The Top 3 Reasons Intermittent Fasting Is Totally Clutch

Intermittent fasting is all the rage right now. For something you only used to really hear about it in ketogenic/paleo/primal nutrition spaces, it’s ALL over social media these days. So, why is intermittent fasting (“IF” for the rest of this blog post) SO much more than a fad and SOOOO incredibly clutch? Here are the top 3 reasons you should start incorporating intermittent fasting into your health & wellness arsenal TODAY!

1) It helps your blood sugar stay more consistent & lowers insulin levels Which means decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes, decreased overall inflammation in the body, and improved metabolic function. Remember when people used to say we should eat 5-6 times a day? EEEEK! All that accomplishes are frequent spikes and drops in both your blood glucose level and your insulin levels, which are known to contribute to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a precursor to Type 2 Diabetes. There is mounting evidence that tight glycemic control (avoiding those hills and valleys of blood sugar) combined with a low-carb diet, can even reverse insulin resistance and therefore has the potential to reverse Type 2 Diabetes. Pretty amazing stuff!

2) Fasting 18 hours + puts your body into a state of autophagy
Have you heard of autophagy? It’s literally greek for “self-devouring” LOL. Autophagy is a natural and incredible state in which your body is able to target old cells, unused cellular material, and potentially even cancer cells, and remove and/or recycle their components. It’s fantastic for loose skin, reducing cancer risk, and general inflammation reduction. Your body only has the potential to slip into autophagy after 18+ hours of IF, and that fast has to be a “water fast.” Any macronutrient (protein, carb, fat) intake will prevent autophagy from kicking in. This means you cannot consume anything but water, electrolytes, black coffee or plain tea during your fast. It takes time and patience to work up to fasting for an 18-hour stretch or more, but working up to it is worth it for the benefits!

3) Weight Loss/Fat Burning
If you’re stalled on your weight loss journey, or just looking for a metabolic boost, I cannot recommend IF enough! Intermittent fasting, when done properly, can perform magic on the hormones that help facilitate weight loss. As we discussed in #1, IF lowers your insulin levels, which makes your cells more metabolically healthy and functional. It also increases the levels of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) and norepinephrine in the body, which kickstarts your body into breaking down fat for energy. As far back as 1990, a study showed that changes in these hormones produced between a 3.6-14% increase in metabolic rate. Sounds like a match made in keto heaven, doesn’t it?

Now that we’ve covered the “why” of intermittent fasting, stay tuned for my next blog post, where I’ll discuss how to safely and sanely get started with Intermittent fasting!