There are many different styles of fasting out there. They have different purposes and suit different people. We wanted to touch on what we have been doing and seeing excellent results. We are here to help achieve the optimal result, so please speak with a professional to see if it might be for you.
Fasting is a term describing restricting food consumption to a specific time window, then resume regular eating patterns. A popular intermittent fasting strategy is fasting for 14-18 hours and eating during the 6-10 hour window left. You can extend to what some of us did recently being a 24, 36 and 42hr fast.
Let’s say I ate my last meal at 7 pm last night and I ate nothing else after that. To complete an intermittent fast, restrict eating until around 12 pm the next afternoon. Yes, sleeping time counts as fasting time. To do this every day, only eat between 12 pm and 7 pm and fast for the rest of the day.
A popular practice is Alternate Day Fasting (or 5:2 diet popularised by the likes of Michael Mosley). Someone eats a low-calorie diet on “fast” days, but normally on other days.
Another complication is the fact that fasting impacts populations differently. Men and women respond differently. More restrictive fasting protocols may be harmful for women. But moderate options like eating in a 10-12-hour window may have an anti-stress effect.
We advocate fasting for most people, but the number one thing you need to know is that there’s no simple answer. What works for you might be a nightmare for someone else. The key is to do your research, and if you decide to give fasting a try, don’t be afraid to experiment.
Fasting has been traced back to our ancestors who could eat only when food was available.
We WOULD NOT encourage someone who is sick to start fasting as you may become even sicker. This is because fasting promotes the body to liberate fatty acids. Fat stores are where the body shuttles toxins that can’t be excreted via the normal pathways such as:
- Sweat
- Urination
- Breath
- Stool – poo
Many people are not ready to start fasting. For the liver to break down toxins, it needs to be packed with nutrients. Toxins deplete nutrients in the liver, so they need to be replenished by high-quality food.
Periods of low food intake make sense for the body to cleanse. But continually under-eating is a BAD idea. Feasting in the time around your fast is a good idea. Having a high nutrient intake at times when your body requires it are as important. Nourishing the bodies cells means life. Provide what’s needed for the cellular reactions that keep cells alive. Occasionally stop eating.
Fasting has been shown to improve:
1. Fat Loss & Metabolic Flexibility. Fasting allows you to become metabolically flexible. Your body can burn body fat because it reduces hunger and food cravings while improving metabolism and brain function. By reducing our dependence on food and timings, we can make better choices.
2. Metabolic Health – Restore Insulin Sensitivity & Lower Cholesterol. Fasting can restore insulin sensitivity, lower glucose, and reducing belly fat.
This combination is fantastic for health and diabetes prevention. When your cells are resistant to insulin; your body is much more likely to store the food you eat as fat. Insulin resistance also produces inflammation, causing the most destructive health problems.
Nutrients that will help support fasting protocols include:
- Water, tea & coffee – Avoiding water for extended periods of time can be dangerous. Your body needs water to stay hydrated unless you are well accustomed to water fasts. Tea, black coffee or water from boiled vegetables are good options.
- ACV and lime.
- Bone Broth. It contains many minerals and vitamins and is quite ‘filling’ to reduce hunger pains. The other benefit is that you can add a good amount of sea salt to it.
- Have a collagen drink.
- If hungry, have a ‘fat tea’ – butter/ghee + coconut oil + MCT + collagen + herbal tea, blend and enjoy.
- BCAA’s, Glutamine and Glycine can be used along with a B-vitamin or multi-vitamin.
Summary,
Eating healthy foods during your eating window is crucial. It won’t work if you eat lots of junk food or excessive amounts of calories.
I find this to be the most “natural” way to do intermittent fasting. I eat this way myself and find it to be 100% effortless.
Many clients get back control, make better choices and shred fat using fasting.
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