Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is not a fad or health trend.  Many studies have shown that it can have powerful effects on your body and brain, it has even shown to help promote a longer life.  

So what is intermittent fasting?

Well in short it is an eating pattern that cycles thru periods of not eating or eating lower calorie amounts and periods of normal eating.  It’s not a diet in and of itself but rather a great supplement to a healthy lifestyle or diet.  

Fasting is a way of life that has been prevalent for much of human history, until food became readily available.  It is a natural process that allows your body to process and distribute the energy (calories and nutrients) that you eat.  The current societal norm is to eat many meals and many diets still base their process on 3-5 meals a day.  By doing this we never give our metabolism and gut a chance to settle down and process the food we have recently eaten.  Fasting on the other hand is a great way to allow your body the time it needs to process and utilize what we eat.  Therefore, fasting has shown numerous positive benefits for the body.  

But where do you start? Let me start with a disclaimer, not everyone can fast as in zero caloric intake for extended periods of time depending on health. Especially diabetics, Those with blood sugar regulation problems, low blood pressure, certain medications, those trying to conceive or breast feeding. You May just need to eat it is perfectly fine actually, fasting is often referred to as not eating. However, Fasting Can also be extended periods with limited caloric intake. There are 4 types of fasting I will cover:

Types of fasting

16:8 fasting

This method of fasting: involves limiting your caloric intake to an 8 hour window. This method is the easiest to follow, because the 16 hours of non eating can be during hours of sleep. This is the window that allows your body to begin to heal and to process all food.

An example of this, is I only eat between the hours of 10am - 6pm. I try to follow this method 5 days a week. Sixteen hours is an optimal time for your body to reset its metabolism, purify blood, reduces the risk of obesity, lower fat stores, lower blood sugar, and produce hgh.

Alternate day fasting

Alternate day fasting method: with this method of fasting, you would fast for a 24 hour period on non consecutive days. This is often referred to as eat stop eat. This will allow your system to be completely cleaned out. Your blood, your gut, and it will restart your metabolism. There are many health benefits to fasting like this. However keep in mind as mentioned before this method may not be for everyone. For some that need to eat more often due to illness or disease.

An example would be to not eat from noon on Monday to noon on Tuesday. Then don’t eat again noon on Thursday to noon on Friday

5:2 fasting

With this method of fasting you consume a maximum of 600 calories, two days per week. Then you eat normal the other dive days of the week. There are two ways you can do this method of fasting.

The traditional way- is to eat 600 calories or less on two non consecutive days of the week. Then you eat normal the other five days of the week. While doing keto every day of the week including the five “normal eating days” would be still following your keto macros.

A great example is to choose say Monday and Thursday this gives your body time to properly digest and utilize or store the remaining calories. As well giving your gut time to remove the sludge it holds. Which is the cause of many illnesses and short term weight gain. I would highly suggest that during those days you eat clean. Meaning no dairy, no alcohol, no processed foods, no canned or boxed foods, no fast foods, no sugar and alternatives. Now I know this might be hard for some, so do what works for you. Give up what you can, let your body cleanse itself. Be sure to consume plenty of water when you fast. Stick to meat, vegetables, nuts, and limited fruits. Also be sure to maintain your keto macros.

Extended fast

This is really only for those experienced with fasting. To follow this method you go 24 or more hours with no caloric intake. This can be; 24, 36, 48.... hours I have seen some practice a 100 or more hours. This form of fasting can provide some amazing benefits to your body.

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