Intermittent fasting can be a healthy diet practice when done correctly, but if not, can lead to mental, emotional and physical health problems, experts say.
Intermittent fasting is a popular diet based on restricting food intake for specific time intervals, such as permitting eating between noon and 8 p.m. each day, according to Marissa Pakiz, wellness services and nutrition education coordinator for Campus Recreation. Pakiz said intermittent fasting does not restrict any type of food or food groups.Â
Steve Woita, assistant director for wellness and fitness services with Campus Recreation, said intermittent fasting can be long periods of time where someone does not consume any calories or the fasting changes on different days of the week. For example, an individual might fast and consume 500 or less calories for two days of the week, and the other five days of the week, they would control what they eat.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in people developing eating disorders and other eating related issues, according to Hartford HealthCare.
Jenifer Manstedt, counselor at Counseling & Psychological Services and eating disorder coordinator, said she has noticed more University of Nebraska-Lincoln students reporting concerns with eating patterns and body image issues during the COVID-19 pandemic than prior to the pandemic.Â
Indicated through CCAPS, forms that CAPS utilize to assess certain distress levels, there has been a slight increase overall with eating concerns, according to Manstedt.
Manstedt said the pandemic has increased isolation among people, which has either worsened pre-existing eating disorders or increased worry about food consumption and body image issues. The increased isolation has also increased access and time spent on social media, which can increase thoughts or worries about eating patterns or body image related concerns as well, accor
The last thing many college students want to do after a long day of classes and work is go home and cook a wholesome meal. As a result, students can resort to the typical college diet â ramen, mac and cheese and sometimes even just a couple of snacks. They might go about the activities they would much rather partake in, like watching TV or catching up on homework, ignoring the fact that the ramen they ate at 8 p.m. is surely not enough sustenance to keep them awake and able to write that paper late into the night.
In an effort to create an economical way for the campus community to receive healthy meals, the Wellness Kitchen located in the Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus provides a service called Meal Kit Monday. Every other Monday of the month, the Wellness Kitchen prepares four-serving meal kits with everything needed to cook a well-balanced meal in under an hour. Each meal kit costs 15 dollars.