If you spend time wandering around fitness and nutrition websites, you've probably heard some mention of intermittent fasting. The first time, you may have laughed to yourself at the concept. I mean, aren't we all intermittently fasting every time there's not actually food in our mouths? Oh, you. You're so clever.
Dig a little deeper, and it's hard not to be a little intrigued by fasting, if only because the people who love it seem to really love it; and people who don't love it often talk about it like it's unimaginable. The pro-fasters say they feel better than they ever have, and point to a wide range of improved health markers. The opponents scoff. The intensity on both sides is enough to make anybody wonder which side they'd take if they gave it a shot.
But where to start? How do the varieties of fasting systems compare? Won't you, like, starve to death?
Sohee Lee, NSCA-CSCS is a personal trainer, online coach and writer. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in human biology from Stanford University, she interned at Cressey Performance before her current position at Peak Performance as a performance coach. She specializes in women’s fat loss and the fitness mindset.