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Our ancestors knew a thing or two about fasting.
They couldn’t roll through the 24-hour bison drive-thru if they were feeling peckish — they ate when they could, fasting for significant periods of time, and utilizing food as fuel for survival. They felt the adrenaline rush of the hunt, the physical exertion of the kill, and the satisfaction of eating the fruits of their labor. Their bodies were lean, mean, hunting and gathering-machines.
And us? We open an app for cheeseburger delivery at 11 p.m. and wonder why we have trouble dragging ourselves off the couch.
So how do we drop the 24/7 eating-cycle, help our bodies to burn fat, and improve brain and body function?
Enter intermittent fasting.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent Fasting is a method of meal timing that breaks days or weeks into feeding and fasting intervals. Meals are eaten during a set period — between noon and 8 p.m., for instance — followed by a set interval of fasting. (In this case, fasting occurs for the remaining 16 hours of the day, which is known as 16/8. We’ll talk more about that later.)
Research has shown that intermittent fasting accelerates fat loss by using up the body’s stored glucose — aka carbohydrates1. According to practicing physician and Harvard University professor, Monique Tello, MD, “Between meals, as long as we don’t snack, our insulin levels will go down and our fat cells can then release their stored sugar, to be used as energy. We lose weight if we let our insulin levels go down. The entire idea of Intermittent Fasting is to allow the insulin levels to go down far enough and for long enough that we burn off our fat.”
The benefits of intermittent fasting don’t end with fat loss.
Intermittent fasting has also been shown to help the body moderate stress responses, increase longevity, and decrease the risk of certain diseases, including cancer and obesity2. Some of the added benefits you may experience during intermittent fasting include:
How to Get Started with Intermittent Fasting
By now you’re probably saying, “All that sounds great, but now what? How do I use intermittent fasting to turn myself into a fat-burning machine?”
One of the best things about intermittent fasting is its accessibility — it costs absolutely nothing and requires no special equipment. It may sound too simple, but all you really need to get started is to start. Simply decide on a feeding/fasting schedule and you’re ready to roll. And while there are a ton of different approaches, here are some of the more popular intermittent fasting methods so you can pick one that’s right for you:
It’s important to remember that intermittent fasting is not an exact science. It may take some trial and error to find out which method works best for you. If you choose to try intermittent fasting, be prepared to make adjustments or try a new method if something isn’t clicking for you.
Tips for Maximizing Fat Loss with Intermittent Fasting
One of the toughest things about beginning intermittent fasting can be shifting your mindset. Cravings can be overwhelming at first — your brain may be screaming like a hangry 3-year-old because it THINKS you need to eat, even when you may not be hungry.
But stick with it and you can start to see some serious results. Here are some strategies to help maximize your fat loss and set yourself on the path of success:
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References
1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0303720715300800
2. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMra1905136
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/
4. https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/72/5/308/1933482
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2405717