Intermittent Fasting for IBS

Growing up, we were all pretty much conditioned to eat three square meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then, at some point, grazing became popular and people began moving toward five or six smaller meals throughout their day. Lately, various periods of fasting have become trendy.

Intermittent fasting and long term fasting are the two forms of fasting related to IBS. While intermittent fasting involves alternating between spans of eating and not eating, long-term fasting obstructs foods and possible fluids for prolonged periods of time (24-72 hrs).

Sloane Davis, certified nutritionist, shares her perspective on 3 meal schedule options:

Eating Three Square Meals a Day

Pros:

• This may be ideal for those who are more sedentary.
• You are more likely to make healthier choices, since snacking is removed from the equation. No snacking in between meals means less calorie consumption for many.
• If you have gut issues, then this eating schedule gives the body more time to digest.
• You are able to sit down and eat larger meals, which promotes more satisfaction.

Cons:

• If you are someone who has a hard time getting all your calories in, then you will need to eat more often.
• Eating only three times a day may make it harder to control your appetite and leave you more likely to overeat at your next meal.
• Not eating as much throughout the day may result in a decrease in energy, leaving you with less energy for your workout.
• It can be mentally challenging to steer clear of snacks.
• The metabolism isn’t stoked all day long because eating is less frequent, making some feel sluggish.
• This eating schedule would not be a good idea for someone with low blood sugar because they would need to eat more frequently throughout the day to keep their blood sugar stable.

Eating Five to Six Meals a Day

Pros:

• Athletes who eat more frequently are likely to have more energy.
• You may not feel as deprived.
• You don’t necessarily have to plan a meal, which takes a lot of pressure off of meal planning and prep.
• It’s easier to eat on the go.
• You are less apt to get “hangry” or succumb to cravings because your stomach is never really empty.

Cons:

• It is easy to overeat and gain weight.
• The “grab-and-go” mentality rarely results in choosing a salad or vegetables unless you have planned and prepped for it.
• You are more inclined to eat when you are not hungry just for the sake of eating.

Intermittent Fasting (IF)

Pros:

• If you are someone who can go a long time without eating, then this diet may be good for you.
• Since you are only eating in a limited six- to 10-hour window, your overall calories may be less, which in turn may lead to weight loss.

Cons:

• It is hard to not eat for a long period, and it may not be conducive to certain lifestyles or medical conditions.
• If you are someone who needs to eat every few hours, then this way of eating will be very difficult and lead to bingeing.
• Those looking to exercise may experience decreased energy from fasting.