Intermittent fasting or “scheduled eating” is a powerful strategy for shedding excess weight and reducing your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Three major mechanisms by which fasting benefits your body include increased insulin sensitivity and mitochondrial energy efficiency; reduced oxidative stress; and increased capacity to resist stress, disease, and aging.
A recent human study confirmed that intermittent fasting was actually more effective for weight loss and improving insulin resistance than daily calorie restriction.
Intermittent fasting can also dramatically boost human growth hormone production, reduce inflammation, and lessen free radical damage—all of which have beneficial effects on your health.
To get started, consider skipping breakfast, and avoid eating at least three hours before you go to sleep. This should effectively restrict your eating to an 8-hour window or less each day.
This is not for everyone, if you are training 3 or more days a week consistently intermittent Fasting may not fit your lifestyle. However if you're stuck on a weight loss plateau you may want to give this method a shot. You will still need to eat the required calories your body needs for you BMR, this is not a starvation program. You simply spread your caloric needs out over a 6-8 hour time span and stick to only eating during that time frame. It is recommended that you skip breakfast and perform some form of cardio exercise in the morning hours before eating the first meal of the day. Once you begin eating the time clock is rolling and you need to stop eating within 6-8 hours of the first meal.
Important: Fasting does not help at all if you are eating junk food, fast foods or foods that are processed and loaded with sugar. You must be eating a balanced diet of healthy fats, carbs and proteins. The ketogenic diet is also good to use during intermittent fasting as it will reduce your cravings and eliminate hunger much faster than a traditional program.
Intermittent Fasting has it's advantages and can be used to get past sticking points but it is not a program that many people will continue for an extended period. I suggest you use this program to get past sticking points and rotate it in and out of your life. Remember the body adapts to what we do on a regular basis and sometimes it is a good idea to make changes.
Mark Harris, PhD
Exercise Physiologist/Nutritionist
TexasMetabolics@gmail.com
Texas Metabolics
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