Now may be the perfect time to change your diet. Especially with Halloween tonight, Thanksgiving looming and the Holiday season fast approaching. A great way to avoid the typical Holiday weight gain is to change how you eat. Have you tried intermittent fasting yet? We know diets don’t work long-term. In addition, very low calorie diets (VLCD) have been shown to lose muscle mass as well. What is a good option? Try intermittent fasting in conjunction with weekly strength training sessions to maintain muscle mass.
Intermittent Fasting (IF)
Basically, intermittent fasting (IF) is a pattern of eating, not a diet. There are different types of fasting. “Research shows that intermittent fasting is a way to manage your weight and prevent — or even reverse — some forms of disease. It comes down to giving yourself a window of time, during the day/evening, to eat your meals. For most people that window is from 12 PM to 8 PM. There are different versions of IF. Some people prefer to fast 12, 14 or 16 hours as examples. Eating 12-8 PM would be considered a 16 hour fast.
What Should I Eat and Drink When Fasting?
During the hours you fast, do not consume food, drink only water tea or black coffee. During the day you can eat your calories between 12 PM until tonight, around 8 PM. Obviously, the goal is to eat healthy during the window you can eat. Focus on getting three servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit each day. Avoid processed food and snacks. Limit added sugar and alcohol. Consume high protein foods, and healthy carbs and fats. Drink plenty of water. Finally, work on getting 25-30 grams of protein with each meal and any protein drinks.
First, Determine a Baseline
- Record your bodyweight at the beginning and end of your fast.
- If possible, get a body fat measurement done.
- Take a girth measurement as well. (Men = Waist, Women = Hips).
- Keep track of how many grams of added sugar you eat each day while IF.
Benefits of IF
Here are just a few of the many health benefits of IF.
- You tap into your fat stores more when fasting. Fat burning typically begins after approximately 12 hours of fasting and escalates between 16 and 24 hours of fasting. The amount of fat utilized by the body is also dependent upon the type of diet (i.e. low carb, high protein, etc.)
- Fat loss
- Weight loss
- Increased energy
- May help to improve metabolism
The Key: Turning on the “Metabolic Switch”
“When we fast, our bodies run on stored energy. Initially, that energy comes from glycogen, the stored form of glucose found in the liver and the muscles. But once we’ve fasted for some time, the liver runs out of glycogen and switches to producing chemicals called ketone bodies from metabolizing fat. The mitochondria then use these ketone bodies instead of glucose to get their energy.” This means if we extend our fast beyond 12-hours, our bodies to weight by burning fat.
Final Thoughts
For those who think fasting is too overboard, try to fast for shorter period of time. First, try a day or two of fasting for 12-hours. Progress, over the next day or two, and try 14 then 16-hour fasting. Keep up on weekly strength training sessions. Make sure you’re still getting the right amount of protein needed for your body to maintain or build lean muscle while fasting.
Reference
Bubnoff, Andreas (2021). The when of eating: The science behind intermittent fasting. Knowable Magazine.
Stay Strong Together
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