 24 hour period. It also teaches you how to exercise willpower and self-discipline, so you’re not just in the habit of snacking whenever you feel like it (especially late at night).

The simple idea of consciously limiting your food intake can be a rewarding experience on multiple levels.

Research on intermittent fasting has discovered many physical and health-related benefits. One study by researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute has discovered that short periods of fasting can lower the risk of heart disease, as well as reduce cardiac risk factors such as triglycerides, weight, and blood sugar levels. Another study found that regardless of whether or not you have a low-fat or high-fat diet, short periods of fasting are associated with weight loss and an increase in fat oxidation. There’s also evidence that short periods of fasting can increase lifespan by protecting various tissues against disease through biological processes that promote cellular regeneration and stress resistance.

While new research on intermittent fasting is still ongoing, it’s generally seen as a safe option to combat obesity, hypertension, inflammation, and insulin resistance, as well as protect against other ailments and diseases. Of course, you should continue to do your own research and speak to your doctor before making any major changes to your diet. Intermittent fasting may not be for everyone depending on certain preexisting conditions, etc.

Practical Ways to Curb Your Appetite

When you first try intermittent fasting, you’ll likely hit moments throughout the day when you’re absolutely starving but it’s not yet your eating window.

Here are simple and practical things you can do to curb your appetite:

• Drink a whole glass of water.
• Drink a cup of black coffee or green tea.
• Brush your teeth.
• Chew a piece of gum or take a breath mint.
• Take a sip of fruit juice (if you’re really low energy).
• Practice urge surfing and just observing your craving without acting on it.
• Eat a small salad, nutrition bar, or piece of fruit (depending on how strict you want to be).

Remember, the goal isn’t to starve yourself to death, just to consume less overall. Be patient at first. Don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake the first week or so. Over time it will be easier to overcome your “fasting window,” especially as it becomes a more natural part of your daily routine.

Harnessing the Power of an Empty Belly

Our daily mindset can be strongly influenced by basic biological functions like sleep and hunger.

Feelings of hunger can often trigger a temporary boost of focus, energy, and motivation, which can be channeled in a productive way when we use it wisely.

This makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. Hunger is a sensation designed to motivate you to get up and go hunting or gather food, it’s a high arousal feeling that’s supposed to get you to take action.

Many of my most productive days are when I’m busy working in the morning and end up not eating my first meal until late in the afternoon. The feeling of an empty stomach seems to add a literal “fire to my belly.” Steve Jobs used to sometimes fast for up to a week, which gives a new meaning to his famous mantra, “Stay hungry, stay foolish.”

But like most high arousal feelings, hunger can be a double-edged sword.

The popular concept of “hangry” (hungry + angry) is a real phenomenon. Research shows that feelings of hunger can be associated with greater anger and irritability, so that’s something to be mindful of if you’re having important conversations with people on an empty stomach. It’s often better to get lunch together and then discuss.

Another study suggests that hunger makes us bigger risk-takers in economic situations. This isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing, but it’s important to be aware of how hunger can easily backfire on us when we are making important decisions or being too careless and impulsive.

Hunger can be a great motivation when doing certain types of work (solo work, tedious tasks, creative brainstorming, or exercising) but we should be more cautious when it comes to more delicate topics (important conversations and decision-making, where hunger can lead us in a more destructive direction).

The “fire in your belly” is real, you just need to learn to harness it effectively.

The Deeper Meaning Behind Fasting

Fasting has a long association with many religious and spiritual traditions over the centuries.

Giving up food for a certain period of time demonstrates a temporary detachment from the material world of desire, pleasure, and cravings. This allows us to focus on the more spiritual and meaningful aspects of life. Often fasting periods include elements of prayer, religious ceremony, or repentance from past sins which can symbolize a “cleansing of the body, mind, and soul.”

If you’re not religious, fasting can still be a powerful source of meaning and gratitude. One paradoxical fact of human psychology is that we tend to appreciate things more when we no longer have them, so by taking a break from eating we become more grateful for our daily eating experience, including more mindful eating in general.

Fasting has also taken on political and social significance through the practice of “hunger strikes,” where an individual purposely forgoes eating in the name of a social cause they really believe in. The most popular example of this is Gandhi’s hunger strikes in protest of British colonialism in India. With the right audience, these acts of moral fervor and commitment can spur larger action and social change.

We often think of fasting in terms of its practical health benefits, but there can be a deeper meaning and purpose behind it too.

Conclusion

Intermittent fasting isn’t for everyone, but it can be a valuable practice with numerous physical, mental, and spiritual benefits. Make sure to do your own research and consult your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet and health.

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