Debunking Diet Myths: The Truth About Intermittent Fasting
Why I Don’t Recommend Diets (and What I Recommend Instead)
At Lifelong Wellness Goals, I don’t recommend traditional diets, not because I don’t want people to feel better in their bodies, but because most diets teach you to fight your body instead of understanding it and actually taking care of it.
Most diets rely on:
Rigid, “one size fits all” rules
External control instead of internal connection
Labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” which fuels guilt and stress
Ignoring hunger and fullness cues
Over time, this disconnects you from your body’s natural signals and often creates cycles of restriction, overeating, guilt, and burnout.
That’s why I teach a mindful, intuitive approach to eating — one that helps you reconnect with hunger, fullness, satisfaction, and energy.
This approach is rooted in Intuitive Eating, with an important nuance: Wanting to lose weight or feel better in your body doesn’t make you a bad person…it makes you human.
The issue isn’t the desire for change or comfort. It’s the extreme, often unhealthy methods we’re told are the only way to get there.
Which brings us to today’s myth…
“Intermittent Fasting Is the Best Way to Lose Weight”
Intermittent fasting (IF) is often praised as the solution to everything from weight loss to inflammation to insulin resistance.
You’ve probably heard things like:
“Just don’t eat for 16 hours.”
“Skipping breakfast boosts fat burning.”
“Your body resets when you fast.”
So… what’s actually happening?
What Is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and periods of not eating. Common versions include:
16:8 – 16 hours fasting, 8-hour eating window
18:6 or 20:4 – longer fasting windows
One Meal a Day (OMAD)
Alternate-day fasting
The idea is that by restricting when you eat, you’ll naturally eat less overall and improve metabolic health.
Why It May Work (At First)
Intermittent fasting can lead to short-term weight loss for some people because it often:
Reduces total calorie intake without tracking
Limits mindless snacking
Creates structure
Improves blood sugar markers for some individuals
Simplifies food decisions
For someone who was grazing all day or eating late into the night, having a defined eating window can feel powerful — and sometimes helpful initially.
But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough…
The Downside No One Talks About
Intermittent fasting works by overriding hunger cues, not by healing your relationship with them.
For many people — especially women, athletes, busy moms, or anyone with a history of dieting — fasting can lead to:
Intense hunger later in the day
Overeating or binge-like eating during the eating window
Increased food obsession or strong cravings
Low energy, headaches, irritability
Poor sleep or feeling “wired but tired”
Your body doesn’t know you’re “fasting for health.”
It interprets long gaps without food as food scarcity.
So it responds by increasing hunger hormones and cravings and pushing you to eat more later — often in ways that feel out of control.
That’s why so many people say:
“I do great all day… then I lose it at night.”
That’s not a willpower problem.
That’s biology.
Finding the Middle Ground
This is where Lifelong Wellness Goals takes a different approach.
Fasting itself isn’t inherently harmful — your body does benefit from a natural break from eating overnight while you’re resting (aka sleeping). But when food timing becomes chronically restricted during the day, it can teach your body that food isn’t reliable.
Over time, that loss of trust shows up as stronger hunger, cravings, and feeling out of control around food.
Instead of forcing long periods without food, we focus on:
Eating enough throughout the day
Balancing blood sugar with protein, carbs, fat, and fiber
Reducing grazing without ignoring hunger
Creating a natural, supportive meal rhythm
For some people, that might look like:
A typical overnight fast (~12 hours)
Not eating late at night because you’re genuinely satisfied
Spacing meals to support steady energy and digestion
Not because a clock says so — but because your body feels supported.
That’s what sustainability actually looks like.
The Bottom Line
Intermittent fasting may lead to short-term weight changes, but it often doesn’t support long-term energy, hormones, or a healthy relationship with food.
And when your body doesn’t feel safe, it pushes back with:
Cravings
Overeating
Fatigue
Weight regain
You don’t need more rules. You need an approach that supports your life, your energy, and your mental peace.
Want Support Without the Food Obsession?
Whether through 1:1 Nutrition Coaching or inside the Nourished Sisterhood Community, you’ll learn how to:
Eat in a way that fits your real life — not a diet plan
Support your health goals while still enjoying food
Let go of guilt, rules, and the constant food noise
If you’re tired of extremes and ready for something that actually lasts, this is where you belong 💛
