Intermittent FASTING
In recent years intermittent fasting has grown in popularity, but it is not a new phenomenon. Intermittent fasting is a regular eating plan which alternates between states of fasting and small windows of eating. Research shows it is a way to manage your health and prevent certain diseases.
Intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat, meaning you only eat during a specific time window over a prolong period. This could include certain number of hours each day, or certain days a week, and then fasting the rest of the time to allow your body to burn the stored fat.
Historically our bodies have evolved to go be able to perform optimally despite going for prolonged periods of time without food. Our historical ancestors were hunter gatherers and, according to research, often went days without eating because it took a lot time and energy to hunt and gather food. People were more active as a function of their day. Even just 50 years ago, it was much easier to maintain a healthy weight. People ate smaller portions and spent more time outdoors doing physical activities. There were no computers or social media and fast food was not abundantly available.
However, our current pop culture calls for a more extreme focus on health now. The consumption of large amounts of calories and insufficient physical work have resulted in a huge spike in obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses. According to scientific studies, intermittent fasting can help reverse a lot these ailments in people.
The key to intermittent fasting is choosing a regular time window within which to eat and which to fast. For example, you may choose to eat only during an eight-hour window each day and fast for the rest of the day. Alternatively you may choose to eat only one meal a day a few days week. There are many different ways to intermittent fast, and you can choose a plan that is suitable to your lifestyle and energy demands. The aim is to exhaust your body’s sugar stores and force it start burning stored fat for energy and function.
Always speak to your doctor before starting any fasting plan. If you have been cleared, it is best to start small, even with a smaller window of 12 hours fasting and eating within the remaining 12 hours. Starting straight away on prolonged fasts over 24, 36 and 72 hours may shock your body and send it into a famine mode where you start storing fat instead.
Intermittent fasting works well for weight management and chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, high cholesterol and arthritis. However, it is not for everyone. People intermittent fasting isn’t appropriate for include the following: h Children and teens under age 18. h Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
h People with diabetes or blood sugar issues.
h Anyone with a history of eating disorders.
Angie Ferguson is an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach from Fort Myers, Florida. She also is a Corrective Biomechanics Specialist, USA Triathlon Advanced Level 2 coach, USA Cycling coach, has a Specialty in Sports Nutrition certification, and a PHD in results! For more training tips, contact her at www.gearedup.biz