DETROIT – Many people are vowing to eat healthier in 2020.
Intermittent fasting has been growing in popularity. Rather than focusing on what you eat, the diet pays attention to when you eat.
According to nutrition experts, intermittent fasting is not for everyone.
When Sofia Cienfuegos was getting ready for her wedding last in 2019, she turned to intermittent fasting.
“I fast until 3 p.m. and then I start eating and then stop at 7 p.m.," Cienfuegos said. “I got to the weight that I wanted but I do it also because I feel way better when I’m fasting.”
Cienfuegos is also a dietitian. She’s working with Dr. Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois who researches intermittent fasting.
“We also saw nice decreases in blood pressure,” Varady said. “It basically could contribute to heart health in general.”
The dieters in Varady’s study followed time-restricted eating -- one of the two main types of fasting. They fasted for 16 hours and only ate during an eight hour window.
There’s also alternate day fasting, where dieters eat whatever they want one day but then limit themselves to 500 calories the next.
A representative with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics said there are concerns fasting will lead to feasting.
“It can be one of the pitfalls of the diet,” said Jennifer Bruning with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “That it we get so hungry that, in our next time period of eating, we are indulging in very rich or fatty foods.”
Nutrition experts said intermittent fasting is not a good fit for people who are frequent snackers. It should not be tried by those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a compromised immune system or had an eating disorder.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics doesn’t recommend intermittent fasting, but said those that do try it should focus on eating fruits, vegetables and lean proteins when eating, in addition to a multi-vitamin.