March 5, 2017

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Intermittent fasting

” Fasting !? Eek , no way, I’ll faint, I won’t have any energy !” These are statements you might make when you hear the word fasting. Nonetheless, you can do it and it is really simple. When the New York Times writes articles on something like this, then you know it has hit the public’s interest. We will be talking about a particular kind of fasting called intermittent fasting which is different than the 5 2 diet, alternate day fasting , or extended fasting. Inadvertently you are getting some calorie restriction. This mode of eating isn’t for everybody and it always important to consult a knowledgeable practitioner before starting any new food regimen.

What is intermittent fasting

 Intermittent fasting  is basically a scheduled plan for eating which allows you to convert to fat burning for a period of time every 24 hours. The focus is to make sure that you eat everything within a 6 to 8 hour period. Most people who have done intermittent fasting, fast from about 8 pm to 12 pm and eat between 12 pm and 8 pm.  It is important to consume healthy meals that have the proper amount of  protein and green leafy vegetables, limiting carbohydrates and abstaining from all processed foods.  Various worldwide religions have always included days of fasting, as well as historically man has had to  fast due to lack of available food. Thus, it is not a foreign notion to our bodies. The actuality is our bodies were designed for this and have not adapted to the modern epoch to always having food available. This is why obesity and diabetes are rampant worldwide now.

Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

Research has shown that the benefits to intermittent fasting are multifaceted. It can lower triglycerides, decrease inflammation, fight free radical damage, increase insulin sensitivity , reverse type 2 diabetes,  normalize your ghrelin( hunger hormone ). It also increases HGH( human growing hormone ) production which is important for health and reduction of the  aging process. Of course if you are interested in losing weight this  increases fat burning because you won’t have any calories coming in and your body will burn up it glycogen stores and then start burning body fat. Increased insulin sensitivity in itself is significant because insulin resistance is linked to many chronic diseases.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Work

Intermittent fasting affects our metabolism. Our bodies typically take 8 to 10 hour to digest their last meal totally. Because of this, we are always in a fed state and using glucose and glycogen for energy. We never commit our bodies for a chance to get into a fasting state which utilizes fat(ketones) for energy and causes fat loss. Nonetheless, if person or persons eats a diet low in carbohydrates, moderate protein, and high in fat and fasts for greater than 10 hours, then the body will have to turn to it’s fat stores for energy production. The reason for this is that the body has burned up its glucose stores and has to utilize fat. Our bodies were designed for this. Basically, the body gets retrained to ignite fat for energy versus simply using sugars. Once retrained, it does this more easily and you lose weight.

Intermittent Fasting and Exercise

 

There are different ways to handle exercise with intermittent fasting, depending on the level of intensity. Some people say it is  important to eat 30 minutes after your exertion. They try to coordinate their exercise to 30 minutes prior to the end of their fast. During long exercise sessions, an hour and up, I tend to eat fruit. One of the few times I indulge myself. In general, it is always helpful to get help from a knowledgeable source; someone who can guide you on the ins and outs of intermittent fasting and help you set up an individual plan that works best for you. You can find some my my intermittent fasting protocol articles here. 

I am a firm adherent to intermittent fasting and eating fat. Now, the devil is in the details. Some people can do this on their own and some need help. The 22 Day Weight Loss Program has many options.  You can get more information on this here. Good luck with your fasting. 

Additional reading:
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powerful weight loss and no muscle loss
beginner s guide   intermittent fasting guide