Intermittent fasting: put down the fork (for a few more hours than usual)
December 15, 2016 Ashley 0 Comments
Alright, so I was entirely skeptical when I read this.
But let’s entertain the idea for a moment, shall we? Let’s ask ourselves…
Could fasting be a healthy option for weight loss?
(To be fair, that looks like something she – or anyone – shouldn’t eat even when they’re *not* fasting.)
I know, I know. I freaked out too when I first heard the notion that went against everything I know and believe. What about my muscle? Won’t it waste away? What about my metabolism? But, as I read a bit more into it, I realized that we’re not talking about going Breatharian here. (Those’re the weirdos who live off oxygen, sunshine, and good will alone.) No. What we’re talking about is intermittent fasting. For some it’s a one a day meal. For others it’s skipping a full day twice a week. For others (and this’d be me, if I ever did it), it’s simply skipping snacks for between 14 and 16 hours. And the plus of that last one? You’re not suffering, but slumbering, through most of it. ’cause the majority of that time’s taking place during the hours you’re snoozing anyway. I’m doing the math already in my head and thinking “Okay, if I wrap up supper by four-ish and don’t do breakfast ’til six when I wake up – right before my morning run – that’s actually kinda doable.” Right?
Sure, it is.
That’s if you can prove to me that it’ll benefit me somehow.
Well, thus far, there’ve been studies done on the benefits of intermittent fasting. And, according to scientists, every organism from fruit flies to roundworms has experienced positive results from relinquishing nutrition for a period – or even just reducing it by about 30 or 40%. And how do actual humans do on this regimen? Well, while it likely varies from method to method, a few consistencies seem to be apparent after intermittently experiencing an extended empty belly bout: when we do it – however we do it – we tend to use up our fat stores more for energy and have lower inflammation and lipid levels; all of which augment a weight loss program. In fact, animal studies on fasting have demonstrated better blood sugar levels – leading to better fat metabolism and eradication that visceral fat (the kind that strangles your organs and causes chronic diseases).
And what about my fears? Muscle mass loss? Metabolic effery?
Well, with respect to the muscle loss, a study actually observed something interesting with intermittent fasting. It actually caused less muscle loss than continuous calorie restriction did. In other words, you’d be better off just having a closed-lips window (and eating normally when you resume fooding) than punishing yourself all day long with restricted calorie meals. In fact, other research even noted human growth hormone to increase as much as 5-fold. And what’s that matter? Well, higher levels of human growth hormone help along both fat burning and muscle gain. No wasting here.
And, as for metabolism?
Per Authority Nutrition, it actually can help boost your metabolism:
“Lower insulin levels, higher growth hormone levels and increased amounts of norepinephrine (noradrenaline) all increase the breakdown of body fat and facilitate its use for energy. For this reason, short-term fasting actually increases your metabolic rate by 3.6-14%, helping you burn even more calories.”
Alright, so what are the downsides? Well, a great deal of willpower’s necessary to habit change anything, for one. And, then, there’s somatic acclimation in general. For example, one testimonial on the subject praised the practice for how much more fulfilling the meals were. However, since said subject had experienced an eating disorder prior, sometimes those meals were too big – leading to the lethargy anyone feels after a massive meal. Then, there’s the fact that the results are gender dependent. For us womenfolk, meal skipping could mean higher cortisol (the fat maker) levels. Then again, by scheduling the window of your fast around sleep, you could potentially avoid that, though.
Thus, in the end, the pros and cons tend to even out the intermittent fasting seesaw. Which leaves a lot’ve us undecided on whether to give it a try or not. As for me? My biggest con would be the bored downtime I generally spend feasting on delicious vegetables. What am I gonna do with that time?
(“If I keep running ’til bedtime, I can sleep for the rest of this damned fast – and eat as soon as I wake up”)
How about you?
Are you open to the idea of shutting your food chute for a few more hours than usual to lose more weight?
Despite my veggie addiction, I admittedly am – but need to read up on it more before I commit.
If you’re on the same page as I am, then page through a few items on this list of literature:
