Myth: Intermittent Fasting isn’t a diet… it’s a healthy way of eating!
Intermittent fasting (IF) is often marketed as a “lifestyle,” not a diet—promising freedom from calorie counting, flexible eating windows, and improved health markers. But when you strip away the marketing, it still shares many of the same rules, restrictions, and psychological pitfalls as traditional dieting. While IF can work for some people in specific medical contexts, it’s not a magic lifestyle hack—it’s still a form of dietary restraint that can affect both physical and mental health.
Myth vs. Reality
The idea that intermittent fasting isn’t a diet stems from how it’s framed: you’re told when to eat, not what to eat. But this timing restriction is still a form of controlled eating—and well…that’s what defines a diet. Research shows that intermittent fasting often leads to reduced caloric intake, intentional weight loss, and a focus on food rules—hallmarks of dieting behavior (Lowe et al., 2020).
The evidence for long-term benefits remains mixed, and many participants struggle to maintain fasting schedules over time. A 2023 systematic review found that intermittent fasting can trigger disordered eating behaviors , preoccupation with food, and binge–restrict cycles in certain individuals—especially those with a history of dieting or eating disorders (Strandberg et al., 2023).
So, while IF might feel “different” from typical diets, it’s still driven by the same pursuit of control, restriction, and promised results—making it more diet than lifestyle for most people.
What Actually Matters
The real goal of nutrition should be to support your body’s needs consistently, not to manipulate eating windows or chase quick fixes. Flexible eating patterns—where meals are guided by hunger, satisfaction, energy levels, and daily rhythm—are more sustainable and nurturing long-term. And yes, there is some nuance to this, and that’s why it’s important to meet with a registered dietitian trained in intuitive eating to help you understand this approach for your own body.
For some, fasting may fit within cultural or spiritual practices, or help manage certain medical conditions under supervision. But for the average person, especially anyone with a history of disordered eating, intermittent fasting can quietly reinforce the same all-or-nothing mindset that makes dieting so exhausting. You don’t need to earn your meals or restrict your hours to be healthy—you need nourishment, consistency, and trust in your body’s cues.
Health isn’t built on skipping meals—it’s built on connection, care, and balance.
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References
Lowe, D. A., Wu, N., Rohdin-Bibby, L., Moore, A. H., Kelly, N., Liu, Y. E., & Racine, N. M. (2020). Effects of time-restricted eating on weight loss and metabolic health in adults with obesity. JAMA Internal Medicine, 180(11), 1491–1499. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2020.4153
Strandberg, L., Eliasson, M., & Lundqvist, R. (2023). Intermittent fasting and disordered eating: A systematic review. Nutrients, 15(5), 1128. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051128