Intermittent Fasting FAQs for Beginners

Q)Who should not consider Intermittent Fasting (IF)? 

Pregnant or nursing women should not do IF. Other than that, there is no reason to not fast :) If you take medications and wish to double check with your doctor, please do so. Caveat here, not all doctors understand IF. Do bear that in mind!

Q) I want to do IF. I am unsure how to begin and build a habit as social media is confusing. Can you point me to resources that can help me?

Read/listen to  "Delay Don't Deny 2nd Edition" from Gin Stephens. For more detailed reading, consider "Fast Feast Repeat" from Gin Stephens. You can also listen to her podcast Intermittent Fasting Stories and Fast Feast Repeat podcast with Sheri Bullock. In terms of doctors/scientists to follow, highly recommend following Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Ben Bikman to understand the science in more detail.

Q)What can I drink in a fast?

Water, Black coffee/black tea/green tea(unflavoured and without any additives), minerals/electrolytes/salt (with no additives or flavours). 

Source: https://www.ginstephens.com/all-blog-posts/category/clean-fast

Q) I lost weight in the initial month but after that weight loss stopped. Has IF stopped working?

In the initial weeks of fasting, we lose water weight and inflammation, not necessarily fat. We start losing fat only after we are fat adapted ie., our body is able to access fat as a source of fuel, in addition to blood sugar. This can take between 2 to 6 months depending on each individual. Due to eating three meals a day and snacking, pre-IF, our body is habituated to utilizing blood sugar as fuel and not fat, as high insulin does not allow fat burning to happen even if adequate fat is available for burning. Therefore, it takes time for fasting insulin to come down, only after which fat burning can happen.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/vzyXJRviAlg 

Q) How is IF different from diets that work on calorie restriction?

Calorie restriction can provide short term benefits but it is not sustainable for most people as body lowers its metabolism in response to restricted intake of calories. In the case of IF, metabolism does not drop. During ketosis phase (a deeper fat burning phase), metabolism gets ramped up. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y92SE4j_m50

Q) What are the different stages in a fast?

In the initial phase of fast, body is using up blood sugar. After that body utilizes stored glycogen in liver and muscle for energy. Once glycogen stores are empty and if insulin is low, fat stores start to release fatty acids which the liver converts to glucose. As we go deeper into our fast, liver has already generated required glucose stores from fat, but it does not stop as insulin is low. This results in production of ketones which act as a source of fuel. There are several other processes such as autophagy which kick into action as we go beyond 16 hours of fasting. 

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7o_hF1XB84&t=3s

Q) Will I lose muscle if I fast?

Once we get to the milestone of fat adaptation, our body uses fat and will only go to muscle as a last resort., ie. body is in starvation mode. During IF, we are not in starvation mode as body is utilizing fat as primary source of energy.

Source: https://youtu.be/2ImbXU3sJBc?si=91C0qEfbgLlPNICb

Q) Can I exercise in fasted state?

Yes, especially if you are fat adapted. For most of us that are not elite level athletes, fasted workouts are great. One needs to make sure we do not over hydrate and lose salt by drinking water in excess. If needed consider taking electrolytes

Q) I am new to IF. I get hunger cravings during my fast and find it difficult to continue fasting. What can I do?

This is a normal response as body is not yet fat adapted. In eating window, try to eat more wholefoods that make you satiated. Cut back on refined carbs and processed food intake. Cravings are not due to will power issue, but due to presence of sugar loving microbes in our gut. These bad guys die within a few days if they do not get sugar from your diet.  Keep yourself busy when you normally expect to get hunger cravings by going for a walk or something to distract to your mind. Sometimes we are thirsty and not hungry. Staying hydrated helps. Drinking black coffee/green tea (without sugar, milk  ofcourse) can help.  Keep your kitchen free from ultra processed foods. Joining a community/group of IFers can help to keep you motivated. Once you are fat adpated, these cravings will disappear. It is a matter of a few weeks where we need to stay strong. After that fasting becomes a breeze for most people.

 Q) I get GI issue/acid reflux when I fast. What can I do?

Individual responses vary. Not everyone gets these symptoms. It is about the body getting used to the new rhythm. For some with acid reflux,  taking lemon water and apple cider vinegar diluted in glass of water in eating window helps.     

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5g2hKdNAUU&t=15s

Q) I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. What should I focus on initially? Is food, exercise important?

First thing to do is to nail the clean fast and get fat adapted. Build your fasting muscle. Doing this alone without changing other variables will help you to set up for success. Food quality and exercise are very important but changing everything at once can be overwhelming especially when your body is not used to fasting.