New Feature: Intermittent Fasting Timer
Do you have clients who want to add intermittent fasting to their regimen? MBODY360 now has an Intermittent Fasting tracking feature in our app!
You can assign the Intermittent Fasting timer to your clients and have them track their fasting windows in 4 new plans: IF Cardiometabolic Support 14-Day Plan and 28-Day, and IF Mediterranean 14-Day and 28-Day Plans. Once your client clicks on the timer, it will run in the background until your client stops it when their fasting window is over.
You can use Intermittent Fasting plans combined with supplements to support your clients’ success.
How IF works best
There are three popular methods for intermittent fasting:
- Alternate-day fasting switches between a 24-hour “fast day” followed by a 24 hour “feast day.” On fast days, eat less than 25% of the usual energy needs. On feast days, eat without restriction.
- Periodic fasting involves any period of consecutive fasting of more than 24 hours. The 5:2 diet (5 days of feasting, 2 days of fasting), falls into this category.
- Time-restricted feeding involves eating only within a certain window of time during each day. This could be an 8 hour window for eating followed by a 16 hour fast.
Promising research on the benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Is intermittent fasting effective for weight loss? Anecdotal evidence points to yes, but the scientific evidence is not there yet.
But intermittent fasting can improve other health measures that lead to weight maintenance.
A review in the New England Journal of Medicine looked at dozens of animal and human studies on intermittent fasting. They found that IF can improve metabolism, lower blood sugar, and reduce inflammation, which helps improve a range of health issues.
Another study published in Cell Metabolism studied obese men with prediabetes. One group restricted meal times to between 7 am – 3 pm, while the other group spread their meals out over 12 hours (eating between 7 am – 7 pm). Both groups maintained their weight, the early-time restricted feeding group saw significant decreases in insulin levels and blood pressure as well as improvements in insulin sensitivity.
Why timed eating is trending
The media helped promote intermittent fasting over the last decade. The BBC aired the popular Eat Fast, Live Longer documentary, and two books (The 5:2 Diet and The Obesity Code) also contributed to its popularity.
Celebrities also jumped on the intermittent fasting bandwagon. Jennifer Anniston, Chris Pratt, Jimmy Kimmel, Hugh Jackman, and Kourtney Kardashian have all used intermittent fasting to maintain their physique.
Another reason why it has become so popular is because it doesn’t require big changes in what you eat – just when you eat.
If you find an intermittent fasting method that works well for your clients, it can be used in conjunction with other plans and supplements to reach their goals.