I always love answering questions that come in, thank you @thescoopsaratoga for your question about intermittent fasting! ⠀
Intermittent fasting is an umbrella term for the various fasting diets that have gained in popularity……16/8, 5:2, alternate-day fasting, etc. I won’t go into detail about the different types, but the common goal for all of them is to achieve a calorie deficit (it’s just the timing 
of eating that varies)…. so basically it’s another diet…..you consume fewer calories than your body “burns”. ⠀
Sure, there are some benefits: weight loss, improved cholesterol, easier for some people to follow versus moderate calorie restriction (no tracking calories or macros), it’s simple. There are plenty of studies that show improvements in blood pressure, insulin levels, heart health, reduction in cancer, etc… but please know that most of these studies were short term, conducted on animals and the observed benefits were no different than if one had followed a moderate calorie restricted diet. ⠀
I believe the cons outweigh the pros including: with IF you follow a set of diet rules and don’t listen to your body, there’s a potential for decreased metabolism, it’s likely not sustainable long-term, can lead to binge eating on non-fasting days and can lead to weight gain once the diet is terminated. Intermittent fasting is not for pregnant women, people with certain medical diagnoses or those taking certain medications and it’s not for those with eating disorders. Bottom line, more research is needed and in my opinion, there’s a much healthier way to view food, approach eating and live life! Check out the chart I made, above: Intermittent fasting versus Mindful Eating