Intermittent Fasting - What Is It and What Are The Benefits?
Hey fellow fitness friends! I hope you had a great week. I wanted to talk about a diet technique that has really helped me lately.
Me at Miami Beach after a month of intermittent fasting!
Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting, or time-restricted eating, is exactly what it sounds like. You limit your meals to a certain time window. Some people have 16 hour fasts give or take. I eat my last meal by 8 PM and don’t eat again until 12 PM the next day. I totally skip breakfast, and it has totally worked wonders for me!
At first you may get cranky and really hungry, but after your body gets used to it, it is totally worth it!
I have so much more energy in the morning, my mind feels so much more focused, and I feel ready to kick today's butt!
Here are the some of the benefits of intermittent fasting:
• Fat loss
• Increased insulin sensitivity
• Decrease in appetite
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Increased autophagy – (Cellular self-cleansing process)
• Increased neurogenesis (growth of new brain cells)
• Increased mitochondrial biogenesis
• Anti-ageing (a Harvard study showed IF contributing to higher life expectancy, higher energy-producing mitochondria of your cells and increases your lifespan).
Source
Here is someone who undertook intermittent fasting. At 44 years old, they lost 42 pounds in 12 weeks!
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The fat loss is probably the biggest benefit and less body fat = higher muscle percentage! IF kickstarts your metabolism into higher gear and you burn off your body’s fat reserves when you don’t have any caloric intake.
Intermittent fasting helps brain function and cognitive ability. It can even reverse neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. How does it work? The fasting period gives your body more time to burn off the glycogen stores and fat – promoting weight loss! Whenever your body produces fat, your body produces “ketones”, which reportedly boost your energy and eliminate and brain fog you have, promoting mental clarity!
And think about it, without having to constantly breakdown food constantly, your bloodstream is a lot thinner. Ever wonder why you get so tired after a big meal, it’s because all of the nutrients are clogged in your blood and your body is trying to break down the food!
Also IF has benefits to reduce inflammation. This inflammation could cause weight gain and unwanted belly fat! Studies have shown that fasting has a positive effect on your neuroimmune system producing anti-inflammatory benefits!
This is the process for intermittent fasting:
• Pick a start time. (Example: 8:00 p.m. is popular)
• Consume no calories for 16 hours. (Remember that water, coffee, tea, and non-caloric beverages are okay.)
• Stop fasting after 16 hours (Example: 12:00 p.m. the following day)
• Begin your 8-hour feeding window of clean and healthy food.
I find that it is very easy to consume your meals in this window. You will be quite hungry and you would be surprised how much you can consume. Up to 1500 calories in one meal! If your goal is weight gain.
Fasting Increases Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone
One study showed that fasting for 24 hours increased growth hormone (GH) by 2000% in men. GH levels have a positive correlation with testosterone. Growth hormone is the hormone responsible for making more muscles bigger, your bones bigger, and makes you taller. It is interesting to also note, that an African tribe has practiced intermittent fasting as part of their ritual for the past few thousand years. These tribesmen are taller and leaner than the surrounding tribes in the region.
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“Research has shown that meals with carbs, protein and fat or just one macronutrient decrease testosterone for a few hours post meal”. So when you are constantly eating, your testosterone levels aren’t very high.
Intermittent fasting increased luteinizing hormone (LH) by 67% in obese men.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a precursor to testosterone. LH stimulates the production of testosterone in Leydig cells in your testicles. Participants also experienced a 180% increase in responsiveness to testosterone (androgen sensitivity).
We all know the benefits of increased tesosterone on health and bodybuilding!
Source
George St. Pierre - A World Renonwed Mixed Martial Arts Fighter Talks About How IF Helps Him Lose Fat and Stay Sharper
Conclusion:
Intermittent fasting has plenty of health benefits and fat loss producing benefits as detailed in the article above. It can also reduce the chance of diseases and causes increase HGH and tesosterone production. Studies have shown the benefits and also the pictures above of me and others prove it! It's up to you if you want to improve your life, intermittent fasting will help you!
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@jfitmisc you were flagged by a worthless gang of trolls, so, I gave you an upvote to counteract it! Enjoy!!
What are you talking about?
Have you tried 24 hour fasting? I do intermittent fasting and also break at 12pm. I would like to do a longer fast like 22 hour, but psychologically I want to eat at 12pm even though I may not be hunger, but just want to because it's the time.
I guess I technically do this sometimes. Once in a while I won't have breakfast until noon. lol
You inadvertently do this. Do you see any benefits?
It's partially intentional. I don't really notice much of a benefit. If I eat soup for a late dinner though I usually wake up sooner and I think I have more energy in the morning I think because of the lower calories.
How come you didn't upvote yourself?
Yeah it's good to eat later in the evening then you are not full! I don't waste upvotes on my own's threads comments. I prefer to spread the wealth through the community!
I think probably a light evening meal and a heavy breakfast is best. I think Sumo wrestlers do the opposite. I'm not for sure though.
You might want to sign up for @dustsweeper then.
Hello friend, I really admire people like you who look for a new way to improve every day. And they are informed to create methods, to help other people. I admire the fitness lifestyle. Although for more than try, to carry that lifestyle is difficult for me because of lack of time. I'm a medical student, Venezuelan. I have to note that I do not have much information about intermittent fasting, but as a medical student I understand that removing a meal on a regular basis does not have the best benefits. And breakfast is the most important, because due to morning insulin spikes, you can produce hypoglycemia. In the same way I think about doing it because science advances every day. And maybe that theory, which I have about food, has been overthrown.
Thanks for your anecdotal reply. Even though you're busy in a third world country, you can try doing simple push ups, pull up. sit ups, and jumping jacks to get your fitness level up.
While your scientific research may be true, it is a theory. Yes, your insulin spikes in the morning to do sugar then can sharply fall off! Try both for a month and then come back for results. Personal anecdotal experience is your best test of something.
To be honest i am fasting from the last 29 days..Dud to which i have felt mentally and physically sounded...
Fasting is beneficial to the human body in various ways as you have mentioned..
Mostly popular like cellular autophagy..
Yes cellular autophagy is one of the benefits mentioned. Wow 29 days strong. That is very commendable! For religious or health reasons?
Obviosly for religious reason
I'm on Day 2 of starting Intermittent Fasting and I feel like throwing my chair against the wall.
(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Brain is hazy too, but I'm committed to see how my body fares once it adjusts.
That happened to me! I got extremely angry! Just push through it for like 3-4 days. That's how long it took me to adjust and I felt fine.
Well done sir. I'm 100% IM. I use it primarily to increase my energy levels and focus but there are soooo many other benefits!
That's good to hear that you use it! Yes, energy levels and focus are some of the best benefits. You feel such a drive when your belly isn't totally full!
How long would you recommend this fasting for? Can you do it forever or do you only do it for a period of time?
I will definitely have to give a try and see how I feel.
I'm a bit nervous since I love big breakfast, but I'll be willing to give a try.
Thanks for sharing this awesome health info.
You could do this forever! It's not as hard as it sounds. Because you're still eating as you normally would, but just in an 8 hour window! It will be hard at first but it's worth it.
Interesting stuff. A friend of mine just mentioned this topic to me this week and I really never heard much about it before. I personally have been eating 5 meals a day for many years and although pretty pleased with my current physique, I wouldn't mind gaining a little more size. Thanks again for the post!
Yeah no problem! Intermittent fasting has become very popular recently. IF is good for losing weight or getting cut. If you want to gain size you will need to eat heavy meals in those 8 hours! Thanks for stopping by and good luck if you try it!
Thanks!
It's a great way to fast. I have been on a fast for the 28th day now and can see the changes in myself.
I am gaining strength and reducing weight though I'm not an overweight person. But this tech has great benefits.
Thank you for sharing @wa2qr. What type of fast? How much weight have you reduced? That's awesome you have gained strength, probably the extra HGH and test.