Fasting is a practice that involves consuming a specific amount of food for a period of time, typically lasting 8 to 12 hours. This supply of energy is primarily used by the body’s liver and muscles, and can lead to changes in metabolism, hormonal balance, and long-term health impacts.
Intermittent fasting (IF) and periodic fasting (PF) are emerging as safe strategies to affect longevity and health by acting on cellular aging and disease. If these fasting periods can promote healthy lifespan by exerting pleiotropic effects, restoring a fasting period or switching to a diet mimicking fasting may be an effective treatment. Studies suggest that intermittent fasting can reduce oxidative damage and inflammation in the body, leading to benefits related to aging and the development of numerous diseases.
Metabolism switching occurs when the body exhausts its sugar stores after hours without food, leading to metabolic switching. Intermittent fasting may offer health benefits for some people but can also lead to greater hunger, headaches, fatigue, and mood issues. Early results have found that some types of fasting may have positive effects on aspects of health like blood sugar control, blood pressure, and heat, swelling, and inflammation.
Fasting for a day can have various effects on the body, such as affecting the way the body uses energy. Fasting is a longstanding part of many religious practices, and people who follow a pattern of eating all their food across less than 8 hours per day have a higher risk of death due to cardiovascular disease.
Fasting depletes the liver’s store of glucose, prompting fat cells to release fats, which are then converted into glucose. Research has shown fasting to be a powerful tool to fight modern excess diseases such as cancer, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
📹 How Intermittent Fasting Affects Your Body and Brain | The Human Body
Stars like Beyonce and Hugh Jackman have spoken out about following intermittent fasting plans to get in shape. How does …
Are there dangers to intermittent fasting?
A study of over 20, 000 adults found that those who followed an 8-hour time-restricted eating schedule, a type of intermittent fasting, had a 91 higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease. People with heart disease or cancer also had an increased risk of cardiovascular death. The research authors have shared their full poster presentation for updated details about their research abstract. Patients should always consult with their doctor before making changes to their health regimens.
As with any new science development, research abstracts are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Limiting food intake to less than 8 hours per day was not associated with living longer compared to a standard 12-16-hour eating schedule.
Is 16 hours fasting enough for autophagy?
The available evidence suggests that a fasting period of between 12 and 16 hours is required to induce autophagy. However, it is important to note that fasting can be dangerous for individuals with certain medical conditions. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical advice before attempting this practice.
Why don t doctors recommend intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is generally safe for many people, but it may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney stones, gastroesophageal reflux, diabetes, or have other medical issues. It is recommended to consult a doctor before starting this diet. To stay informed about research advancements, health tips, and current health topics, sign up for free from Mayo Clinic.
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Does fasting affect longevity?
Intermittent fasting (IF) has been suggested as a potential therapy for age-related problems and a non-pharmacological strategy to extend lifespan. Despite variations in feeding schedules, underlying physiological processes remain consistent, including a periodic switch from glucose metabolism to fatty acids and ketones. IF’s beneficial effects are mediated by optimizing energy utilization. Research from human and animal experiments shows that fasting improves physiological function, enhances performance, and slows aging and disease processes.
IF has been found to have beneficial effects on metabolism, endocrine and cardiovascular systems, cancer prevention, brain health, neurodegeneration, and aging. Experimental studies on rodent models and human investigations highlight the underlying mechanisms of IF. Metabolic and cellular responses triggered by IF could help prevent disease, maximize health span, and prolong life with minimal side effects.
How can fasts be damaging?
Fasting periods can be challenging for those used to having breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. They can increase stress levels, disrupt sleep, cause headaches, and cause heartburn due to reduced stomach acid production. While some nutritionists argue intermittent fasting is effective for weight loss, some health professionals believe it is ineffective for long-term weight loss. Madelyn Fernstrom, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Weight Loss Management Center, believes that fasting is quick fluid loss, not substantial weight loss. If fasting is easy off, it will return quickly when eating normally again.
Can fasting make you age slower?
A fasting-mimicking diet may enhance health and longevity by decelerating the aging process and mitigating the risk of age-related diseases. Nevertheless, further research is required to ascertain the long-term effects and guarantee consistency across diverse populations. The study was supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), including 4R00AG052604-02, 1R01AG060110-01, and P30AG021342.
Is fasting bad for your metabolism?
Intermittent fasting, or IF, is an eating pattern that involves periods of food restriction followed by regular eating. This can help lose weight, reduce disease risk, and increase lifespan. Studies have shown that short periods of fasting can actually increase metabolism, not slow it down. Some experts even claim that IF’s beneficial effects on metabolism make it a healthier way to lose weight than standard calorie restriction.
What does fasting do to your body negatively?
Fasting may offer health benefits, but it’s important to note that it may also cause problems. People who regularly fast more than 16 or 18 hours a day have a higher risk of gallstones and may need surgery to remove the gallbladder. Eating for 12 hours and then fasting for 12 hours is likely safe for most people, according to Longo. He and his team are also exploring fasting-mimicking diets, which aim to be safer and easier to follow than completely fasting. A five-day, monthly fasting-mimicking diet that allows some food but is low in calories was tested for three months, showing weight loss and decreased age-related disease risk factors.
What are bad reasons for fasting?
Fasting should not be done for acclaim or to display one’s piety, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:16-18. It should be based on the finished work of Christ, the bridegroom, and not because we believe the flesh is evil. In a culture that elevates self over all, fasting can be a way to demonstrate our faith in God alone. The Bible has a long history of fasting, with Jesus and the early Christian Church fasting before starting a new ministry. True biblical fasting involves going without food for kingdom purposes, such as confronting sin, seeking conversion, or experiencing spiritual growth.
Fasting without kingdom purposes is not fasting but dieting. Christians should continue this practice today, as it helps them recognize their dependence on God and the importance of fasting in their lives.
Is it OK to fast forever?
Longer periods without food, such as 24-, 36-, 48-, and 72-hour fasting periods, may be dangerous and encourage the body to store more fat. Research shows that it takes two to four weeks for the body to become accustomed to intermittent fasting, and those who make it through the adjustment period tend to stick with the plan. During this time, water and zero-calorie beverages like black coffee and tea are permitted.
Is it OK to intermittent fast everyday?
Intermittent fasting can positively impact overall health and weight, but may also cause side effects like lethargy, headaches, and constipation. It’s important to avoid overeating during the eating window. Intermittent fasting is a popular weight loss method, but its benefits extend beyond weight loss to a longer, healthier life. There are various ways to practice intermittent fasting, including specific hours each day or specific days of the week, with varying approaches and results.
📹 How Fasting Affects Your Body
What can intermittent fasting do for your health? Here’s what all the hype is about. SIBO: ▶️ https://youtu.be/mkq_asOwBjU …
I’ve been unknowingly doing IF since high school, I’m 42 and people say I look early 30’s. It helps that I’m not much of a drinker either, overall I feel the same as I did in HS able to do the same physical activities of my youth with the same vigor and enthusiasm. Genetics probably plays a part too.
They don’t even mention the best benefits 1) Being in a fasted state allows the body to autophage (clean up) senescent cells (your old cells that have accumulated junk protein products and have now stopped reproducing). Senescent cells are associated with ageing, and may be precancerous cells. Multiple studies, including a 2009 Nature review article, have looked at the association between fasting, aging and cancer. Several proteins such as SIRT1 and and HUR are known to be involved, and although the complete bio-molecular pathway is not yet identified, but current findings are promising. This is all related to the studies showing that calorie restriction (therefore fasting) reliably increases lifespan 30-50% across diverse mammalian species (rats, dogs, etc). 2) Being in a fasted state is when the recycling of old and defective mitochondria occurs. Mitochondria are your cellular power plant, there are thousands of them within each cell, and they convert glucose into ATP, the energy molecule uses by intracellular processes. Similar to senescent cells, old mitochondria have accumulated damage to their DNA as well as degraded proteins and, when defective, they produce more reactive oxygen species (ROS) than clean energy (ATP). Overall, it seems our bodies are great at clean up and healing on a cellular level when they aren’t busy breaking down food and converting it into new proteins or fats. 🙂
Kinda makes a lot of sense when you stop and think about how our ancient ancestors lived as hunters. They would wake up in the morning and have to go out into the wilderness to hunt for food which could take hours, if not all day, to find pray/food. This activity was a daily intense workout for survival. Then they would eat and eat until it was dark/bedtime. Everyday the same thing for hundreds of thousands of years. Then it was only in the last 10,000 years that we started farming and storing food, gradually getting less and less active compared to our hunter/gatherer ancestors as the centuries went by. And now we are here today with “unlimited” food available to us 24/7 365 days a year, with hardly any kind of physical activity in our daily routine and we wonder why first world countries are so damn fat!!!
I have been fasting since early 2021. I normally do a 16:8 or 18:6 fast. It has changed my life. I went from 163lbs to 119lbs in about one year. I am a 26 year old female. I workout every day, not because I feel like I have to, but because my body wants to move every single day. I am in the best shape of my life. I have abs, my arms are toned, my legs are toned, my entire body just looks completely different. Yesterday I was in a bikini for the first time in 5+ years. I feel fantastic. Fasting also allows you to really tune into your body, I totally recommend it.
Been doing keto and fasting for 6 months. I’ve dropped 40 lbs, from 185 to 145, and haven’t felt this great since I was in my teens. I’m 30 now and am never going back to the inflammatory carbs that plagued my life. It was a roller coaster of physical aches and pains and erratic emotional states that will not be missed. I would encourage anyone to give keto and IF a try. Keto is a very demanding diet and requires a lot of maintenance but if done correctly the benefits FAR outweigh the initial minor inconveniences. If you’re considering taking on a healthy lifestyle such as this I suggest you do as much reading into the subject as you can before embarking on the journey (as there is a lot of misinformation out there). Keto and fasting can change your life for the better in ways you would have never thought. What we put into our bodies as sustenance impacts our day to day lives more than we know until we change it!
I’ve used intermittent fasting alongwith daily exercises to get my weight down by 20 kilos (idk how much that is in American 🤣) in 45 days. But I’ve changed the timing slightly in that earlier I used to fast from 8 PM till 12 PM the next day but now it’s 6 PM till 10 AM the next day so that I can eat something healthy before going to the office.
I used to always eat breakfast every morning because I thought it was ‘the most important meal of the day’. Now, I never eat before noon (unless I’m on vacation or it’s a special occasion). I wake up feeling light and full of energy. It’s amazing. And on rare occasions when I do eat breakfast, I feel bloated and sluggish all day. Feet feel heavy and everything. Unless you have a medical issue that requires you to eat in the morning, I recommend IF. It completely changed my life. I tried soooo hard to lose weight for so long and just could not do it. Once I got into this Only eating from noon-8 pm routine, I dropped 15-20 pounds so quickly. Basically, what I’m trying to say is, Breakfast is extremely overrated.
Tip 1: Change your mindset about food. Find a reason why you should fast daily. Tell yourself: “I dont need food to be happy or active. I always feel better when i do not eat…” If you are a Christian then you can add this: “It helps curb my desires and gives me more time to think and pray” Tip 2: Intermittent Fasting is a must do. Forget about keto diet, etc cos they are temporary and not habitual… IF is habitual and sustainable. Do not fast less than 16 hours a day. I do 18 or 20 daily, and drink water regularly… Tip 3: Meal prep is very important… Make sure you prepare your meals to last for at least 1 week, and they are easily microwaveable. It will stop you from eating unhealthy or unplanned meals. Ensure you add alot of veggies to your meals like carrots, beet, greens, ball peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc… They boost metabolic burning process and make your food rich… Tip 4: Less cardio, more strength exercises… Cardio makes you exhausted when fasting, but strength makes you feel stronger and muscle building increases your daily metabolic burning rate… I am 1-2 months in, already burnt more than 30% body fat, fitting into old clothes, feeling healthier, lighter and stronger… CONSISTENCY IS KEY!!! I wish you the best 👍
IT genuinely saved me lol. When on my previous diet I thought my metabolism was completely broken. Turns out I completely underestimated the amount of cals I was eating. Now I fast for abt 19-22 hours from 14:00 to 12:00 the next day, which pretty much lets me eat whatever I want as an Omad n I’m losing abt a pound to a kilo per week. Fast gang ough ough
I’m actually surprised people have a name for this. I’ve been eating 1 meal a day since I came into college. Occasionally I’ll indulge in two but one meal for an hour max saves so much time for other things. It’s obviously not for everyone and I’m used to it, but it’s worth a try if you can get over the initial humps
Thank you for the break down. I looked into this because I’ve been interested in water fasting and intermittent fasting so i naturally became curious of the general duration I should do either before i start feeling and seeing the results of the fast. This offered quite a bit of clarity, thanks again.
I generally skip breakfast and try not eat until lunch the next day. Somewhere between 14-18 hours depending on when I ate the night before. Some days are easier than others. It’s best if you are busy and don’t have to think about not eating. Also I find it easy to workout while fasting. Maybe not an intense 1 hour HIIT cardio or ten mile run. But a good 30 minutes. You will be amazed at how clear your mind is because your organs are not breaking down foods and sugars etc….
I have followed this for about 1 year now and have never gained even 100 grams of weight despite not exercising and having around 5 cheat meals a week. And when I started cardio every day along with this I found it much easier to loose stubborn weight compared to previous attempts. I’m looking at a progress of loosing 1kg per week. It really helps. Go for it.
I was given a lot of anti-depressants. And those affected my memory so bad. I started IF fasting and my memory is practically back to normal now. I had the memory of a goldfish but now I remember things that happened prior and happened recently. I finally feel normal and not lost or confused. And being sedentary, I have lost 30 pounds in 4 months with IF
Great article and explained very well 😊 slowly cutting a lot of the crap out of your diet is good too as fasting doesn’t mean you can eat what you want, it’s a lifestyle change that you should take time to go into instead of just jumping into and you’ll see even more benefits over time. I jumped straight in and stressed myself out but now I can do intermittent dry fasting and see even more beneficial results 😊 the less toxins are in the body the less water you need too but I’m not saying don’t drink water or a little amount. You’ll still need at least half a litre a day MINIMUM, unless you eat loads of water based fruits.
Ugh my mother doesn’t let me do intermittent fasting!! She says blah blah I’m going to be weak and starve and even though I keep telling her the scientific benefits of it she keeps ignoring it. Im overweight and my parents keep buying donuts and chocolate milk even though I tell them I’m on a diet…
after 4 months of 4-20 intermittent fasting, i lose 24kgs, my blood pressure goes normal. my wounds now healing normally(i have wound for more than a year now healed),anxiety and depression i can overcome now, i don’t get dizzy anymore when doing small things, i dont have sudden hunger that shaken my knees and all over my lower body(idk what is that its like something suck my strength from nowhere). i have more “Focus” now(this is something real for those who havent in IF yet), after 2 months IF i can cope on that “Hangry” thing(it feels normal now that i eat only in my eating period, the 4 hrs a day)…. after i go IF, it feels like i want to live more after all the mishap and sad things happened to us with my family including this pandemic period..
It’s the way our bodies are designed to eat, the vast majority of people over eat. This is a more primitive eating eg the way our body’s are designed and evolved to eat. It’s easier than you think, just eat healthy whole food, get most of you carbs and sugars from vegetables and some fruit, your protein from meats and get enough health omega 3&6 fats from Fish, Flaxseeds, Linseeds, Chia Seeds, Avocados and some nuts. You can make almost any type of food, even ones that are similar to your normal snacks for cravings. You can use coconut oil for fats too, Lamont meal for a substitute for flour. Basically get yourself or look up Keto cookbooks and recipes, they will be higher in healthy fats, medium protein and generally made from scratch. Just think for example a meal- Red meat, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and beans, drizzle some flaxseed oil over your vegetables with some salt and pepper and herb choice. A taster meal all natural, low to no preservatives. Egg omelette with some vegetables like tomato, onion, capsicum, garlic and baby spinach with an avocado. It will have all your body needs in vitamins and minerals. To get some natural sugars a meal/ snack may look like this- Natural Greek or coconut yogurt with a few blueberries, strawberries for both flavour and vitamins with antioxidants, the yogurt with have some probiotics too. With this you can add say 3 Almonds and a couple of walnuts for natural fats, chia seeds too which increases the fibre content. It’s far easier than you think.
I’m fasting for 16 hr from 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM and only eat reasonable lunch and dinner from 12:00pm to 8pm. I also do exercise in the morning for 1 hr straight and not drink water. I can only drink water after or before the workout. I drink 8 glass of water a day during or after my fast. I hope this help ✌🏾
“But scientists have discovered that fasting increases ketone levels more. Ketogenic diets can increase ketones 4-fold whereas fasting has been shown to increase ketones by up to 20-fold. As a result, fasting — compared to a ketogenic diet — may have a stronger, more beneficial effect on overall health.” Source?
I been doing intermittent fasting for 3 weeks and I work on the roof. I have energy upon energy to do the work. I’ve seen an increase in faster movement and motivation. My jobs is base off of peice rate meaning I get paid for what I do and I out do all the younger guys over and over. I am turning 31 in may and since then that I’ve been losing weight by doing intermittent fasting I’ve increase my performance at work and also increase my mental state. I feel good but I tell you what… the first weeks was the worst… so hungry…. so hungry… then the second week passed and what do you know, it is alot easier to maintain. Black coffee, green tea, Kombucha ( during meals), apple cider vingear and water are my main things to kick the hunger out. I still eat the good old meals such as ribeyes and new yorks strips and I do try to excerise regularly 3 to 5 times a week and the results are there. Best of Luck, Chan Ke
So from the start of the quarantine I have been doing the 20:4 and I have lost a good amount of weight but my mom acts like I’m developing an ED, I don’t feel like my mindset is that of a person with ED I don’t neglect food I just choose the “right” time but anyway I have heard this many times from my mom and I just keep wondering, do I really have a problem? 🙁 My dad is ok with it but my mom acts like if I don’t eat 2-3 meals I have a problem
What would happen after we leave this diet? Body tends to store fat more, right? It is form of stress so cortisol should increase, which then eventually leads to increase intra-abdominal fat and increased weight. That might lead us to a worse position than we were initially. Is there a research on what happens after we leave the diet?
Been doing IF/OMAD for about a month and a half and I have lost almost 20lbs. It really works guys. And you feel so much better. I also have more energy then when I ate a few times a day. It’s to the point now where everyone can be eating McDonald’s or sweets next to me and I don’t think twice about it!
I’m 37 weeks pregnant with my first baby, and I have an 8 year history of a battle with bulimia. I was already recovered for more than a year when I fell pregnant, but you can understand I was terrified of pregnancy weight gain and my body changes and how my mind was going to cope with it all. I have fasted majority of my pregnancy and have only gained 7kg/15lbs and I started at a healthy weight, so I’m really happy with that. I doubt I’ll have much to lose at all – and baby is healthy as can be and measures and weighs as he should. Even my doctor said to me “It’s so much easier when you don’t gain a lot of weight, isn’t it?” I eat 2000 calories and day and almost daily 40 minute walks on top :).
I’ve tried IF (16:8) in the past for 3-4 years. Since I was already lean with very active life style, and eating about the same amount as I used to throughout the day, I didn’t lose weight. However, what I’ve seen was that I didn’t catch a flu at all during that 3-4years. I was actually surprised as growing up I used to catch flu accompanying with high fever at least once a year! After that I’ve stopped IF because I’ve also noticed my self eating too much for dinner before the fasting window. I started to eat breakfast early morning and end the last meal of the day around 9-10pm. Guess what, my annual fever came back.
I did intermittent fasting for about 8+ weeks and lost about 10-15 pounds and now my bodies having so many complications now. And my sleepy cycle went from 8 hours to 3-6 hours with waking up every hour or 2 hours…haven’t gone to the Dr since 2018 and in the last 2 weeks I’ve had to do some much lab work cause my stomach is awful now. Maybe the fact that I was skinny fat prior to fasting and lost weight/muscle mass could be the reason. But even the Dr’s are trying to figure out what’s wrong with me.
On the news yesterday I saw a clip saying that intermittent fasting can lead to kidney damage and brain damage. Why would the news lie in such a way? I’ve been intermittent fasting since I was a child and nothing is wrong with me. They want us sick is the only thing i can think of and they don’t want their food to expire.
It’s *ketone bodies though, not ketons. The latter is far broader term. It’d be extremely unhealthy to have some ketones, possibly even in borderline trace amounts in plasma and urine. But acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone, are to a point ok, assuming they’re not present due to ketoacidosis obviously. Nice article. Informative! 🙂
Alternatively, a person could just eat smart. AKA, have carbs only in the morning and a small amount prior to a workout, none at night. Get rid of insulin-spiking foods, too, like wheat, flour, bread, pasta, noodles, rice, potatoes, soft drinks, alcohol, milk, fruit and fruit juice, and sugar generally. Staying active, after awhile, you’ll lean down naturally.
Pfft. Ten years ago, these same people were saying we should eat six small meals spread throughout the day. Now they’re saying one large meal. Butter is in, I remember when it was out. Fat is in, I remember when it was out. Egg yolks are in, I remember when they were out. And when something’s out, these nutritional fashionistas make it sound like you’re comprising your health hy not following trends. You can definitely be in perfect health with three square meals a day. By all means, experiment eating and not eating a different times of day and see what works for your body and lifestyle. But anyone telling you that their way is the best way, or that human nutrition is finally figured out, is probably not being fully honest with you. Listen to these people, and you’ll be revising and reversing your diet to follow the latest flawed studies every few years. The best nutritional advice is time-tested, eating traditional healthy foods that have been known as such for centuries. Let the fanatics claim tomatoes are a nightshade and will kill you, or that you’ll never lose weight eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Eating fruits and vegetables and healthy proteins is obviously healthy, and you can get in shape eating healthy foods in moderation and exercising, no matter what time of day you do it or how you spread it out. All of our bodies are different and respond differently to different foods and meal routines. We each need to experiment to find what’s healthiest for us. Don’t take nutritional trends too seriously, just eat mostly healthy foods and don’t eat too much.
This spark an interesting question with me. After perusal a lot of Penn Jillette discuss atheism and hearing people say John the writer of the book of Revelations was fasting therefore he was in a delusional state of mind. So the interesting question to me is does this not mean they were wrong and he likely reached Ketosis and therefore cognitive function should have increased not decreased as they suggest? If thats true then he not only saw what he saw but had higher cognitive function giving his story more credibility than atheist initially thought. This study is literally saying he was not only of sound body and mind but was at a much higher level of it than normal. That sort of blows my mind on a philosophical and theological level.
Good morning. Can I ask, Do you get often RETCHING while doing your fast? I always feel getting I’m gonna Vomit and so often I’m RETCHING this started at my 12th Day of Fasting until now at my 15th day is this Normal or maybe something wrong what I’m doing? Please someone help if you ever experienced this. Thank you.
More than 1400 years ago, Islam made it compulsory for all Muslims to observe intermittent fasting for 1 month during Ramadhan. This compulsion has always been criticised by all people, even until a few years ago. But turns out, it is actually good for the body. Not trying to start a conversation or “comment war” with anyone. Just wanted to let people know who weren’t already aware.
This is so wrong, it take way longer to get into keto then even 24 hours. I have been on and off on keto for long time and have been doing fasting also for few years. You need around 3 days without carbs before you start ketosis. It’s actually pretty easy to measure with a device that measure your ketones in breath
Basically what she is saying is that your body is basically starting to eat itself. You’re body is basically eating it’s own body for energy. When the fat is gone, you’re dead. Chubby people, I figure, got a few extra days to spare in time of famine. This is a survival mechanism your body is using to live. Yet, we call it a ‘healthy’ diet. It’s called a Paleo diet from the paleolithic times. Man was basically still wild (think Jane & Tarzan) during this time and ate when he/she could. And probably had to go without for days at a time. This is 20,000 years ago and today we deliberately put ourselves back into this state and call it the Paleo diet? Seems strange. You’re body starts producing this ‘ketosis’ (as the narrator calls it) in order to give you a ‘spike’ of energy. It’s not really stable energy – it’s more of the body’s flight or fight response telling you you need to find food soon.
What this article is NOT saying is that this will only work for people who are currently eating a regularly balanced diet, which is 3 meals per day. Not for you people who are already skipping breakfast and/or lunch. eating like that will only cause your body to go into preservation mode and hold on to all your Bodyfat Bc your body doesn’t know when the next meal is coming.
Muslim people who are showing Ramadan facts. Christians and Hindus have been fasting too for thousands of years…. But Ramadan is harmful and useless because firstly water is not allowed and secondly people eat alot after they break their fast(it’s like feasting on unhealthy foods) . Water is important for body’s cell regeneration and overall health… Another thing is ramadan fasting had a 12-15 hrs gap .. so it’s not much to take thee good effects from it over all.
Intermittent fasting can’t put you into full ketosis because all and I mean all of the glycogen needs to be out of the system. Even with a low carb, say 20 carbs per day or no carbs takes around 2 to 3 days to reach full ketosis, maybe even longer. How can intermittent fasting put and keep you in ketosis if you’re eating for 8 hours? The only way is if your carbs are none or very low.
The absolute best thing about intermittent fasting is how freaking EASY it is. No seriously this makes weight loss borderline childs play. Literally all you have to do is just not eat for 16 hours. Look, human body CAN operate without being constantly fed food for a long periods of time and this has been true for generations. If our ancestors could not only stay alive, but kept their high levels of health without consuming any food but water for even up to an entire week in some cases and survive then you honestly can do 16 hours per dey especially when you also realize that 8 of those 16 hours you’ll spend in bed sleeping.
I have a question. What if you not able to exercise that much? Will you still be able to fast? Is it bad if you don’t? What if you have a strenuous job and need the extra energy? What if you get a headache from not having enough energy? You have to change what you eat, right? What if you have family members that don’t want to do it? How will you plan around it? And what if you’re on your period? Will you lose energy? Or get sick? Do you have to forego the diet until it stops? What about moodiness? If you have a headache all the time, wouldn’t that effect your day? What if you have cravings? Can you be lenient? What about eating out? When will be able to do that? Does it work in people who have illnesses like anemia? What do you do if they get dizzy? Or have a nosebleed? Is it because they don’t exercise? If you do decide to exercise, how intense should the workouts be? What if something happens and they can’t exercise or do the diet and have to stop? Is it bad if they stop? Should they not do it then?
Never heard of anyone eating in an 8 hour window per day reaching ketosis without severely limiting carbs. You can cut out the carbs and eat a billion times a day and reach ketosis. But can you reach ketosis purely by intermittent fasting and NOT restricting carbs? I currently, for over a year, have been intermittent fasting and don’t think I have reached keto. I have done a keto diet many times so I am very familiar…
For people going on about their respective faiths – People used to fast before any currently known religion existed.. in fact we’re looking it from a wrong perspective, it would be more accurate to say people in mobile tribes didn’t feel compelled to eat 4-5 times a day with no overstuffed fridge and no mart nearby selling ready to eats in attractive packaging. Aside from logistics, the food they ate was not addictive.. in fact it often ran away from them!
Keto and intermittent fasting seem to be good for many things. I’ve been keto for over two years, with multiple ‘vacations,’ like when I’m traveling – or I find some excuse to buy a sourdough baguette. I’ve also been intermittent fasting during this time as well. Here’s what I’ve experienced. First, when I thought I was eating low carbs (5% carbs is a keto diet) I wasn’t even close. I had to make a database and record everything. Finally I was truly keto. Initially I lost weight, and then I didn’t. Any weight loss promises and ‘you don’t even have to count calories,’ in my experience are not true – but read on. Second, intermittent, or daily fasting. I started with 16 hours which was a bit difficult. As I became better at eating high levels of fat and almost no carbs this became easier and easier. It’s the carb diet that makes it so hard to not eat for 16 hours. This helps weight loss, and not overeating. Third, losing weight. Initially I did lose weight, but I’ve found that I still have to count calories. If I eat about 2000 calories my weight stays the same, more and it will go up. I can have a blow out holiday meal and so long as I go back to my regular diet the pound or two that appears goes away after a couple of weeks. (I put on the ‘Covid 20’ — sitting around snacking on Keto foods like nuts. For the past 4 months I’ve been taking it off; I’m down 16 lbs. First month was -7, then about -3/month since). I’m doing it by 1400-1500 calories a day, but not every day, recording my weight every morning and eating one meal a day.
It has been a part of Indian traditions to fast for many days in a year .. and not just Hindu traditions .. but in some of the fasts you are allowed to eat fruits and milk etc..most of these are either for gods or blessing and peace from ancestors .. It’s amazing to see how the Vedas put all guidelines of society without people having to know the science behind everything and m not saying it was perfect but for that time and era where other parts of the world were starting to think ..Vedas established a functional society with good morals .. please no hate.. you’re always welcome to correct my semi hypothesized perception.
But how much do you eat in the feeding-period? should you still eat to be in a calorie deficit? or can you eat around maintenance? or more? I think it makes sense to be in a deficit… it also makes sense that the less calories you consume, the faster that food in the liver, or energy, fades away, meaning that the fasting process starts earlier (?) can anyone confirm this ? should u be in a deficit?
There are only benefits from fasting. And the best part is you don’t get hungry anymore like you used to do, when you were eating carbs. No more crashes, ups and downs. Calmness follows, super sharp mind, natural high, normalised blood pressure, fat burning effect, positive mood, lots of energy, no inflammations, better sleep,great for the heart, brain, joints all organs. What’s not to like? I mean. Hello. Life is wonderful.
Fasting is God’s gift. So are great teachers like Dr. Berg. My experience is once mitochondria are fat-adapted through keto you can fast as long as you like. Recently fasted 10-days, could have easily continued but stopped to be prudent because I’m in my ninth decade. Some of the greatest benefits from fasting are spiritual.
😅 I legit just realized that I fasted a lot as a child because we were a little poor…not poor poor you know? But meals were definitely far and in between. Don’t feel sad because I am perfectly fine 😆 momma did her best and it was nine of us and she was alone, we ate when hungry not with emotions and out of habit; I didn’t have soda until I went to college and because of that I don’t have a problem ditching soda or any sugary drink because you were lucky to get ice water because that was a big deal lol. Also, when I was little the main event was to go outside and play! And I rarely got sick when I was a child. Children now days eat as soon as they rise out of the bed with bagels, cereal and orange juice. Just making light of it but I can see why I fasting wasn’t that hard for me 😄 but the benefits are very satisfying and the more I learn the more I grow.
Amazing explanations. Thank you, Dr. Berg! I fast weekly, mainly for spiritual purposes, and I have found that every time after the fast, I feel stronger, my body muscles seem more toned, I am more alert, and i feel “renewed”. Now thanks to you, I understand better the physical benefits of fasting. All the best to you, blessed Dr. Berg.
Below are some foods and beverages you can consume while fasting.👇 Water. Plain or carbonated water contains no calories and will keep you hydrated during a fast. Coffee and tea. These should mostly be consumed without added sugar, milk, or cream. Diluted apple cider vinegar. Healthy fats. Bone broth.
My blood pressure was going up like crazy so I decided to walk 5-8 miles a day and do the fasting with first meal at 11 and last one at 6. Most of my carb comes from rice( Vietnamese thing), but just 2 tbls of cooked rice. No more fruits except blueberries. I’ve lost 4 lbs in a week. My blood pressure is normalized and my energy is great.
I’m fasting everyday after 10years is weight training.., turning 28 this August 18. And I’ve never felt any better and I’ve tried many diets before form eating every 2-3hours, trying to gain muscle… not knowing is was doing the opposite… I fast everyday and usually do a 39 hour fast with two workouts in between my prolong fast… I’ve kept all the fat off while gaining muscle at the same time…: crazy right?
Fasting is pretty amazing for me. Especially combining with 6,000+ steps a day. Even though Keto/Carnivore has already gotten me down to 132 pounds (I’m 5’6). I started at 172 pounds. I still I.F. once a week, or so. My main initial interest in Keto and fasting was that I used to have hypertension. No more. My heart is now awesome. 74/122 and 54 BPM. – Experiment. The next time you are hungry. Go outside and mow your lawn. The walking, sunshine, and pushing will make your hunger go away. – I will celebrate 1 year on Keto/Carnivore September 20th. A magnificent journey. If you are new to Keto, listen and learn. –
Started 16/8 (usually 18/6) IF four weeks ago x2 meals a day. 1.5 weeks into it I unfortunately experienced a terrible gout flare which lasted 12 days. I pushed through and the pain has subsided but it’s taking a bit long for the inflammation to reduce on my big toe joint. Even with the gout flare I was able to stay active 3-5 days a week, walking, cycling, and lifting. I’m 6’3″ and started IF at 257.8 lbs. Today I weighed in at 241.2 lbs. Hope to keep the trend in the right direction.
Thank you Dr Berg for all the great information you give us. I have a question about microwave oven and whether they are ok or harmful to health. There is alot of conflicting research online that I am truly confused. My husband wants to buy one but I’m worried. Can you please make a article about microwave ovens and whether they really depleat food of nutrients and creat carcinogens. Thanks again
Had been doing Keto and IF for 16 months, had to go to a Dr, 5 months ago for a blood clot through relocating and shifting heavy furniture. He wanted to do a blood test? 🤔 so I let him 😋 when I got the results the only thing he said to me was, ” I wish my bloods were as good as yours” didn’t have time to tell him what I had been doing.🥴 Chalk that one up to Dr Berg!!! 😘
One thing I’m kind of afraid of here. I’m on my 4 th day of a water fast. But I got my heart checked out about a year ago, it’s a bit slower than it should be at 59 beats a minute. Could fasting hurt me? Also, my blood pressure all my life is normally lower than average. But I feel great right now! I started fasting because I was hoping to improve my gut, because I have IBS. About midday through my 3rd day my gut feels way better though, so I’m happy for that.
We were raised to eat three meals per day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. We are told these days to skip breakfast and only eat lunch and dinner. What’s next? In the future they will tell us to only eat dinner. 😅 Intermittent fasting is not for growing children – they need three nutritious meals with snacks per day.
I’ve been doing IF 20:4 and very low carbs (less than 30 grams carbs from greens or some nuts) for the past 3 months, I lost weight, my energy level is all good, I feel good too, the only thing that didn’t seem to be working well with me is my concentration and memory, I still feel I’m in a brain fog sometimes and I forget more while fasting. It gets immediately better after I eat! Not sure why.
I have been recently diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis and I have been following your content from past two years. I have a hope that keto diet helps in this situation as well, but couldn’t find much information on your website regarding keto benefits and Ankylosing Spondylitis. Can you please share some light on Ankylosing Spondylitis and Keto benefits?
I am 29 years old and diagnosed with stage 1 hypertension and on medication. I’m also overweight at 96kg for a 5’7 guy. Recently, I have also experienced terrible bouts of acid reflux. I used to eat 3 times a day and I believe the reflux is caused by my digestive system getting overworked. When I started intermittent fasting earlier this month, I noticed my BP readings getting better. I now have an average reading of 112/77. It rarely goes higher than 120/80. I am still taking my meds but I’m hoping my dosage will be reduced or even stopped entirely when I visit my doctor next time. I also lost weight. I’m now 3 weeks into IF and shed around 6 kgs. My acid reflux seem to have subsided as well. I’m no longer experiencing chest pains anymore. I haven’t shifted to Keto yet. As an Asian, it’s hard for me to entirely cut carbs from my diet. But I am slowly making the transition. As Dr. Berg advised in his articles, you need to ease into it. For now my carb intake consists a mix of black and red rice. These are rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins. I entirely cut out refined sugars from my diet. Until I saw Dr Bergs articles, I had no idea refined sugars were silent killers causing lots of diseases. I am doing an 18/6 IF and during fasting I sustain myself by drinking 2 tablespoons of extra virgin coconut oil and ginger or turmeric tea. I once did a 24 hour fast and loved it. I wish i could take longer fasting windows. However, my medication doesn’t allow me to do that at least for now.
I haven’t done intermittent fasting before and started with going down to 2 meals a day and no snacking with a 10 hour break between breakfast and dinner- I feel so much better, all the sugar cravings hav gone and it feels quite amazing as I could not stop the sugar cravings in th past. So I know this really works as my own body is the proof. Thank you
I watched Dr Berg’s earlier articles on intermittent fasting an thought I’d give it a go . I tipped the scales at 94kg always been into fitness but carried little bit of extra meat around mid section. With closure of gyms perfect time to try, combined with mountain bike exercise. I skipped breakfast fast total time 17to 20hrs. I keep carb intake to a minimum . Would ride bike during my fasting time. Found first 30 to 40 mins felt like slug once burnt thru the glycogen stores in muscle damn I was total different world. My endurance increased lost no strength in gym workout, and I lost 11kgs in 6 months. Thoroughly recommend it.
Now think about what the Word says about fasting, most think of fasting in regards to spiritually, yet fasting has a powerful physical aspect to it as well, when the two aspect combine, make a mountain moving combination both physical and spiritual… You won’t hear that in a church… Luke 8:17, …if my people…
Was comfotably nomad.before a small stroke and another blockage june 2020 that cant be operated on due to the location. Autophogy seems to be my only hope..My problem is i need take pills with food twice per day. Any advice from you would be GREATLY appreciated. I lost 50 before by stokes and believe they would have been much worse if not for keto. TY!
But you don’t talk about the side effect these are all good things on 2nd day I felt headaches and on the 7th day felt bad again but body feels okay headaches why and what can I do please can you please suggest what I do I feel I’m tired too. but on 6th day felt dead haply and lively and no problems due to the ramdan fasting what can yiu suggest please can you reply to me Thank you so much
Dr Berg, do you perhaps know when the world decided that there must be three meals per day (must be a Westernised concept I’ll bet)? I know you’re talking about intermittent fasting, but I’ve been fasting now for 15 days and I’m planning on 30 days, though it’s for spiritual reasons. But of course I reap the physical benefits as well. I guess we’re confirming what God always knew about fasting hey?
NEW COMMENT: \t Aug 13, 2020, 4:10 PM EDT Doc, I am researching many weight training and weight muscle development sources and articles. I subscribe to doctor W. Davis (wheat belly.org) For several years now and have cut out all grains,sugars, pasta, or any wheat products. Is it true that these fitness trainers are able to consume such things because of the intense amount of exercise they do without any adverse effects from the gluten/ Gliaden?? Thanks for everything! R. B.
In 2017 my body started to show early signs of IR. For 2 years I was tested for any and all diseases under the sun. Was put on medication for neuropathy made me go insane. January 2019 my body shut down. I would become physically exhausted putting socks on. To make things worse I put 85 pounds on weighing in at 345 pounds. I started perusal a few keto websites on YouTube January 2020. IF and healthy keto I now weigh 225 pounds and feel like a teenager. I’m 39 years old been overweight for 30 years, but I was a standout athlete. Wrestled for 8 years played football and baseball. I was stronger and had better cardio then most. My diet was terrible. Sweets,redbulls, carb crazy. Long story short IF and healthy keto will change your life stick with it.
Dr Berg, will prolonged fasting break down my huge ovarian cyst? I don’t want a surgery. It’s my day 2 of water fasting. My goal is 10 days. I feel quite down emotionally but trying to stay strong. I read stories that period comes back to those who had amenorrhea around day 6 of fasting. All I want is to get rid of the ovarian cyst and get back my period…
Peace be upon you, Doctor. I am Muslim from Algeria. We are very happy with the advice and assistance that you provide us in challenging our bad habits and in response to your beauty. Tonsils are the Indian premium and it is known to the Indians and it is effective for killing germs and viruses without side effects. Please read and study the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad. To know the truth. Thank you.
Muslims have been fasting (the dry fast – nothing to be placed in the mouth a little before sunrise till sunset) for around 1500 yrs (since it was obligatory in our Holy Book) unfortunately upon breaking the fast: we attack sugar and carbs!! So “fasting” itself is hugely beneficial because our Creator imposed on us, which is for a good reason. I am glad that science finally found it to be beneficial, too.
Dr Berg, on my second month of IF. Started with 16/8, then worked up to OMAD last month. This month I have completed a 70 hour and a 72 hour fast. I have lost a ton of weight. but I have terrible pain in my rib cage and sternum. I do a lot of crunches, and HIIT. But it’s getting too painful now. What do you think my issue is? Not giving up but it really hurts.
Im 1 hour shy of 72 hours. I hope i can last for 120hrs (5 days). I work in corporate and currently WFH. Busy with closing means im in my chair for a very long time. No better time to do it i guess. My thought after those many hours is im surprised i have so much energy and im not hungry. It just comes and goes in a few seconds and gone for the next few hours. When my stomach growls and then stop, i tell myself my body is eating my fat. Hope its true!!
Couple questions..what is the minimum amount of hours a person needs to fast for for it to be considered “fasting” and to achieve benefits, especially weight loss? I ask because it is “disruptive” to the functioning of my relationship if im constantly in a state of not being able to eat. This pretty much ruins common occasions such as eating out, family get togethers, dinners and anything else we do together. Apparently, it is “hard” for my husband to enjoy eating if i am with him and not eating, and unfortunately, eating is something he gets alot of enjoyment from😐 2nd question is it true that once you gain fat cells, youre stuck with them for life, and the most you can do is control their size through good diet and exercise, which helps with weight loss/decreasing the fat cell size, but doesnt actually eliminate the fat cells completely? Thanks in advance!
Anyone or doctor Berg, does intermittent fasting help with cholesterol levels? This is probably coincidental but it seems to have made my levels worse or something has and I eat very well, healthy foods. Seems to cholesterol was better when I wasn’t eating so healthy so I’m wondering if those lab results were wrong and refused the statins to wait for another Blood check in about 3 months. Any response would be appreciated. Thanks
That’s perfect for my first ever chosen day of total fasting. I mean – I ate yesterday. Today is water plus right now exactly one green tea with no sugar etc, but with 3 types of herb (just tiny bit). It will help me to survive after this article. Not easy, but it would have been much much worse before keto, and before low(er) carbs as well. It was a one year process. But I have found dr Berg only recently. My happy day that was! Also, I did two days of “fasting” on vegetables (called the Daniel fast). But I think I prefer this extreme version but shorter. And then just IF. We decided (my and my husband) to water fast on all Fridays. Just watched almost all – I do not feel relaxed exactly… It’s ok, but not peaceful and relaxing, particularly when I have 4 young kids under 12 y o eating carbs – low, definitely, but they are growing, and transitioning to more and more healthy diet. Junk foods are out, veg seed oils as well, only full-grain bread is left, but we still use it for them. So, no, dr Berg, not relaxing 🙂 But who know, perhaps my heart feels that way! 🙂 Also I have weed/grass polen alergies all through August (in Poland) so, that’s definitely not cool.
So this is what I have learned through fasting… I am two people, the person before the meal and the person after the meal. Before I discovered fasting was I always the person after the meal? Maybe. I just want to be the guy before the meal all the time now so I eat after 7pm. It’s a whole way of living that people have no idea even exists.
“Fasting will lead to the production of more mitochondria…” I don’t think this is correct, doc…The disorders, like Alzheimer, or cancer, are linked to metabolic disorders, which are caused by mitochondrial metabolic disease i.e. malfunctioning of mitochondrias… Fasting, which leads to nutrient and energy deprivation of cells, doesn’t, or shouldn’t lead to more mitochndrias… If anything, to the opposite…