Intermittent Fasting - Optimize Fat Burning

Intermittent fasting, or just “fasting” in general, might sound kind of scary, but it could be a great way to optimize fat burning and results in the gym. Fasting may seem like a new fad diet, but rather is a tradition that has been around for thousands of years. It has long been used by religions as a type of introspection and prayer, but there are also several proven health benefits such as: reduced cancer risk, longevity (and quality of life), improved cardiovascular health and gene repair. These benefits come from calorie restriction), which is proven to help people live longer. Most people, however, don’t find the idea of constant hunger very appealing. New research shows that people that practice intermittent fasting can receive most, if not all, of the same benefits of severe calorie restriction, with a few modifications to their eating patterns. The “change in eating patterns” refers to periods of fasting lasting anywhere from 16-24 hours.

In the short-term, intermittent fasting can help you optimize fat-burning, weight-loss, and even reduce the amount of time you spend in the gym. Intermittent Fasting (IF) helps you burn fat because you allow your body to enter into a “fasted” or post-absorptive (non-meal processing) state, which begins about 12 hours after your last meal, causing much lower insulin levels in the body and thus facilitating fat-burning. Weight-loss generally occurs with IF because you are not taking in as many calories as you normally would eating three times (or more) per day. It is good advice, however, to try to at least temporarily keep the amount of calories you consume the same as before beginning an intermittent fasting program, so as not to shock your body. Training can become more effective because of these fat-burning and weight-loss benefits, as well as because of the gene repair that your body will automatically do when it enters into a fasting state.

There are several different schedules that you can follow to begin a program of intermittent fasting such as daily, weekly, alternate day, or even one 24-hour fast once a month. All of these types of IF bring you the benefits of calorie restriction and a longer life. It’s not as hard as it sounds, so don’t be afraid to further investigate intermittent fasting and try it for yourself.