Grab all the details of CNN columnist Scott Jennings’ weight loss journey aided by intermittent fasting. Check out his complete before and after transformation.
Born on 26th October 1977, Scott Jennings is a conservative journalist and columnist from the United States. He features on CNN and writes for CNN.com, USA Today, and the Los Angeles Times.
Recently, Jennings appeared on CNN looking much healthier than before, prompting curiosity about his weight loss amongst the viewers. Luckily for us, he’s revealed the entire journey in an online article, and we’ve got you covered with all the details!
Scott Jennings’ Weight Loss – Intermittent Fasting Changed Everything!
Scott Jennings before and after weight loss.
Image Source: Weight & Skin
In an opinion piece on Courier-Journal, Scott Jennings revealed how his health was “off the rails” and intermittent fasting came to his aid.
Jennings began by stating how the section he’s writing on usually contains conservative political commentary. But something significant occurred in his life that had nothing to do with politics, and he was eager to share it with the readers.
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He had gone out to supper with some pals on January 16th earlier in the year. That night, he discovered rock bottom behind a heap of shrimp and grits and a massive chunk of carrot cake. With the immense struggle to perform weight loss, his suit barely fit prior to dinner. Those buttons merited a medal after that.
He was in a bad way, both physically and emotionally. His health was deteriorating, and he was well aware of it. And he vowed to make a difference.
Scott wrote,
Oh, I had tried to lose weight before. I was a fat kid and a fatter adult, hovering in the 250–275-pound range for years. Once, I drove my weight down to 220 pounds and told people the secret was “run farther, eat less.”
He added,
But the weight came back. It always does. You can’t exercise your way out of this. In my experience, it’s 95% about your diet, although I did start walking at least 45 minutes a day this year.
FYI, Jennings highly recommends looking into the concept of a Shultz Hour.
He had tried several diets before, with varying degrees of effectiveness. He dropped to 194 pounds in 2017, only to see the scale progressively rise to 233 pounds the morning after this January’s meal. Stress, anxiety, social demands, and boredom (rather than genuine hunger) drove him to eat all the time, and he could feel himself returning to where he had begun.
But then he started consuming something else – nutritional data. At the age of 43, he knew nothing about food, insulin, sugar, ketones, glycogen, carbohydrates, and so on. But he vowed to educate himself, and his studies led to the publication of numerous articles and books on intermittent fasting.
At first, the concept appeared absurd. How many times had he gone eight hours without consuming food, let alone sixteen, twenty-four, or thirty-six? Sure, he could count them on two hands. But he discovered that fasting is not a passing fad; mankind has been doing the fast for millennia.
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They are constantly bombarded with dietary advice these days. Consume big meals to maintain your metabolism going. Eat this way or that and watch the pounds melt away. Consume bars. Shakes should be consumed. The common thread running across all dieting advice is to eat. Consume food at all times!
Our forefathers did not eat all the time. They fasted and feasted not because a book instructed them to, but because food shortages compelled them to. He started to wonder if they were correct. He had now read numerous books on the subject by Dr. Jason Fung and others who made the point for intermittent fasting and eating full, raw foods in a quiet and clinical manner.
It’s been 55 pounds of weight loss since then. Since January 18, he’s dropped weight every week (water weight comes off first and quickly), and his body fat has decreased from 26.5 percent to 16.2 percent. He met a few stumbling blocks along the road, but he just kept going, confident that the routine would work.
That is exactly what happened. He had never felt lighter, healthier, or more in command of his body than he does right now.
Scott Jennings said,
I started by abstaining from food for 16 hours and eating during an eight-hour window. Basically, I skipped breakfast and then ate lunch and dinner. This wasn’t too hard, although the first few days my brain screamed: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”
The Political Commentator added,
Over time I dropped to a six, then four, and now, on most days, a one-hour eating window (the One Meal a Day method). Think of it like weightlifting — you must build up capacity.
He continued,
When my eating window is closed, I drink water (regular and sparkling), coffee and tea. No artificial flavors and sweeteners. You get used to it, trust me. Seltzer water with lime wedges has become my go-to. I try to eat between 1 and 5 p.m. each day, separating my meals at least three hours from bedtime.
As he regained control of his clock, he ultimately recognized something he’d known for a long time but was reluctant to admit: he’s addicted to sugar. He quit eating it for the most part since 2019, but he frequently went off the wagon.
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He insists carrot cake is a powerful drug. That wagon turned into a rogue murder cart on a big slope, gunning down every effort to undergo weight loss. He now understands addiction; according to some academics, sugar is just as dangerous as illegal substances.
It is difficult to confess ignorance, and even more difficult to acknowledge addiction. He learned an important lesson: admitting these things does not make you feeble. Learning about oneself, growing, and overcoming problems, on the other hand, is a show of strength.
Jennings admits,
I am addicted to sugar. I don’t want a cookie; I want 10 cookies. But I finally took a stand against the bombardment of sugar and processed foods we face daily, and it has been nothing short of a personal miracle (this is exponentially harder for parents, as having kids puts you in greater contact with a whole bunch of garbage food that nobody needs).
He reveals,
For good measure, I killed off sugar substitutes, too, because they made my cravings worse. When I had moderated my sugar intake before, I just replaced it with artificial sweeteners. But that caused me to want more sweets. Everyone breaks eventually, and I was no exception.
He doesn’t go hungry during his eating window, but he also doesn’t binge. He doesn’t get hungry; he eats till he’s full. His backyard chickens produce plenty of eggs, which he prepares with meat, cheese, vegetables, and whatever else comes to mind. Make sure you consume adequate fat and salt because both are essential for optimum health.
Scott recommends,
Fasting methods abound, and my advice is to experiment and find the one that best fits your life. Do your homework. And, like our ancestors, take the feasting part as seriously as you take the fasting. Truly enjoy your meals instead of mindlessly eating.
A wonderful friend joined him on this weight loss journey and having a buddy was quite beneficial. Since January, his friend has shed 35 pounds. They discuss everything from their diets to our eating regimens to their obstacles and even their potty habits. This voyage, like most others, is more enjoyable with a companion.
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Scott Jennings Reveals Several Benefits of Intermittent Fasting In Addition to Weight Loss
Aside from weight loss, there are additional advantages of Intermittent Fasting such as greater mental clarity, intestinal health, decreased inflammation, and better skin complexion. Contrary to popular belief, your energy levels will skyrocket. You will also be given the gift of time.
Fasting has allowed Scott Jennings to add productive hours to his day that he would otherwise have spent snacking, preparing to eat, or rushing through the kitchen for a mouthful of this or that. Scott suggests counting how often you eat something during the course of a day, and you will be taken aback.
Jennings said,
If you read this space regularly, you know I often challenge narratives. Intermittent fasting appealed to the contrarian in me because it challenges the conventional wisdom about eating and nutrition. I like zigging when everyone else is zagging.
He added,
It also appeals to my belief in old, country wisdom. I remember being told by my grandmother that “snacks will ruin your dinner!” How right she was.
Scott is not a doctor, and he insists you should consult one before proceeding. However, he believes most of us are in a healthcare crisis as a result of our diets. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease may all be traced back to the Western diet in some shape or form.
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Earlier in June, Jennings also tweeted about his intermittent fasting practice in response to a CNN viewer who inquired about his weight loss. Check them out here!
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