Why is fasting working for so many people right now? The answer is simple, because in a world filled with confusion and misinformation surrounding food, there is no confusion with fasting. Don’t eat. Period.
Fasting may feel like a recent trend, but the practice has been around for centuries. Typically defined as abstaining from eating or drinking anything with calories for a set period of time, there are many different ways of fasting. You guys know that with anything health-related, I always approach it from an ancestral viewpoint. Throughout history, people have always been in either feast or famine. There was either scarcity or abundance. But today, we don’t experience that. We simply drive down the street to the grocery store or pull in a drive-thru when we feel the first hint of hunger enters our body. This is one of the primary reasons that I am so against the 5 small meals per day approach to weight-loss. We were not meant to always have access to food.
I hope that your health goals are deeper than just weight-loss or just a better physique. I sincerely hope that you are prioritizing areas like longevity and disease prevention. Numerous studies have examined the results of fasting on not only weight-loss but also things like brain health and heart health. Keep reading to find out why you should start fasting, today, or maybe tomorrow!
Benefits of Fasting
Improved Body Composition: Many of those who try intermittent fasting are doing it in order to lose weight. Because you are eating fewer meals intermittent fasting should decrease your overall calorie intake, and it may also increase your metabolic rate. Increasing your metabolism will help preserve muscle tissue to reduce body weight and body fat.
Brain Health: Fasting may induce autophagy, a process in which the body cleans out damaged cells, in order to regenerate newer cells. This process can boost brain function and protect the brain from damage. Fasting may also improve certain metabolic features, which can aid in the formation of new neural pathways, improving brain function, memory, and learning.
Heart Health: Fasting may improve heart health by improving blood pressure, cholesterol levels, blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and triglycerides. Fasting has also been associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease.
Immune System Health: Fasting can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidative stress is associated with aging as well as many chronic diseases. Reducing both oxidative damage and inflammation in the body should have benefits against both aging and development of many common diseases.
Types of Fasting
Now that you understand the many benefits of fasting, how do you choose a fasting diet? There isn’t a one size fits all approach to fasting, which is probably why there are so many different types of fasting diets. It’s important to select a method that fits your lifestyle. You can try experimenting with different types of fasting to find what works best for you. Here are some of the most common:
16:8 Fasting Diet – This is probably the most popular intermittent fasting diet. In this fasting diet you limit eating to a single eight-hour window every day, generally between noon and 8 p.m. The basic 16:8 doesn’t restrict your food choices during your eating window. Once you’ve adapted to a 16-hour fast you may choose to try an 18-hour fast with a 6 hour eating window.
5:2 Fasting Diet – Following this fasting diet allows you to eat as usual for 5 days per week, and then limiting calories to 500-600 maximum for 2 days a week. To feel less hungry you can space your fasting days between eating days.
4:3 Fasting Diet – In this fasting diet you fast every other day. On non-fasting days you eat normally and on fasting days you limit yourself to 500 calories. This fasting diet can be harder to adopt long term.
Spontaneous Meal Skipping – This diet relies on an intuitive approach. Simply skip meals when you don’t feel hungry and follow your normal diet when you do eat. For best results eat a diet that’s low in carbohydrates and high in quality fats.
24 Hour Fast – 24 Hours isn’t as long as you think. Simply eat dinner, and then skip breakfast and lunch the next day. You will eat dinner 24 hours after your last dinner. It’s simple and is a great weekly or monthly approach.
72 Hour Fast- This type of fast is not for the beginner, but takes the autophagy to the next level. For those that want to clean out their bodies, press the reset button, accelerate cellular recycling, and go into a deep state of ketosis, this fasting practice is a good idea to do twice per year or even once per quarter.
How to Start Fasting
No matter what kind of fasting diet you choose, there are some tips that can help:
- Stay hydrated with regular water intake.
- Stock up on go-to drinks to help carry you through your fast, such as plain tea and coffee.
- Cut back on carbs to avoid the blood sugar crashes that come during fasting periods.
- During your eating hours maximize your nutrient intake by eating healthful whole foods like vegetables, quality fats, and pasture-raised meat.
Oh, did I mention that I am going to be launching a FREE fasting community soon? You will be able to join me in my fasting practice and receive updates, encouragement, and videos right to your phone. Sign up here to be the first to take advantage of the FREE service.
Fasting is a practice that is associated with a wide array of potential health benefits, everything from better brain function to increased weight loss. Coupled with a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle, adding fasting into your routine could benefit your health. At Tolleson Health Advisors we know that making lasting lifestyle changes can be overwhelming. That’s why we create a personalized step-by-step roadmap for you with easy to follow action items.
Are you ready to discover what optimal health looks like for you? Is a consistent fasting practice what you are missing? Book a free strategy session to get started.
Key Takeaways
- Fasting is a practice that has been around for centuries.
- The health benefits of fasting include weight loss, brain health, and heart health.
- It’s important to select a fasting method that fits your lifestyle.
- Coupled with a nutritious diet and a healthy lifestyle, adding fasting into your routine could benefit your health
- Tolleson Health Advisors is here to help you create a personalized step-by-step roadmap with easy to follow action items.