Hi. I am a mildly overweight woman who has started fasting to lose 6kg because of a recent diagnosis of severe osteoarthritis. I am fit, and exercise daily. My diet is largely plant based and I never touch processed food. I took my blood sugar levels for a few days before beginning the 5:2 diet, with TRE daily to boot. My waking BG was always around 5.4. Now that I am fasting, I am alarmed to see that it has risen to 6.5-6.7 every day for the last few days (ie since I started the diet). I eat my last meal at 6.30 pm (finished by 7) and this reading is at around 8am. Within about an hour it has dropped to 5.5 and that is where it stays most of the day, with a rise to 6.3 after exercise which I gather is normal.

I have read a study by Barossa et al (link to an article below) which suggests that IF might actually cause insulin resistance in healthy individuals and I am now wondering if that is what is happening to me and I ought to stop. Does anyone have any experience of this or any advice for me please? As an aside, I am also really constipated since starting, although as I say my diet is largely plant based and lots of pulses, raw veg etc, and I have never experienced this before either! Thanks to anyone who answers. R

https://greatlakesledger.com/2018/05/20/intermittent-fasting-can-raise-the-risk-of-type-2-diabetes/