Intermittent fasting (IF), one of my favorite trends in the health and fitness world today, is a simple, sustainable and powerful way of losing weight and improving our health. IF is an old tradition (Ancient Hunter Gatherers were already practicing fasting) who also happens to be now cited by lots of credible researchers as a way to improve health, increase longevity, optimize energy metabolism, boost cellular protection, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, brain degeneration, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and much more…During IF, you cycle between periods of eating and fasting for short periods of time for several days a week. Popular IF protocols include daily IF of 16 to 20 hours fasting, and alternate day fasting (also known as the 5:2 diet)
Fasting is also often done for spiritual purposes, such as reaching a breakthrough in life or receiving a revelation from God. A lot of religions use fasting, including in Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Islam…
Because fasting has been practiced throughout human evolution; our bodies are not only able to optimally function while fasting for extended periods of time, but also to regenerate much faster and to almost develop some super powers… this is a vast topic that I won’t get into, but some high achievers in the silicone area know what I am talking about. There are groups of intelligent people who fast to get work done more effectively since their brains become very powerful. Anyways an intriguing topic for another blog of its own…
Here is the breakdown of my favorite IF methods to restrict calories and start the process of weight loss right away (as long as you don’t over compensate and overeat during the eating windows):
The 16/8 method: skip breakfast or dinner and restrict your daily eating window to 8 hours, such as 12–8 p.m. or 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (whatever fits your schedule). Then, fast for 16 hours in between (hopefully, 8 of those hours will be spent sleeping).
The 5:2 diet method: eat normally (3-4 meals/day) for 5 days, and consume 500–600 calories on two non-consecutive days of the week, such as Tuesdays and Thursdays.
In addition to weight loss, IF will also improve hormone growth levels, insulin levels, body cells will start a healing process called autophagy (basically eating, destroying any unhealthy cell or protein flowing inside your body), and your genes will start changing their expressions which will improve longevity by increasing/slowing down the break down of your telometers length (telomeres are protective nucleotide repeats at the end of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division, potentially limiting life span), and regenerating the body with DNA repair activities.
Are you sold yet? This information is just a tip in the iceberg, but I hope I was able to motivate you into giving IF a try and finding a way that fits your schedule and that is enjoyable and sustainable for you.
And please remember, if you have a medical condition, it is important to consult your doctor before trying intermittent fasting.
