Intermittent Fasting and Metabolism

Let's face it, research and knowledge evolves - particularly when you’ve been out of undergrad for 20 years – but nothing prepares you for when something totally contradicts your professional knowledge base. This happened to me last year when Cooking Light’s Digital Editor asked me to write content on Intermittent Fasting and Metabolism, something that I honestly thought would be a breeze! I mean, I’d been advising clients for years to avoid going long periods without eating, as well as to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day to keep metabolism burning.

Even though I “knew” the answer, I pulled the latest research on metabolism, eating frequency, and fasting before writing  - mainly just to do my due diligence as a dietitian and freelancer. I started reading, and that’s when it happened...

Most of the research findings actually suggested the opposite of what I’d learned in school and what I’d assumed I’d be writing for Cooking Light. Going longer periods between meals didn’t appear to slow metabolism. In fact, many studies suggested this may be a healthier way to eat and be a more effective approach for weight loss. 

Hopefully, most of you know I’m not one to jump on nutrition fads.  My nutrition professors ingrained the importance of following research – not popular media and definitely not the results of one research study. But that's just it - there’s a lot of research. There's not just one study, but numerous studies that suggest there maybe some positive benefits to intermittent fasting for weight loss, metabolism, and long-term health.

Curious to know more?  Check out my Cooking Light article: How Fasting Affects Metabolism.  After you give it a read, follow my social media this week to hear about my personal experience with intermittent fasting over the past few months (Instagram : @realfoodrealliferd | Facebook : Real Food. Real Life. - Carolyn Williams, Phd, RD)!