The first lesson of intermittent fasting is that, as its name suggests, it is a fast, not a diet to lose weight. The mistaken belief is pure marketing “Related to nutrition”, they indicate from Sanudiet, the authorized nutrition consultation of the Bonnín pharmacy in Palma. Specialists Paloma Martínez and Teresa Juanes work there who, the first thing they warn about, is that weight is not necessarily lost. “Before recommending it, you have to see who you have in front of you,” they say. For example, “if you are one of those who need to fill up, it is not for you”.
Fasting is a change of habits, a redistribution in meal times, but beware, «there are people who do it for 16 hours and then eat terrible. The important thing is that you follow a healthy pattern and be guided by a professional, at least at the beginning,” says nutritionist Paloma Martínez. Next to her, Teresa Juanes agrees: «I would recommend who already does it naturally because at the genetic level, or due to routine and schedules, it is better for him to eat less often, “he adds.
Both are in favor of the traditional five recommended daily intakes, something totally compatible with this practice. “The basis is that a physiological digestive rest of twelve hours is done,” says Juanes. In fact, he says, many people already practice it without knowing it, “if you later want to lengthen it, it must be progressive, and it doesn’t have to be daily either,” he argues. These specialists agree in pointing out its multiple benefits. “There are scientific studies They say that it is good for pathologies such as metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes… It helps control blood glucose, “explains Martínez.
Paloma Martínez is a dietitian and nutritionist. Photo: PERE BOTA
But “also for heavy digestions or compulsive eaters, since it helps them to regulate themselves. For example, those who eat dinner earlier, sleep better, “adds Teresa Juanes, who recalls that intermittent fasting usually takes advantage of the hours of sleep but does not have a fixed structure. The standard model, on which conducted more studies, is 16 hours without eating, although it is recommended that it be gradual and that, within the schedule for eating, the five meals are made. “Whoever does it naturally has fine-tuned everything and channels it into their routine in a healthier way,” adds Juanes.
The specialist Teresa Juanes, in Sanudiet. Photo: PERE BOTA
The daily maximum without eating, however, is 24 hours. Many people do it to debug but both specialists are not entirely in favor of it. “I am not very much in favor of radical changes even though they have other benefits,” warns Martínez. And it is that, the biggest defenders of this detox warn of the main risk and say that «the benefit is to notice that You have a lot of energy». For this reason, “there are people who stretch it and that can lead to problems at the level of hormones, or an eating disorder because in the end you also break many things on a social level,” concludes Juanes.
