Practitioner Corner: Meal Spacing and Intermittent Fasting

As we discussed last week, a lot of misinformation abounds about the ideal spacing of meals.  The ultimate solution, in my opinion, is suggesting things that are consistent with the biochemistry and then testing with each individual.

I have worked with hundreds of patients who tried the “Eat every 2-3 hours” plan, or the “Never allow yourself to get too hungry or you’ll eat too much” plan.  I’ve talked to people who’ve taken it to the extreme and ate constantly, all day long, and guess what?  For most of them it didn’t help a bit to get the extra pounds off or increase their energy.

After scouring the research on leptin, insulin and growth hormone and their finely-tuned dance, plus looking at the biochemical pathways, I came to the conclusion that for most people, eating small frequent meals is the worst advice ever.

It not only keeps their insulin levels elevated all day long and thus putting the brakes on fat burning, it’s also keeping growth hormone levels down, thus further thwarting fat burning and decreasing the ability to make lean muscle tissue.

Further, it causes leptin levels to peak before dinner rather than after, so instead of feeling satiated and full after dinner, and ready for a 12-hour fast, they feel hungry, especially for sweets.

I am not the only one who has reached this conclusion….

Other experts weigh in on the issue:

• In the book Mastering Leptin, Byron Richards makes a case for spacing meals 4-6 hours apart, preferably closer to 6 for optimal leptin and insulin balance.
• Dr. Tim Crowe, nutrition specialist at Deakin University in Melbourne, says that the six meal per day diet is a “faddish dieting trend, with very little research in support of it.”  Crowe notes that some research suggests that  this practice may actually cause you to put weight on.
• In Eat Stop Eat, Brad Pilon reviews study after study that each concludes that fasting for up to 24 hours 1-2 times a week increases fat burning and improves insulin resistance. A regime of short fasts is referred to as intermittent fasting.
• Other authors, including Joe Mercola recommend intermittent fasting EVERY DAY, by keeping all of your eating constricted to a 6-8 hour window and fasting for 16 – 18 hours a day.
• I do an exhaustive review of the literature on intermittent fasting in my B4 Be Gone blood sugar balancing program, which is an integral part of my soon to be re-released  Insulin Resistance Practitioner Training.

In my clients who are willing to give intermittent fasting a try, I’ve seen dramatic improvements in insulin resistance, accelerated weight loss and improved energy.  I look forward to sharing my resources about a subject I find fascinating and very effective.

Would you like to become a Certified Insulin Resistance Coach?  Stay tuned for an announcement at the end of the week.   Get on the early notice list and download my popular webinar “Client Assessment Tools That Make Your Clients Call You a Miracle Worker and Refer All Their Friends”  It’s my gift to you.

Stay tuned for our big announcement and an invitation to attend a free webinar where I reveal insulin resistance secrets your doctor never told you.

Register NOW and you’ll be on the early bird notice list for my Insulin Resistance Solution Practitioner Training and be eligible for early bird bonuses.  I will be sharing a whole lot more in my 5-week course, the Insulin Resistance Practitioner Training, which begins August 14, 2013.

Stay tuned for our big announcement and an invitation to attend a free webinar where I reveal insulin resistance secrets your doctor never told you.

With love and appreciation,

Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

What additional questions do you have about meal spacing for your clients? Comment below!