advertisement

Don't buy into the eight-hour diet

My name is Garry Hickerson and I'm a senior at Conant High School. I am responding to the Daily Herald's article entitled, “Lean and Lovin' it: Intermittent fasting a key to quick weight loss?” The issue here is how well an eight-hour diet works. The author of the article said that it works. I think that the diet is useless.

The author said that the diet works if you eat for eight hours after fasting for 16. First, fasting can actually make people gain weight. According to dietitians on MayoClinic.com, after periods of fasting, people tend to crave starchier foods, with higher calorie content.

Also, the amount of time the diet says people should fast is too much. People who try this diet would probably start fasting after dinner, and spend most of those 16 hours sleeping. Because of the 16 hours of required fasting, people would most likely have to skip out on breakfast, an important meal.

It can be impossible for some people to set up these 16 hours of fasting because of their schedule. I am in high school, and with my schedule of learning in school, participating in a school sport, and doing my homework, I don't have time to put aside for fasting.

Fasting can also, in the long run, damage the immune system and negatively affect many of the body's organs, including the liver and kidneys.

The writer probably wrote the article right after he noticed the weight loss. All in all, this diet seems like a temporary solution that can ultimately have a negative outcome in the long run. The writer didn't state his personal experience of the diet with good detail, and therefore can't be trusted. This is why I think the diet fails.

Garry Hickerson

Elk Grove Village

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.