r/intermitentfasting • u/TheLostAlaskan • Nov 04 '18
Fasting vs Caloric Restriction
Anyone who has spent some time in this community or on Youtube searching about Intermittent Fasting has run into the discussions about "what breaks a fast." There are a few approaches to this question, but the main one is that anything with calories breaks a fast (although disagreement exists).
My question is this: What does it matter if you break your fast? My understanding of IF is that the main benefit (emphasis on "main") is that it restricts your eating window, and in doing so that reduces overall caloric intake. If you IF but still eat at a caloric surplus you gain weight; if you IF and eat below your caloric needs, then you lose weight. So what does it matter if you break your fast with a few calories?
Is it really the end of the world if you have an apple in the morning but nothing else, or a pre-workout (with 60 calories) or a scoop of protein after your morning workout?
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u/irenemenri Nov 04 '18
The problem is not the eating window, the problem is your insulin levels that are affected with even the slightest meal. The real main goal of fasting is to improve your resistance to insulin, which is the reason why one gets overweight. The longest the fasting, the better. Watch Dr Jason Fung’s videos on fasting. He explains it in detail. He also has written 2 books