The Benefits of Fasting

October 14, 2019 1:12 pm / Posted in , , ,

Many nutrition and fitness experts over the past couple of decades have encouraged people to eat smaller, more frequent meals to promote health and weight loss. The theory was that small, frequent meals sped your metabolism up. That meant you could eat small meals every couple of hours and lose weight without being hungry. People did what they were told, going from the 3 square meals they grew up eating to 6 smaller meals throughout the day. The problem was that this advice was actually contradicting what science was telling us.

It turns out that our bodies, which haven’t changed much genetically since our caveman days, are very well-adapted to running without food for prolonged periods of time. Nutritional studies have shown that fasting – i.e. abstaining from food – for a good chunk of your day can have excellent health benefits. Fasting has been proven to:

  • Help with blood sugar control;
  • Fight inflammation;
  • Promote brain health; and
  • Help with weight loss.

It’s a powerful tool for health – and you can try it for free!

So how can you incorporate fasting into your routine? Here are some ways to do so:

  • Shorten your eating window by skipping breakfast or dinner;
  • Leave more time between meals by skipping snacks during the day, decreasing the total amount of daily meals from 5 or 6 to 2 or 3;
  • Take your time to adjust to a new eating schedule. Gradually increase the amount of time between your last meal of the day and your first meal of the next day.
  • Fast for a full day once a week if you feel so inclined. People have been fasting for religious and cultural purposes for a long time and it’s perfectly safe to do so. Want to challenge yourself? Go for it!

All in all, fasting can have serious benefits and get you to your fitness goals much more quickly. As with everything, though, I really recommend you listen to your body – it’ll tell you if fasting isn’t for you. If you’ve ever experienced disordered eating, have diabetes, or are pregnant: check in with a doctor and mental health practitioner before trying this! 

Have you tried skipping some meals/fasting? How did it go for you? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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