Intermittent Fasting after Bariatric Surgery
December 1st, 2021
Lifestyle
Intermittent fasting (IF) has quickly become one of the world’s most welcomed approaches to weight loss, overall health, and simplifying life. Studies have shown it can have powerful effects on your body and brain, and it may even help you live longer (1,2). Some find following an IF regimen easier than a traditional calorie-restriction approach (3). IF's concept seems to be divisive, so it's important for us to take a closer look at the research and define the good, bad, and unknown, including whether it's a practice that should be recommended to weight loss surgery patients. What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)? IF is defined as an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. Typically, the types of food eaten are not specified; rather, the eating time is specified. Two common intermittent fasting methods are daily 16-hour fasts and fasting for 24 hours, twice per week (3). Fasting for a certain number of hours each day (or eating just one meal a couple days a week)...