Another Take on Fasting for Both Men and Women
Most people seem to have some knowledge about fasting these days. Both women and men are trying it, some succeeding, some aren’t. But what about Early Restricted Time Fasting?
It seems to be that the most common and practical approach is to skip breakfast and begin eating at around 12 or 1pm and then allowing themselves an eating window up to 8pm. This is socially acceptable and doable, as we can still join people socially for a black coffee or a clear tea before 12 midday and pretty much go un-noticed. We can then show up for dinner with the family or socially with friends and often fit this in our homemade protocol. But is it the healthiest, most beneficial or only way to tackle today’s over-fed issues.
I have worked with Personal Trainers who taut the benefits of this structure and who espouse a free-eating style (eat whatever you choose; junk or real food) and you will still reap some aesthetic benefits. This can be true for a while - the external changes somewhat but the internal (physical and mind) can suffer the consequences. You won’t know unless you take some tests or until your body gives you loud and clear messages further down the track.
There’s been studies on males that suggest this type of fasting improves
Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress. But studies in women are lacking or as mentioned in my earlier dated blog post - or the effects have been negative.
I am a big fan, and there is research that shows that "early" time restricted feeding may offer better results. This involves eating all of your calories in the window between one hour after waking and early afternoon (e.g. 7am-4pm). This is perhaps not so easy in a social sense!
I personally have found great benefit with myself and clients in terms of adrenal and hormonal health, where people eat in a 12-hour or slightly shorter period each day, combined with a finish of eating early in the day. I love this as it is in alignment with the body’s circadian rhythms in metabolism. It’s equivalent to having 2 or 3 meals, starting as soon as you wake, eating dinner in the very early evening, and then fasting for the rest of the day. I am not suggesting that the masses must adhere to this regime, as always there are individual exceptions and situations that can benefit from alternative strategies.
I have loved the effects that early time restricted eating has brought to my sleep scores. This protocol has provided a much more restorative sleep, better REM and Deep Sleep ratios, as the digestion process is finished earlier and once you hit the sheets the body is moving into the rebuild and repair phase that science suggests, is one of the purposes of sleep. By finishing our eating earlier in the day we can optimise eating in sync with our circadian rhythms and improve our health in multiply ways. For instance, if we wake with the sun the microflora that keep our blood sugar under control and that digest fats are in full swing in the morning and begin to change in the afternoon and evening, so it makes sense in both an energy and health capacity to eat most of our food in the morning and early afternoon.
N=1, I know, but both the data from my Oura ring and blood sugar monitor are far more positive in regard to my sleep and readiness and BS, when I finish my eating for the day at about 4 or 4:30pm. I naturally begin to unwind from there onwards. I still practice yoga often and do a little Crossfit but I tone down the cardio side of this by 5pm and thus I don’t need all the extra energy from food. Personally I now aim to keep to a 12 hour eating pattern as I monitor my cortisol levels and with my personal work load, this appears to be my ideal.
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