Intermittent fasting: You’ve heard stars rave about it, but what exactly is it? And more importantly, does the diet trend work?
First off, intermittent fasting is almost exactly what it sounds like. It generally consists of going without food for a period of time, then eating normally. The most popular type — 16:8 — consists of getting all of your calories for the day in an eight-hour window (say, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.), then fasting for 16 hours overnight. Another method is the 5:2, in which you eat normally for five days a week, then restrict your calories severely (typically 500 for women) for the other two.
As for weight loss, the stars know what they’re doing! “In a nutshell, intermittent fasting works,” NYC-based dietitian Keri Glassman tells Us. “Here’s why: For most people, you’re restricting calories and largely cutting out food you shouldn’t be eating anyway.” However, warns the nutrition pro, “That doesn’t mean that I would necessarily recommend it for everyone.” The fasting method “requires regimented commitment,” she notes, adding that for some, it can lead to unhealthy eating and “set the person up for yo-yo dieting.” The best candidates, Glassman explains, are already-healthy eaters who don’t mind skipping breakfast and can make solid food decisions even when they’re hungry. Above all, she says, besides having the willpower to fast, “you need to eat a healthy, balanced, real-food diet during the other hours.” Scroll down to see the svelte celebs who swear intermittent fasting works for them!
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