CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It’s been around forever, but a diet trend is just now taking moms' Facebook pages by storm in Charlotte.
A local woman said she’s lost fifty pounds since New Year's Day by doing intermittent fasting.
Estella Hunt is like many busy working moms her age; she struggles with her weight. This past January, she tried something drastic.
“We go out to dinner, and I sit and have my Pelligrino,” she said.
Hunt fasts most of the day, typically only allowing herself to eat from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and sometimes only from noon to 3 p.m.
“I determined the time frame that was best for me, so I could live peacefully among humans," she joked.
Hunt has lost 53 pounds since January through intermittent fasting – the latest diet craze that’s taking social media by storm.
“I’m not surprised; everyone is looking for what is the answer," she explained.
Some people fast certain hours of the day; others choose to fast certain days of the week. Joel Watts is the nutrition program coordinator at Lifetime Athletic Charlotte and said while it can be effective, it’s not for everyone.
“We can slow our metabolism quite considerably, and as a result, it becomes harder to maintain weight in the long-run,” said Watts.
He said before you start something like this, have your metabolism checked and check in with a doctor or nutritionist to see if it’s the right fit for you.