INTERMITTENT FASTING

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

​Intermittent Fasting is a topic that keeps popping up in health and fitness circles at the moment. It has become popular as a tool for weight loss, a way to control and even reverse type II diabetes and other chronic diseases, improved brain function and is also considered to be anti-aging. 
 
So, I decided to do a bit of research into it, because when we hit middle age, we all have something we would like to improve about our health or a little bit of weight we would like to lose. It’s an age where we can start to see the physical results of unfavourable eating habits, and/or a lack of enough exercise, as well as stress, which can lead to weight gain, chronic disease and feeling older than you really are

WHAT IS FASTING?

Fasting is any period of time without eating, It is flexible and can be different for everyone.
 
Today’s ‘usual’ pattern of eating generally consists of 3 – 6 meals a day and this can be 3 large meals, with a couple of small snacks, or 6 small meals through-out the day, or some of us just graze all day long.
 
We have become a society that is used to having food available all of the time. The quality of the food varies from person to person, but the ability to eat regularly is common amongst most of us.

Some of us handle that well, but some of us consume more that our body requires, which is a leading cause of weight gain.
 
Fasting has been practiced for millions of years, from cave men times, to countries with different religious beliefs, to special times of the year, it is a very common practice. But, due to the big churning world of the food industry, the intake of many meals in a day, on a regular basis, has become ‘the norm’. 
 
As a nutritionist, I was used to telling my clients that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I am now shifting my theory on this.
 
There are days you definitely need to get that breakfast right, but there are also days when skipping and making that first meal in the middle of the day can be of benefit to your health
. 
The word ‘Breakfast’ originally came from its actual meaning – the ‘breaking’ of your ‘fast’ – BreakFast – that is why the first meal of the day is called this. But there was no rule as to when this first meal should be. But the breakfast cereal companies found it a great opportunity to sell their products, and here we are today eating sugary, high carbohydrate foods first thing in the morning.

MY EXPERIENCE..

​ As a beginner, I decided I would only fast once a week, for a couple of weeks. 
On my first attempt, I finished my last meal of the day by 7pm, or at least 3 hours before bed and then I wouldn’t eat until 11am the next day (16 hours fasting, 8 hours feeding).

The first couple of times I struggled with how hungry I was by the end of the day with less calories under my belt. I was scrambling for all the carbs I could find until I stuffed myself. But I then realised it was a metal reaction, not a physical one. By the third time, I realised my body was functioning perfectly well.

I found that I had a lot more time in the morning, because I didn’t have to think about or prepare breakfast. I also didn’t have to worry about making special meals for the rest of the day, I just went about them as normal. I didn’t have to count calories or stress over the perfect meal, I just needed to eat fresh, wholefoods – simple.

I allowed myself some green tea, or other herbal tea and water to drink during this time – if I was a coffee drinker, I’d be allowed to have that, but no milk or sugar. I needed to avoid anything that would push me out of the fasting state and start the digestive system moving.
 
I really wasn’t thinking about food at all, and if my tummy started to rumble, it would only last a few minutes and then it was gone for the rest of the fast. I was never tired or lethargic, I actually found it easier to stay focused on what I was doing.

It was really surprised at how easy it was. I now fast 2-3 times a week, and don’t think twice about it.

This is a lifestyle that is great for weight loss, as well as a tool for general health and wellbeing.

HEALTH BENEFITS
Weight Loss

INSULIN

It is Insulin’s job to take glucose, produced by the digestion and breakdown of the food we eat, and via our bloodstream, send them to the cells of our body to give us energy.

When we have too much glucose circulating in our bloodstream, insulin will take the excess and store it in our muscles and liver as glycogen for use as energy when we need it. BUT, our muscles and liver can only store a certain amount, so this extra glucose will then be stored in our fat cells.
 
So, when we consider the number of meals we eat throughout the day and week, and the amount of energy produced by high carbohydrate foods, we find we gain weight. 
This can then create, chronically high insulin and glucose levels in our bloodstream, which may then lead to insulin resistance, which is when our cells no longer communicate with insulin and refuse glucose entry. This can further lead to Type II Diabetes.

INSULIN DURING FASTING
 
During fasting, we bring our glucose and insulin levels back within normal levels. 
Our circulating blood glucose slowly depletes, and our body will then move to using glycogen from our muscles and liver. For the last phase, we start burning fat for energy from our fat cells, which is how weight loss will start to happen.
 
If you are concerned that fasting may mean that you will start to lose muscle tone and/or start to lose energy, some other interesting information…

Increased Energy and Anti-aging

HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE (HGH) 

HGH is a hormone produced by our pituitary gland in our brain. It has the job of fuelling growth in children. Levels are highest during adolescence and puberty, then as we age they get lower. HGH's  job is to support our organs, tissues, muscles and bones.

These lower levels of HGH in adults can lead to low bone density, reduced muscle mass and more body fat. 

HGH DURING FASTING

HGH levels are at their highest just before waking or around 4am, along with cortisol and adrenaline, which rolls with our natural circadian rhythm.

When WE EAT we REDUCE the secretion of HGH, so when we FAST we are benefitting from this INCREASED amount of HGH. It has been shown to increase as much as 5 times.

This allows for the preservation of muscle mass when we fast, it's also a good time to do some resistance training to take advantage of this increased HGH, to increase our muscle mass. And yes, this is what some body builders use as a supplement to increase their muscle mass, but we can actually produce this naturally.
 
HGH increases key enzymes important in the release of fat for energy. And get this, when we encourage higher levels HGH we can also SLOW THE AGING process! Fasting gives our cells time to detoxify and recycle, clearing the way for renewal.

WHAT ABOUT MY ENERGY LEVELS AND EXERCISE?
 
This early morning elevation of Adrenaline combined with cortisol, increases the availability of glucose, which is what gives us the energy at the beginning of the day, leaving us energised and restored.
 
Exercise while fasting has not proven to be a problem, we generally have 24 hours of glycogen stored in our body before we run out, so exercising for most people is not going to be an issue. But when you have used up this stored energy, we shift to burning fat for energy.
 
Both men and women can benefit from fasting.
 
Some women may worry that it may affect their reproductive hormones, but we only find they are impacted if the woman is underweight. Low body weight can cause amenorrhoea (loss of their menstrual cycle). So, if you are a normal, healthy woman, fasting is perfectly fine.

Some suggested timings for Intermittent Fasting:
- 12 hours fasting, 12 hours feeding
- 14 hours fasting, 10 hours feeding
- 16 hours fasting, 8 hours feeding and so on..

Depending on how your lifestyle is will be when you place this in your day. For most people, fasting overnight, so that at least 8 hours are spent sleeping, which should make it easier.
Others may struggle to eat dinner early, so may find starting their fast in the mid afternoon, then going through to first thing in the morning may be easier.

Some people do 24 hour or more fasta, but more preparation and education is needed for people wanting to do that.

Thats the ease of this tool, it fits into your day in a way that suits you.
 
Fasting is not for everyone though.

PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NOT FAST

• Malnourished or underweight
• Children under 18yrs
• Pregnant Women
• Breastfeeding women 

 
THOSE WHO SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS – seek advice from your health professional before starting.

• If you have type I or II diabetes
• If you have gout
• If you have GERD 
• If you are on medications
  
  

If this interests you, speak to your health practitioner for more advice.

Author - Sally-Anne Rouch -  Nutritionist/PT