2 ms·

Intermittent fasting is gaining popularity, but it's hard for me to tell which aspect (if we must choose) provides the benefit: either there is something inhere

Intermittent fasting is gaining popularity, but it's hard for me to tell which aspect (if we must choose) provides the benefit: either there is something inherent in fasting for 24 hours (one meal a day, "OMAD") itself which promotes "health" or weight loss, or it is simply that it's difficult to eat too much in one nutritionally balanced meal. Anecdotally, I've been doing this for about three months and I noticed both that I am fine with eating less (the "stomach shrinking" phenomenon), possibly due to the nature of fasting teaching my body that it doesn't need to eat so much and that I have lost a non-insignificant amount of weight - and even at this rate, I was being rather lax with it, taking days off (i.e eating two or three meals a day) now and then (which usually left me feeling bloated). In my experience, people tend to severely underestimate how much energy they are consuming, often neglecting to take into account chips (one of those small cans of Pringles has something like 400 calories) and more egregiously, sugared soft drinks which don't leave one feeling very full.

tracker1 8y ago
Even if you are carb/glucose centered intake your body is able to clear more carbs with less insulin and other side effects in one meal than spread out over the day. It takes anywhere from 8-14 hours for people to get to ketosis or after eating (unless eating keto and already adapted). Autophagy starts at a similar point, which can have significant benefits anywhere from a couple hours a day to a 5-7 or 14 day fast. Most of the research on fasting beyond 7 days shows that it's mostly going to only benefit weight loss. OMAD makes calorie management generally a lot easier. Most people have a hard time eating more than they should in under an hour or so a day. I mean, you could literally eat that much in candy, but most other sources would be difficult. OMAD also allows for a longer, low-insulin and lower glucose window (depending on macro intake). The benefits will vary though. Eating 1-2 meals a day and not snacking or consuming anything sweetened (sugar or artificial) between meals is enough for most people to normalize their weight if not already obese and/or diabetic. Eat clean first... cut the sugars, grains, legumes and refined seed oils (vegetable oils) first. Stop snacking second. 1-2 meals third. Longer fasting fourth. ... depends on how bad off you are. Some physical activity and weight lifting is generally beneficial but intake is the primary factor regarding overall weight and health.

tracker1 8y ago

Even if you are carb/glucose centered intake your body is able to clear more carbs with less insulin and other side effects in one meal than spread out over the day. It takes anywhere from 8-14 hours for people to get to ketosis or after eating (unless eating keto and already adapted). Autophagy starts at a similar point, which can have significant benefits anywhere from a couple hours a day to a 5-7 or 14 day fast. Most of the research on fasting beyond 7 days shows that it's mostly going to only benefit weight loss. OMAD makes calorie management generally a lot easier. Most people have a hard time eating more than they should in under an hour or so a day. I mean, you could literally eat that much in candy, but most other sources would be difficult. OMAD also allows for a longer, low-insulin and lower glucose window (depending on macro intake). The benefits will vary though. Eating 1-2 meals a day and not snacking or consuming anything sweetened (sugar or artificial) between meals is enough for most people to normalize their weight if not already obese and/or diabetic. Eat clean first... cut the sugars, grains, legumes and refined seed oils (vegetable oils) first. Stop snacking second. 1-2 meals third. Longer fasting fourth. ... depends on how bad off you are. Some physical activity and weight lifting is generally beneficial but intake is the primary factor regarding overall weight and health.