10/18/20

#63 Intermittent Fasting

 It might be a trending topic but fasting is hardly new, it dates back to the and is one of the oldest forms of self-healing advocated by the Greek physician, Hippocrates of Kos dating back some 400 BC. 

We talked about Fasted Cardio in Blog 48 here so feel free to take a look at this specifically.

There is lots of published research on the effectiveness of fasting, unfortunately, almost all the science is based on studies of men, not women. 

Check out the video above for some simple changes you can make, especially if you're a woman.

In short, if you are a woman, you're best results long terms are to get up and exercise fasted, meaning you haven't eaten beforehand. The aim is to eat 2 hours of getting up and 30 minutes after exercising. At lunch have a meal higher in protein then head into dinner looking to fuel yourself with protein, vegetables, and good fats. 

If you can, aim for your last meal at 6 p.m. finishing off at 6:30 p.m. then not eating until 7:30-8 a.m. in the morning you are essentially fasting for 13 hours. 

This is best suited for women's hormones and our circadian rhythm. It's a sweet spot. Good for mood, immune system, and reducing cravings. 

You'll burn more fat as a fuel, avoid eating into your muscle stores to hang onto as much muscle tissue as possible. 

• Breakfast like a King (with most of your carbohydrates) 
• Lunch like a Prince
• Dinner like a Pauper

A big part of the effectiveness of the key points above is working with your body.

Check out the clip above for full details. 

Remember it has to work for you, and you may need some personalized tweaks especially if you're an athlete, pregnant, or breastfeeding.