Fasting for weight loss is a controversial and debated topic. Some people swear by it as the simplest way to lose weight, and others think it’s foolish.
Whatever you think you may know about fasting for weight loss, think again. I was able to interview the fasting expert—Brad Pilon—and ask him some important questions about his book and weight loss method.
He truly revealed more helpful and insightful information than I had thought possible. Read on and see if fasting for weight loss is right for you. It could be the simplest method you have ever come across.
(Nia): Brad, I would first like to start with you giving our readers a little information about yourself and the general concept of your book—Eat Stop Eat.
(Brad): As a super quick rundown, I completed my honors degree in human nutrition, spent 7 years working in clinical research and product development in the supplement industry, left the industry to go back to school to do graduate research, stumbled upon fasting during my research, and then focused my graduate degree on exploring the research behind using short term fasting for weight loss. This created the concept behind Eat Stop Eat which is that one or two 24 hour breaks from eating per week when combined with resistance training can be an unbelievable easy and effective way to lose body fat without losing muscle mass.
(Nia): How in the world did you come up with the idea of fasting for weight loss?
(Brad): Purely by accident. My ‘big plan’ was go to graduate school and design a diet book that would be just like everyone else’s. You know – the typical ‘multiple meals per day’, ‘high protein’, ‘low carbs’, ‘low glycemic index’…the whole nine yards. In order to do this properly, I thought I’d start by researching fasting. I’d cover all the horrible things that happen when you don’t eat, then I’d build on that and explain all the awesome things that happen when you eat multiple meals and high protein.
Shockingly (at least to me), what I found through my research was that most of my assumptions about fasting were dead wrong. So, I decided to ‘eat some crow’ admit that despite an honors degree in nutrition and 7 years in the sports supplement industry I did not know NEARLY as much about nutrition and metabolism as i thought I did, and start all over focusing on the metabolic effects of fasting.
(Nia): What is the biggest difference between your program (I just can’t bring myself to call it a diet) and traditional diets?
(Brad): Eat Stop Eat works under the premise of ‘If all the crazy scare-tactics you read about in the diet industry…slow metabolisms, losing muscle, hyper-sensitive fat cells, if all of that were a lie, then you wouldn’t require all of the crazy rules people try to sell you in their diet books. AND, if you don’t need those rules, then wouldn’t the absolute best approach to dieting be to search out the easiest and simplest way to cut calories? This is what Eat Stop Eat offers. No obsessive compulsive eating, just a simple yet effective way to reduce calorie intake that is very flexible and can be used long term.
(Nia): Is there anything unique, and unexpected, you stumbled upon while researching and living the Eat Stop Eat life style?
(Brad): The food relationship stuff was completely unexpected. When you first start fasting you really learn WHY you eat. It has so much to do with simple cues and habits, and so little to do with hunger, this revelation is amazing for so many people and it’s valuable information that can help you eat better during the times you are not fasting.
(Nia): In your opinion, and from what you have seen from other peoples’ experiences, what are a couple of the biggest benefits of Eat Stop Eat, other than losing fat easily?
(Brad): The complete lack of Obsessive Compulsive Eating rules. So many people love the freedom, the lack of ‘guilt trips’ that most other diets offer when you mess up on one of their 200 rules. The other biggest benefit would obviously be the weight loss 😉
(Nia): What would you say to someone who is skeptical about trying Eat Stop Eat?
(Brad): I would tell them that there really isn’t anything to be skeptical of. There is no magic. No special way of eating, no pills, no undiscovered ancient secrets or little known super-hormones. Just an incredibly simple way to reduce your overall calorie intake that is highly flexible and highly effective. The only other thing I would mention is that they should NOT think of it as a fast (its only 24 hours long). If I could re-write Eat Stop Eat, the one thing I would change would be I wouldn’t refer to it as a 24 hour fast. Rather, I would call it a 24 break from eating. So many people get scared off by the word ‘fast’, when really, it’s 24 hours spread over two days…you still eat EVERY SINGLE DAY with Eat Stop Eat.
(Nia): Thanks, Brad. There you have it. If you want to try the program that has helped thousands of people lose weight in the simplest way possible, then check out Eat Stop Eat and start losing weight today.
Be sure to check out these additional articles on intermittent fasting: