Macho Mom Fitness: 10 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Fasting
*Consult your dietitian before entering any kind of diet plans
I’ve already discussed intermittent fasting years before it became viral and popular among potential health buffs. Some may start on a diet fad but can’t keep up because it’s not a diet change. Intermittent fasting is a lifestyle change and you have to pick the type that fits your life. Need more info? Today I’ll be sharing with you 10 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Fasting.
What I’m currently doing is Eat-Stop-Eat by Brad Pilon. In a nutshell, I eat like a regular person 6 days a week and on the 7th I restrict myself from eating or drinking anything for 20 hours. Example: I stop eating Friday 6PM, I resume eating Saturday 2PM. This is my fasting of choice because it’s easy for me to control myself for 1 day, versus starving myself for 16-18 hours 7 days a week. This type of IF is perfect for active bloggers like me who are always invited to events where there are lots of food at random times.
#10 Improve Insulin Sensitivity
During a fast, insulin is reduced by 20-31% (study). This is very beneficial to those who are looking to lose weight or who have pre-diabetes/diabetes. This also helps to facilitate better fat burning.
#9 Helps the body maintain lean muscle tissue when dieting
Lean muscle tissue = More burned calories at rest.
The problem is that when losing weight, muscle tissue is often lost. Intermittent fasting causes less muscle lost than a typical calorie restriction diet (study).
#8 Significantly raises growth hormone levels
Growth hormone is a popular topic in the “sport science” culture. When professional athletes get caught using performance-enhancing drugs, growth hormone is usually on the list.
This is because it has so many benefits:
- Reduces recovery time from injuries
- Better lean muscle growth
- Greater fat burning
- And a smattering of other benefits
The crazy thing is: Intermittent fasting has been shown to raise growth hormone by up to 2000% (study)!
#7 Helps to clear skin and get rid of acne
Fasting helps the body remove waste,particularly with damaged and dysfunctional cells.
By speeding up the waste removal process (also called autophagy), you will notice improvements in your skin health (study, study).
#6 Improves your immune system
Intermittent fasting can help keep the body from getting sick. By reducing inflammation, the body becomes more resistant to common illnesses (study, study).
#4 Improves brain function
The nerves and synapses in our brains are important to care for. The more efficient they are, the better.
Fasting has been shown to increase the growth of new nerve cells in the brain(study).
#3 May help prevent cancer
Woaaaah! A bold claim, right?
I thought so until I saw the evidence behind it. The best study so far behind this claim is the positive effects fasting has on those going through chemotherapy.
People who received 4 cycles of chemo used 48-hour fasting protocols to minimize side effects.
Shockingly enough, the only negative side effects reported were light-headedness and hunger (study).
#2 Enhances the body’s resistance to stress
Chronic stress has been associated:
- Heart Disease
- Premature Aging
- Poor Skin Quality
- And just about every major disease known to man.
The good news? Fasting can help!
Multiple studies have shown that using intermittent fasting helps to enhance the body’s resistance to harmful stress (study, study). It helps to fight free radicals by improving the body’s protective chemicals.
#1 Helps you lose weight
Most people who try intermittent fasting do so to lose weight.
The good news: Fasting is a great resource for shedding a few pounds.
Not only does it help you naturally eat fewer calories, but when compared to calorie restriction diets, intermittent fasting has proven to be more effective (study).
So there you go! I primarily do fasting to regulate my blood sugar levels and keep my weight in-check since I eat A LOT! Hope you found this helpful. Credits to Avocadu.com for gathering the data 🙂
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