Selecting the Ideal Intermittent Fasting Protocol

Intermittent Fasting is one of the most powerfully effective methods of weight loss and has experienced a burst in popularity across America. While fasts have long been a feature of some of the world's largest religions, fasting has been recognized for its ability to improve Hormone Balance and encourage weight loss. There is also evidence that Intermittent fasting can slow down many processes associated with aging, and can also protect the health of the heart. There are various methods of Intermittent Fasting, but 16 and 24-hour fasts are very popular.

How Does Fasting Affect Insulin Levels?

Insulin is the means by which our bodies take energy from blood glucose and deliver it to our muscles, liver, and fat cells. The body produces a surge of insulin after meals and caloric consumption as a mechanism to control blood sugar and glucose where it needs to go. Because Insulin facilitates the movement of glucose to fat cells, the body cannot extract lipids from these cells while Insulin activity is elevated which can encourage weight gain. Fasting, exercise, and diet all have a suppressive effect upon Insulin Levels, facilitating weight loss.

How Does Intermittent Fasting Encourage Weight Loss?

Intermittent Fasting is highly effective at encouraging Lipolysis, or the extraction of energy from adipose fat cells. Of course, on the other hand, we also require natural nutrition to maintain good health, even when we're trying to lose weight. To maximize weight loss and still get the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that we require, it's essential to select an Intermittent Fasting Schedule that takes that into account.

Clinical studies have shown that fasting for 16-24 hours appears to be ideal, depending on whether your goal is maintaining your current weight or to encourage weight loss. Insulin Levels drop to a point which promotes significant Lipolysis at around 16-18 hours of fasting. If you're merely attempting to shed a few pounds or want to improve hormone balance and maintain your current weight, a 16-hour fasting schedule will likely provide the results that you're looking for.

Also, if you engage in an active exercise schedule, you'll want to go with a shorter fast. Many people opt for a 16-hour fast in which they skip breakfast and hold off until lunch for their first meal of the day. This leaves lots of time for exercise and keeps the body running smoothly. Don't be afraid to push your 16-hour fast for a couple of extra hours if you can handle it.

On the other hand, if you're interested in losing weight more quickly, a 24-hour Intermittent Fasting Program can provide results without putting excessive strain on your health. Unlike 16-hour fasts, which can be done daily, 24-hour fasts are every other day or a few times per week.

Fasting Encourages Cellular Rejuvenation and Recycling

Fasting encourages optimized natural Human Growth Hormone Production. HGH is a tool that the body uses to both pull fat from cells and facilitate autophagy. Autophagy is the recycling process which breaks down and removes underperforming organelles within the cell and stimulates the cell to build replacement organelles more rapidly. When we eat too much and too often, this process slows down dramatically. When engaging in Intermittent Fasting, this process speeds up significantly as Insulin Levels in the blood fall.

One of the significant problems, when we get older, is that the body repairs and rebuilds slower than it did when it was younger. Metabolism burns fast when we are young and slows down over time. Encouraging increased cellular metabolism via strategies such as Intermittent Fasting help the human body sustain higher levels of cellular renewal to the benefit of the body as a whole.

How Do Diet and Exercise Affect Cellular Metabolism?

While Fasting has a powerful effect upon body fat breakdown, exercise and physical activity also produce positive results, and you should figure out a system that incorporates proper diet, rigorous training, and strategic fasting that works for you. Exercise makes the body respond to Insulin more readily, and it also encourages Insulin levels to modulate more quickly, meaning that you'll get enhanced results from fasting.

Concerning diet, eating too many carbs (compared to your activity level) causes insulin levels to spike and can lead to Insulin Sensitivity over time. If you're conscientious about your carbohydrates, this will also encourage healthier Insulin Balance and promote fat loss more rapidly when fasting.

It's well documented that Obesity and Diabetes are both highly detrimental to health, but research is still ongoing to determine all of the specific biological reasons why this is the case. It's believed that impaired cellular autophagy is one of the many reasons why these conditions have such dangerous effects on health, wellness, and longevity.

Interested In Intermittent Fasting?

To date, the evidence is clear that Intermittent Fasting is highly beneficial to long-term health and longevity, as are other factors such as healthy eating and an active lifestyle. The key is to develop a lifestyle that combines these factors in a healthy way which facilitates your wellness and quality of life. As we've mentioned, Hormone Balance is an incredibly important aspect of maintaining vitality and good health. Our Board Certified American Hormone Clinic can help you determine if Hormone Imbalance is having a negative impact on your health. We provide our services to patients 30 and older!

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