Intermittent fasting basics
Intermittent fasting has been around for thousands of years and is as of recent, gaining popularity for a variety of reasons.
The practice goes along with our ancestral wisdom that our bodies were designed to adapt to temporary stress, like heat, cold and intermittent periods of fasting.
When your body is placed under stress like this, it responds by making changes that make you stronger, faster and smarter so you can have that next meal.
Why Intermittent Fasting
And Why I wish I started sooner
Think about it, if our bodies went haywire every time we went hungry, instead of adapting, evolution would have ceased ages ago. What we are doing is mimicking ancestral patterns that have led to successful evolution up to this point before chronic disease showed up on the scene. When we take a break from eating we are giving our digestive system a break, a chance for our cells to renew, increase detoxification, clean up old cells parts and regenerate cells. Intermittent fasting triggers regenerative processes in your body and activate longevity pathways in your body.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting:
Increases brain power, focus and clarity
regulates hunger hormones and signaling
emotional regulation
blood sugar stabilization
grow new brain cells
reverses insulin resistance
reduces inflammation
reduces blood pressure
weight loss
Fast way to achieve ketosis
Fights disease in the body
Increases brain blood flow and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor(BDNF)
Even though we sometimes refer to intermittent fasting as a diet, especially when talking about the different ways you can do it, it’s not a diet. The reason it’s not a diet is that you can literally eat whatever you want (almost) during your eating window. So, while different methods and proponents will offer different eating plans with the way of eating, you can choose whichever one you want to go with.
* Calories Matter – This plan causes weight loss by limiting the calories you consume. If you can no longer eat at will anytime you want to, you’ll naturally lower your calorie intake. However, you also need to boost your intake sometimes if you’re under eating to ensure you get enough.
* Macronutrients Matter – Most proponents say that while you can eat what you want, you should focus on high-nutrient food and avoid prepackaged high-carb junk food. No matter what plan you choose, you need to eat enough nutrients to be healthy. Ideally a high-fat low carbohydrate keto-type diet with plenty of greens will be easiest to slide into a fast because your body is already adapted to burning fat.
* It’s All about Healing the Body – Most people know that when they’re sick, they should not eat as much. Not eating allows the body to put the focus on healing other aspects of itself and putting to use the nutrients and savings (fat) that you have.
* Lowers Your Insulin Burn Rate – When you don’t eat as frequently, you tend not to burn as much insulin, which means your sugar levels will remain more stable. You’re not going to experience as many ups and downs on this way of eating as your body grows used to the plan.
* Turn into a Fat Burner – Your body is going to burn more fat during fasting times than during eating times. If you never fast, you may not burn as much fat. Your body is lazy; it wants to burn energy that is easier to get to such as food you just swallowed. Burning fats produce more than 50% more energy than glucose and burning fat is our bodies preferred fuel.
* Hunger Is a Good Thing – While at first you may be hungrier on this plan than you are on other plans, the truth is, your body will grow accustomed to it. Plus, some of the hunger you think you feel now is really thirst. After a couple of weeks, you should not feel as much hunger other than before you eat. Hunger is good because it brings acid with it to digest your food.
* Simplified Meal Planning – It’s easier to plan your meals on this plan than others, which makes it more likely for you to stick to it. Since you can eat what you want, you’re not going to have to buy any specialty foods unless you simply want to.
* Ends Snacking – You don’t snack on this program at all, unless something serious is going on (then you can enjoy a 50-calorie snack to avoid messing up your fast). When you don’t snack and you let your tummy get empty, your digestion is going to be much improved and eventually you’ll end the constant hunger and low energy attacks that you have now.
The entire idea behind this way of eating is simple. Let yourself get hungry so that your body can properly digest food. Give your body a break so that it can figure out what it needs. Feed your body nutrients that improve health, avoid simple carbs, unhealthy fats and sugars, and eat all you want of the high-nutrient foods during your eating windows. If you follow these guidelines, you won’t get anything but good results from this plan.
Lifestyle changes life Intermittent Fasting has helped me lose over 100 lbs years ago and KEEP it off to this day!! Join the FREE Facebook group HERE to learn, share, encourage, and inspire others with their journey to better health, regardless of where you are on your journey.
Disclaimer: The information contained in our website, blog, products or services have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and is not intended to treat, prevent or cure any disease. Our intent is not to replace any relationship that exists between you and your healthcare provider. Rather our aim is to serve as your guide on your journey to better health and help you reach your health and wellness goals by implementing positive, healthy and sustainable lifestyle changes to help you live and thrive.
Tommy Markov is a Functional Nutrition Professional and Wellness Educator with a Master’s in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine. He specializes in healing the person, not the condition. He is passionate about uncovering the root cause of his client’s ailments and incorporating an integrative mind-body approach.
Tommy’s knowledge of the interconnectedness of body systems helps him identify imbalances before they manifest into dysfunction and disease, allowing for an effective preventative approach.
Tommy has been working in the health and fitness industry since his 20’s, ranging from health clubs, hospitals, medical practices to currently founding his own thriving practice, Living Wellness Solutions, after overcoming his own health challenges.
Tommy has appeared as a guest and expert speaker on numerous podcasts, speaking events, as well as being a nutrition and supplement consultant. Most recently, Tommy became a proud partner of F.L.O.W. Wellness Center in Abington, Pennsylvania, where he incorporates Functional Medicine and Nutrition along with various other healing modalities and practitioners.
