The facets of Intermittent Fasting and how to do it right.

Hello everyone,

Having discussed the Keto diet and all it's different versions and variety, I now wish to discuss intermittent fasting because so much has changed on the issue of fasting since I first started fasting . There is new evidence of the things we should and shouldn’t do.

What I share in this article are the results of a lot of research on my part and what I have tested and what worked for me. You don't have to agree with me or even try it. So, if anyone is reading this article with a view to criticism, this is your time to leave. 

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting is not a diet. It is a meal timing pattern. It is a change of how often and when you have your meals. So intermittent fasting can be applied to any diet that you are on, whether Keto, carnivore, vegan, or any other.

Forms of Intermittent Fasting.

Time restricted feeding where you restrict the number of meals and increase the time spent not eating.

The 12.12 Fast: Meaning 12 hours on the fast and 12 hours off. 

 The 16.8 fast: fasting for sixteen hours and eight hours off the fast.

The 18.6 Fast: Eighteen hours on and 6 hours off, and the 

20.4 fast, and 22.2 fast all come under the category of intermittent fasting.

Alternate Day Fasting 24-hour alternate day fasting is the flexible dieting of the fasting world because it allows a lot of slack. You fast one day, then eat the next.

The 5:2 is fast, also known as the Hollywood fast. This method is where you eat regularly for 5 days a week and fast for 2 days.

The One-Meal-a-Day fast. Consume just one meal a day. This fast is best when done a few days a week. Done every day for weeks or months can crush our metabolism, sending it into malnutrition. 

Remember fasting is not a diet but a meal timing pattern so it’s all about the time of when your fast starts and when it ends, and what the time spent away from food does for our bodies.

What Is Prolonged Fasting?

Anything fasting over 24 hours, and you are now in a Prolonged fast. Prolonged fasting is not for a daily schedule. It is what you do less frequently, maybe every two or three weeks.

The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting.

The benefits of intermittent fasting will help us stay motivated and interested when we begin seeing the results. It will help us set goals and reach for them.

The benefit of the 16.8 fast is that

• It lowers insulin levels.

• It allows your body to get used to using fat.

• It's the first step into longer fasts.

The rule for 16.8 fast is that you do it daily but take a break from fasting two days per week. This rule applies to any fast over 16 hours as well. 

The benefits of 18.6 fast is

• It increases fat loss.

• Autophagy (cellular recycling) starts.

The 20.4 fast is for more experienced people to do 2 or 3 times per week and is great for

•  fat loss

• Glycogen depletion… training yourself to be workout efficient and develop metabolic flexibility, the ability to switch between fats and carbs.

Any fast that is over 16 hours should not be done continuously. A break from fasting two days per week helps with autophagy and metabolic flexibility.

Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF) and Early Time Restricted Feeding (ETRF)

It is at this point that I wish to put a note in about TRF. I hadn't heard of it until I researched both intermittent and prolonged fasting.

Time-restricted eating focuses on the length of time of the eating period. This is not fasting. It just means stop eating at certain times throughout the day.

Research suggests that the typical time we stop eating is 2-3pm onward. This type of restricted feeding is beneficial for restoring sleep, improving hormone health, and calibrating our metabolism.

ETRF is the same thing as intermittent fasting with a slight difference… You are just eating earlier during the day and fasting during the afternoon and evening.

Which fast should I choose?

Lifestyle Intermittent fasting isn’t a rule anymore. We can do it whenever we feel the need to. it’s a tool we use when we need to fine-tune our bodies for extra benefit and intermittent fasting is how I  combat inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis. 

The nicest thing about fasting is that you don’t have to choose just one and stick with it forever. Like me, you can do them all at different times of the month.

However, the general rule of thumb when fasting is the longer the fast, the less frequently done. Do the longer fasts less than the shorter ones.

And, like in the case of the Keto diet, I choose not to fast one day a week. That one day is also my cheat day where I allow myself a few extra carbs than the amount recommended, instead of fat. 

What to Consume During Intermittent Fasting

Oh yes, you read it right! Most people think that fasting means consuming nothing for the time period of the intermittent fast.

Let me stress, this is not an option! Consuming nothing can do more damage than eating, and this is not what I or any of the experts recommend. 

So, if you are planning to starve yourself, I am against that, and I am not responsible for the outcome. I hope anyone reading this article has enough sense to do it right from here on in.

 With intermittent fasting, what we want is NOT to spike our insulin for a certain period of time. We can consume certain  liquids during our fast, when we feel hungry.

let’s start with the most important... water. 2-3 litres per day!

Next… Black coffee, or Tea, no milk and sugar.

A shot glass of bone broth, ONLY when you feel hungry 

Electrolytes (salt water with no added sugar)

Apple Cider Vinegar in water stabilizes blood sugar.

Lemon water,

Peanut Butter. 

Fasting Superfoods

Foods that work either during your eating period to boost and benefit Autophagy.

• Green Tea

• Turmeric

• Organic poultry

• Lean Red Meat

• Ground Meat with lever, spleen, and organ meats in it

• Mono Unsaturated Fats. Avocado, goat cheese, olive oil.

• fish and other omega 3 rich foods.

• Aged cheeses

• Macadamia nut (omega 7)

• Avacados

• MCT oil (coconut oil) 

How to Properly Brake a Fast?

When in a fast, the body goes through a heightened Muscle Protein Breakdown. This is the breakdown of muscle tissue, fat cells, soft tissue ligaments, and proteins through autophagy (cell recycling) and turn them into amino acids to fuel your body.  We don’t always break down mussels. Sometimes, the body breaks down tissues from other areas to sustain muscle.

To effectively break a fast. The rule is… PROTEIN! It is recommended to consume about 25 to 40 gr of protein first to replenish the protein that you have lost. The rule for replenishing the lost protein is 1g per lb of lean body mass.

Break your fast with 25 to 40 gr of protein… organic chicken, turkey, eggs, and a protein shake. Then, 30 minutes later, have low glycemic carbs. 

Avoid high glycemic carbs to break a fast as this will cause an electrolyte balance shift that your body is not ready for after a fast. 

Lean into foods that are rich in phosphorus and thiamine if you are fasting regularly. Poultry is the best source of both phosphorus and thiamine.

Intermittent Fasting Concerns 

Thyroid concerns. Our thyroid is just part of our metabolism, and research shows that when you eat less or fast your thyroid is will go down and your thyroid hormone levels will change, but it will replenish and regenerate easily. 

So once your body adapts, you will be fine.  If you have thyroid issues, try the smaller fasts and introduce the mid level fasts one at a time while taking weekly breaks from fasting.

Muscle wasting. If you are doing intermittent fasting the right way, then this problem doesn't become an issue. Any fast that's less than 24 hours doesn't have this issue. The way to make sure this doesn't happen is 

▪︎ Keep moving during your fast.  Don't just sit to conserve energy. Get moving for a little while and keep moving at intervals during your fast. 

▪︎ Take adequate protein and decrease carbohydrates when you eat. Add some amino acids to your diet. 

If you are doing a ketogenic diet along with intermittent fasting, then you’ve got all these problems covered. Keto is a high protein/low carbohydrate diet that resets the metabolism.

Sleep disruption. This happens only because you are 1)  fasting so much you are spiking adrenaline and 2) you are eating too many calories later in the day. 

 Start your fast early in the evening and fast through the night. I start reducing calories from around 4 pm.  I have been intermittent fasting for years, and my sleep has never suffered. 

Intermittent Fasting for Women

Research into intermittent fasting in the last few years has shown that it's a powerful way to regulate and control PCOS and irregular menstruation, furtility and reproductive problems, and auto-immune disease.

 What we now understand is that there is a strong connection between all types of imbalances and metabolic health. We see that our metabolism influences imbalances, specifically with insulin resistance.

 Research shows that the more insulin resistant we are, the higher the likelihood of PCOS or auto-immune disease or other problems. (Journal of Transitional Medicine)

Women doing intermittent fasting with these health issues should consider starting slower, with 12 -14 hour fasts so that the body can adjust to the changes in TSH and thyroid levels.

Supplements that you can take.

I don't take any supplements during my intermittent fast except electrolytes, and that too only during the day time when when I feel a drop in sugar levels or lethargic. In Ceylon, we don’t have easy access to supplements, so we make do with what we have.

• Electrolytes. Light salt water.

• Amino acids. Caffeine! Black coffee or plain tea. No sugar! It does not spike insulin.

• Vitamin B.

• Fish oil. Cod liver oil.

Conclusion 

When I began my research into diet and fasting, I was looking for an alternate treatment for RA. The doctors had told me there was no cure, all my research was extensive, and the results seemed positive. I tried it because I had nothing to lose. I will keep researching as what we know is not yet complete. 

Today, I am a functioning adult with a rheumatoid factor that's a little over the normal range, and I am very grateful for the extensive research that has given me an almost normal life. 

Until next time... Stay Healthy!