Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Learn the definition of intermittent fasting and how to unlock its power during Menopause.
It is commonly said that losing weight is simply a matter of calories in versus calories out. Eat less than you usually do, and you will lose weight. Exercise more than usual; you might see the same effect. However, what if changing when you eat, not what or how much, would do the trick?
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting restricts eating to a specific period of the day. Most people eat throughout the day, starting with breakfast and ending with dinner. A person practising intermittent fasting condenses all their eating into a shorter window of time. Intermittent fasting is a diet only in the sense that it involves making conscious choices about your food intake. It does not limit what foods you eat or how much you eat. Some intermittent fasters eat multiple full meals during their eating window, while others might graze throughout that time.
Let us get right to the point: intermittent fasting effectively improves mental and physical health in various ways (de Cabo & Mattson, 2019).
Here are some of the backed-by-science benefits of intermittent fasting:
- Burning fat for fuel. Once your body stops getting glucose to burn, it uses fat as fuel (de Cabo & Mattson, 2019). Burning fat as fuel is the primary way that intermittent fasting leads to weight loss.
- Cellular repair. While fasting, your body uses autophagy to recycle dead or unused cells that otherwise clutter the body and cause problems (de Cabo & Mattson, 2019).
- Decreased inflammation. Specific key biomarkers of inflammation go down among fasting individuals (Wang et al., 2020).
- It may reduce depression. Individuals in treatment for depression saw slightly more significant improvements in their symptoms when they fasted (Fernandez-Rodriguez et al., 2022).
- Improves insulin resistance. Intermittent fasting can lower blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes. After extended fasting, some people are no longer qualified as people with diabetes (Welton et al., 2020).
Intermittent Fasting Schedules
Intermittent Fasting 16/8
The easiest place to begin with intermittent fasting is to go 16 hours without eating. For example, a typical fasting pattern is from about 7:30 pm to 11:30 am each day. Therefore, the eating window starts at 11:30 am and ends at 7:30 pm. For most people, this can feel like “skipping breakfast”, although the goal is still to eat as many calories as they usually would during the eating hours.
Intermittent Fasting 20/4
The longer you fast, the more your body experiences the benefits of fasting, such as ketosis and autophagy. That means many people attempt to limit their eating window to four hours a day, spending 20 hours fasting. A common way to do 20/4 intermittent fasting is to break one’s fast mid-afternoon and then finish eating in the early evening.
Intermittent Fasting OMAD
There is OMAD, or “One Meal a Day”, for the genuinely strong-willed. OMAD is just what it sounds like – trying to cram all your caloric intake for the day into a single meal or a short period of about an hour.
OMAD fasting is effective in the short term for weight loss but not very sustainable in the long term. Getting a full day’s calories into your body in just an hour is hard! Although many people practice 16/8 or 20/4 fasting daily or almost daily, OMAD fasting should be undertaken only temporarily.
What about Menopause?
Intermittent fasting may be beneficial for women going through menopause due to several reasons:
1. Weight management: Menopause often brings about weight gain due to hormonal changes. Intermittent fasting can help with weight management by restricting the window of time in which one can eat, which may lead to reduced calorie intake and weight loss.
2. Hormonal balance: Intermittent fasting has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and regulate other hormones, such as ghrelin and leptin, which can help regulate menstrual cycles and reduce symptoms of menopause.
3. Reduced inflammation: Menopause can be associated with increased inflammation in the body, leading to various symptoms. Intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation, which may help alleviate some menopausal symptoms.
4. Improved energy levels: Some menopausal women may experience fatigue and low energy levels. Intermittent fasting has been associated with increased energy levels and improved mental clarity in some individuals.
Consult a healthcare provider before starting any new diet or fasting regimen, especially during menopause, as individual needs and health conditions vary.
In Sum
Intermittent fasting is a simple, straightforward technique for gaining various health benefits. While it is initially challenging to endure hunger, many people have experienced the rewards on the other side.
If you are considering intermittent fasting, try not to go into it with any particular expectations. The benefits to your health, focus, or waistline may not be easy to discern initially. Like so many techniques for promoting health, intermittent fasting needs time and commitment to show its effects.
References
- de Cabo, R., & Mattson, M. P. (2019). Effects of intermittent fasting on health, ageing, and disease. New England Journal of Medicine, 381, 2541-2551.
- Fernandez-Rodriguez, R., Martinez-Vizcaino, V., Mesas, A. E., Notario-Pacheco, B., Medrano, M., & Heilbronn, L. K. (2022). Does intermittent fasting impact mental disorders? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, advance online publication.
- Wang, X., Yang, Q., Liao, Q., Li, M., Zhang, P., …, & Abshirini, M. (2020). Effects of intermittent fasting diets on plasma concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition, 79-80, 110974.
- Welton, S., Minty, R., O’Driscoll, T., Willms, H., Poirier, D., Madden, S., & Kelly, L. (2020). Intermittent fasting and weight loss: systematic review. Canadian Family Physician, 66, 117-125.
