Dr. Will Cole’s Gentler Twist on Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss Helps Burn Fat at Double Speed
Intermittent fasting in pursuit of weight loss is achievable thanks to Dr. Cole’s method
Most of us have heard of intermittent fasting for weight loss. But what about “intuitive fasting”? If it sounds gentler and easier, “that’s because it is,” shares functional medicine expert Will Cole, IFMCP, DNM, D.C., bestselling author of Intuitive Fasting. Here’s what sets the strategy apart: Instead of depriving yourself even if you’re ravenous, you fill up on nourishing foods and then let your body decide how long you wait to eat again. Dr. Cole says most folks are surprised that they don’t actually want to munch nonstop. Take Crystal Hall. “It didn’t take long before I’d wake up and know if I needed breakfast or if my body would be happier waiting,” says the Virginia native, 44. “There was no stress.” Yet she lost 85 pounds and experienced health-transforming benefits linked with intermittent fasting—including soaring mood and energy and radical improvement of inflammation and blood sugar. “I’m healthier than I was in my 20s!” she tells us. Keep reading for Crystal’s inspiring story and to learn all the ways intuitive fasting might help you.
Intermittent fasting for weight loss: Why our genes love it
There are many ways to fast for health, but Dr. Cole says the most common is simply stretching the time between your last bite of food one day and your first bite the next. It’s not only safe, it may be the best thing for us. Why? Well, most of our DNA dates back to hunter-gatherer days when food was only intermittently available. “Our genes are adapted to thrive when we cycle in and out of eating,” says the doc, who started the world’s first functional medicine telehealth center and has done online consults for 15 years. Give your body a choice, and it’ll likely choose intermittent fasting.
How intuitive fasting works
To start, Dr. Cole recommends simply extending your nightly fast to 12 hours. So if you finish eating at 8 pm, you don’t eat again until 8 am. “It’s so short, you might not even consider it a fast,” he says. But it gives your body time to do crucial housekeeping before dealing with food again. For example, damaged cells are repaired, excess stress hormones broken down and excess blood sugar used up.
Woman's World Answers
So that’s your jumping-off place. As you get in a groove, Dr. Cole wants you to start checking in with your body. Ask it if a cup of herbal tea might feel better than popcorn after dinner. Ask if it’s actually hungry at your usual breakfast time. And then act on what it tells you.
Dr. Cole says to expect days when you happily go 14, 16, even 18 hours (or more!) without food—and then days when you don’t want to fast at all. Let your body decide. Even without strict fasting rules, your eating window will shrink. And University of Illinois studies show eating less often leads us to take in fewer calories. But that’s not even the biggest reason Dr. Cole says intuitive fasting leads to “natural, sustainable, vibrant health and weight loss.”
Why intuitive fasting is yoga for your metabolism
When we’re young, our metabolisms readily shift from burning blood sugar (made from any carbs we eat) to burning stored fat. It’s called metabolic flexibility, and it’s key to keeping us lean and energized.
What goes wrong? Dr. Cole says about 93% of us eat so much blood sugar–spiking junk, that “we basically get stuck in sugar-burning mode.” We no longer switch easily to fat burning. Worse, overworked sugar-burning mechanisms become inflamed and damaged—and eventually we don’t burn either sugar or fat very well. Instead, we store more and more fat as our cells beg for fuel. It leaves us hungry, exhausted and primed to get sick.
Good news: “Intuitive fasting is like yoga for your metabolism,” says Dr. Cole. Periods without eating gently stretch and stress your cells, triggering them to get stronger and more flexible. In one study of type 2 diabetics, intermittent fasting worked so well that 90% of subjects reduced their medication dose or got off meds altogether. Plus, separate studies show gentle fasting helps overweight folks burn fat doubly fast compared to traditional diets. It’s an age-defying, transformative benefit “that you only get from fasting,” says the doc.
Bonus benefits from intermittent fasting for weight loss
When our newly flexible metabolisms burn stored fat, they do so by turning that fat into compounds called ketones. Making ketones means fat-burn is significantly boosted. “Ketones also do fascinating things for our health,” says Dr. Cole. “They’re so good at making us feel full, you can effortlessly extend fasts. And they have a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.” They’re also potent fuel for the body and the brain, making us feel young again. It’s another reason that intuitive fasting “helps you feel like the best version of yourself.”
Intuitive fasting success story: Crystal Hall, 44
Dealing with two autoimmune conditions—type 1 diabetes and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis—“my immune system was attacking my body 24/7,” shares Crystal. “I was so inflamed and gaining weight no matter what I did. Nothing about my body felt good.” Multiple doctors insisted her discomfort was just the onset of menopause.
Then Crystal read about Dr. Cole. She loved his approach to healing, and he even had a program for autoimmune issues. She signed up. Initially, he had her eliminate different foods for short periods to see how her body responded. “I found out I’m highly sensitive to gluten and nightshade vegetables like tomatoes and peppers,” she shares. “I cut them out, but I didn’t cut portions or give up all carbs.” She felt much better.
Next up: intuitive fasting. To start, she quit eating after dinner. Then she’d check in with herself the next morning to see when she was ready to eat. “It gets very easy. Your body knows what it wants,” says Crystal, who fasted 14 to 16 hours most days.
As Crystal used intuitive fasting, she took Dr. Cole’s advice and sipped electrolyte water. Turns out, we go through extra electrolyte minerals when we fast, and replacing them staves off hunger naturally. “I love LMNT brand,” she says. Crystal also loves bone broth, which she sips daily during her eating window. “It’s healing and comforting—a great alternative to junk food. And it enhances the benefits of fasting!”
As Crystal healed, “my energy and mood went way up. I’ll always need insulin, but I need less: My A1C dropped from 9 to 6.3. I also dramatically reduced my thyroid medication.” Crystal also shed 85 pounds in a year. “I feel completely new!”
Intuitive fasting for weight loss: Getting started
An easy way to test Dr. Cole’s approach: For four weeks, aim to let at least 12 hours pass between your last bite one day and your first bite the next. But also listen to your body, and don’t eat until hungry—so your fast will be longer some days.
Eat like this to boost results when you’re not fasting
When you do eat, skip highly processed food (which drives up hunger and blood sugar). Instead, emphasize high-quality protein, produce and good fat; eat until pleasantly full. Meal ideas to inspire you, right. More at DrWillCole.com.
Sample breakfast
Whip up an omelet or egg scramble with your favorite veggies and olive oil. Add fruit and optional potatoes on the side.
Sample lunch
Add fish and healthy fillings like cabbage, avocado and salsa to a couple of low-carb or whole-grain tortillas or wraps.
Sample dinner
Cook grass-fed steak and grill/roast veggies with olive oil. Enjoy optional dark chocolate for dessert.
Bonus recipe: Dr. Cole’s candy!
Dr. Cole shares this recipe in his book Intuitive Fasting. It’s healthy, delish and so easy to make
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. very dark chocolate
- Liquid stevia to taste (optional)
- 1 Tbs. finely chopped almonds or nut tk to match image
- Coarse salt
Instructions:
- In 15-second intervals, microwave chocolate on low, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in stevia. Spread in an even layer on parchment. Sprinkle with nuts and salt. Refrigerate until set. Break into pieces.
Excerpted from INTUITIVE FASTING copyright © 2024 by Dr. Will Cole. Used by permission of Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Additional reporting by Kate Arcell
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