A fan of intermittent fasting for 4 years, I am the first to praise its promises. This mode of eating, which simply consists of not eat anything for a chosen period, is known to improve digestion, sleep, the appearance of the skin and to help regulate weight.
Health journalist, I am studying intermittent fasting and its benefits for several years, with the help of experts and scientific studies. What must be remembered is that it is conducive to better general health and also longevity.
The rule I apply: 16/8 fasting, the best known form. We have eight hours a day to eat and sixteen hours during which we must not eat. You can choose to fast in the evening, midday or morning. There is no strict rule. The idea is to take a break from food 16 hours a day.
Intermittent Fasting May Not Work for Everyone
If intermittent fasting has more and more fans, it is because it is relatively simple to carry out: it does not involve counting calories, nor does it involve changing anything in your diet (except condition of eating a balanced diet).
For my part, he has been following me for 4 years and has helped me improve my health and lose my excess pounds, without ever gaining them back. I can therefore only recommend this practice.
However, it must be kept in mind that Intermittent fasting may not work for everyone. Each person is different and has their own metabolism, their own relationship with food and their own medical history.
After consulting several nutritionists and thanks to my own experience, I was able to bring together for you the reasons which can explain the failure of intermittent fasting.
You have thyroid disease
People who have a thyroid disorder should do their homework before practicing intermittent fasting. Thyroid insufficiency (insufficient production of thyroid hormones, editor’s note) when it is significant can lead to weight gain and water retention phenomena. “ I strongly advise against intermittent fasting for these people. », Alexandra Retion explained to me.
You suffer from eating disorders
“ I do not encourage intermittent fasting in all my patients because it can promote EDs. [troubles du comportement alimentaire, ndlr]“, Alexandra Retion warned me when I consulted her.
Indeed, if you don’t have a healthy relationship with food, depriving your body of meals for several hours can be risky. You will then have a risk of compensate for during meal times. Ultimately, this can be risky for your weight, but also for your mental health.
In addition, people suffering from TCA will tend to carry out intermittent fasting too strictly, which is conducive to frustration and therefore to food spills later.
You started intermittent fasting for the wrong reasons
Intermittent fasting should not be followed to please a spouse or girlfriend. This is a decision that is yours and yours alone.
The riskiest, according to nutritionists, would be to carry out intermittent fasting with the sole aim of losing weight.
“ It is important to know your motivations before starting intermittent fasting. If weight loss is an obsession, you’re unlikely to see intermittent fasting work.explained my nutritionist, Alexandra Retion. If you start intermittent fasting, it must be with a desire to take care of your health in general, and not just to be slim. “.
You have a slow metabolism
If you tend to do yo-yo, the benefits of intermittent fasting on the line may then take longer to arrive. Indeed, people who try many diets and lose weight before gaining it back affect their metabolism.
Some people have a metabolism that is described as fast: this means that they burn more calories than average. People who have this type of metabolism will always tend to lose weight more easily, or gain less weight. However, two people who practice intermittent fasting and who have different metabolisms will not lose weight in the same way.
Metabolism disturbances can be of hormonal origin, linked to stress or the environment.
You have a bad sleep pattern
Intermittent fasting is known to improve sleep quality, especially if you fast in the evening. On the other hand, if you are a person experiencing chronic sleep deprivationvictim of insomnia, night worker… or simply if you are used to staying up late at night, intermittent fasting may not work.
While we sleep, we secrete something called leptin. It is a hormone that generates satiety. It is thanks to the latter that we are able to sleep 7 to 8 hours per night without feeling hungry. The appetite hormone is called ghrelin. However, the less you sleep, the more ghrelin secretion increases. People who don’t get enough sleep will produce more grehlin, which is conducive to snacking.
You don’t have a balanced diet
Fast 16 hours a day does not exempt you from having a balanced diet. It’s not even recommended to start intermittent fasting if you have a habit of eating poorly. A person who practices intermittent fasting and consumes pizza, soda and hamburgers regularly is exposed to health risks.
Processed and high-fat foods will interfere with the benefits of fasting.
Are you sure you are really fasting?
When talking with those close to me, I heard some people say to me “ I tried to fast like you, but it doesn’t work for me “.
When I dug a little deeper, I realized that these same people had forgotten to tell me that they drank coke or white wine during fasting times. Others eat fast food every weekend and some snack on sugary products all day long. Of course, a little chocolate egg at 8 p.m. doesn’t mean much. But if you repeat this habit every two hours… ultimately your evening no longer feels like intermittent fasting.
