Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss
Intermittent Fasting.
A highly debated topic in the fitness industry.
Some trainers or fitness professionals would tell you that it is the key to sustainable weight loss.
And on the other side, some would tell you that intermittent fasting is the absolute LAST thing you should do.
But personal feelings on whether you should or shouldn’t consider trying intermittent fasting as a diet don't really matter.
What really matters is…
Is it effective for weight loss?
So let’s explore this question.
First let’s talk about intermittent fasting as a diet.
Intermittent fasting is a diet that, put simply, involves alternation between fasted and non-fasted periods throughout the day.
In a fasted period you don't consume anything that contains calories, so you’re limited to water and coffee pretty much.
And during your non-fasted period is when you eat all of your meals for the day. These meals are typically on the larger side due to the fact that you’re fasting for a larger portion of the day, but they don't necessarily HAVE to be.
One of the more common intermittent fasting methods is the 16/8 method.
In this method, you alternate between a 16 hour fasted window, and an 8 hour non-fasted window.
So for 16 hours, you are consuming 0 calories (water and coffee remember).
And for 8 hours, you consume all of your calories for the day.
Now this structure fits some peoples lifestyles really well.
People who work shift work, police officers, firefighters, nurses, all work long shifts that cater well to this sort of meal structure.
Now let’s talk a little bit about weight loss.
The ONLY way to lose weight (or lose fat) is by eating in a calorie deficit.
I give a much more in depth explanation of a calorie deficit in my article on fat loss as well as in my FREE Fat Loss Program. I’ll link both below so you can check them out!
Fat Loss Article!
https://www.kevinfinnfitness.com/articles/how-to-lose-fat-the-ultimate-guide-to-fat-loss
FREE Fat Loss Program!
https://www.kevinfinnfitness.com/mailing-list
But here is a brief explanation.
You have a certain number of calories in which you burn every day. (Calories are just a measure of energy btw :)
This is from a few factors including but not limited to your resting metabolic rate (calories burned at rest), your activity level, your age, etc.
Eating in a calorie deficit means eating less calories than you burn.
This is the FIRST thing I calculate for my 1 on 1 coaching clients whose goal is to lose weight or lose fat.
So say for example, the amount of calories that you burn every day (aka your MAINTENANCE calories) is 2,000 calories.
Anything under that would be a deficit, so if you consume 1,500 calories you would be in a 500 calorie deficit.
Now, I’m going to repeat this…
Eating in a calorie deficit, eating less calories than you burn, is the ONLY way to lose weight.
This has been proven time and time again over the years, the laws of energy balance (calories in vs calories out) don't lie.
This is about as close to ‘scientific fact’ as you can get in the health and fitness industry.
The reason I’m explaining all of this is because it helps focus and clarify the question a little bit.
It’s not “Is Intermittent Fasting Effective for Weight Loss?”
Instead it's “Is Intermittent Fasting Effective at Creating a Calorie Deficit?” (which in turn leads to weight loss)
The first one sounds much better though ;)
But the answer to that question is kind of underwhelming unfortunately.
The answer is…
It depends
“Depends on what though?” You might be thinking
It depends on how intermittent fasting fits into your lifestyle and nutrition habits personally.
There are many people (as evidenced by the success stories you see online and on social media) who find that intermittent fasting fits into their life perfectly AND is effective at creating a calorie deficit.
Maybe it prevents them from overeating or binging late at night since nighttime is part of their fasting period.
Maybe it makes them more purposeful and mindful in meal planning and prioritizing foods that are the most satiating (keep them fuller for longer).
But on the other side, there are also many people who find that intermittent fasting DOESN’T fit into their lifestyle and isn’t effective at creating a calorie deficit.
Maybe it CAUSES binging and overeating because fasting makes them so hungry for their non-fasted period.
Maybe it makes them less purposeful and mindful in meal planning, because they’re just focused on eating as much as possible when they can.
And maybe it makes them think they have a free pass to eat whatever the FUCK they want while their in a non-fasted period (spoiler alert - it doesn’t).
As you can see, there are cases where intermittent fasting can be INCREDIBLY helpful in creating a calorie deficit and lead to weight loss.
And there are also cases where it can do the opposite, potentially creating a calorie SURPLUS, and leading to weight gain.
So in the end, the answer is very individual.
Before trying intermittent fasting, it's important to take a good look at your current diet and lifestyle to see if it’s something that will fit your life.
Talking to a nutrition coach can be really helpful in determining this!
And it's also important to remember that intermittent fasting doesn’t defy the laws of energy balance.
So while intermittent fasting could help you create a calorie deficit and lose weight…
So could structuring your diet normally and just eating in a calorie deficit.
Neither is better than the other.
They’re two different methods to reach the same goal…
A calorie deficit…
Which THEN leads to weight loss.
Thanks so much for reading! I hope this helps you and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.
If you got some value from this article, join my email list for updates every time I publish an article!
You can also check out all of my previous articles on my website : kevinfinnfitness.com
And check out more helpful content on my Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook:
Instagram @kevinfinnfitness
TikTok @kevinfinnfitness
Facebook @kevinfinnfitness
AND if you’re interested in losing fat, gaining muscle, improving your nutrition and your overall fitness, check this out for more information on coaching!
https://www.kevinfinnfitness.com/onlinecoaching
Email me anytime with questions or anything! : kevinfinnfitness@gmail.com
