In this week’s IF Insider:
In this issue, we answer a question brought up by one of the members of our Fast Factor Circle: “Should I vary my fasting hours to keep my body from getting stuck?”
And of course, we’re bringing you news on what we’re currently reading or watching. For our premium subscribers, in this issue’s Research Spotlight we are going to look at whether or not cooking with olive oil harms your heart?.
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, last month we brought you Ellen’s tasty Golden Fried Rice, which is easy to make and a family favorite. This month, we’re sharing Ellen’s awesome Mushroom Powder Antioxidant Bombs! 🍄
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Should I Vary My Fasting Hours To Keep My Body From Getting Stuck?
In our last IF Insider (IF Insider No. 23) we looked at the question: “Is it true that losing sleep can cause you to gain weight? And if so, how does this work?” In each and every issue we cover one specific intermittent fasting topic as well as highlight what we are reading, watching, and studying.
So let’s address today’s question:
“Recently on Quora, I saw a post about long-term intermittent fasting. The responder said to vary your fasting hours, for example doing 20 hours one day, 18 the next, and so forth. The reason given was to keep the body out of a “stuck” phase. What are your thoughts/findings on this?”
Now you may recall, if you are a regular IF Insider reader, in IF Insider No. 22 we examined the question, “Is it OK to open and close my fasting window at different times of the day?” Our answer to that question was yes, it’s perfectly ok and we addressed this as a matter of not having to stick to a rigid schedule, as IF is flexible and not a diet.
What we did not address in the answer to that question was any biological reason for varying one’s fasting hours and that is the subject of today’s question.
When I first saw this member’s question, the first thing that came to mind was another question: “Did the person who responded to the query on Quora back up their recommendation with a scientific study?” The answer to that was no.
So I did a bit of research myself on PubMed and could not come up with any studies showing or actually even investigating whether varying one’s hours do anything to keep your body from getting “stuck.”
And what is “stuck” anyway? For some people who are using IF to lose weight, they may look at getting stuck as being on a weight loss plateau. Others may wonder if they are doing IF long term, will their body not reap the metabolic benefits (such as decreased circulating insulin levels, increased autophagy, etc.) if they keep on the same rigid schedule.
On the surface, the idea of changing up your fasting hours makes intuitive sense. This is especially true when you consider the body benefits from learning to become metabolically flexible, that is easily switching from burning carbohydrates when eating to burning fats when fasting.
Most of the people we know who have successfully implemented daily intermittent fasting into their lives over the long term have been able to do so because their routine was flexible. This includes variation in the times they open and close their eating windows and also varying the hours they fast every day.
One successful strategy that these people use (including Denise and myself!) is to set a minimum number of fasting hours we want to hit daily. If we go over that (and we often do!) then that’s fine.
This flexibility, especially as you make room for celebrations and times with friends and family, will make adopting IF as a way of life infinitely easier. Personally, I love Denise’s outlook on this when she’s had an event or other occasion which caused her to choose to end her fast early or even stop fasting altogether while she was traveling: “Today, I will simply begin again!”
There is no failure in IF friends. Simply. Begin. Again.
Why It Matters
The number one reason “diets” fail (and why the diet industry continues to be worth billions of dollars annually!) is they are not sustainable.
And the number one reason diets are not sustainable is their inflexibility.
Remember, IF is NOT a diet. Flexibility is key. Live your life. Simply begin again.
“Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.”
~ Tony Robbins, American author, coach, speaker, and philanthropist.
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 - I’ve been fascinated with the Blue Zones research for a couple of years and stumbled on this article that reveals 5 stress-reducing lifestyle activities common among the people whose longevity has been studied by Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest. #3 and #5 are my favorites!
Ellen - In our last issue, I reported on my experience reading Steven Kotler’s new smash book The Art of Impossible. At its heart, Kotler’s book is based on the work of legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. (You can listen to how to pronounce his name here) the originator of the concept of flow.
I started thinking about flow and then remembered I had Csikszentmihalyi’s 1990 book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, on my bookshelf. So I pulled it down and I’m reading it again.
As taken as I was by The Art of Impossible, I wanted to go back to the originator of the concept to see what new insights I could gain, and not just take Kotler’s interpretation of the concepts presented in Flow at face value.
Most important to me though, is that the whole concept of flow got me thinking again about some intellectual pursuits I was going after in grad school that got abandoned after life intervened. Perhaps it’s time to go with the flow!
Want Even More Conversations Like This?
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All Circle members get priority notification and first chance to secure a place at our annual Inner Fire Experience at beautiful Serenbe Farms and Inn here south of Atlanta, Georgia. This will take place as soon as it’s safe to travel, hopefully in the spring of 2022.
Simply click here for more information and to become a member. Membership is just $47 a month with no ongoing commitment. Why not give us a try as we’d love to have you join us?
Our Mission: We bring together entrepreneurs to learn how to combine the extraordinary power of intermittent fasting with research-based practices both ancient and modern so that as we support, encourage and inspire one another, we can each expand our focus, confidence and productivity as well as exponentially increase our well being, and through us, the well being of our families, friends, colleagues, and communities.
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