In this week’s podcast, we discuss Intermittent Fasting
Podcast Topic starts at 12:00 minute mark
What is Intermittent Fasting (IF)?
Intermittent fasting is simply time restricted eating. For example, you eat your first meal at 10 am and your last meal at 6 pm.
This example is a 16/8 IF, meaning you fast for 16 hours and your feeding window is 8 hours. During a feeding window, there is no limit on how much you eat.
IF can be anywhere from 12/12 to one meal a day (OMAD).
I’ve never heard of IF, is this a new idea?
No this isn’t a new idea, it’s now just being rediscovered. Think of our ancient ancestors for a minute. Before the invention of fire, the only light source was the sun. I can’t see in the dark and neither could they. Everyone I know eats in the light so they could see what they’re eating. It’s not a stretch to assume that our ancestors would only eat during daylight hours, a natural IF protocol.
What can I eat during my fasted state?
Fasting is a spectrum, not a light switch. The less you consume, the better, but don’t worry about putting a little something in your stomach if it will push back your feeding window longer. Here is a quick list of approved foods starting with the best:
- WATER!!!
- Salt
- Minerals
- Coffee/Tea
- Bone broth
What to avoid?
Avoid consuming anything sweet, even if it has no calories. Many artificial sweeteners can trick your body into producing insulin because it thinks you’re consuming sugar. Keeping insulin levels low is the key to fasting.
What should I eat during my feeding window?
A real food low carb/high fat diet would be best, but you can still get some of the benefits on any diet. A low carb/high fat diet will help your body adjust to using fat for fuel and make the fasting period much easier with fewer hunger cues.
This is called being fat adapted. Being fat adapted allows our bodies to better utilize and tap into our own body fat stores for fuel. Also it allows us to better metabolize large fatty meals.
Show Notes
IF Effect on Fat Loss
Many people start this type of diet looking to lose weight. Insulin (fat storing hormone) levels will be lowered, especially during the fasting window. This will allow you to use your body fat for fuel and will result in fat loss.
However, growth hormone will be higher on this type of diet. This is because insulin and growth hormone have a Yin-Yang relationship. When insulin is high, growth hormone is low. However, when we lower insulin, we allow growth hormone to become elevated. This will spare muscle during the fasting window and can result in greater muscle gain if you are exercising. As a result, you may not lose weight, but will still lose fat.
This has been shown in studies when comparing traditional calorie restriction and Intermittent Fasting. The IF and CR group lost similar amounts of weight but the IF group lost less muscle. The growth hormone has a muscle sparing effect. When we lose weight, we want to lose as much fat as possible and as little muscle as possible.
“These findings suggest that these diets are equally as effective in decreasing body weight and fat mass, although intermittent CR may be more effective for the retention of lean mass.” LINK
Results showing calorie restriction caused more weight loss from muscle, not fat. Because when insulin is high, your body can’t metabolize fat adequately, so it will pull calories from somewhere, including muscle if it’s forced.
IF Effect on Diabetes
Promotes insulin sensitivity LINK – That is the root cause of diabetes. It’s not a disease of too much sugar. That’s just a symptom. It’s a disease of too much insulin, which eventually leads to your cells becoming insulin resistant, then your blood sugar rises.
Improves insulin resistance in diabetics. “Results reveal superior decreases in body weight by CR vs IF/ADF regimens, yet comparable reductions in visceral fat mass, fasting insulin, and insulin resistance. None of the interventions produced clinically meaningful reductions in glucose concentrations.” LINK
Diabetes is reversible through fasting – LINK
IF Effect on Autophagy – LINK
Autophagy means that cells break down old damaged proteins into amino acids. The amino acids can be converted into glucose by the liver (gluconeogenesis), converted into glucose in the citric acid cycle, or combined to form new proteins.
When insulin is low, glucagon is high. Elevation of glucagon signals cells to begin the process of autophagy, by reducing acetyl coA pool. LINK
“Kinetic experiments performed in vitro on human cell lines cultured in the absence of nutrients indicate that depletion of the nucleocytosolic pool of AcCoA occurs before ATP is reduced, NADH is oxidized, and amino acids are depleted from the intracellular metabolome, at the same time as autophagy becomes detectable”
When insulin is low, growth hormone is high. The elevated growth hormone signals the body to turn those amino acids into new proteins.
It is the body’s way of recycling old parts during times of fasting.
IF Effect on The Brain
With insulin levels being low, your body is able to convert stored body fat into ketones. Ketones are the preferred fuel source for your brain.
From an ancestral perspective, if you could not get a kill on one day, then the next day your ketone levels will be higher making you a sharper, more focused hunter. This process will continue, up to a point, until you get your kill. Your body does not want you to starve to death, so there are mechanisms in place to survive.
Silicon valley CEOs are using fasting as a tool to increase their mental focus and work performance. LINK
Benefits On Top of Losing Weight
More freedom throughout the day. Don’t worry about having to eat every few hours.
Promotes better control over appetite/hunger cues.