Intermittent fasting has been around for centuries, but the practice was lost as food became more abundant. With the ability to grab fast food, or come home late and snack on prepackaged groceries, the human diet has slowly changed to include eating whatever was on hand at any time of day or night. Convenience became the way people looked at food rather than seeing it as a source of energy. But as individuals become more cognizant of how food and fasting effects their bodies, the ancient practice of IF has become new again. By reintroducing IF into your life, you can quickly discover the benefits of intermittent fasting for yourself.
Lifestyle and Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting is not considered a diet because it does not focus on what you eat, but rather it lets you focus on when to eat. If you are an athlete, you know how important plant-based protein is, and you are probably aware of fasting as a means of improving mental clarity. IF allows you to combine both nutrition and fasting to increase your overall health and still experience intermittent fasting benefits.
If your lifestyle is about balance, you are probably aware of ‘detoxes’ and ‘cleanses’ that can help the body remove unwanted toxins. The results can be an enhancement to your overall health. IF has a similar health effect on the body by limiting your body’s insulin level when you fast. By doing so, the body can burn stored fat and remove undesirable toxins as one of the benefits of intermittent fasting.
Health Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Many studies have been done on the benefits of intermittent fasting and how IF effects the body. Some studies showed IF improved an individual’s health by:
- presenting lower diabetes rates
- avoiding the risk of heart disease
- diminishing signs of aging
There is also evidence the fasting can extend your length of life and improve general health.
Weight loss can be another side effect of IF. Your body processes food for approximately three hours after your last meal. It then enters a 12-hour recuperation period, and only after that can your body begin the fasting state. During the fasting state, the body can easily burn stored fat because of the lower levels of insulin in the body. Since most people eat before the fasting state is achieved, it can be rare for their bodies to begin burning fat.
Physical Training During Fasting
To experience the full benefits of intermittent fasting, be sure to increase your intake of branched-chain amino acids during training. BCAAs can allow your body to feast on essential nutrients it needs to sustain vitality. By using the body’s stored energy during exercise, you may notice an increase of energy and a loss of fat. In addition, taking a plant-based BCAA supplement before your workout can provide your body with vitamins and electrolytes to help encourage your muscles to push through almost any physical training during IF.
The benefits of intermittent fasting are still coming to light as more studies are completed. With the inclusion of BCAAs in the diet, you no longer need to worry about being able to get enough plant-based nutrients into your daily routine. If you are curious about the IF way of life, why not give it a try.
Written By: Elevate Nutrition Founders, Jillian Salomone and Paul Salomone