I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (2024)

Table of Contents

1. It’s normal to be really hungry at first 2. I got headaches the first few days, but they slowly went away 3. It’s a good diet if you already skip breakfast 4. The biggest challenge was not being able to eat (or drink) spontaneously 5. When I did splurge on food, I didn’t feel as guilty about it 6. My acid reflux and GERD improved significantly 7. It was nice not having to cut out any foods Intermittent fasting is something I’ll continue to do during the week, but not on the weekend FAQs References

Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Homepage

Newsletters

News

Jamie Friedlander

2018-06-20T20:44:34Z

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (1)

Intermittent fasting is a practice that involves giving up food for a specific period of time each day or week.
I decided to try the 16/8 intermittent fasting method, so I ate normally for eight hours and then fasted for 16.
After 10 days, my GERD improved, and I shed a few unexpected pounds.
Here are seven things I learned from intermittent fasting for 10 days.

Advertisem*nt

For over a decade, I have maintained a gluten-free diet, because I have celiac disease. Although my weight has remained fairly stable over the last 10 years, every so often I will gain a few pounds that I want to lose. Because I already restrict what I eat, diets that include food elimination are challenging for me.

I recently gained a few pounds due to a shoulder injury that prevented me from participating in my daily barre class, so I wanted to change my eating habits to shed the extra two or three pounds. I came across an article about intermittent fasting, a practice that involves giving up food for certain periods of the day or week.

Intermittent fasting, a diet popular in Silicon Valley,can produce a number of health benefits whether you shed pounds or not. By restricting calorie consumption to a specific time period each day or week (for example, only eating between 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.), you couldlose weight, decrease your risk of cancer, reduce blood pressure, and improve blood-sugar control, as Business Insider previously reported.Intermittent fasting is unlike most diets in that it allows you to eat whatever you want, as long as it's within the consumption period.

Intermittent fasting can take many forms. Some people fast for 24 hours every third or fourth day of the week, according to Healthline. Others opt for the 5:2 diet, meaning they take in a normal amount of calories for five days, then only eat 500 or 600 calories for two days.

1. It’s normal to be really hungry at first

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (2)

I decided to do my daily fast from about 8 p.m. until noon the next day. This meant all of my eating for the day occurred between 12 p.m. and 8 p.m. At first, I woke up starving.

I discovered that eating a high-protein snack around 8 p.m., like egg whites or cheese, prevented the hunger pangs that came the following morning, making it significantly easier to fast until noon.

2. I got headaches the first few days, but they slowly went away

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (3)

Although I (luckily) didn't have a migraine during the experiment, I did get a handful of dull headaches the first few days, particularly toward the end of my fast around 11 a.m. or noon. After three or four days, my body adjusted to the diet and the headaches dissipated.

Advertisem*nt

3. It’s a good diet if you already skip breakfast

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (4)

I don’t eat breakfast and never have, which made this form of intermittent fasting fairly easy for me. The stretch from about 10 a.m. to noon was difficult, but I always made it.

I did drink coffee with creamer every morning upon waking up. (Some experts suggest only drinking black coffee when intermittent fasting, though opinions vary, according to Popsugar.) I can go 16 hours without eating, but I definitely can’t write without my usual morning cup of java.

4. The biggest challenge was not being able to eat (or drink) spontaneously

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (5)

By far, the most difficult part of intermittent fasting for me was the effect it had on my social life. I had to make dinner plans with friends earlier than I typically would and had to pass on a tempting ice cream run with my husband on a 100-degree night in Dallas.

Advertisem*nt

5. When I did splurge on food, I didn’t feel as guilty about it

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (6)

I have a habit of doing a rough mental count of how many calories I eat each day. I’m not a strict calorie counter, but I always have an idea of how much I’ve eaten, and I try to stay in the 1,600 to 1,800 calorie range. During this experiment, I didn't worry as much as I normally would about going over 1,800 calories, because I was limiting my hours for eating.

One day I definitely ate more than 1,800 calories. But because I knew I had a fast ahead of me, I didn’t feel as guilty about the cheeseburger, sweet potato fries, and Moscow mules I indulged in.

Advertisem*nt

6. My acid reflux and GERD improved significantly

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (7)

I have GERD and take a daily medication to prevent acid reflux and heartburn. I forgot to take my medication for a couple of days (a regular occurrence) and noticed that my GERD symptoms — which usually strike late at night — weren't as severe.

By giving myself three or four hours before bed to properly digest my food, I avoided the reflux that often accompanies rich dinners or late-night snacking.

Advertisem*nt

7. It was nice not having to cut out any foods

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (8)

I have always avoided specific diets (like the Mediterranean diet or the Atkins diet) because I feared cutting out too many foods. I already eat gluten-free because I have celiac disease, and I didn’t want to give up anything like dairy or meat, too. I enjoyed intermittent fasting because I could still eat everything I wanted to without feeling deprived.

Advertisem*nt

Intermittent fasting is something I’ll continue to do during the week, but not on the weekend

I tried intermittent fasting for 10 days — and I understand why people in Silicon Valley love it (9)

At the end of my 10 days, I lost about two pounds, which was more than I anticipated. I don’t have significant weight loss goals and was primarily looking for a diet that would help me shed a few pounds and then maintain a healthy weight. This diet felt accessible and realistic.

The major downside of the 16/8 method, however, was how prohibitive it was on the weekends. I couldn't grab drinks with friends or splurge on a late-night chocolate Haagen-Dazs bar with my husband. Moving forward, I plan on partaking in the diet Sunday through Thursday and taking a break on Friday and Saturday.

FAQs

What happens after 10 days of intermittent fasting? ›

While the long-term effects of intermittent fasting are still unclear, scientists have found evidence of short-term health benefits including weight loss, improvements in heart health, and reduced risk of diabetes.

View Details ›

Why are people interested in intermittent fasting? ›

Some people try intermitting fasting for weight management, and others use the method to address chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol or arthritis.

Keep Reading ›

Is it healthy to fast for 10 days? ›

A 2023 review in Nutrition Reviews found that prolonged fasting (characterized by consuming little to no caloric food or beverages) ranging from five to 20 days could reduce fasting blood sugar and insulin levels while improving insulin resistance.

Keep Reading ›

What happens to your body when you intermittent fast for a month? ›

Here are some of the changes that may happen in your body as a result of intermittent fasting: Insulin level: Your blood level of insulin drops significantly, which promotes fat burning. Human growth hormone (HGH) level: Your blood level of HGH may increase dramatically.

Tell Me More ›

How much weight can you lose intermittent fasting for 10 days? ›

Fasting did spur noticeable short-term weight loss, researchers found. A five-day water fast caused people to drop about 4% to 6% of their weight; a seven- to 10-day fast produced 2% to 10% weight loss; and fasting 15 to 20 days yielded 7% to 10% loss of total body weight.

Know More ›

How is the liver affected on fasting for 10 days? ›

Longer fasts can lead to kidney and liver damage.

Under fasting conditions, the liver has a major role in generating glucose as a fuel for other tissues, such as the brain, red blood cells and muscles.

What is the downside of intermittent fasting? ›

Other side effects can include insomnia, irritability, headaches, and nausea. For many, IF also may not be sustainable for the long term. Some may find it challenging to fast while keeping up with family and social obligations.

Learn More Now ›

What foods won't break a fast? ›

Foods you can eat while fasting

Water. Plain or carbonated water contains no calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast.
Coffee and tea. These should mostly be consumed without added sugar, milk, or cream. ...
Diluted apple cider vinegar. ...
Healthy fats. ...
Bone broth.

Is fasting hard on the heart? ›

But a recent study suggested that restricting eating times to fewer than eight hours a day may be linked to a higher risk of dying of heart disease. And a review of studies on intermittent fasting found that the weight and blood sugar changes reported were small.

Keep Reading ›

What happens to the body after 10 days of fasting? ›

Another study, from 2022, recruited 48 men and women with overweight or obesity. The participants each did a water fast for at least 10 days. The researchers found that fasting was associated with decreases in weight and body mass index scores. There were also decreases in blood pressure.

Learn More ›

What are the rules for a 10 day fast? ›

During the days of fasting, you skip any solid food (no macronutrients). Instead, you drink plenty of water, unsweetened tea, mineral water, and an organic vegetable broth (micronutrients). For cooking the broth, choose your favorite vegetables, or use an existing recipe like this one or this one.

Read On ›

How many pounds can you lose if you don't eat for 10 days? ›

People who fasted for five days lost about 4% to 6% of their weight; those who fasted for seven to 10 days lost about 2% to 10%, and those who fasted for 15 to 20 days lost 7% to 10%. Only a few of the studies in the review tracked whether participants gained back the weight they had lost once the fast ended.

Explore More ›

Is it OK to intermittent fast everyday? ›

Intermittent fasting is safe for many people, but it's not for everyone. Skipping meals may not be the best way to manage your weight if you're pregnant or breast-feeding. If you have kidney stones, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes or other medical problems, talk with your doctor before starting intermittent fasting.

Does intermittent fasting reduce belly fat? ›

Some studies show that intermittent fasting has short-term effects. People who followed this diet were able to lose weight, belly fat as well as markers of inflammation. When you fast, the body's cells are under mild stress.

Discover More Details ›

How many months is safe for intermittent fasting? ›

As it stands now, the current evidence supports intermittent fasting as a weight loss method for up to 12 months. Some people are also probably not right for intermittent fasting. It's not recommended for anyone who is pregnant, has diabetes or is under 18.