Do this unconventional unthinkable tweak for 7-days
The benefits of fasting have been widely studied. I was introduced to fasting from Dr. Jason Fung several years ago by reading about it on his blog. It was fascinating. Click here to go to his blog about fasting.
There are several major benefits to fasting:
- Reduction of insulin
- Reduction of blood glucose
- Increased level of fat burning
- Increase retention or building of lean muscle
- Increase retention or building of bone mass
- Increased HGH, human growth hormone
- Increase the level of testosterone
- Increase the level of energy
- Increased autophagy (read my blog)
Perhaps my friend Sherry Z said it best in a text she sent me after a 60 hour fast,
"I can't believe how much energy I have and wonderful I feel after not eating! That's insane!"
The Athlete's Fasting Strategy™
I developed a fasting strategy that I used while training for the Hawaii Ironman. Below are the results of applying three main protocols.
- A full ketogenic diet
- Fasting
- HIIT (High-intensity interval training)
I've been on a full ketogenic diet since April 1, 2017. I'm fully fat adapted and as such you may or may not gain the same levels of ketosis as me. However, regardless of your body's level of fat utilization, you will substantially boost your energy level and overall feeling of wellbeing using this approach.
My results are not in anyway scientific. I did not test my level of HGH during the test.
The Protocol and Ketosis Legend
My Personal Results of Using the 7-Day Strategy
Notable Take-Aways
Before I switched to a ketogenic diet on April 1, 2017, fasting never yielded the level of results I gain now. Prior to switching my fasting was deemed more a "cleanse" and I was consuming as much as 70g of cleansing and support carbohydrates. While I'd feel better and it helped me control my emotions, it never boosted my energy level as it does now.
Prior to switching to a keto lifestyle, I was diagnosed pre-diabetic meaning I was insulin resistant and my body didn't process glucose efficiently and did not utilize fat for fuel well at all.
Fasting during this seven day period had four notable extended fast periods of 18:22, 35:55, 36:15 and 40:56 hours (highlighted in light brown). During each of these extended periods, it is estimated the increase in my HGH (Human Growth Hormone) levels was between 1000% to 1500%.
The last fast day on July 28, 2018, was also the day I experienced the unthinkable and unimaginable results of doing High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), I was still in ketosis. That means I was utilizing fat to fuel the intense and hard workload.
Why is that notable? The fuel needed to push a muscle "really hard" when there is not enough oxygen present in the body is glucose. In a study of the Krebs cycle glucose is needed to fuel the muscle's contraction. I regularly test my blood ketone, glucose, and lactate levels and expectedly I'm always moved out of ketosis after a very hard HIIT routine. That makes sense. I don't consume any glucose (sugary sports drink) while I train. Thus when I go hard the only glucose available is what I've got stored in my muscles in the form of glycogen. My blood glucose levels before I start a HIIT are always around 70-80 and when I'm done, like in the two HIIT days in my study (July 23 and 28) my glucose levels are elevated. In my study were 95 and 90, respectively. When glucose elevates so does insulin. Higher insulin levels will turn off fat burning and thus my lower levels of blood ketones.
On July 23 I expected my blood ketone level to be lower than 0.5 mmol, the lowest level to still fuel your brain and be in ketosis. It was at a reading of 0.4 mmol.
On July 28 unexpectedly my blood ketones level was a phenomenal 0.9 mmol at the end of the HIIT!
That means that I was still utilizing fat to fuel the intensity. Fat is high octane fuel and the body doesn't need oxygen in the Krebs cycle for it. With little oxygen needed will not have the ROS (radical oxygen species) damage and soreness that accompanies it afterward and thus much faster recovery. For an endurance athlete is highly desirable.
I believe (it's just my opinion because I don't have any data to back it up) the reason is that of elevated HGH due to fasting.
Conclusion: Regular fasting during training will improve performance in a high-carb and low-carb (keto) athlete because of the elevated HGH.
If You're Not an Athlete
Using this fasting schedule is recommended by Dr. Jason Fung in his treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes. Because according to a recent study published in Forbes, 52.4% of all Americans are either pre-diabetic or type 2 diabetic, meaning high levels of insulin resistance.
Fasting reverses insulin resistance and creates the healthy desirable insulin sensitivity.
Fasting will improve anyone's health (with the exception of a highly malnourished human being or a mother who is nursing). Lowering insulin and moving the body into ketosis also elevates HGH and autophagy.
Last week's blog: Massive energy; the "Do Nothing" Strategy?
