Where did intermittent fasting start
Fasting has been around since the beginning of our species. Not for the purposes of weight loss of course, but out of necessity and later for religious purposes. Our bodies are made to withstand long periods of time without food intake because it was necessary for prehistoric man to spend a significant amount of time hunting and gathering food. For early humans, fasting was necessary and not used for weight loss.
There were periods of fasting, followed by a short period of feast. This was the way of life for humans for so long that the process was ingrained in our genetic code by evolution. The human body adapted over time to genetically thrive through this cycle of feasting and fasting. The body has been trained through evolutionary processes to expect a cycle of prolonged periods of low insulin from intermittent fasting. Therefore, when the body doesn’t get the chance to allow insulin levels to drop, energy is stored as fat.
Therapeutic fasting has been used since as early as the 5th century BCE. The Greek physician Hippocrates recommended fasting to patients with certain ailments. A bit later down the line in the early 20th century, fasting was used to prevent disease. These fasts were long, sometimes lasting a month, and were meant to weed out any environmental factors causing an illness.
Why intermittent fasting is good for the body
During fasting, the body’s cells are under mild stress. Mark Mattson at the National Institute of Health investigated the benefits of intermittent fasting on the cardiovascular system. The cells respond to this stress by adapting to possibly be able to resist disease in the future. He also found that there are similarities between how cells respond favorably to the stress of exercise and the body’s cells favorable response to the stress of fasting. The key to therapeutically stressing the body systems with things like fasting and exercise are periods of rest and feast.
The body responds to exertion by becoming more resilient and rebuilding its self at a faster rate. However, that building only occurs during times of rest. Your fast’s purpose is to give your body the power to use the food you eat efficiently when you break your fast.
The obesity epidemic is a problem that is primarily experienced by people in regions with an abundance of resources and food. When there is no point at which food is unavailable, some people tend to eat at every whim, creating an energy surplus that eventually turns into body fat. Obesity is primarily a result of an unhealthy relationship with food but also of habit. The Human body doesn’t respond favorably to a constant flow of insulin. That’s where intermittent fasting comes in, and why it’s proving to be so successful.
One of the most efficient ways to reduce body fat is to follow a healthy, nutritious intermittent fasting regimen. There are a few different methods and configurations of intermittent fasting you can try out to find one that works best with your lifestyle
What is intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting or intermittent energy restriction is a process of condensing the times you eat into a small window of the day. This is done for various periods of time lasting a few months or even a few years in order to reach a health goal. Many people have even made intermittent fasting a permanent lifestyle and have no set plans to return to their previous eating patterns. There are a few different methods of intermediate fasting we recommend. 16/8, 20/4, 5/2, 800/2 and 23/1 which will be explained below. The most important thing to remember when intermittent fasting is to provide your body with efficient nutrients during your eating period for the day.
Even when fasting, it isn’t advisable to overeat or to eat unhealthy foods during your feast times. You’ll need to stick to a reasonable calorie deficit that’s right for your body. Eating plenty of fresh vegetables, high-quality meat and nutritious grains will give your body the nourishment it needs while making it easy for your insulin levels to drop and work in your favor during fasting times. Though it isn’t necessary to stick to keto while intermittent fasting, you’ll still need to stay away from processed foods, high sugar foods and empty carbs like white bread and pasta. Your carb intake should be about 30% of your nutrition intake for the day.
During your fasting periods, liquids with no calories, sugar or artificial sugar are permitted. Beverages like coffee, cold or hot tea and water are all good for your fasting times. The first few days or even weeks may be a difficult adjustment. However, your body will adjust to your new way of eating, and your fasting times won’t be uncomfortable as your hunger subsides and your new habits fall into place.
That being said, it’s important to always listen to your body. If you begin to feel sick, faint or woozy you should break your fast immediately. You may be experiencing low blood sugar or another medical issue. It could be as simple as adjusting the foods you eat during feeding times to get you back on track.
There are 5 methods of intermittent fasting we are going to discuss. Many factors come into play when selecting which method is right for you. The factors you should consider are as unique as you are yourself. When do you feel the most hungry throughout the day? When is it most convenient for you to prepare meals? How will your family’s mealtimes coincide with yours? If you go to the gym, would you like to fuel up before or after working out? Things like work schedules, family responsibilities, and personal preferences should all be considered when selecting your preferred method of intermittent fasting.
It's important to get your body used to intermittent fasting gradually.
5 methods of intermittent fasting
16/8 This method is our most recommended method of intermittent fasting. 16:8 means fasting for 16 hours of the day and having all of your meals in an 8 hour period. This method flows naturally with most people's sleep cycles while not being too restrictive. Simply extend your natural sleep fast by a few hours and have your first meal at 12 pm, then finish your last meal by 8 pm. Those times seem to work well for many people, but as long as you have a fasting period of 16 hours, feel free to choose any time that works for you.
20/4, also referred to as the warrior method is a bit more restrictive, but still gives you the time to enjoy two meals. This method requires you to fast for 20 hours of the day, and condense your feeding period to 4 hours. When using this method, most people use their natural sleep schedule for the fast, then have their feeding period in the middle of the day. For instance, having lunch at 2 pm and dinner at 5 pm, then fasting until 2 pm the next day.
5/2/800 This method of intermittent fasting works great for many people and allows a bit more freedom on most days of the week. For 5 days out of the week, you eat the appropriate amount of calories and hit your goal macros. You, of course, keep your diet healthy, avoiding sugar and empty carbohydrates. But you aren’t restricting on those 5 days. On 2 nonconsecutive days of the week, you only consume 800 calories throughout that 24 hour period. It’s important to remember that you must stagger your fasting days and have at least 1 regular day of food intake in between. On your 800 calorie days, it actually isn’t hard to stave off hunger if you are choosing the right type of foods. If you choose only vegetables to spend your 800 calories on you could still have 3 fresh meals a day and possibly even a snack.
5/2/0 This method requires you to fast for 48 hours every week, meaning 2 complete 24 hour days. It’s important to remember that with this method you shouldn’t do your 2 fasting days consecutively. Make sure to have one day of regular eating in between. On your fasting days, you would consume zero calories for an entire 24 hour period. For the other 5 days out of the week, your calorie and macro goals should be tracked and met. On your fasting days make sure to drink plenty of water, and feel free to drink coffee and tea, just make sure not to add any sweetener or cream. Fasting for a full 24 hours can take a bit of getting used to. However, your body will become accustomed to the feeling of running on reduced insulin levels and it will become much easier.
23/1, also commonly known as one meal a day or OMAD involves eating all of your calories and hitting your macros during 1 hour of the whole 24 hour day. This method has become quite popular and is producing results, however, there are some drawbacks. Eating only one meal a day is very restrictive. People who choose to use this method have to take great care to keep a good relationship with food. Your one meal a day shouldn’t be a binge, and you should still be eating healthy foods for the majority of your meals. In order to fit 1500 calories for instance, into one meal and have that meal be one that nourishes your body you’ll need to be selective. Be sure to eat plenty of healthy fats like avocado, coconut oil, and peanut butter. Providing your body with a healthy amount of protein is also important. And as always, find a way to fit vegetables into every meal.
How the body benefits from intermittent fasting
Reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat
Subcutaneous fat is stored directly under the skin. This is the fat you see around your midsection. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the organs. Even though this fat is more dense and hidden, having increased levels of this kind of fat pose a greater health risk. Fat is the body’s storage system for excess energy, making it available for later use. There are 2 main types of fat and having too much of one or both of them can have disastrous effects on the body's health. During fasting, the body switches its fuel source from insulin to fat. The first type of fat that is used is visceral fat while subcutaneous fat is used as a backup. As the visceral fat is used, subcutaneous fat is then converted. When fasting, fat is able to drain directly into circulation and is more efficient at meeting energy needs.
Improved digestion
During fasting times the gut begins to reprogram metabolic and stress resistance pathways. Fasting increases the number of helpful bacteria and allows them to flourish while suppressing the growth of damaging bacteria. Inflammation is a large contributing factor to sluggish digestion. Fasting reduces inflammation in the digestive tract, making the processing of food much easier during feeding times. These 2 benefits together allow the body to absorb the maximum amount of nutrients. To put it simply, fasting gives the digestive system a chance to rest, therefore it is able to serve you more efficiently.
Increased levels of human growth hormone
When adults are deficient in human growth hormone the body responds by holding onto higher levels of body fat, increasing insulin levels and decreased bone mass. HGH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland. During fasting times, HGH production increases by 50% in short bursts. These bursts continue at an increased level during your entire fasting time. HGH improves the maintenance of lean muscle mass while regulating the hormones that help your body burn fat.
Improves cardiovascular system
Heart disease has many contributing factors and many of them are linked to our diet. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity are among the top contributors. The fact is that excess body fat leads to heart disease. Studies show that intermittent fasting can improve symptoms of diabetes and other stressors that lead to heart disease by creating an ecosystem that puts less pressure on the heart. A comparatively low resting heart rate level is one of the indicators of a healthy cardiovascular system. When a person is overweight, they often experience high blood pressure which is constant stress on the heart that intermittent fasting can help to relieve. When practicing intermittent fasting over a period of years the risk of developing heart disease reduces significantly. Fasting for 12 hours at a time is proven to lower blood pressure, improve iron in anemic individuals and trigger the body to produce new cells more rapidly. Fasting is one of the most efficient lifestyle changes one can make to improve their cardiovascular health.
Can anyone practice intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting isn’t safe for everyone. Children or teenagers under the age of 18 should avoid intermittent fasting as their bodies are still growing and changing. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant should also abstain from this way of eating. Regular intake of nutrition is required to have a healthy pregnancy and to produce milk for a newborn. Sense fasting does produce weight loss, individuals who are underweight should abstain as well, in order to avoid their becoming malnourished. Fasting is also dangerous for people who have a history of or are currently suffering from disordered eating. This applies to binge eating, body dysmorphia, anorexia, and bulimia. Eating disorders are psychological. whether the person with these compulsions is overweight, underweight or at a healthy weight, restricted eating can trigger or enable the worsening of their eating disorder. There are also some medical conditions like type 1 diabetes that can be exacerbated by intermittent fasting. Always consult your doctor before making a drastic change in your diet.
Suggested supplements
While intermittent fasting it’s suggested that you do supplement with electrolytes. One of the effects that intermittent fasting has on the body is ketosis, even if you aren’t following a ketogenic diet while practicing intermittent fasting. Sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium are likely to become depleted when fasting. When your body becomes deficient in these essential minerals you can start to feel sick. If you are experiencing a headache, nausea, weakness and an overall heavy feeling you may be in need of a few easily found supplements. Electrolytes are easy to come by when eating a conventional diet. However, when restricting it’s important to ensure that your body is given exactly what it needs to thrive. Having the right knowledge and tools are essential in making a lifestyle change and being successful in reaching your goals.
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