Fitness - August

Fasting

As a species, we have evolved for feast and famine. Until the last century or so, it was very rare for humans to eat even 3 meals a day, let alone the 4, 5, 6+ meals most people eat nowadays (this could be 3 main meals and 3 snacks, but they still count). Our bodies respond very well to no food. In fact, there are dozens of health benefits to fasting that you could benefit from if you do it right. Eating every few hours is actually NOT natural. Fasting is very different from calorie restriction though, although it does help to reduce overall calorie consumption as long as you don’t binge afterwards. Your body fat is stored energy. It’s there to be used as fuel when food is not present. Think of a petrol can in your car as a back-up. As long as you keep putting fuel in your car and never let it get completely empty, you’ll never need to use the “stored” fuel. Your body works in a similar way. As long as you keep eating regularly and “topping up” your fuel supplies, there’s really no need to break down and burn your stored fuel (body fat). So even on a low-calorie diet, as long as you’re eating regularly and providing your body with the fuel it needs, you’re unlikely to be burning much body fat. In order to break down and use fat stores for energy, you need to deplete your body’s circulating energy supply – glucose in the bloodstream and liver and stored energy in the muscles. Once these have been depleted, your body will have no choice but to reach into the stores. You can do this by fasting. If eating is providing your body with fuel to burn, then simply not eating will cause it to use its own stores. There are many ways you could use fasting. 5:2, 16/8, 24-hour fasts, 36, 48-hour fasts, every other day fasting etc. There’s no right or wrong and some people will do better than others on different protocols. As a simple start, I’d suggest eating your dinner as usual (not too late) and then eating nothing again until breakfast the next morning – no snacks or calorie-containing drinks, just water. This, for most people should get you at least 12 hours of fasting per day. Call it 12/12 if you will. The 16/8 protocol just extends this daily fast and reduces the eating window to 8 hours. As an example, you could finish your dinner at say 7pm, then simply not eat again until 11am the following day (16 hours). Obviously, you’re not bound to just 12 or 16 hours, 13, 14, 15 would all be fine too. This is by far the simplest method of “fasting”. It’s completely natural to only eat once or twice a day, and by skipping one meal, you may also save yourself a few calories too. Within that 8-hour window (for the 16/8) you could eat 2 meals at 11am and 6.30pm, or your usual 3 meals spread across the 8 hours, it’s entirely up to you. The benefit comes from the 16 hours where you’re not eating (or drinking any calories). If you plan to use any of the longer fasting periods I’d recommend speaking to someone who can advise you on how best to do it, but for the vast majority of people, it’s a healthy thing to do and no harm will come of it (children and pregnant or breast-feeding women are best to avoid fasting, and if you are on medications you should consult your doctor before starting). Please don’t think of this as another fad diet to try, there’s a LOT of history and science behind fasting and it’s far more beneficial than calorie-restriction. Constant low calories can cause your metabolism to slow down, leading to further calorie reduction and, eventually, ill health and malnutrition. Fasting on the other hand has a host of health benefits and keeps your metabolism running smoothly as you’re eating normally on the non-fasting days (and getting adequate protein and healthy fats). So, for now, try this – eat your last meal at a reasonable time in the evening and then eat nothing else until breakfast the next day. Drink plenty of water, and when you do break the fast, do it with a healthy meal, no larger than you’d normally have. If you’re looking for weight loss, get in touch and we can look at how you can best use fasting to bring about the results you’re after.

Mark www.MBonlinePT.com @MarkBroadbentPT

It’s time to return to the water! The Swimathon Festival

10 - 12 September

FIND OUT MORE HERE

Register now at swimathon.org The Association of Bexley Charities ’78 will hold a charity Model Train and Toy Fair at the Falconwood Community Centre, The Green, WELLING, Kent, DA16 2PG on Thursday 26th August 2021 from 5.30pm to 9.30pm.

There will be sales stands with new and pre-enjoyed model railways (Hornby, Bachmann, Dapol, Farish, Fleishmann) spare parts; books; stamps; Sci-fi; Tinplate, die-cast vehicles (Dinky, Corgi, Matchbox etc); Dr Who; teddy bears; puzzles. Refreshments will be available

Free level parking

Adults £1.50, accompanied children FREE Enquiries: 020 8310 5018 or mail@johnsalt.plus.com

Bus B16 from Welling and Falconwood railway stations stops outside the community centre.

www.bexleych.wix.com/bexley-charities-78