With regards to weight loss, the simple answer is no. It will not replace a proper caloric deficit created by either correct meal planning and/or exercise, but it will make for a nice addition to your weight loss routine. Let’s look at what it all means and see if it’s right for you to try out.

Here’s a trick question. Have you ever fasted before? Ever had “breakfast” or “break-fast”? Of course you have, so you’re half way there. Any time you go for an extended period without eating calories, and your body has to dip into its energy reserves (fat, etc.) you can consider that a fast.

Intermittent fasting is just a fancy way of extending that normal nightly fasting period to take advantage of some added benefits. Specifically, most people agree that an intermittent fast will last for about 14 to 18 hours. I personally like to shoot for 16 hours, breaking a day into three 8-hour segments. I try to only consume calories during an 8-hour window. But why?

Scientific studies have suggested that the longer our bodies go without ingesting calories, the more likely they are to use stored fat for energy or fuel. Once we begin eating again, our metabolism switches over to using carbs/sugars for fuel (if you are eating carbohydrates of any sort).

Studies also suggest that when the body does not have to deal with digestion, it can more effectively deal with cleaning itself out and repairing. This is good news for anyone who needs to heal, recover, detox or who just plain wants to feel better and have more vitality.

So again, if you’re a pro at intermittent fasting, but you’re still eating too many calories for your body’s needs, you won’t see any magical weight loss and fat burning effects.

I hope this clears things up a bit and please feel free to reach out if you need any help at all with understanding how to setup your own proper meal planning for fat loss. 😊