In episode number 3 of The Ali Damron Show, I talked all about intermittent fasting.
Society has taught us over the past several decades that eating breakfast is the most important meal of the day for reasons such as:
- It gets your metabolism going
- It helps give you energy
- It give you “brain power”
- Etc!
I’m here to challenge this thinking a little bit with a new pattern of eating that could be very beneficial for both your waistline and your health and longevity.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is NOT a diet – it’s simply an eating pattern to follow. You skip certain meals on purpose and you eat during certain windows of time (feasting) and you fast during other windows of time.
Protocols/How-To’s
There is not a “right way” to do this. I am going to share the most common methods that people apply the strategy of intermittent fasting.
- 16/8 method. In this method, you fast for 16 hours in a 24 hour period and you eat (feast) for 8 hours in a 24 hour period. It is adjustable based on your preference and lifestyle for the hours you chose to do each.
- 24 hour method. Take 24 hours off eating. You would basically skip 2 meals in a day. This can be done 1-2 times a week safely.
- This is adjustable based on your lifestyle – some people do 18 hour fasts, etc.
Why Should I Do This?
By cutting a meal, you consume fewer calories, which would obviously be beneficial in losing weight, but that’s not nearly the only reason to apply this strategy.
Timing of meals can also influence how your body reacts. It operates differently based on when it’s fed or fasting.
When you eat, your body spends a few hours processing and digesting the food you just consumed. It now has readily available energy especially if you just ate carbohydrates and/or sugar. It’s going to pull from the readily available source and store as body fat what it doesn’t need at the moment.
When you are in a fasted state, there is not a readily available supply of glycogen or glucose to pull from for energy, so your body pulls from your body fat for fuel.
Our body responds to eating with insulin. The more sensitive your body is to insulin, the more you’ll be able to use the food you eat efficiently. Fasting creates insulin sensitivity. The changes in insulin production and sensitivity lead to weight loss and muscle creation.
Glycogen is a starch stored in your muscles/liver that can be used as fuel and can be depleted during sleep, fasting and training (exercising).
A meal following a fasted workout will be stored more efficiently. Food is used to create glycogen storage in your muscles or used immediately for muscle recovery whereas a regular day (not fasting), the food would be stored as fat.
Growth hormone is increased during a fasted state. Pair that with insulin sensitivity and your body will be primed for muscle growth and fat loss during intermittent fasting.
Why Do People Suggest Mini-Meals Then?
- Eating in general burns extra calories because your body has to process all of the food eaten. However, if you consume 2,000 calories by eating 6 meals versus 2 meals, your body still uses the same amount of energy to process that, so you’re not actually burning more calories by eating more often.
- Might be less likely to overeat if you’re constantly eating. I personally find that once I start eating, I consume MORE calories when I eat more meals during a day.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- Simplifies your day
- Works for muscle gain and fat loss goals alike
- Eating and prepping food takes less time in your day
- Potentially saves money
- Increased growth hormone
- Increased insulin sensitivity
- Positive effects on your brain. There are ongoing studies that have showed positive results regarding Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Drawbacks of Intermittent Fasting
- Initially this way of eating can be a bit of a challenge. I personally found that once I switched the hours that I was fasting, it was easier.
- People with hypoglycemia and diabetes should check with their healthcare professionals to make sure it’s a good idea for them.
- Women with hormonal issues including adrenal fatigue and low progesterone should practice crescendo intermittent fasting – where you fast 3-4 nonconsecutive days per week to avoid the negative effects on hormonal levels but gain benefits of intermittent fasting.
Resources I mentioned in this episode:
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