But then a study came out a couple of weeks ago that changed the way I think about fasting. I read about it in InteliHealth, a newsletter that publishes medical findings. They have never promoted fasting, and probably wouldn’t recommend it (that’s the general medical stance on fasting — it’s dangerous). In other words, InteliHealth has no vested interest in saying fasting is great. And yet this study is remarkable.

The experiment was conducted by Mark Mattson and his team at the National Institute on Aging. Mattson fed mice nothing every other day. The mice could eat as much as they wanted on the days in between, and they did. They pigged out. They ended up eating very nearly double what normal mice eat in a day.

But fasting every other day caused them to live longer and healthier lives. A lot longer and a lot healthier. The researchers don’t exactly know what to make of it. Mattson said, “We think what happens is going without food imposes a mild stress on the cells, and cells respond by increasing their ability to cope with more severe stress.” He said maybe it’s similar to what happens when you lift weights: You stress your muscles and they respond by growing stronger.

Near the very end of the study, they injected all the mice (those fasting every other day, and those eating a normal diet) with a toxin that damages the cells in the same part of the brain Alzheimer’s damages in humans (the hippocampus). Mattson and his team later looked at the brains of the mice and found that those that had been fasting every other day suffered less damage to their brain cells.

This study made me think maybe all the claims in these fasting books might not be ridiculous. At least some of it might be true.

I’ve been thinking about this. It seems likely that at least an occasional state of hunger would have been fairly common throughout our evolution. Our bodies might be adapted to it. Maybe it creates unnatural problems when the body doesn’t ever go hungry. Maybe eating three square meals a day, every day, is unnatural.

Up until the first time I fasted, I had gone my whole life without ever going even one day without food, and very rarely even went twelve hours without food. That ain’t natural.

For the millions of years mammals have been evolving and right up to our invention of agriculture a short ten thousand years ago, mammals often went hungry many times in an individual’s lifetime. Surely our bodies have evolved to handle this. Maybe that’s why it is totally accepted by most people in the health profession that human beings gain about a pound a year. Maybe that is part of the body’s adaptation to the inevitable lean times the eons have adapted us to.

In other words, eating plenty of food every day is probably unnatural for mice as well as for people. An occasional fast might very well be more natural and very good for us.

Here’s a list of some documented benefits:

1. Initiates rapid weight loss with little or no hunger. Most people are surprised at how little desire for food they have while fasting.
2. Promotes detoxification. As the body breaks down its fat reserves, it mobilizes and eliminates stored toxins.
3. Gives the digestive system a much-needed rest. After fasting, both digestion and elimination are invigorated.
4. Promotes the resolution of inflammatory processes, such as in rheumatoid arthritis.
5. Quiets allergic reactions, including asthma and hay fever.
6. Promotes the drying up of abnormal fluid accumulations, such as edema in the ankles and legs and swelling in the abdomen.
7. Corrects high blood pressure without drugs. Fasting will normalize blood pressure in the vast majority of cases, the blood pressure will remain low after the fast, if the person follows a health-supporting diet and lifestyle.
8. Makes it easy to overcome bad habits and addictions. Many people have overcome tobacco and alcohol addictions by fasting, and even drug addictions. Fasting rapidly dissipates the craving for nicotine, alcohol, caffeine and other drugs.
9. Clears the skin and whitens the eyes. It is common to see skin eruptions clear while fasting, and the whites of the eyes never look so clear and bright as they do after fasting.
10. Restores taste appreciation for wholesome natural foods. People say that their taste buds come alive after fasting and that food never tasted so good.
11. Is the perfect gateway to a healthful diet and lifestyle. Going on a fast gives you the motivation and enthusiasm to make a fresh start.

Some fasting diets involve drinking only water or eating only raw foods for a period of one or more days, while others restrict food on alternate days. Certain fasting diets allow liquids like water, juice, or tea, while others dramatically cut calories but don’t eliminate food altogether. Would bodybuilders benefit from fasting???

Losing Weight:

Yes, because fasting dramatically decreases ones caloric intake, the body is forced to use fat & protein for fuel. However, the longer the fasting period, the more adaptable the body gets, and surely will begin to slow metabolism in order to conserve energy. Eventually, when the fasting period is over and one reverts back to their diet, the wieght loss will be put right back on. Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed pounds, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they couldn’t maintain the weight loss over time. And if you did loose weight, where do you think it would come from? Not only fat stores, but MUSCLE stores as well, which is a bodybuilders nightmare!

Detoxify The Body?

Some fasting diets claim that they can cleanse the body of impurities. However, there’s no evidence that fasting detoxifies your body, or that your body even needs to be detoxified. It is naturally designed to remove toxins through the skin (sweating), liver, colon, and kidneys.

As bodybuilders, we consume plenty of fibers from oats to veggies galore…there is NO NEED to “detoxify” our bodies, as we are one of the healthiest sub population in the world. Follow your instincts!!!

Longevity

Studies of fasting in both rodents and humans appear to indicate a connection between calorie restriction and longevity. In one study of overweight men and women, a calorie-restricted diet improved markers of aging, such as insulin level and body temperature.
Fasting might also improve longevity by delaying the onset of age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes. One study showed that skipping meals once a month as the Mormons do reduces the risk of Coronary artery disease. However, it’s not clear from this research whether fasting alone or the Mormons’ generally healthier lifestyle (they also abstain from coffee, alcohol, and smoking) is responsible for the improved heart health.

Researchers don’t yet know whether the effects of fasting translate into an actual increase in lifespan, because they haven’t followed people for long enough periods of time.

Safety

Fasting for a day or two likely won’t hurt people who are generally healthy. However, fasting for long periods of time can be harmful. Your body needs a variety of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food to stay healthy. Self deprivation of these nutrients can lead to fatigue, dizziness, constipation, dehydration, gallstones, and cold intolerance. It’s possible to die if you fast too long.

Fasting for Bodybuilders: Good or Bad

I’m sorry folks, but personally, I am totally against fasting/colon clensing. We have a Gastrointestinal tract for a reason. We NEED daily consumption of food to function optimally. As bodybuilders, this is a NONO!!! Think about it? Everything from books to the pros with years of experience advocate to eat at least 5 if not more than 7 meals per day. Why would we cut this down to ZERO??? Something so drastic would only lead to muscle catabolism as well as unproductive workouts!

As bodybuilders we must EAT EAT EAT!!! in order to GROW GROW GROW! This is one hard and fast rule I stand by.

Alternatives?

If bodybuilders want to “clense” their gastrointestinal tract, I would recommend upping fiber consumption and decreasing fat (especially saturated fat) intake. This would be more reasonable than cutting all foods out of the equation. Protein should always be kept at maximal intake, as no other sport requires the dietary demand of protein as bodybuilding!

Fasting. Another F word that health-conscious people are wary about aside of course from the ever stubborn fat. Diet and fast just don’t come along quite well. Much more with bodybuilding. Most bodybuilders would smirk at the idea of fasting as part of a regular routine arguing that a bodybuilder needs to have a continuous intake of protein and nutrients to prevent muscles from breaking itself down and being used as energy fuel. But this has been more of a myth than fact. Want to know why? Just stick it out with the rest of my piece.

What You Don’t Know

Do you love meats? How about eggs and milk? Hmmm. How about that protein packed low fat cottage cheese? You surely loved those stuffs especially if you are into bodybuilding and have decided that you need to build more mass on your physique. My question would be, do you also take enough fibers on your diet? Why do I ask this? Simple. If you don’t have enough dietary fibers on your meal plan, chances are you have already stock piled more than enough toxins in your intestines for you to be considered as hazardous. Hmm. That’s an exaggeration. But the truth is not that far from it. Those dairy products and meat that you consume every freaking day believing that it would build mass and make you healthier without taking in enough fibers in your diet actually ends up hurting your body than helping it. You might probably have built enough toxins in your belly and intestines that could qualify into some forms of cancer causing gunk. Studies show that most obese have enough of this intestinal garbage that causes them to be at least 20 pounds overweight.

Now What?

Now that you have already learned what most people don’t know, would you also want to find out how to get rid of this intestinal gunk? Simple and short answer. Fast.

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. It is normally an abstention from hard and solid foods as you let the body cleanse out itself from all those toxins brought about by an unhealthy diet and lifestyle. Fasting is also used in a medical context to refer to the state achieved after digestion of a meal. A number of metabolic adjustments occur during fasting and many medical diagnostic tests are standardized for fasting conditions.

The body is a highly adaptable and natural machine. It adapts to its environment in the course of time and it has its own natural healing machinery. Fasting is necessary to jumpstart this healing process. You see, fasting flushes out toxins from your body. It helps to rest the digestive tract and in lowering blood lipids. It has been proven to lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol and it do helps in the lowering of the systolic blood pressure. In fact, in Islam, fasting is highly-recommended for the treatment of mild to moderate, stable, non-insulin diabetes, obesity, and essential hypertension. This is because during the fasting period, the body systematically cleanses itself of everything except vital tissue.

Fasting allows you to refocus and reconnect to your body. You may have been so focused on work and food that you forgot to check whether your body is still at a level that would help you attain much of the goals that you have set in your life. The body goes where you lead it. And by maintaining a lifestyle that hurts your body, you minimizes your chance of becoming happy in the near future. Fasting is like a reboot button on your desktop that helps your body recharge and recover.

But Isn’t Hurting My Muscles?

I don’t want to lie about it. You would be and would surely lose some of those muscles you have built through training. But the question would be, how much mass would it be? In my opinion, not much. Especially if you would be adopting a continuing workout program while on fast. A couple of pounds for a one week cleansing diet program surely won’t be a cause for alarm in terms of muscle loss. If you keep on hitting the gym and pumping on those irons, the muscle loss would be very minimal. Not zero but minimal. Much like losing on a dime out of your month’s worth of salary. You know that I’m kidding right?

Have you heard about the one they called intermittent fasting? If you are a hardcore bodybuilder, you may have come across this one. What is this? This is a method of fasting wherein the 24 hours in a day are broken into two different parts. The 16 hour fast and the 8 hours of overeating. It wouldn’t be good if I’ll be discussing it here since this topic is not about it but in a nutshell, this rather unique and controversial system of fasting has done wonders to those who dared tried it. Just go to Google and type intermittent fasting if you don’t believe me.

The bottom line on this is that the benefits you get from fasting easily outweigh the concerns for muscle and mass loss. Muscle loss that you could and would definitely be able to regain after say a one week cleansing fast via a consistent and proper workout routine.

Tell Me More

I think I have already gotten you curious about this, haven’t I? Well, since I know I got your full attention now, let me add some more cream on the pudding.

Fasting and bodybuilding, contrary to what other believes, can go and work together hand in hand. You see, both have the same objective. To keep the body healthy and the mind alert. So why would two things having the same goal fail to blend perfectly with each other? The secret is knowing how to make them work together.

Like a vintage Volkswagen that could reach a top speed of 120 km/h with proper engine tune up and calibration, our body, once rightfully figured out, could heap the benefits of both a well-timed fasting and a properly scheduled bodybuilding routine. And one perfect example was the type of fasting I have mentioned on the preceding topic of this article. The intermittent fasting.

A controversial method during its inception (actually until this very moment), Intermittent Fasting met quite a resistance especially in the bodybuilding world when it was introduced during the last half of 2007. The idea of depriving our body with the right caloric intake as we through those heavy plates around went against traditional concepts of eating at least 6 meals a day to gain mass and lean muscle mass. But as history has shown, this rather radical principle has recorded significant success to those who tried it.

Tell Me How It Works

Intermittent fasting has at least two common ways; the condensed window and the 24 off 24 on variation. This is how they work.

The condensed window is a method that allows a person to fast at least 15 hours a day then overfeed the body within the 8 hour window. This method allows maximum absorption of the needed caloric intake condensed in the prescribed 8 hour window.

The other variation, the 24 on 24 off method, is basically self-explanatory. From the name itself, it means to fast for a full 24 hours then start the eating cycle on the 25th hour. This variation which is also known as alternate day fast is considered as easier to follow since the meal preparations and intake are spread throughout the whole day 24 hours after you last had your meal.

The question is, did it worked for bodybuilders? You would probably be astonished to find out that most of those who successfully used this technique were fitness experts and full-time bodybuilders. And all of them agrees that intermittent fasting coupled with a good and regular workout routine produces unprecedented fat loss and lean muscle gains.

What Are You Still Waiting For? FAST

Now that you have already learned the benefits of pausing for a while and giving your midsection it’s much deserved break, will you still keep on chit chatting and dilly dallying on your couch while watching your favorite TV show and waiting for the clock to hit 7 and start your daily cycle of eating frenzy? Or would you go straight to the market, buy yourself some pretty good fruits and vegetables, throw some into the blender then take a sip as you let nature’s process take over your body for a while. Or if you are like me, an old-fashioned bodybuilder who loves losing weight but hates losing mass, then take on the intermittent fasting approach. You approach fat like a double barrel shotgun, lose fat while gaining lean and strong muscles without depriving yourself the luxury of eating anything you want.

This is what the word relaxation and replenishing really means. And I guarantee you that at the end of it all, you’ll be more that what you used to be in terms of physical energy, appeal and mental focus.

Live, FAST and enjoy the rest of the way.

Growing up watching hit television shows that show the traditional family, one can see there is a vast contrast to today’s society. The June Cleavers, Alices (Brady Bunch), and Wilma Flintstones of the world are trading in their oven mitts for lap tops, blackberries and PDA’s as they enter the workforce. Where 1 paycheck was enough to amply provide for a family once, is no longer the case. While the times change and more households must rely on 2 incomes to provide the essentials of life, many lifestyle customs are simply being pushed out the door to make way for the new.

Cooking used to be a mainstay in traditional family settings. However, the days of the 5 o’clock home cooked meal have been replaced by the prepared meal that can be heated in a microwave in 5 minutes and served anytime. Whereas the art of preparing a meal from whole foods once took a couple hours to buy, prepare and cook, a meal can now be taken from the freezer, “zapped” and eaten in as little as 10 minutes. Now little Johnny can eat and make it to his baseball game on time and little Sally can simply pop in a dinner when she gets home from the mall late.

Fast food has also become a cult following so to speak. With the convenience of a McDonald’s, Arby’s and Burger King on every corner, it’s no wonder why American’s simply get larger and larger and the obesity related health issues soar out of the control. For many, the simple stress of today’s high-paced, technology lifestyle causes people to look for solutions by eating. With very few healthy alternatives available, junk food seems to be the answer for many.

As obesity reaches new heights, so to does the associated health concerns and healthcare costs. The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It is a health hazard. Someone who is 40 per cent overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is an average-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including:

• heart disease and stroke
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• cancer
• gallbladder disease and gallstones
• osteoarthritis
• gout
• breathing problems, such as sleep apnoea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma

As more and more companies are pressured to cut down on fats and open the doors to a healthier lifestyle, more healthy options are available than in years past, but they are still heavily outweighed by their unhealthy counterparts. Fast food chains are now offering healthy alternatives, but looking at any menu, one can see they only make up a small percentage of a chain’s overall options.

The microwaveable market is also seeing a shift toward healthy living. Right alongside your Hungryman dinners, you can pick up Health Choice, or Smart Living dinners. But has it taken too long for these right-sized portion meals to become mainstream? In the Super Size me society we live in, can we go from eating a triple cheeseburger to a single portion salad? Can we put down the Oreo Blizzard and pick up a glass of water? Can we disregard the loaded fries for slices of apples?

Being overweight most of my life, the answer is a lot harder than many believe. Food, especially junk food, is almost an addiction. It comforts you when you’ve had a tough day. It’s there for you when no one else is around. However, with enough determination and dedication, it do those and be healthy at the same time through spending the time and energy it takes to properly prepare and cook whole meals…get back to the basics.

What is getting in shape?

Getting one’s self “in shape” is the very definition of a broad and almost purposely vague goal. It is a “commitment” that lacks structure, guidelines, and does not clearly define any notion of what “success” will truly entail. Quite simply: it’s a cop-out.

Before the journey has even begun, these people have already set themselves up for their failure. Yet every January millions across the world will jump off the sofa, stare directly at their reflection in the mirror, and make the same solemn pledge to themselves, “I don’t care WHAT it takes — I’m getting into shape this year!”

Fast-forward to six weeks later, and they’re; over-trained, undernourished, and feeling like a failure.

So how can this be prevented? How do they stop the cycle? What can a person do to help their friend and/or loved one from falling into this trap? Simply follow these steps:

Step 1 – Sit down with them and plot out reasonable, tangible goals, as well as how to accomplish them.

When first beginning this process of getting in shape, the majority of people are willing to give 110% to the effort. They’ll run out and join the first gym they pass, purchase workout clothes or packages, “health food” bars, and any other number of items that they heard will “really work”. This may be the first, and only time that their eyes and ears are truly open and ready to soak in your knowledge.

If this same vigor and energy was channeled correctly, a person could set themselves up for success well into the new year… and beyond. In order to help them with that cause, point them in the following directions:

Diet

Unless you are a certified Clinical Nutritionist or an accredited Dietitian, yourself, the first step toward success would be to point this person in the direction of a health food professional (note: just because your diet worked for you doesn’t mean it’s what they’re looking for).

When first starting a fitness regimen, the hardest part is figuring out exactly what to do. Seemingly every program contradicts three others. So while a health magazine may advocate eating X amount of protein a day, a person could find 11 other programs that will give completely different protein requirements. A competent health food professional will help answer these questions, diffuse some common myths, and can help point them in one singular direction.

In summation: Don’t confuse someone who may be looking for an excuse to give up (Note: if they can’t afford a health food professional, just recommend they center their diets on foods packed with the following keywords: Antioxidants, Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber, Mono or Polyunsaturated Fats, and Probiotic Cultures — the time-tested “shop in the outside aisles of the supermarket” theory).

Rest / Recovery

Much like how a new trainee will do all the pre-planning, to get into shape, at 100 MPH, they’ll also likely hit the gym with the same drive and determination… for the first few weeks anyway.

How many of you remember your first weight training program? Chances are you’re still not following it today. In many instances, people succeed at fitness in spite of what they’re doing at the gym. Enough can not be said about the importance of recovery. Good old fashioned sleep, and high quality foods really are the “secret” formula that every person seems to be so unwilling to commit to.

No matter what their goal; losing weight, shedding body fat, gaining muscle, building explosive strength, those results will be achieved in the kitchen and in the bedroom — NOT at the gym.

In summation: Fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. How can one progress if they START off working out 6-7 days a week?

Step 2 – Explain to them just how serious, and hard this journey will be.

If getting into shape was easy, then there would not be a billion-dollar fitness industry operating in the United States.

Someone who is new to this game can not even begin to fathom how much effort, and hard work, is required to achieve their dreams of getting into shape. But, after sitting them down and forcing them to plan out a reasonable goal (along with smaller progressions and achievements to pass along the way), they are now going to be more readily able to handle the ugly truths of what they are about to attempt.

As an experienced trainee, it is your job to warn this person about the possible dangers, setbacks, and hazards that they will experience on their long road to better health. For every person like you, who is ready and willing to help them succeed, there are five people who want to see them fail just as badly. Whether it be a caring family member who doesn’t know any better, or a jealous co-worker who is not ready to make a healthy commitment themselves, there will be a lot of temptation to overcome.

In summation: Let them know that it’s okay to fail. Millions have tried what they are about to do, and nobody did it perfectly the first time out. If they are prepared to let themselves fail, then they will finally be ready to succeed.

Step 3 – Be willing to make just as many sacrifices as they are.

When someone begins a fitness journey, it can be a very isolating and solitary experience. While achieving a goal will lead to the highest of highs, any failure will lead to the lowest lows. These negative feelings are only magnified when it seems like no one else cares if they continue on or quit.

To help combat this, you have to be willing to sacrifice and make the time to always be there for this person. In the words of Bill Withers:

Lean on me, when you’re not strong
And I’ll be your friend
I’ll help you carry on
For it won’t be long
‘Til I’m gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Achieving a better-looking body, losing a few pounds, or recovering from a debilitating illness, all of these are valid reasons to start a fitness program. They will all require different paths, and a plethora of different choices to be made. Regardless of the reason, they will all lead to a higher quality of life. Which, at the end of the day, is why we really should all be doing this.

No matter how selfish our initial fitness intentions may be, there is always someone else out there pulling for you. Whether this is a son who wants his father to be around for the birth of a grandchild, a couple that has been married for 50+ years, or even a friend who would give anything to see this person be happy — there is always someone out there who is pulling for someone else. Hoping, even praying that this person will make the sacrifices required to stick around on this earth for just a little while longer.

In summation: No one should be forced to undertake this life-changing effort alone.

The following are a few of the remarkable advantages from losing those excess weight.

Weight loss prevents high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke

That is a three in one benefit from losing weight. It is a fact that heart disease and stroke are one of the primary reasons for disability and death in both men and women in the US. People who are overweight have a higher risk to have high levels of cholesterol in their blood stream as well as triglycerides (also known as blood fat).

Angina, one type of heart disease, could cause chest pains as well as a decrease in the oxygen pumped to the heart.

Sudden death also occurs from heart disease and stroke, and usually this strikes with very little warning, signs and symptoms.

It is a fact that by decreasing your weight by a mere five to ten percent, this could positively decrease the chances of you having or developing heart disease or a stroke. Plus, how your heart functions would also improve as well as your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride count will decrease.

Weight loss prevents type 2 diabetes

Diabetes puts in jeopardy one’s life as well as how one leads his or her life because of the complications that result from having it. Both types of diabetes, type one and type two are linked with being overweight. To those who already have diabetes, regular exercise and losing weight could help in controlling your blood sugar levels as well as the medication you may be currently taking. Increase your physical activity. You could simply walk, jog or dance. It helps get those blood streams moving as well as lose those unnecessary pounds.

Weight loss helps reduce your risk for cancer

Being overweight is linked with a number of kinds of cancer. Specially for women, the common types of cancer that is associated with being overweight include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, ovary, breast, and colon. This is not meant to scare you, this is only to keep you informed. Men are at risk too from developing cancer if they are overweight. These include cancer of the colon, prostate and rectum. Extra weight, a diet high in fat and cholesterol should as much as possible be avoided.

Weight loss reduces sleep apnea

Or it could eliminate it all together. Sleep apnea is a condition wherein one could temporarily stop breathing for a brief period and then would continue to snore heavily. Sleep apnea could cause drowsiness or sleepiness during the day and ?because of being overweight ?could result in heart failure. Shedding those excess pounds could help in eliminating this problem.

Weight loss reduces the pain of osteoarthritis

When one weighs heavily, the joints of his or her knees, hips and lower back would have to exert double if not triple effort to carry him or her through out his / her waking, walking and moving life. This could cause tension and stress on these joints. Weight loss decreases the load these joints carry thus decreasing if not eliminating the pain of one who has osteoarthritis.