Golnaz Taherian | Arts Editor
Featured Image: The 16/8 method involves fasting for 16 hours followed by eight hours open window. | Courtesy of Pixabay
People are always looking for new ways to improve their physical and mental well-being. There’s a myriad of techniques and lifestyles out there for people to manage their weight, and lead an active, healthy lifestyle. One such method that has been growing in popularity, is intermittent fasting.
What exactly is fasting? Fasting is a word often associated with religious and spiritual traditions of asceticism, such as Buddhism and Islam. However, modern fasting often takes place in a wholly secular context. All that is required is for one to willingly abstain from solid food for a set period of time. This practice produces a range of beneficial effects.
Intermittent fasting is the most practical form of fasting for the modern, preoccupied student or worker. Rather than fasting for a prolonged period of time, intermittent fasting is based upon a daily, rhythmic eating pattern. Basically, one alternates between periods of abstention and consumption.
Although there are various types of intermittent fasting, the most popular and sustainable option is the 16/8 method. This involves skipping breakfast and fasting for 16 hours (including sleep), followed by eight hours wherein one may eat as they please. For instance, one may eat from noon to 8 p.m. All food consumption is packed into that time frame. However, during the time of fasting, coffee, tea and water are permissible (none of which contain calories).
Fasting was forced upon our ancestors. In our hunter-gatherer days, food sources were rare, and our opportunities to eat were sporadic. Early humans would stuff their guts when they had the chance, which would fuel their activities through prolonged periods of hunger. In our modern epoch, some people have the chance to practice fasting by choice.
Rest assured, there’s concrete evidence for the benefits of intermittent fasting. York Professor in the school of Kinesiology and Health Science, Dr. Noah Wayne, notes that medical science has put the practice to the test. For example, “time-restricted fasting,” where eating is restricted to an eight-hour period (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.), has been tested, and “there is evidence to suggest that there are metabolic and health benefits,” associated with it.
Wayne points to a study published in the journal: ‘Cell Metabolism’ which “showed that this form of intermittent fasting improved insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and oxidative stress in men with pre-diabetes (although it did not lead to weight loss).”
Wayne is careful to note that intermittent fasting requires a corresponding healthy diet in order to benefit from it. “Whenever approaching any form of new diet, it is important that the foods you do eat be healthy and nutritious. This means eating a mostly plant-based diet, limiting meat intake, and avoiding processed foods and refined sugars. So, if you practice intermittent fasting, but eat poorly, you are not doing your body good,” he says.
It’s expedient to maintain one’s general health during the process of fasting. Specifically, Wayne notes that it’s essential to exercise when practicing intermittent fasting. He cites recent research in the European Journal of Sports Science showing that exercising during intermittent fasting is both safe, and also beneficial to building muscle.
“Timing of exercise sessions should be carefully chosen so as not to overlap with a prolonged fasting period since it is important to have a post exercise snack to help build muscle and replenish electrolytes,” he says.
Intermittent fasting also works well with meditative practices. S.N. Goenka, for example, teaches a 10-day Vipassana Meditation course. In it, mature students have a daily program of fasting after noon. After they get through the initial hurdle of hunger, students find themselves adapting to the ascetic regime. Wayne notes that the early morning is the ideal time to meditate, because the body, while not digesting, is able to direct energy to the act of meditation.
The professor returns to the theme of mixing general health with fasting. He explains “brain-fog when fasting is typically a concern for people who are not eating healthy during times they do eat, and/or are not drinking enough water. he suggests consuming something to replenish electrolytes and rehydrate the body to combat these feelings of ‘brain-fog,’ such as water with lemon juice and salt.”
Dr. Rolando Ceddia, York kinesiology professor, states that there are some studies that show people who practice intermittent fasting improve insulin sensitivity and manage glucose control better. “When you do intermittent fasting, in the hormonal environment, the genes that are activated during that time actually improve the metabolic control,” he says.
According to Ceddia there have been some studies that show intermittent fasting improves metabolic health for people with insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and those who intend to lose weight.
Ceddia notes that even though intermittent fasting is important for one’s health, eating the right food is also vital. According to Ceddia, if you restrict your period of food consumption too rigidly, and you are irresponsible with what you eat, you won’t experience the positive benefits.
Ceddia discourages the extreme approach to intermittent fasting, such as a 22-hour daily fast. “A less strict approach gives you the better result because you have plenty of time to eat different things. You don’t have to eat everything in one single sitting in a short amount of time. So, the 16/8 method is a lot healthier than a 22-hour fast and two-hour open window,” he says.
For instance, Kai Dingman, member of the York Lions swim team, used to fast for 22 hours and eat for only two hours. He says that he had to cut down on fasting due to his hard training sessions. When asked about the effect fasting had on his swimming performance, he says: “It might’ve helped if I did it properly. It has helped me lose weight really fast, but I’m struggling with exhaustion and lack of nutrition. Swimming has been a mess, which is why I’ve tuned to a dietitian now.”
Issa Abi-najem, a personal trainer at York’s fitness centre, tried intermittent fasting in the past. His intention was to not only lose weight, but also determine whether there were “any noticeable physiological changes associated with the practice.”
“Due to a time period restriction in which you are able to eat, there feels like a greater freedom of choice when it comes to food selection compared to alternative food restrictive diets. The first 2-3 weeks of not eating a meal upon waking up was a challenge. Once that hurdle has passed, it becomes a manageable lifestyle to adhere too,” says Abi-najem of his experience.
Working out on an empty stomach might seem daunting, especially when it comes to energy-intensive exercises such as weight-lifting, which require big, hearty meals. However, there are many people who manage to exercise while maintaining their fast.
Abi-najem states: “Initially, weight training was difficult when fasted, especially due to the fact that I compete in powerlifting. Although after about two weeks I had adapted to fasted training.”
Some studies demonstrate that working out while fasting can be beneficial for the body. According to an article entitled “Should you eat breakfast before exercise?” by Dr. Joseph Mercola, an osteopathic physician, exercising on an empty stomach is vital for one’s fitness goal as it causes the body to burn fat. In other words, one’s body breaks down fat for energy.
Mercola explains the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) manages the body’s fat-burning process and the SNS only operates during fasting and exercising.
Mercola notes that: “You can get many of the same benefits of fasting and exercise by exercising first thing in the morning, when your stomach is empty. This is because eating a full meal, particularly carbohydrates, before your workout will inhibit your sympathetic nervous system and reduce the fat burning effect of your exercise. Instead, eating lots of carbs activates your parasympathetic nervous system, (which promotes energy storage—the complete opposite of what you’re aiming for).”
Mercola states one should be mindful of eating the right food after heavy lifting on an empty stomach. He recommends eating a “fast-assimilation protein” meal 30 minutes after the workout to maximize results.
Although Mercola encourages exercise during fasting, he lists some factors that need to be considered when making this decision. An individual’s medical history, age and medications all factor into the process. Mercola also encourages people to listen to their body’s flow and rhythm. Moreover, if one feels a lack of energy before exercising, it’s recommended to eat a small, nourishing snack such as whey protein.
Martial Artists are amongst the enthusiasts of intermittent fasting. Sadib Haque, president of The Martial Art Club @ York, practices intermittent fasting while cutting weight. He remarks that: “You lose weight, while putting on muscle.”
Haque sites a study in which people on different meal plans with different eating windows, undergo the same workout program and calorie intake. The study found that a seven- to eight-hour eating window is the premium ratio to simultaneously lose weight and gain muscle.
Haque notes that the discipline which comes with intermittent fasting gives him mental clarity. He states that: “Fasting itself pushes for more growth and strength. It’s always a routine because you’re always eating at one period of time. So, it’s the structure that gives me mental clarity, I don’t think the meal itself does.”
According to “10 Common Intermittent Fasting Myths” by Dr. David Jockers, a doctor of natural medicine, functional nutritionist and corrective care chiropractic, there are many myths when it comes to intermittent fasting. One of the most pervasive ones is that intermittent fasting causes people to become irritable due to feelings of starvation. Jockers notes that people may feel a bit grumpy at first if they are used to eating five to six meals a day. However, this is because the body is not used to it, and it takes time to adjust to a new eating pattern. He encourages people to start by fasting once a week, to slowly become accustomed to it.
“Once your body begins to adapt to going longer amounts of time without food, you may actually notice that you feel best when you are fasting (no cravings or irritability at all). Many people take advantage of heightened mental clarity during their fasting period every day to get some of their most challenging tasks done for the day!” says Jockers.
According to Jockers another misconception about intermittent fasting is food cravings. He notes that even though for the beginners, intermittent fasting can increase food cravings, it later reduces them. He adds the best way to battle craving for coffee lovers is turmeric fat burning coffee; for tea drinkers keto matcha green tea; and for those who would prefer a caffeine-free drink, dandelion coffee alternative.
“Improved insulin sensitivity helps to stabilize blood sugar and ward off cravings as your body become metabolically flexible,” he adds.
In 2018, there are plenty of people looking for new ways to improve their bodies and minds. Athletes, students, and working professionals alike are interested in the plethora of diets, exercise routines, and vitamin combinations. Fortunately, science has come a long way towards quantifying the exact requirements for, and benefits of, practices such as intermittent fasting.
Intermittent fasting can be, but does not necessarily need to be, religious. Numerous scientific studies, along with supplemental anecdotal reports, have proven that, if done correctly, intermittent fasting produces a myriad of positive effects, from clarity of mind to diminished food cravings.
It can help build muscle, cut fat, and can even help manage serious medical conditions. Health-conscious readers looking for a new approach to their fitness regimes are encouraged to take a deep and thorough look at the often misunderstood, holistic and beneficial practice of intermittent fasting.
