In this issue, we go back to basics with a look at setting your fasting and feasting windows.
And of course, we are bringing you news on what we’re currently reading or watching. For our premium subscribers, in this issue’s Research Spotlight we take a close look at an intriguing new study that is the first small scale human trial to show that it’s possible to actually reverse your biological clock in just eight short weeks, not with drugs, but with a combination of natural lifestyle changes and foods that nearly anyone can replicate. We will break down the actual intervention so our subscribers can implement all or part of it at home if they would like.
Plus our paid subscribers also get one of Ellen’s recipes each month and access to a live Q&A call. If you are a paid subscriber, since it’s already hot weather in much of the U.S., we share Ellen’s easy-to-make Frozen Watermelon-Lime Slushy, which is cooling and refreshing!
The paid option also includes a monthly live Q&A call with Ellen and Denise held on the second Tuesday of each month at 12 Noon Eastern (9 AM Pacific) time. The next call is on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
Looking for a supportive group that “gets” your interest in IF? Our free intermittent fasting Facebook group, with over 1800 members, is a wealth of info, in addition to our Fast Factor Circle membership. Just click the link here to become a member of our exclusive Fast Factor Circle Community. We would love to have you join us!
What is the IF Insider?
This email is your briefing on the most compelling developments in intermittent fasting as well as innovation in practices that can be stacked with IF, such as plant-based eating, sleep hacks, natural nootropics, brain training, and more, all curated by our team of entrepreneurs and 'future-think' scouts.
Our Mission is to introduce the power of Intermittent Fasting to entrepreneurs worldwide so they can exponentially improve their lives and businesses and the lives of the people they impact every day.
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Intermittent Fasting Insider Basics - Setting Your Fasting Window
As we are fresh off our latest Fast Factor 10 Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge, it seems appropriate to bring you some information that we provided to our participants on one of the most basic steps in getting started. That is…
setting your fasting window.
We recommend people new to intermittent fasting begin with a window of 16:8…
that is sixteen hours of fasting and eight hours in which to consume your food.
Quite a few participants in the Challenge wanted to know if there was a scientific reason behind recommending 16:8 as opposed to something different. Well, it’s really not very mysterious, as 16:8 just happens to be the ratio of fasting to feasting that most people who are just starting out can fairly easily accomplish.
Sometimes people who are new to IF don’t realize that the total number of fasting hours also includes the time you are asleep, and once they realize this, they can see how they could easily give this a try. All you really have to do is decide at what time you want to close your window in the evening and then count forward 16 hours into the next day. For most people, this means simply pushing forward their first meal of the day (that’s why it’s known as “break-fast”) by a few hours.
While the majority of new fasters are able to handle 16:8, a few people will not be able to tolerate that, and this is perfectly ok! In that case, we advise you to just step back a bit and do something like 14:10 or even 12:12, whatever it takes so that you can do it without getting into distress. It’s helpful to keep in mind that hunger itself is not an emergency (at least not in the developed world) and that it comes in waves, rather than getting stronger and stronger and stronger.
But no matter which fasting/feasting schedule you choose, if you do get hunger pangs, try a tiny pinch of sea salt or pink salt on your tongue, let it dissolve, and then drink some cold water, or unsweetened and unflavored black or green tea, or if it’s early enough in the day, have a cup of black coffee, which is an excellent appetite suppressant. If you get dizzy, nauseated, or have a headache that is not relieved by some acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol), then stop your fast and eat, then begin again the next day.
Once you have practiced fasting consistently every day for a week or two, it’s very likely that you can extend your fasting hours a bit. For most people, this happens naturally, as you get busy with something or have an appointment and just can’t eat at your usual time. Then you quickly realize that you are easily able to extend your fast and that becomes your new normal. Most people eventually end up doing 18 to 19 hours of fasting a day, with some fasting longer and some sticking to the original 16 with good results.
The important thing is to remember you are NOT in competition with anyone else and there is no badge of honor for fasting longer. Learn to really listen to your body, honor it and realize that by fasting you are giving your body and digestive system some much deserved digestive rest, which for most people in developed countries, is a totally unknown concept.
Also, keep in mind that you do not have to open and close your window at the same time every day. You can be flexible with your schedule, depending on what is going on in your life and how you feel that day. That is the beauty of IF and one of the reasons that it’s so sustainable.
So if you have been thinking of trying intermittent fasting, or you have gotten off track a bit, then today is a good day to set your window and begin. You are just one clean fast away from better health!
Why It Matters
All of us, no matter where we are in our intermittent fasting journey, would do well to periodically review the fundamentals of our practice.
“Most of us forget the basics and wonder why the specifics don't work.”
~ Garrison Wynn Actor (born 1961) - Former professional stand-up comedian, author, and motivational speaker who, while he was just in his teens, worked with corporate giant Magnavox and baseball legend Hank Aaron to promote the world’s first video gaming system. By age 27, he had become the youngest department head in a Fortune 500 company’s history.
What We Are Reading 📚
With each issue, we bring you a short blurb on what we are currently reading or watching, including books, articles, podcasts, videos, movies, and research papers of value.
Denise - Cognitive health is an issue I’m semi-obsessed with. My grandfather had Alzheimer’s Disease and my mother is experiencing cognitive decline. It’s heartbreaking to witness. That’s why Peter Attia’s recent podcast interview caught my attention, with Amanda Smith, M.D. on diagnosing, preventing, and treating Alzheimer’s disease. The interview runs about 2 hours and covers a lot of ground from diagnosing dementia to defining “healthy aging” and how understanding dementia can shape one’s life philosophy.
Ellen - If you read my last book recommendation in our last IF Insider (No. 30) then you probably picked up on the idea that I might be going down a financial rabbit hole. Before you ask “What does this have to do with intermittent fasting?” I’ll answer that:
everything!
When I began the practice of intermittent fasting over three years ago, I had absolutely no clue where it would lead. One of the benefits that came from it (besides drastically improving my health!) is that it opened me up to the possibility of looking at everything differently. That, combined with the onslaught of the pandemic, had me questioning nearly everything I thought I “knew” already, including how our financial system works.
One of the areas I have been exploring is bitcoin…
not cryptocurrency as a whole but bitcoin itself, and I recently learned of the inspiring and wonderful journey of Michael Peterson, who founded “Bitcoin Beach” in El Salvador and is using bitcoin to lift young people of that country out of poverty and to keep them out of gangs. His story got such traction that ultimately, it has influenced the president of El Salvador to move to make bitcoin the legal tender of his nation, the first country in the world to do so.
I think you’ll enjoy hearing Michael’s inspiring story!
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