Intermittent Fasting: Hour by Hour

Tobias Beharrell

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We all naturally fast – or take a break from eating – for about 8 hours a day. It’s when we’re asleep! Many of us were taught that we should start our day with a complete breakfast, including proteins and juices, but current research tells us that increasing the non-eating hours of the day or night have a direct correlation to improved overall health. Intermittent fasting is a practice that has gained a lot of attention and popularity, but it is most definitely also evidence based with a large amount of research backing its benefits.

 

Some people call it "intermittent fasting" and others "time-restricted eating" but regardless of the name, it involves taking timed breaks from eating intentionally. With intermittent fasting it is crucial to realize that anything you put in your mouth that will spike your blood sugar/insulin levels - even a small amount - will break the fast. This is a big deal for fasters, because when you work so hard to avoid eating for many hours only to realize that the herbal tea your drank completely destroyed your fast, it is unfortunate (to say the least!) So fasting must be done conscientiously and properly to reap the rewards. Here is what you can expect:

Intermittent Fasting has been shown to:

🔥Lower Insulin Levels
🔥Enhance Recovery & Reduce Inflammation
🔥Boost your metabolism
🔥Increase Fat Burning,
🔥Help with Cellular Regeneration

It makes sense that if you’re eating for fewer hours each day, you are consuming less overall. This clearly assists in weight loss if that is a goal. But there are way more benefits related to intermittent fasting, including:
 

- Weight and body fat loss
- Increased fat burning
- Lowered blood insulin and sugar levels (Even 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 increase dramatically

24 hours
Autophagy begins (Autophagy is a detox process your body undergoes to clean out damaged cells and regenerate new ones)
All glycogen stores are drained
Ketones are released into the blood stream

36 hours
Autophagy is increased by 300%

48 hours
Autophagy increases an additional 30%
Immune system reset and regeneration increases
Increased reduction in inflammation response

72 hours
Autophagy maxes out
 

A protein called P62 activates to induce autophagy. Research suggests this as a key to improved human lifespan, especially over time.

You can fast for as many hours as you want, and you can do this every day. If that is too much for you and your lifestyle, just one or two days per week will bring you health benefits. The more you fast, the more the benefits add up!

I regularly do 16:8, where I fast for 16 hours per day by eating only within one 8 hour window per day. And I often do 20:4 (usually once or twice weekly), where I fast for 20 hours and eat only within a 4 hour window per day. Why don’t you give it a try and see what happens with you?!

Black coffee assists a fast and was a game changer for me! Fruity teas will generally break a fast due to sugars they often contain, so be cautious. Also, be aware that many tinctures and most supplements or natural medicines will break a fast! Ask me for more information on how to navigate these issues!

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Watch Dr. Mike Diamonds in the video below for even more information on how fast works!

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