I tried the popular Silicon Valley diet credited with boosting energy and prolonging life - and I can see why people are obsessed
Erin Brodwin / Business Insider
For the past 10 days, I've stifled the small voice she instilled in the back of my mind to remind me that forgoing breakfast is nutritional doom - all for the sake of a diet known as intermittent fasting.
The diet essentially involves abstaining from food for a set period of time ranging from 16 hours to several days - and surprisingly, it has a lot of scientific backing.
Large studies have found intermittent fasting to be just as reliable for weight loss as traditional diets. And a few studies in animals have suggested it could have other benefits, such as reducing the risk for certain cancers and even prolonging life.
Silicon Valley loves it. A Bay Area group called WeFast meets weekly to collectively break their fasts with a hearty morning meal. Facebook executive Dan Zigmond confines his eating to a narrow time slot; many other CEOs and tech pioneers are sworn "IF" devotees - some even fast for up to 36 hours at a time.
I opted to try a form of the diet known as the 16:8, in which you fast for 16 hours and eat (or "feed," as some proponents call it) for eight hours. With this regimen, you can eat whatever you want - as long as it doesn't fall outside the designated eight-hour window.
Here's how it went.
Before starting my fast, I checked in with doctor Krista Varady, one of the first researchers to study intermittent fasting in humans. I also had a standard check-up with my primary care doctor.
Some research suggests that intermittent fasting has a handful of other benefits, from increased focus to a reduced risk of certain diseases. Some studies even suggest it may help prolong life, but most of that research has been in animals, not people.
With the go-ahead from my doctor and Varady, I was ready to find out for myself. Based on advice from other IF fans, I chose to break my daily fast at 12 p.m. and stop eating at 8 p.m., giving me eight hours to eat or "feed."
My first day of fasting began with an iced coffee. Intermittent fasters are allowed to drink fluids including tea and coffee during the fast, but no sugar or cream is allowed.
My workout went better than I expected. The hunger pangs I felt during the warmup quickly faded. During class, I felt more energized than usual. At work afterwards, I didn't start to feel peckish until 10 a.m., so I poured myself another black coffee.
Finally, 12 p.m. arrived. I ate the lunch I'd prepared: a salad of spinach, chicken breast, cheese, and a banana for dessert. I savored the sweet taste of victory: my first 16-hour fast was over. But I wasn't prepared for what happened next.
About 30 minutes after inhaling my meal, I started to feel dazed. I had trouble focusing. My hands and fingers, which are normally a bit cold, felt like ice. I wasn't hungry, but I suddenly felt like I hadn't eaten in days. On a tip from a practiced intermittent faster, I went for a long walk.
Later that day, the fog faded and I felt normal again. Soon after that I found myself plowing through work with more energy than usual. Around dinner time, I noticed another change — I didn't feel as ravenous as I usually do. So I warmed up a couple pieces of leftover pizza and skipped my usual dessert.
The next day, I woke up determined not to be thwarted by the previous episode of brain fog. For lunch, instead of a container full of lettuce and a bit of chicken, I had a hearty bowl featuring loads of grilled chicken, half an avocado, cheese, veggies, and black beans.
That evening, however, I encountered my first challenge: dinner with friends.
But delaying my break-fast was a mistake. By 10:30, my stomach was growling. I couldn't think about anything other than food. I kept drinking coffee and water, hoping I could quell my appetite with liquids and caffeine.
The next day I faced my second challenge: traveling while fasting. My office had an overnight work retreat planned, and everyone was ready to pile in the car around noon — the exact time I was supposed to break my fast.
When we arrived, we went for a hike in California's Año Nuevo state park. It was gorgeous and I was feeling energized and happy — despite the fact that I'd also worked out in the morning and had hardly eaten.
After the hike, my coworkers and I met up for dinner at a taco joint. When we arrived, I was famished. Instead of being polite, I marched to the front of the line and was first to order.
After the meal, I was stuffed. My coworkers decided to make s'mores, but by then it was 9:30 p.m. — well past my eating time. I didn't want to miss out, so I headed over to the campfire and helped other people roast their 'mallows.
That night, I went to bed feeling great about my self-control. When I arrived at the conference center my office had booked for our retreat, however, I couldn't help stare at the breakfast spread.
The day before, I'd made a mistake in assuming that I'd be able to eat lunch right at 12 p.m. This time, I prepared by saving some nuts as an emergency snack.
After lunch, someone broke out the rest of the s'mores supplies, and this time I could enjoy the treats.
When I got home after my office retreat, I wasn't super hungry but didn't want to miss my window for dinner. So I made some scrambled eggs and smoked salmon on toast.
The next day, I hit the gym in the morning with more energy than usual. I powered through about twice the miles I normally do on the stationary bike, then ran a few errands. I broke my fast at noon with a small plain yogurt, but then oddly forgot to eat for the rest of the day. I had a few bites of chicken breast and veggies around 5, but wasn't hungry. It was a mistake I'd pay for later.
The next day started out well. I had pizza, my first meal of the day, around 12:15 p.m. But afterward I had a strong and unusual craving for something sweet, so I stopped by a newly opened bakery.
That night after dinner, my sweet tooth had yet to be satiated. Around 11 p.m. — three hours past my "eating window" — I was overwhelmed by a craving-fueled urge to make s'mores. Armed with the leftover supplies from my work retreat, I fired up the stove.
The next day, I felt guilty and went back to my fasting routine. I skipped breakfast and broke my fast at noon with a healthy-but-hearty lunch: turkey breast, cabbage, spinach, a scoop of egg salad, and some hummus.
For the next two days, I ate healthy, filling meals. I made salads full of beans, chickpeas, and lean meats or eggs; whole-grain pasta with chicken breast; and vegetable stir-fry with brown rice and tofu. I also drank a ton of water — sometimes up to 15 glasses a day.
Overall, I learned a lot about my body by trying intermittent fasting, but it was one of the hardest things I’ve done.
I don't think intermittent fasting is the right eating plan for me, but I see how it could work wonders for some. It reduced my opportunities to snack, curbed my appetite (at least on the days when I followed it properly), and pushed me to focus on and enjoy my food when I did eat.
- Poonch Terrorist Attack: One Indian Air Force soldier dies, five injured; Patrolling intensifies across J&K
- The Role of AI in Journalism
- 10 incredible Indian destinations for family summer holidays in 2024
- 7 scenic Indian villages perfect for May escapes
- Paneer snacks you can prepare in 30 minutes