Intermittent fasting (IF) has been the rage of late. And for good reasons. I’ve tried all forms of them, and they have all produced good results for me. The two types that I have kept with have been the 16:8 (Leangains) approach and the warrior diet. I use them in tandem depending on where my weight is.
Leangains is the approach I have used most consistently and the one that is most easily followed for me. In a nutshell you skip breakfast and eat only during an eight hour window, usually lunch and dinner. I have never really been a big breakfast eater anyway, so it’s been a sinch to follow and it’s how I eat most days.
The other approach I use, albeit sparingly, is the warrior diet. To summarize briefly, you under-eat during the day (or don’t eat at all), and save your biggest meal for the evening. Snacking on an occasional fruit or a one-time handful of nuts can keep your hunger in check and make you more compliant with the diet. Coffee and diet soda also helps curb hunger. This approach allows me to lose weight more quickly when I feel I’ve overindulged or if my weight is creeping up on me. I don’t find it to be sustainable in the long-term so I use it only when needed.
There are a lot of naysayers on IF, but speaking from experience it works. I also feel more energized and alert when I’m in a fasting mode, and consequently more productive. My lipid counts are almost near perfect. Also, and very importantly, IF allows me to spend less time on calculating calories, even if using eyeball estimates. Meal preparation has also become a lot more simpler.
I recommend everyone who wants to lose weight give it a try for at least one week. It takes about that long to get adjusted, and by the end of a week you’ll see results and will be more likely to commit.
The authors of both diets have published books and I highly recommend reading them. Martin Berkham is the author of Leangains, and Ori Hofmekler is the author of the Warrior Diet.
Fifty Plus Fit 