Intermittent Fasting | Natural Environment Teaching

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary pattern that cycles between periods of voluntary fasting and scheduled eating, rather than focusing solely on *what* foods are consumed. It's not a diet in the traditional sense of restricting specific food groups, but rather a framework for *when* you eat. Popular methods include [[time-restricted eating|time-restricted eating]] (e.g., the 16/8 method), [[alternate-day fasting|alternate-day fasting]], and the [[5:2 diet|5:2 diet]]. Proponents suggest IF can offer metabolic benefits, potentially aiding in weight management and improving markers of metabolic health, though research is ongoing and sometimes contradictory.