On: The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Human and A...

[doublerebel]

Besides the science, IF is great as a 'lifestyle' diet. It's a simple way to balance food and exercise through awareness and knowledge rather than fads or short-term programs. I think that's why it's caught on well with lifehackers.

[ak1394 → doublerebel]

This. It removes so much of cognitive load compared to other diets.

You don't have to care about choosing your food according to the diet or to count calories.

You don't have to figure out if you are withing the limits of the diet, or feel bad if you've eaten something extra.

On the days you're not fasting, you can eat whatever you want.

[ThrustVectoring → ak1394]

The cognitive load is really the hard part of dieting and weight loss. In one sense, weight loss is simple physics - calories in vs calories out. In another, food is fundamentally connected to our motivation centers, and dieting is a ridiculously complicated affair to align your long-term goals with the emotional effects of eating.