We all naturally fast – or take a break from eating – for at least 8 hours a day. It’s when we’re asleep!

The prevailing view has always been to start your day with a hearty breakfast but recent research suggests that taking a longer break can help you lose weight and improve overall health. It’s a movement that has gained popularity but it is also evidence based with research continuing to show its benefits.

Whether you call it “intermittent fasting” (aka IF) or “ time-restricted eating,” it involves intentionally taking a “break” from eating for anywhere from 12 to 16 hours a day.

Intermittent Fasting has been shown to:

🔥Lower Insulin Levels

🔥Enhance Recovery & Reduce Inflammation

🔥Boost your metabolism

🔥Increase Fat Burning,

🔥Help with Cellular Regeneration

Also, it stands to reason that if you’re eating for fewer hours a day, there’s a good chance you’re eating less overall, helping to lose weight if that’s a goal.

Pretty impressive huh?

And it’s not nearly as hard as you think.

There are numerous health benefits related to intermittent fasting including:

• Weight and body fat loss. ...

• Increased fat burning. ...

• Lowered blood insulin and sugar levels. ... (Possible reversal of type 2 diabetes)

• Possible improved mental clarity and concentration. ...

• Possible increased energy. ...

• Possible increased growth hormone, at least in the short term

Here’s a breakdown of what you body does each hour of fasting (times based from last calorie intake):

4-8 hours

• Blood sugars fall

• All food has left the stomach

• Insulin is no longer produced

12 hours

• Food consumed has been burned

• Digestive system goes to sleep

• Body begins healing process

• Human Growth Hormone begins to increase

• Glucagon is relaxed to balance blood sugars

14 hours

• Body has converted to using stored fat as energy

• Human Growth Hormone starts to increase dramatically

16 hours

• Body starts to ramp up the fat burning

18 hours

• Human Growth Hormone starts to skyrocket

24 hours

• Autophagy begins

• Drains all glycogen stores

• Ketones are released into the blood stream

36 hours

• Autophagy 300% increase

48 hours

• Autophagy increases 30% more

• Immune system reset and regeneration

• Increased reduction in inflammation response

 

72 hours

• Autophagy maxes out

* Autophagy is a detox process your body undergoes to clean out damaged cells and regenerate new ones. A protein called p62 activates to induce autophagy and is the key to an improved human lifespan over time.

You can fast for as many hours as you want, and you can do this every day or ever just one or 2 days per week or per fortnight – you’ll get health benefits in direct relation to what you do and how often.

I regularly do 16:8, where I fast for 16 hours per day by eating only within one 8 hour window per day – why don’t you give it a try and see what happens with you!