You must already know what intermittent fasting is and all its doings. It is truly a revolution in fitness that promises to show maximum results with minimum effort.
But while it has its benefits that have been scientifically demonstrated, such as the capacity to lose weight relatively quickly, it is not a method of dieting that works for everyone and may even be dangerous for some.
Intermittent fasting is advantageous, according to some of its proponents, since it resembles the long periods of time that early humans went without eating. Critics sometimes point out that individuals in prehistoric periods did not intentionally fast or limit their food intake because it was their only option and their bodies evolved to live on it.
What Do Some Critics Have To Say About The Diet?
Having restrictive eating habits might make some people quite hard on themselves when they don’t follow the “rules” of the diet. Depriving your body of food on a regular basis for such a long period of time can worsen stress and worry, interfere with sleep, and even cause disordered behavior, leading to even stricter restrictions on eating or overeating.
Due to their obsession with weight loss and categorization of foods as good or bad, conventional diets also run the risk of creating an unhealthy connection with food, but intermittent fasting in particular has been identified as an eating disorder trigger.
The Reasons Why Intermittent Fasting Might Be Dangerous For Some
Usually, once you’ve been hungry for a prolonged period of time, your body consumes some of its fat reserves as energy. However, at the same time, your brain’s hunger center and appetite hormones are activated to their maximum capacity. You experience a powerful physical drive to overeat.
You are more prone to engage in harmful eating habits, such as eating a lot of food quickly, when you approach your meal window after a long day of fasting. Binging can eventually develop into an eating disorder like binge eating disorder (BED) or bulimia nervosa.
Similar to undereating, malnutrition can result in a variety of nutritional deficits in your body if the proper amount of nutrients is not consumed within your eating window. You may also be on the path to anorexia or an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder if you do this.
Malnutrition can also disrupt how your brain regulates the release of substances that control cognitive performance, such as serotonin or dopamine, which over time can result in psychological problems including heightened anxiety and sadness.
What other indications can there be of an approaching eating disorder masked as intermittent fasting? The queries below can be of assistance.
Here Are Some Of The Signs, Your Intermittent Fasting Routine Has Escalated Towards An Eating Disorder
- Skipping meals even when you are in your eating window.
- Feeling guilty or depressed if you eat outside your eating window.
- Feeling guilty or depressed despite eating within your eating window.
- Restricting your calories even when following intermittent fasting for wanting to lose weight faster.
- Being fearful of gaining weight despite doing everything right
If the above information and signs feel similar to what you are going through, you should check in with a doctor as soon as possible. Don’t take it lightly at any cost. Hope it helps.
