What the Comments Reveal (Beyond Views & Likes)
3.2M views and 92K likes on “15 Intermittent Fasting Mistakes That Make You Gain Weight” by Dr. Sten Ekberg as of 2025-09-12. From 3,212 total comments, we analyzed a 1,000-comment sample to see what engaged viewers are really saying.
Sentiment Snapshot
Neutral sentiment dominates, with positivity close behind, while a smaller but notable group expressed frustration or critique.
Emotional Pulse: Curious Leads the Way
Curiosity drives the bulk of conversation, with gratitude and concern adding depth. Frustration also emerges when answers aren’t clear or practical enough.
Comment Breakdown: Questions and Compliments Dominate
The mix shows a heavy tilt toward direct questions, followed by praise and personal fasting stories, with constructive feedback sprinkled in.
Sten Ekberg’s Engagement in the Comments
Roughly 1 in 22 comments received some form of creator interaction, a modest engagement rate that leaves room to strengthen community trust.
Burning Questions
Viewers repeatedly asked for precise thresholds: how many grams of carbs, protein, or even coffee additives break a fast or interfere with autophagy. They also pressed for clarity on insulin sensitivity, sweeteners, and medications like metformin that complicate fasting routines.
Another cluster centered on practical fasting life: calories to target, how to avoid metabolic slowdown, dealing with fasting glucose patterns, and handling symptoms like headaches or sleep disruption. Exercise integration, HIIT, weight training, or managing Hashimoto’s, was also a recurring concern.
Feedback and Critiques
Many praised the structured “mistakes list” format, reporting that they immediately applied takeaways like not overeating post-fast and rotating fasting windows. Real-world meal examples resonated, with several asking for even more sample menus and fasting-mimicking diet guides.
However, friction came from complexity: viewers requested shorter, clearer videos and more step-by-step ranges for macros. Confusion arose over fat vs protein trade-offs, calories vs ketosis, and how to adjust for shift work or diabetes. Simplifying without losing metabolic depth was the recurring plea.
High Praise
Audiences described the video as brilliant, practical, and one of the best on intermittent fasting. They highlighted how Dr. Ekberg explained not just what works but why, giving them confidence to implement real changes.
Several reported breakthroughs: better understanding of insulin resistance, correct fasting practices, and improvements in managing diabetes and sleep. Many called it the most useful IF video they had watched, citing the honest, patient teaching style that inspired subscriptions and sharing.
Opportunities for Future Content
- DIY Fasting-Mimicking Diet with real, affordable foods: principles, macro targets, 5-day sample menu, shopping list, and who should/shouldn’t use it, so viewers aren’t forced into pricey kits.
- What actually breaks a fast? Clear thresholds and goals: exact grams/calories that trigger insulin vs stop autophagy vs disrupt gut rest; effects of coffee, sweeteners, supplements; how to self-test (glucometer/ketones) and interpret mixed results.
- Intermittent fasting without weight loss: protocols for maintaining muscle and body weight while improving insulin sensitivity—protein targets, meal timing, training guidance, and templates for lean/pre-diabetic and older adults.
- “What do I eat?” frameworks: simple food lists, portion guides, and OMAD/2-MAD meal plans by body size and activity, macro ranges, example plates, and common pitfalls (overdoing fat, “fat bombs,” or under-eating).
- Fasting troubleshooting and safety clinic: headaches on long fasts, high morning glucose, hypoglycemia dips, gastritis, and meds that require food, practical adjustments, electrolytes, red flags, and when to pause.
- Plateau-breaking and fasting periodization: when to change windows (16/8, 20/4, 24/36), how to use refeeds, carbs/protein cycling, and exercise timing/intensity to avoid metabolic slowdown and keep progress moving.
Wrapping Up
This video struck a balance between clarity and depth, offering practical guardrails while prompting requests for even simpler, more structured guidance. With stronger creator interaction and focused follow-ups, audience curiosity can be turned into lasting trust, something Shono AI helps surface through the collective signals of engaged viewers.
About This Analysis
Methodology & Limits
We analyzed 1,000 sampled comments out of 3,212 total, removing duplicates and spam. Each comment was classified by sentiment, emotion, and type, then aggregated into patterns.
Engagement rates reflect the sampled set only. Snapshot as of 2025-09-12; values may shift as new comments arrive.
