Let’s go back 3 and a half years. I was a health journalist, an epicurean, concerned about her well-being, but very often upset by digestive disorders. After an evening at a restaurant, it took two days for my digestive system to recover. At over 65 kilos at 1.64 m, I had reached my maximum in terms of weight, and I sometimes had the impression that my body was making me pay for it.
Through my job, I heard about intermittent fasting and my job was to spy on all the new scientific studies that came across the subject. At the time, it was 2019 and this practice was becoming more and more talked about. All the nutritionists that I interviewed on the subject explained to me that intermittent fasting could be very interesting for the body (provided it is not carried out too strictly and is followed, but I will talk to you about that later).
Never mind ! I too was going to try this practice that everyone is talking about. Initially, I was going for one month of testing. Three and a half later, fasting is still part of my daily life! This method was a success for me, to say the least. Today, I only weigh 49 kilos and above all my digestive system, my sleep and my mental health are in good shape. While the effects are not the same for everyone (we all have different bodies with different needs, habits and backgrounds), intermittent fasting can be beneficial for many people. Want to get started? Follow my 10 commandments – validated by Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist.
1-For the right reasons, intermittent fasting you will practice
Let’s remember the fundamentals. The most common form of intermittent fasting is 16/8. You have 8 hours a day to eat and 16 hours to fast. It is recommended to fast in the morning OR evening to maximize the benefits. In addition to losing weight, this method is very effective in regenerating the digestive system, improving sleep and reducing tension.
Which is not surprising according to Raphaël Gruman (The Gruman Method): “ By accumulating foods that are difficult to digest (cooked fats, alcohol, proteins), the liver is overwhelmed in its absorption capacity. We’re going to be permanently bloated and smeared. When you follow intermittent fasting, you give the liver time to process food and assimilate it, so you avoid accumulation. We put to rest all the organs that participate in the detoxification of the body. This is why we gain more beautiful skin, kidneys that function better and we are less prone to digestive difficulties. “.
Weight loss – often highly anticipated – is also an effect of intermittent fasting. “ Fasting involves caloric restriction. Let’s say you had 500 calories on a dinner, if you give it up, that’s 500 calories you will have less. Your body will therefore draw on its reserves for additional energy. In addition, if you ban the evening meal from your routine, you will lose weight faster in my opinion. At night, certain hormones will generate a fat-burning effect », adds the nutritionist.
However, weight loss should not be your only motivation if you want fasting to be successful. At the risk of developing eating disorders if you become obsessed with it. If you choose to do intermittent fasting, do it for you and to take care of your entire body. And this choice must be yours: you don’t start intermittent fasting to please a partner or to follow a friend. It’s a choice that must be personal.
2-By a professional, you will be followed
This is important if you want to start intermittent fasting in the best conditions. We must not forget that, although it is very simple to carry out, it is nonetheless an upheaval for the body. By stopping eating 16 hours a day, we very often give up a meal. You must therefore make sure that you are not missing anything and that the other two meals provide you with all the nutrients you need. For this, calling a nutritionist or your doctor will be preferable.
This is an opportunity to point out that most experts advise against fasting for pregnant women and children. Intermittent fasting also has contraindications for people with kidney failure, those who suffer from hyperthyroidism, liver failure and those who have a BMI that is too low (>18).
3- The right time to start, you will choose
This choice will be decisive for the success of intermittent fasting. The best moment ? A moment when you are decided and well in your head. Starting it in poor conditions can lead to failure. Also avoid starting intermittent fasting during your vacation week or in December. Skipping parties and dinners while your loved ones are having fun risks causing frustration.
Subsequently, once you are familiar with it, you can very well take time off at Christmas and resume fasting in January without there being any negative impact.
4-Before starting, you will weigh yourself
Weigh yourself the day before your first intermittent fast. Then step on the scale once a week. This will allow you to assess the evolution of your weight. Please note, it is important to monitor your BMI.
Be careful to choose the right time to step on the scale: after a festive weekend or a big meal will not be representative. The ideal is to weigh yourself in the morning to see a result as close to reality as possible.
5- Meal times, you will respect
Intermittent fasting doesn’t have to be too fixed. The idea is to integrate it into your social and family life. However, in the first few weeks, make sure you scrupulously respect the fasting times you have set for yourself. If you have decided to fast in the evening, avoid gaps at the beginning. This will allow you to quickly feel the benefits of intermittent fasting and above all to be sure that it is made for you.
“ Generally I advise my patients to follow intermittent fasting 5 days per week and to keep 2 days (especially weekends) without fasting. This allows you to have fun, to go out without constraint but also to allow the body not to restock too quickly when you return to a more traditional diet. », suggests Raphaël Gruman.
6- When you are hungry during authorized times, you will eat
Outside of fasting times, it is important to eat when you are hungry. This will allow you to last until the next day without cracking. And above all, this will prevent you from feeling frustration, which can be fatal to the success of intermittent fasting. Remember that intermittent fasting is not a diet. It should not involve dietary restrictions.
7 – Meals that you like will be on the menu
You have eliminated one meal, so make sure that the other two are made up of menus that you enjoy (as long as you maintain a balanced diet). You may eat less than before, but you will enjoy eating more.
8- Processed foods you will avoid
Just because you manage to fast 16 hours a day doesn’t mean you can afford to eat poorly the rest of the time. It is even strongly recommended not to start intermittent fasting if you do not have a balanced diet.
Carrying out intermittent fasting and consuming pizza, soda and hamburgers regularly is counterproductive. The weight loss will be there because of the energy deficiency involved in fasting. But you will then give “bad things” to your body: bad nutrients and harmful fats promote cancer and chronic diseases (overweight, heart disease, diabetes, etc.).
9- Hydrate yourself you will think
If you give up eating 16 hours a day, there is no question of forgetting to hydrate. Drinks are permitted during fasting hours. Be careful, it’s not about drinking just anything. Bet on herbal teas, teas, squeezed lemon juice or homemade vegetable juice… and water of course! Forget fruit juices, soda, alcoholic drinks and all other commercially purchased beverages. Filled with additives and sugar, these drinks risk completely destroying your efforts.
10- You will ignore the opinions of others
You won’t escape it. Your intermittent fasting will undoubtedly generate criticism or opinions (which you did not ask for). A word of advice: don’t let yourself be discouraged by your father’s cousin who claims that “To be healthy you need to eat three times a day“, or by your neighbor who is convinced that you will not last more than two days.
They don’t know anything about it. Know that every patient is different. If you have any questions or doubts, you should talk to your doctor or nutritionist.
Thanks to Raphaël Gruman, nutritionist
