Intermittent fasting for weight loss?

T

TomasKY

0
Ok, I'm now interested in intermittent fasting, espacially as a way of losing weight, and I did some research on it. But I also would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Here is my research:

Intermittent Fasting can be done in many different ways, but in general it comes down to these two:

1. Fasting 16-19 hours a day and eating during 5-8 hours a day.
I will try eating between 12.00 noon and 20.00 pm.

2. Fasting 2 days a week, for example Thursday and Sunday or whichever days you prefer. (Some people fast every other day, but I think that might be too severe, the point is to find a lifestyle…)

Possible benefits:

A number of studies have shown beneficial effects of IF in animals, including:

* a study finding "reduced serum glucose and insulin levels and increased resistance of neurons in the brain to excitotoxic stress"

* a review of previous research that found that IF "enhance cardiovascular and brain functions and improve several risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke including a reduction in blood pressure and increased insulin sensitivity" and that "cardiovascular stress adaptation is improved and heart rate variability is increased in rodents" and that "rodents maintained on an IF regimen exhibit increased resistance of heart and brain cells to ischemic injury in experimental models of myocardial infarction and stroke."

* a review of research on ADF and CR found that ADF "may effectively modulate several risk factors, thereby preventing chronic disease, and that ADF may modulate disease risk to an extent similar to that of CR"

* a study suggesting that IF may "ameliorate age-related deficits in cognitive function" in mice

* a study suggesting that IF significantly improves biochemical parameters associated with development of diabetic nephropathy

* a study showing that serum from humans following an IF diet had positive effects (reduced triglycerides in men and increased HDL in women, as well as reduced cell proliferation and increased heat resistance) in vitro on human hepatoma cells

* a study showing resistance in mice to the effects of gamma irradiation

* a 2008 study showing lifespan increases of 40.4% and 56.6% in C. elegans for alternate day (24 hour) and two-of-each-three day (48 hour) fasting, respectively, as compared to an ad libitum diet.

* a 2009 study on rats showed markedly improved long-term survival after chronic heart failure via pro-angiogenic, anti-apoptotic and anti-remodeling effects.

It is possible that IF may function as a form of nutritional hormesis.

sources:

General Info

A study on mice

Starvation mode and fasting

LA Times

One more study


So, if you've ever experimented with intermittent fasting, leave your opinios please.
 
And the negative side effects?

Finding it very hard- if not a tourture to do and keep on doing- if it were easy to lose weight or not eat, there would not be such things as obesity, the diet and fitness world, gastic bands and a £million industry (if not billion!) involving diet pills, diet drinks, diet scams and etc.

The binge cycle you create by doing this could also ruin all your efforts.

The shutting down of your body- of certain organs or muscles feeling weak- try exercising at a high intensity with that!

The low mood created by fasting- not straight away but given a few days or if your lucky, a few weeks, the seratonin in your brain will drop as a result and your mood will drop- if you comfort eat, this will make things feel harder, if you were motivated to lose weight, this may change. If you have mental health issues, they may worsen.

Giving your body mixed signals, well, there are theories on this. One would be that you could easily promote the hormone Cortisol which would if you at all over ate, (and remember your body will be in super slow mode if your not eating for so long). Cortisol would promote that fat be kept around your waist, adding to your physique a few unrequired inches. The reason it decides to lay fat there is because it thinks there is a famine and is trying to store food. You eat and it sees there is food, but is aware its in short supply so it retains it instead of using it to build muscles or suppliment your organs or repair any damage caused by daily wear and tear. It thinks needs those extra calories for when there is another famine and keeps those extra calories in a place which is easily ontainable; around your waistline.
It takes a long while for your body to stop doing this- to utilise the calories properly and not store everything so a choice like intermittent fasting would best be for life unless you want to undo all the weight loss you had done.

Seriously, I used to be anorexic, then I had anorexia and bulimia, even now years later, I gain weight around my stomach, have three different dress sizes going on and am asked daily if I am pregnant. I was even asked if I was pregnant when my BMI was 15. I'd go all day without eating a thing, drinking tea with sugar at random times then going home to eat where I felt safer to eat. For a good few years I relished the hunger pangs, the fainting feeling- it felt like a punishment I'd earned that I felt too weak to see or go out with any of my friends, I would be very emotional- cry at anything, feel hurt by everything- its amazing what lack of food can do. It really destroys a normal lifestyle and whilst it worked for my mental state at the time (I felt like I deserved it) its really not something I'd recommend.

These are just a few off the top of my head, there are likely more, Intermitten fastng is fine if your happy to do so but please don't be under the impression that its any sort of Holy Grail!
 
I think it's ok if you are very responsible about it. Mike Nelson at extremehumanperformance.com just did a 24 hour fast. He doesn't do them often and he is a body builder / PHD in nutrition and exercise. I trust him, but everyone has their own opinion I guess.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top