Let’s start with the fact that everyone fasts. You can’t help it. You fast whenever you sleep. Whether it’s 4, 6, 8, or 10 hours a day the time you’re sleeping you are not eating… unless you’re hooked up to an IV.
Intermittent fasting refers to not eating for longer periods of time than just sleep and I will contend that it is our natural state of being. In prehistoric times I highly doubt anyone woke up and started their day with bacon, eggs, and a stack of pancakes. Most likely they got up and went about their day procuring the things they needed to survive. They probably ate at most twice a day. Think about that for one moment. They didn’t have pantries or refrigerators keeping food at the ready. They had to get sustenance every day for survival.
That’s not to say I want to go back to that. I’m not against a high standard of living and the convenience of not having to kill my meals every day.
All that said, if you are used to eating all the time. You have three meals a day plus some snacks as suggested by some nutritionists and dieticians then your body may react negatively to suddenly shutting yourself off from food. According to Medical Daily here are some things that could happen.
1. Can interrupt your sleep
2. Can increase cortisol levels
3. Hair loss and/or missed periods
4. Cause orthorexia
5. Decrease alterness
Medical Daily
Obviously if you experience anything like this you should probably visit your doctor for a consultation. Personally, I never experienced any of these symptoms. But, I didn’t just jump into this and one day start only eating a single meal in 24 hours. I moved into it gradually and naturally as I decided to only eat when hungry. The transition occurred over a period of years and certainly had a positive effect on my ability to easily maintain a steady weight while eating virtually anything I wanted. It may sound hard to believe but it’s true.
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