Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool for weight loss and metabolic health. But what if the scale starts creeping up despite your fasting efforts? If you’re gaining weight with intermittent fasting, one of these five sneaky mistakes might be to blame.
Mistake #1: Not Varying Your Fasting Windows
Our primal ancestors didn’t have access to food 24/7. They experienced periods of feast and famine, and their bodies adapted to that variation. To mimic this natural rhythm, it’s important to vary your fasting windows.
If you settle into the same 16:8 or 13-hour fast day after day, your body can hit a plateau. Mix it up with shorter and longer fasts, like 17 hours one day, 24 hours the next, and a normal eating window in between. This variation keeps your metabolism on its toes.
Mistake #2: Shying Away from Extended Fasts
While shorter daily fasts are beneficial, sometimes our bodies need a deeper metabolic reset. If you’ve been fasting for a while but the scale won’t budge, it might be time to experiment with longer fasts.
Fasting for 36-72 hours can kickstart weight loss when done strategically. These extended fasts push your body to tap into stubborn fat stores. Start slow, and work up to longer fasting windows gradually.
Mistake #3: Neglecting Food Quality During Eating Windows
What you eat between fasts matters. Even if you’re fasting for 16 or 18 hours a day, poor food choices in your eating window can stall progress. Focus on three key changes:
1. Choose Healthy Fats
Opt for nourishing fats like olive oil, avocado, and nuts. Avoid inflammatory oils like vegetable and canola oil.
2. Prioritize Nature’s Carbs
Skip the processed breads, pastas, and snacks. Build your meals around natural carb sources like sweet potatoes, fruits, and vegetables.
3. Minimize Toxins
Chemicals in processed foods, plastics, and artificial sweeteners can disrupt hormones and promote weight gain. Choose organic, whole foods whenever possible.
Mistake #4: Sluggish Detox Pathways
Your body needs to efficiently eliminate toxins to maintain a healthy metabolism. Support your detox pathways by:
- Staying hydrated with clean, filtered water
- Sweating regularly through exercise or sauna
- Supporting gut health with fermented foods and probiotics
- Prioritizing restful sleep to facilitate cellular cleanup
Mistake #5: Fasting Too Rigidly for Too Long
Believe it or not, sometimes the key to breaking a fasting plateau is to stop fasting temporarily. If you’ve been doing daily 16:8 or OMAD (one meal a day) fasts for months on end, your body might adapt to that rhythm and hold onto fat.
Take a week or two off of fasting. Eat nourishing meals throughout the day, without restricting your eating window. Then, ease back into fasting, but with more variation in your fasting lengths. This “fasting reset” can signal your body to let go of stubborn weight.
FAQs About Intermittent Fasting Mistakes
Can intermittent fasting cause weight gain?
Intermittent fasting itself doesn’t cause weight gain. However, common fasting mistakes, like not varying fasting times, neglecting food quality, or fasting too often for too long can stall progress and lead to weight plateaus or gain.
How often should I do longer fasts to break a weight loss plateau?
The frequency of extended fasts (36+ hours) varies person to person. Start with one longer fast per month, and assess how you feel. Some people benefit from a weekly extended fast, while others thrive on one per quarter. Listen to your body’s feedback.
What should I do if I hit a weight loss plateau with intermittent fasting?
If the scale stalls, run through this troubleshooting checklist:
- Am I varying my fasting windows, or falling into a rut?
- Could I benefit from a longer fast to change things up?
- How is my food quality in my eating windows? Am I minimizing processed foods, unhealthy oils, and toxins?
- Am I supporting my body’s natural detox processes?
- Have I been fasting daily for months without a break? Might I need a temporary fasting reset?
Small tweaks to your intermittent fasting routine can often yield big results. Stay curious, keep experimenting, and most importantly – don’t give up! With consistency and attunement to your unique body, you’ll unlock the metabolic magic of intermittent fasting.