Start by watching this video, and come back to this post!
Writing about the science of health is the hardest thing in my opinion. You pick any topic, and there can be endless discussion about what is right or wrong. So I need to be careful here not to be prescriptive in any form, especially when I’m nowhere certified medical personnel. This is more about sharing my recent journey around what I discovered late in life and has worked perfectly for me. I’m talking about the process of Intermittent Fasting (IF).
I have been in a workout rhythm for almost 2 decades. Mostly I have been into a moderate level of weights, while I did engage in other forms such as HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), Sports (Badminton), and Running plus Cycling. (I found Running quite counterproductive over the years and it caused more harm than cured things; more on that probably in a future blog!).
Most of us have a common goal around managing body weight (BMI essentially). All these years I was living in a myth that I could eat any junk, and since I’m physically active, I would be able to negate those. Wrong! The more I experimented with myself, I realized it’s probably 80% nutrition and 20% fitness routine. All these years I never needed motivation to stay active, but I found it hard to keep a healthy diet. And I’m in no way a foodie. So I can imagine what damage would an average food-lover would be doing to themselves! This is where I bumped into the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.
We humans (the well-to-do fortunate ones in the world) consume appalling amounts of food than we should. Biologically, we were never meant to, but we artificially evolved into making ourselves believe in it. Nutrition in plain simple terms is about 3 things – (1) What we consume (2) How much we consume, and (3) When we consume. The first 2 are more evident and easily understood. It’s the (3) which is often at times neglected. There are different theories around spreading your meal throughout the day and eating less in each meal. The theory of Intermittent Fasting is all about giving your body rest; ample rest to detoxify from within. A normal person talks about Brain and Heart. What if you get to know that the Liver and Pancreas are the life-controlling organs of your body? Ouch!
Let’s not get into too much science, and come back to what I’ve been trying out successfully. Intermittent fasting is about eating in a strict time interval in a day and fasting for the rest of the day. Typically, one would start with 14:10 and then promote to 16:8, 18:6, or even 20:4. 14:10 implies fasting for 14 hours and eating within a 10-hour window. It gets a bit challenging as we move to 16:8, which essentially would translate to 2-3 meals in a day. 18:6 or 20:4 effectively means 2 meals in a day. And the final frontier is OMAD (One Meal A Day)! Maybe not most, but there are fantastic memoirs you can read about people who have tried it over the years.
I started with 14:10, and my progression to 16:8 (and occasionally 18:6) was over 6-8 weeks. The initial 2 weeks were an expected bit of a struggle, and the body been not used to the routine, would react with headache and dizziness. But I never experienced anything beyond that.
My DOs and DONTs of Intermittent Fasting
- No more than 3 meals (2 heavy and one light) – I preferred the 12 pm to 8 pm eating schedule initially during the pandemic time (one reason being, I didn’t have to bother making breakfast :)). I moved to an 8 am to 4 pm eating schedule once I resumed regular office life.
- High Protein meals and Greens – Both are so much essential, I just can’t emphasize them enough. And include good fats in the diet.
- Cut down on carbohydrates and sugar – I occasionally let loose, but in most of the normal schedule, I keep track of this and try to earn my cheat day.
- I topped my diet with Apple Cider Vinegar intake (you will find cool recipes to try out). Read about all the benefits of ACD online.
- Moderate alcohol and fizzy drinks – Over time I’ve gone into a super moderate zone.
Transformations I noticed
- It might sound counter-intuitive, but less food => more energy! During my 16:8 (12 pm – 8 pm eat window) schedule, I used to feel super active in the morning hours. I was surprised at where the pump was coming from.
- I feel less fatigued throughout the day.
- Cut down on lower body fat, which is the most stubborn of them all.
Remember the player – “INSULIN”. That’s what is controlling you!
Over time, I primarily followed 2 YouTube channels from certified medical professionals and I drew inspiration for this path. The amazing benefits they explain, and debunk the entire myth around nutrition and food intake are eye-openers. The world is being taken for a ride by the food industry!
https://www.youtube.com/@DrEricBergDC
https://www.youtube.com/@pradipjamnadasmd
And as for me, there’s no looking back. I enjoy eating less and sparing my body from all the tortures of continuous intake. Mentally, the days I starve my body, I get an elevated feeling. I’m into my third year, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done to my body.