The decision of our bodies to enter a fasting state is dependant on a hormone called “Insulin”. When our bodies consume any food or beverage containing calories, the production of insulin is triggered to process the food and provide our bodies with energy.

As we mentioned in the previous newsletter, our bodies store adequate supplies of energy for survival. When we fast, our bodies tap into this energy source to maintain our daily energy levels. When our stored energy levels get depleted, our bodies begin to convert fat as an energy source and this is how we lose fat through fasting.

My main reasons for fasting are because it is simple, flexible and time efficient. Fasting fits my schedule, and skipping a meal or two can save you up to 1 hour each day of eating and meal planning time. It’s important to note that weight loss is not the only reason to fast. Fasting also helps reduce the workload on our digestive systems and can promote better gut health. Since your calorie intake is reduced, so as the load on your digestive system, our bodies can enter a longer rest state for better recovery.

For those interested in fasting, there are a number of different fasting options you can try, ranging from 16 hours to a week or even two weeks. I personally recommend the following three patterns as the easiest way to start, they are 16 hours, 24 hours and 36 hours-fasting. It is recommended to fast consistently every week so that your body adapts to this new method of eating and the benefits can begin to kick in.

Depending on your daily habits and schedule, a 16-hour-fasting is best to be done every day, meaning you need to finish all your meals within an 8 hour window.

For the 24-hour-fasting, only one meal is allowed throughout the day so it is suggested to do this only three to four days per week.

Finally for the 36-hour-fasting, you are expected to skip eating for the day and start eating on the next day morning. Therefore, it is only recommended to do this a maximum of two to three times per week.

In the next article, I will be talking about how to properly start your intermittent fasting with Do’s & Don’t tips during the fasting and eating window, and provide more information on how to safely execute it.

Feel free to hit the gym and talk to me if you are not getting the results you want!

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