Balanceophile

Hello!! 

After reading a lot of articles and researching Intermittent Fasting (IF), I decided to try  intermittent fasting. It’s been a year since I started doing IF and I have added my observations in this blog.

NOTE: It is a lengthy blog!

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent Fasting or IF, is a fasting method where you create a calorie-deficit situation for your body which is the base for fat loss. This allows your body to consume the stored fat through a process called ‘Ketosis’. 

There are two windows in IF – Fasting window where you fast and Feasting window where you feast. The most commonly followed ratios of fasting to feasting are 14:10 and 16:8, where you fast for 14 or 16 hours and eat for 10 or 8 hours respectively. To know more about Intermittent Fasting, click here.

I started at 14:10 where I fast for 14 hours and eat in a 10-hour window. Currently, I am at 15:9 where I try to wrap my dinner by 7pm and break my fast after 10am the next day. If you wish to start IF, you can choose any ratio that suits your routine starting from 12:12 and increase it gradually.

What is the process of IF?

As mentioned above, there are two windows in IF. During the fasting window, you can only consume water, black coffee/tea without sugar and other liquids that have no calories or barely any amount of calories. 

In the feasting window, ideally, you must break the fast with protein-rich food or boiled vegetables, have simple carbs and fats for lunch, and end the feasting period with fiber-rich foods like oats, millets, etc. To know more about what to eat, click here.

The concept of IF is that, with minimal eating window, naturally the calories you consume will reduce. But, this doesn’t mean you can never cross your calorie consumption. With processed foods and high calorie foods like burgers, pizzas, biryani, etc., there are chances of over consumption of calories. Hence, it is important to plan your meals during the feasting period to make the most of IF. 

Is it dieting?

Whenever I tell someone that I do IF, most people’s response would be “Oh! Diet ah?”. Well, IF is not a form of diet. The concept of dieting involves completely restricting any macronutrient. IF, on the other hand, has no restrictions. While dieting is all about what to eat and not eat, IF is all about when to eat and when to fast. 

Does it work for everyone?

Another commonly asked question to me is if IF suits everyone. If you are someone who has been used to fasting and does not have any issues with it, you can give it a shot. 

However, if you are someone who’s diabetic, pregnant, or have any such situations, my suggestion is always better to consult your doctor before starting IF. 

I have been used to fasting since I was a kid as I used to follow my mother’s footsteps and avoid eating during festivals until the pooja and prayers are done. So, I chose IF after all my research and my doctor’s advice. 

How long should we do IF?

While I was searching information on IF, I understood one thing, that fitness is a journey for life. It’s not like you do it for a few months to years and then leave it. Similarly, eating consciously is also a journey. You have to do it for life and choose something that lasts long. This is the reason why I never choose to diet as I believe one cannot deprive our body of a certain macronutrient for life. 

Hence, the best way for me to build a lifelong routine around food was IF. After a few months, it became a habit for me and I could do it by default. My internal clock got adjusted to the 10am to 7pm routine. 

So, to answer the above question, I suggest following it for life, simply put – you technically have an early dinner which helps you in the longer run. 

Can I exercise while doing IF?

I started doing IF when I had a minor knee issue and had to rest my body for a few months. I had lost my fitness routine and in order to compensate for it, I started IF. After 4 months, I was able to finally put myself back to a fitness routine. So, yes, you can happily exercise while doing IF. 

But the most important point is when and how to exercise. I suggest, if you are new to IF, start with minimal to no exercise for at least a few days. Get your body to adjust to the new routine. Let it understand that you will be feeding it only for a few hours. 

Next, exercise only during the feasting window, for the beginning stage, so your blood sugar levels don’t go down. Start with simple cardio exercises like walking, running, or cycling. Slowly, increase the intensity while giving the body the time to understand what’s happening.  

After I started exercising, it took me about 2 months to set my body to a routine. It took me about 6 months to set my internal clock for IF and exercise (cardio and strength exercise). Of course, this number may vary from person to person so, you know your body more than anyone else, listen to it and follow accordingly. 

How many kilograms did you lose?

Now to the main question – Did I lose weight? How much? Well, if you ask me the actual number, I would say, about 3-4 kgs in a year. You might be wondering, “Is that all? Should I go through all those troubles just to lose a few kilograms a year? It’s ridiculous” I understand it is slow, but is it really??

Allow me to explain – The weighing machine which most of us use, doesn’t really help us understand our bodily parameters and how we must control it. If you are someone who wants the difference on a weighing scale, probably IF is not something I would suggest you do. 

Here’s something which I would like to share. I never like to call weight loss/gain as this term is incomplete. I like to use the terms – Fat loss and Muscle gain. One of the reasons I follow a certain fitness routine is while I am dealing with fat loss via IF, I have to concentrate on Muscle gain too. 

Hence, a fitness routine with strengthening exercises helped me gain a good amount of muscle. Hence, my cumulative weight only reduced by 3-4 kgs, which included maximum fat loss. So, a friendly advice is to find a way that suits you to lose fat and not weight. One way to know if something is working for you is via your clothes, if you are fitting to a dress that you had kept away because of “weight gain”, you are doing something right and continue the same.

Drawbacks of IF

Well, every method has its advantages and disadvantages, including IF. The disadvantages I found with IF are:

1. Muscle loss: Over time, IF leads to muscle loss along with fat loss. So, a long term IF plan might lead to loss of muscle strength. Hence, as I mentioned above, I compensate for it with muscle-strengthening exercises. This way, I can do IF without worrying about any muscle loss.
2. May not suit anyone: Although fasting is an ancient concept for Indians, some of us cannot fast for various reasons. The reasons may be plenty including low blood sugar levels, lack of practice, etc. Hence, it is imperative to consult your doctor before you think of starting IF. Always remember to start low and progress at a slower pace. 
3. Bloating and loss of appetite: Well, this is a rare thing that I observed. Sometimes, the body doesn’t react to IF in a good way. It may lead to issues like bloating, gas, and loss of hunger. Therefore, it is very important to follow a proper routine and have meal plans which cover all the macronutrients in the right portion and right way. 

As I mentioned earlier, Indians have been fasting for a very long time. I am sure some of your parents or grand-parents have forced you to fast for many reasons like getting good grades, choice of college/career, good spouse, etc. While you found it illogical, I guess, fasting helps your body in many ways internally but I don’t really know if it manifests you a good grade. 😜

Well, I hope this helps if you are thinking of IF. Let me know if you are doing IF and found any observations or your experience in the comments.

Here are the different types of Intermittent Fasting.

Addressed here are the FAQs on Intermittent Fasting.

Note: This blog is purely my experience. Kindly consult your doctor before proceeding with IF.