Have you ever been tempted to try Intermittent Fasting to lose weight? Does it *really* work?

Before answering this common question, it’s important to understand what intermittent fasting (IF) is.

IF refers to breaking a 24 hour day into two windows: A fasting window where you can drink water, black coffee, or plain tea, but you don’t eat anything, and a shorter feeding window where you can eat food and drink any beverages that contain calories.

Now, getting back to the question:

Yes, it can work for weight loss. But only if it’s done correctly. And by correctly, I mean only if you’re eating LESS calories than you burn during your feeding window. In other words, you’re still creating a calorie deficit.

Intermittent Fasting does NOT lead to weight loss when you eat as many or more calories than you burn during the feeding window. Often times, I find it’s easy to create a fasting window that’s too long… And by the time your feeding window comes around, you’re SO hungry that it’s difficult to not overeat.

Unless your goal is something specific like a bodybuilding or physique competition, the timing of your meals does NOT influence weight loss. It comes down to calories in vs. calories out. 1400 calories spread over 13 hours vs. 1400 calories consumed in 7 hours will NOT affect your weight loss results.

Are there times where IF can be BENEFICIAL to weight loss? Absolutely!

If you’re someone who has a unique schedule, IF may help you plan ahead and reach your goals. Just be sure the schedule you create is realistic, and be sure you don’t use your feeding window as an excuse to eat all the foods!

Have other questions about IF? Drop them in the comments below!