Should I Try Fasting to Lose Weight and Feel Better?

Drastically reducing calorie intake has been promoted as the best path to increased life span as well as the essential approach to weight loss.

Is Fasting Good for You?

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal discusses Intermittent Fasting as a type of calorie restriction.

The problem with simply counting calories is that there is no focus on nutrients. It is possible to be over-weight, or normal weight, and still be nutrient-deficient.

Another issue is, of course, cutting calories every day is HARD. That’s why people struggle with diets.

So, if you are comparing conventional weight-loss plans that recommend low calorie diets every day with the 5-2 Diet which recommends reducing calories 2 non-consecutive days per week, the latter can be a much better choice. First, it is easier to comply with, second, there’s a likelihood of greater variety.

However, a recent article in the New York Times highlights that calorie restriction is still controversial. A study done at the University of WI came to the opposite conclusion of a study done by the NIH’s Institute on Aging.

So what are the draw backs?

Why NOT Follow the 5-2 Diet?

Here are the top 3 Reasons the 5-2 Diet may not be the best for you:

1. Blood sugar – if you have headaches or feel shaky or irritable when you skip a meal then you may have trouble regulating your blood sugar. If this is the case then when you fast your body releases stress hormones which suppress your immune system, weaken your bones and generally make you feel yucky. Get your blood sugar stabilized before fasting.
2. Hormones – if you experience trouble sleeping, fatigue, a need for coffee in the morning, low libido or for women, PMS or hot flashes, you could have a hormone imbalance that would be exaggerated by going into fasting mode.
3. Digestion – if you have heartburn, indigestion or bowel issues these should be addressed first before trying short term fasting. You want to make sure that your body is able to absorb all the nutrients it needs and efficiently get rid of waste before it goes into an extended repair mode. There are different types of digestive issues that can lead to problems regulating blood pressure, to hormone issues and more.

One of the best ways to understand the underlying nutritional cause of your symptoms is to know which foods and nutrients you have trouble digesting and those you are deficient in.

Click here to take Dr. Rose’s Nutritional Profile Quiz and get an overview of what your nutritional imbalances could be. You’ll get your results immediately.

 

 

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