Many of you have probably heard of certain religious practices
requiring a person to 'fast' for so many days, meaning the person
refrains from eating any solid food for a certain period of time. Many
people view this as 'starving' yourself and frown upon the idea,
especially because we have been told over and over again that we need to
eat many small meals throughout the day to keep our metabolism running
smoothly. I'm about to shatter this myth and show you why what you think
you know is far from the truth.
System Overload
Most of us have been told that our bodies need constant fueling in order to produce the energy we need to get us through the day. Although eating many times throughout the day may be fine for some, for most it is a problem because they are simply consuming too much, too often! When you eat a small meal, your stomach may take one to two hours to break it down and fully digest it. When you eat a larger meal however, the stomach may take up to 8 hours to digest what you've eaten! The problem is many people constantly feed their bodies more and more food to the point where the body can't possibly digest it all without sacrificing some things, such as your energy and brain functioning. Ever notice how after you eat a large meal you feel tired and sluggish? This is because all the blood flow in your body is rushed to the stomach to assist in breaking down the food you just ate. This leaves less blood, which supplies your energy and oxygen, for other parts of your body, including your brain. So, if you choose to stick with your 6-meal-per-day philosophy, at least cut down on your portion size so that you don't overload your system and sacrifice your much-needed energy.
Metabolism Myth (One meal or Six meals?)
Our body is a machine, an intelligent one at that. Let's compare it to a car in terms of fueling. Normally, you fill up your car with gas once, and then the gas is slowly (or quickly) depleted until you have to fill it up again. We need to begin looking at our bodies as if they were a car that needs fueling. Just as you wouldn't fill your car with gas if it had a full tank, you shouldn't fuel your body with food when you've already eaten enough to last for days, not to mention the body fat you've stored that could last for months. I realize that eating has become a compulsive habit, so it is difficult for someone to go long periods of time without food, but the point I'm trying to make here is that you don't need 3 to 6 meals a day to lose weight or be healthy. One common misconception is that we need to eat often in order to fuel our metabolism, and that not eating will send our body into starvation mode and we will in turn store fat. The truth is that when you eat a meal, your body's metabolism is then increased so that the food can be digested. Once the food is digested however, the metabolism returns to the level it was previously at. The metabolic increase is directly proportional to the energy required to digest the food. Therefore, you will burn no fat by eating more often. In fact, you are more likely to store fat because you are more likely to exceed the needs of your body. You should not attempt to increase your metabolism by eating. It doesn't work. One thing that does work is exercise. Exercise is great for burning fat because you are expending energy, not taking it in. Fasting is also great for burning fat because it forces your body into a catabolic state. Let me delve into this further...
Catabolic vs Anabolic
Anabolic refers to the process of building, or using smaller things (amino acids, molecules, etc) to make bigger things (muscle tissue, skin, organs, etc). Catabolic refers to the breaking down of larger things into smaller things that can be used for energy. For example, the breakdown of fatty tissue produces fatty acids and glycerol which are used by the body directly for energy. When we eat a meal, our digestive system break the food down into smaller particles that can be used to build muscle tissue, organs, blood, etc. This puts the body in an anabolic state. When all this material is used up, the body enters a catabolic state. It then begins to break down fat and stored sugars for energy. A period of fasting will cause the body to maintain this catabolic state for a longer duration in which the body can detoxify itself, break down excess fat, and repair damaged tissue and organs. Contrary to some people's beliefs, being in a catabolic state will not make you lose muscle. The body will break down the stored sugars and fats in your body long before turning to your muscle tissue! Being in a catabolic state is beneficial for many other reasons, such as hormone regulation.
In the society we live in, where we are taught it is good to eat many small meals, most of us are in an anabolic state the majority of the time. Our bodies are then always in 'build' mode and never get the opportunity to cleanse and detoxify themselves, not to mention get rid of unsightly fat. Fasting is a great method for losing fat, cleansing your body and building muscle all at the same time! So how do you do it exactly?
Fasting Methods
There are many ways to fast. Some methods are extreme and difficult to stick to, while others are suitable for just about anyone. There are 2 ways of fasting that I would recommend. Decide which one is for you and try it out. They are not difficult once you adapt. The first method is a weekly fast. For one day of the week (you choose) you don't eat any solid food whatsoever. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. For example, you eat dinner Sunday night and then go to bed. You wake up Monday and don't eat anything all day. Go to sleep Monday night, wake up Tuesday morning and then break your fast, which is by they way the reason for the name 'breakfast.' This would mean you fasted for approximately 36 hours. This may be difficult for some people, but I assure you it will be easy after the first few times.
An easier method and the one I personally use is daily fasting. Every morning, I wake up and go to work without packing a lunch. That's because I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I don't eat all day until I get home at about 4 PM and I don't eat past 9 PM usually. This shortened eating window means that by the time I wake up every morning, my body is in a catabolic state. So all day while I'm at work, my body is able to repair itself and burn its fat stores for energy. Since I'm not eating, no energy is used for digestion and overall I have much more energy throughout the day than if I were to eat breakfast or lunch. Also, since my eating window is so small, I can eat much more food at once. This is very satisfying and it helps me sleep better too. I recommend daily fasting to anyone trying to become healthier, more lean, or even someone trying to build muscle and get ripped.
Use caution when fasting and do your own research before you begin. I am not an expert. I am only relaying information that I have learned through research and experimentation. Best of luck on your journey to a healthier, happier lifestyle.
Benefits of Fasting:
System Overload
Most of us have been told that our bodies need constant fueling in order to produce the energy we need to get us through the day. Although eating many times throughout the day may be fine for some, for most it is a problem because they are simply consuming too much, too often! When you eat a small meal, your stomach may take one to two hours to break it down and fully digest it. When you eat a larger meal however, the stomach may take up to 8 hours to digest what you've eaten! The problem is many people constantly feed their bodies more and more food to the point where the body can't possibly digest it all without sacrificing some things, such as your energy and brain functioning. Ever notice how after you eat a large meal you feel tired and sluggish? This is because all the blood flow in your body is rushed to the stomach to assist in breaking down the food you just ate. This leaves less blood, which supplies your energy and oxygen, for other parts of your body, including your brain. So, if you choose to stick with your 6-meal-per-day philosophy, at least cut down on your portion size so that you don't overload your system and sacrifice your much-needed energy.
Metabolism Myth (One meal or Six meals?)
Our body is a machine, an intelligent one at that. Let's compare it to a car in terms of fueling. Normally, you fill up your car with gas once, and then the gas is slowly (or quickly) depleted until you have to fill it up again. We need to begin looking at our bodies as if they were a car that needs fueling. Just as you wouldn't fill your car with gas if it had a full tank, you shouldn't fuel your body with food when you've already eaten enough to last for days, not to mention the body fat you've stored that could last for months. I realize that eating has become a compulsive habit, so it is difficult for someone to go long periods of time without food, but the point I'm trying to make here is that you don't need 3 to 6 meals a day to lose weight or be healthy. One common misconception is that we need to eat often in order to fuel our metabolism, and that not eating will send our body into starvation mode and we will in turn store fat. The truth is that when you eat a meal, your body's metabolism is then increased so that the food can be digested. Once the food is digested however, the metabolism returns to the level it was previously at. The metabolic increase is directly proportional to the energy required to digest the food. Therefore, you will burn no fat by eating more often. In fact, you are more likely to store fat because you are more likely to exceed the needs of your body. You should not attempt to increase your metabolism by eating. It doesn't work. One thing that does work is exercise. Exercise is great for burning fat because you are expending energy, not taking it in. Fasting is also great for burning fat because it forces your body into a catabolic state. Let me delve into this further...
Catabolic vs Anabolic
Anabolic refers to the process of building, or using smaller things (amino acids, molecules, etc) to make bigger things (muscle tissue, skin, organs, etc). Catabolic refers to the breaking down of larger things into smaller things that can be used for energy. For example, the breakdown of fatty tissue produces fatty acids and glycerol which are used by the body directly for energy. When we eat a meal, our digestive system break the food down into smaller particles that can be used to build muscle tissue, organs, blood, etc. This puts the body in an anabolic state. When all this material is used up, the body enters a catabolic state. It then begins to break down fat and stored sugars for energy. A period of fasting will cause the body to maintain this catabolic state for a longer duration in which the body can detoxify itself, break down excess fat, and repair damaged tissue and organs. Contrary to some people's beliefs, being in a catabolic state will not make you lose muscle. The body will break down the stored sugars and fats in your body long before turning to your muscle tissue! Being in a catabolic state is beneficial for many other reasons, such as hormone regulation.
In the society we live in, where we are taught it is good to eat many small meals, most of us are in an anabolic state the majority of the time. Our bodies are then always in 'build' mode and never get the opportunity to cleanse and detoxify themselves, not to mention get rid of unsightly fat. Fasting is a great method for losing fat, cleansing your body and building muscle all at the same time! So how do you do it exactly?
Fasting Methods
There are many ways to fast. Some methods are extreme and difficult to stick to, while others are suitable for just about anyone. There are 2 ways of fasting that I would recommend. Decide which one is for you and try it out. They are not difficult once you adapt. The first method is a weekly fast. For one day of the week (you choose) you don't eat any solid food whatsoever. Just make sure to drink plenty of water. For example, you eat dinner Sunday night and then go to bed. You wake up Monday and don't eat anything all day. Go to sleep Monday night, wake up Tuesday morning and then break your fast, which is by they way the reason for the name 'breakfast.' This would mean you fasted for approximately 36 hours. This may be difficult for some people, but I assure you it will be easy after the first few times.
An easier method and the one I personally use is daily fasting. Every morning, I wake up and go to work without packing a lunch. That's because I don't eat breakfast or lunch. I don't eat all day until I get home at about 4 PM and I don't eat past 9 PM usually. This shortened eating window means that by the time I wake up every morning, my body is in a catabolic state. So all day while I'm at work, my body is able to repair itself and burn its fat stores for energy. Since I'm not eating, no energy is used for digestion and overall I have much more energy throughout the day than if I were to eat breakfast or lunch. Also, since my eating window is so small, I can eat much more food at once. This is very satisfying and it helps me sleep better too. I recommend daily fasting to anyone trying to become healthier, more lean, or even someone trying to build muscle and get ripped.
Use caution when fasting and do your own research before you begin. I am not an expert. I am only relaying information that I have learned through research and experimentation. Best of luck on your journey to a healthier, happier lifestyle.
Benefits of Fasting:
- Increased break down of fatty tissue
- Hormone regulation
- Increased ability of the body to detoxify itself
- Able to eat more food in a shorter time-frame, leaving one feeling more satisfied
- Increased energy
- Improved sleep
- Clear mind (No brain fog)
- Less time spent eating which means more time doing the things you love!
Intermittent fasting has allowed me to lose weight, get the
6-pack I always wanted, and most importantly - it made me feel ALIVE and
clear-headed, allowing me to be more productive in my day-to-day
activities. It is easy and worth a try! I recommend you check out this
site for the best weight loss and muscle building products: http://www.intermittentfasting4life.com
Article Source:
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