Intermittent Fasting Diet Should Be Encouraged Because It Is “Easier” Than Cutting Calories, Doctors Say

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Fad Fasting Diets Practiced By Jennifer Aniston and Benedict Cumberbatch May Lower Heart Disease Risk and Should Be Encouraged Because They Are “Easier” Than Cutting Calories, Doctors Say

  • Doctors say time-limited fasting can help improve health and weight loss
  • They claim that the celebrity trend may lower the risk of various health problems
  • But opinions on the practice remain divided within the medical community

By John Ely For Mailonline

Posted: | Update:










Celebrity-beloved fad fasting diets may help prevent heart disease and type 2 diabetes, doctors said.

Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston and Benedict Cumberbatch have both resorted to intermittent fasting to lose weight.

This usually means sticking to your usual diet, but eating everything within six to eight hours.

Another diet, known as 5: 2, involves eating normally five days a week, then cutting calories on the other two days.

Today, a team of California researchers put their weight behind the eight-hour window diet in the fight against obesity and the plethora of conditions it brings.

Jennifer Aniston is a fan of intermittent fasting. In October 2019, she said that she does not eat breakfast and only consumes fluids in the morning, which allows her to eat until the last half of the day.

Benedict Cumberbatch reportedly used 5: 2 fasting method to lose weight for role of Sherlock in BBC drama of the same name

Jennifer Aniston (right) and Benedict Cumberbatch (left) are two celebrities who have also reportedly used intermittent fasting

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting involves switching between fasting days and normal meal days.

Intermittent fasting diets generally fall into two categories: time-limited eating, which cuts meal times to 6-8 hours per day, also known as the 16: 8 diet, and intermittent 5 fasting: 2.

The 16: 8 diet is a form of intermittent fasting, also known as the time-limited diet.

Followers of the diet fast 16 hours a day and eat whatever they want for the remaining eight hours – typically between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

This may be more tolerable than the well-known 5: 2 diet – where followers limit their calories to 500-600 calories per day for two days per week, then eat normally for the remaining five days.

In addition to weight loss, 16: 8 intermittent fasting is believed to improve blood sugar control, boost brain function, and help us live longer.

Many prefer to eat between noon and 8 p.m. because that means they only need to fast overnight and skip breakfast, but can still have lunch and dinner, as well as a few snacks.

When eating out, it’s best to go for healthy options like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

And drink water and unsweetened drinks.

The downsides of the fasting diet can be that people abuse the hours when they can eat, resulting in weight gain.

It can also lead to long-term digestive problems, as well as hunger, fatigue, and weakness.

Writing in Endocrine Reviews, they claimed it was a better option than just counting calories.

Professor Satchidananda Panda, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, said: “People who are trying to lose weight and lead healthier lives should be more careful about when and what they eat.”

He added, “Time-limited eating is an easy-to-follow and effective diet plan that requires less mental math than counting calories.

“Intermittent fasting can improve a person’s sleep and quality of life, as well as reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.”

The group of researchers published their views in manuscript form, exploring the science behind time-limited eating, reviewing recent clinical studies on the practice, and the scope of future research to better understand its benefits.

Professor Panda said disregarding the body’s internal clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, could be detrimental to people’s health, as the body’s genes are turned on at different times of the day, as well as blood levels. hormones and metabolism varying over a 24 hour period.

“Eating at random times breaks the synchronization of our internal schedule and makes us prone to disease,” he said.

“Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle that anyone can adopt. It can help eliminate health disparities and allows everyone to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

The fasting diets have been endorsed by various celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, as well as Benedict Cumberbatch.

In October 2019, Jennifer Aniston said she skips breakfast and only consumes fluids in the morning, keeping her from eating until the last half of the day.

Actor Benedict Cumberbatch is also said to have used the 5: 2 intermittent fasting method to lose weight as the main character in BBC drama Sherlock.

However, the scientific and medical community remains divided on whether intermittent fasting helps with weight loss.

In research published last year, scientists at the University of California asked a group of 116 volunteers to try the celebrity-inspired fasting diet and others ate three meals a day.

The fasting group could only eat between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. and the others could eat when they wanted, with no dietary restrictions imposed on either group.

While both saw their weight drop slightly, neither was significantly different from the other group, suggesting that a daily “fasting time” makes no difference.

Time-limited meals where people cram their meals into a 6 to 8 hour window have been popularized by celebrities. Now, a team of American scientists claim that this trend could reduce the risk of diabetes and heart and liver disease and should be encouraged because it is easier to follow than traditional diet methods.

Time-limited meals where people cram their meals into a 6 to 8 hour window have been popularized by celebrities. Now, a team of American scientists claim that this trend could reduce the risk of diabetes and heart and liver disease and should be encouraged because it is easier to follow than traditional diet methods.

NHS tips for losing weight

The NHS 12 Week Weight Loss Plan advises people to:

  • Make realistic changes to your diet and physical activity that can become part of your regular routine
  • The best way to lose weight is to make long-term changes in diet and physical activity that result in a constant rate of weight loss.
  • Aim to lose weight at around 0.5 kg to 1 kg per week (1 to 2 lbs), until you reach a healthy body mass index (BMI).

The NHS is also warning of so-called ‘fad diets’ and exercise regimes, saying they are unlikely to work for long as these types of lifestyle changes cannot be maintained. Once the diet is stopped, you are likely to resume your old ways and gain weight.

Source: NHS

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