Alternating fasting, which involves remembering food for a relatively short period of time, has become a popular dieting method for those who want to lose weight. However, a new study has some bad news for dieters hoping to shed belly fat, noting that fasting can send belly fat into ‘preservation mode’ making it harder to lose.
The new study comes from the University of Sydney, where researchers used advanced tools to determine how fat responds to intermittent fasting. The researchers looked at fat deposits that were fasted in different parts of the body during alternate days, eating only every other day.
Two different types of fat have been studied: visceral fat, the type found in the middle of the organs, and subcutaneous fat, which is the soft fat found under the skin. Compared to subcutaneous fat, the study found that gut fat resists the release of energy during fasting.
In addition, the researchers note that both types of fat appear to increase their ability to store excess calories as fat when they are interrupted, something that is likely due to the body’s effort to store more energy before the next fasting period.
Visceral fat in particular has transitioned to multiple sessions in a kind of preservation mode, a kind of adjustment that can make it more resistant if someone is trying to lose weight. It is important to note that the study involves alternatives of the day and that the findings may not apply to other fixed protocols or simple calorie restriction.