Ashley Rowen
5. Intermittent Fasting Does Not Cause Yo-Yo Dieting Or Hunger Cravings
The term yo-yo dieting refers to the cyclical loss and gain of weight over time, akin to a yo-yo moving up and down.
This yo-yo effect occurs among extremely restrictive and unsustainable diets that cause shifts in your hunger hormones. This is why you end up with almost uncontrollable food cravings and feelings of starvation.
Think water fasts, Goop detoxes and cleanses, and very low calorie diets.
Recent research indicates that 24 hours is not enough time for severe calorie restriction (eating 25% of your daily calorie requirements) to kick your appetite hormones into overdrive (13).
Said another way, when fasting is broken up into intervals it doesn’t cause the yo-yo effect.
That means intermittent fasting can significantly cut calories without any major impact on your feelings of hunger.
Summary: Research shows that one day of severe calorie restriction is not enough to negatively influence your hunger hormones, which is what occurs during yo-yo diets.
