Health and Fitness Mistakes - Fasting

We've all heard it,

"Fasting puts your body into starvation mode!"

It seems like this has to be true, because so many "experts" say it is. But, what does the research say? A study out of the University of Rochester showed that metabolic rate did not decline until after 60 hours of fasting, and then only by approximately 8%. True starvation doesn't actually occur until after about 72hours of not eating, at which point the energy source for the body becomes the breakdown of proteins (muscle). Prior to this point, the body relies on fat and glycogen stores to fuel the muscles for energy. Once the body reaches the point of having to breakdown proteins for energy, the body goes into survival mode. Basically, if we haven't eaten in quite awhile, the body wants us to go find something to eat, and it tells us to do so, by producing adrenaline and noradrenaline, which increases our base metabolic rate, making us hungrier, and causing us to go find food. Whereas, when we start losing muscle, we become weaker, and less able to seek food, as well as, slowing our metabolism, and making us more suceptible to illness. 

There is a growing amount of research that suggests that fasting actually can be beneficial to our health. Studies have shown that fasting increases insulin sensitivity, stress resistance, fat oxidation, and life span, and can reduce the risk of disease. Fasting for 16-24 hours can improve your health and help you burn MORE fat. In fact, intermittent fasting routines, are built around the strategy of breaking your day up into fasting and feeding periods, some even calling for 16-20 hours of fasting, and 4-8 hours of feeding. Basically, you eat ALL of your day's calories in a relatively small window of time, which requires fairly large meals, especially if you are strength training.

Also, if trying to use intermittent fasting, while working out regularly, you need to use proper meal and workout timing. Basically, you should have a pre workout meal of approximately 30 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrates, and a post workout meal of 30 grams of protein, and between 30-40% of your total daily carbs.

Finally, and this is the way I prefer to do it, you can work in a planned fast a couple of times a week. Try skipping breakfast (on a day when you aren't lifting) and have your first meal after 12-16 hours of fasting.