Intermittent fasting has gained popularity across the globe for its many amazing benefits, including weight loss, improved metabolic health, protection against disease and increased longevity, to name a few. This diet plan requires people to eat during a fixed time window every day or alternate days to detoxify the system, burn fat and reap many other benefits.
A recent study published in the journal Obesity finds that intermittent fasting can affect women’s reproductive hormones negatively. The study was conducted for eight weeks on a group of pre and post-menopausal obese women. These women were following the warrior diet, which allows those on the diet to eat anything without counting calories in a mixed window of four hours post which they go on a water fast till the following day.
In a recent report, nutritionist Anupama Menon said, “Intermittent fasting is the time period of “no eating” from the time you finish the last meal until the time you have the next meal, which could range from 10-18 to even 22 hours. The fasting period is generally from after dinner to the start of breakfast or lunch the next day, which is the most predictable time frame for this fast.”
While it is a researched and much-appreciated concept with a rainbow of benefits from weight loss to health, Anupama said that it is often not done the right way. She adds that the theory of the actual fast gets applied with actual requirements on how the food needs to be put together in the eating window not being done right.
She added the mistakes women make with intermittent fasting.
1. Not doing what works for you: A 16-hour fast or more is not the blanket rule for IF. The theory says that the body actively starts to burn fat after 12 hours of fasting; hence, a 16-hour plus window may be beneficial for fat loss. But most people follow this rule blindly, even assuming that if they stretch the 16-hour window to an 18-hour-22-hour window, they would benefit even more and accelerate their loss.
2. Too long a fasting window: This is risky, especially for women. A fasting window of more than 14 hours could affect a woman’s period cycle. The reproductive cycle and its hormones rely on a good balance of complex carbs, fats and proteins to work efficiently, along with a required amount of calories. Fasting for long periods could affect the balance of estrogen and progesterone, the key female sex hormones.
3. Not eating as per requirements: Women on IF need to eat well and right during the eating window. Many of us humans are creatures of the extreme. They want quick results and are willing to do anything to make it work. So, the instinct is to either eat less during the eating window for more results or eat whatever one feels to reward themselves for fasting.
4. Acidity issues, diabetes: Women with a poor gut must also be very careful on the IF, and choose a fasting window that does not trigger headaches and acidity. It has also been observed that for some people (men and women), very long fasting windows may play havoc with sugar levels, fluctuating unreasonably. Be aware of your system on the IF and play the game sensibly.
Anupama says the eating window is a part of the IF schedule if one wants to make it work for themselves. - Eat well-balanced meals during the eating window with a combo of protein and carbs for two main meals and a combination of fruits and nuts/seeds for snacks.
- Also, eat various complex carbs and proteins throughout the week. The food you eat matters just as much as keeping to the fasting window.