Want to get leaner, stronger, and healthier? If so, consider fasting! This centuries-old practice can change how you look and feel with its benefits going beyond weight loss. When done right, fasting can add years to your life and lower the risk of chronic diseases. It’s a healthy, natural way to reduce your cholesterol levels, boost your metabolism, and improve body composition. I’ve also found it to be a great way to alter your energy patterns too due to changing your eating times and breaking your normal habits.

Let’s see how fasting works and why it’s so good for health:

Fasting at a Glance

Centuries ago, people were fasting to cleanse their bodies and connect with the divine. Fasting was used for spiritual, religious, and therapeutic purposes. Nowadays, it’s popular among those who want to lose weight, get rid of toxins, and enjoy better health. Athletes use intermittent fasting to get leaner and stronger, break through plateaus, and gain a competitive edge.

This practice involves abstaining from food, drink, or both for a specific period of time. According to the latest research, cutting calories by up to 40 percent extends life expectancy by a third or more. In the long run, it regulates blood pressure and blood sugar levels, improves insulin response, and restores hormonal balance.

There are different types of fasting, and each has unique benefits.

Water fasting is often used for detox or religious purposes. (You should always consult with your health professional before undertaking ‘water fasting as you are reducing your caloric intake for a period of time. Best to get advice form a ‘fasting’ expert on this before you do it.’)

Juice fasting helps cleanse your body from the inside out, slows down aging, and gives your digestive system a well-deserved break. Unlike water fasting, it’s safer and provides a small amount of calories. This makes it easier to abstain from food and resume your daily activities.

For most people, intermittent fasting (IF) is the most appealing option. This dietary pattern alternates between periods of feeding and fasting. Depending on your preferences, you can fast for eight to 16 hours a day, or every other day. Popular intermittent fasting protocols include:

1. Alternate day fasting (24-hour fast followed by a 24-hour feeding window)
2. Eat Stop Eat (fast for 24 hours once or twice per week)
3. Leangains (14-hour fast followed by a 10-hour feeding window)
4. The Warrior Diet (fast for 20 hours during the day and eat during a 4-hour window at night)
5. The 5:2 Diet (Stick to 500 calories a day on two nonconsecutive days each week)

Most intermittent fasting plans allow the consumption of a limited amount of calories from food or beverages. This makes them sustainable on long term and helps prevent nutrient deficiencies.

The Health Benefits of Fasting

This dietary pattern has been subject to hundreds of studies. Its health benefits are confirmed by science. When used as part of a balanced lifestyle, it promotes fat loss, speeds up your metabolism, and balances your hormone levels.

For instance, intermittent fasting has been shown to increase growth hormone (GH) levels by as much as 2,000 percent in men and 1,300 percent in women. This hormone plays a key role in fat distribution, muscle growth, and metabolism. Elevated GH levels result in faster weight loss and improved body composition.

Fasting also regulates ghrelin and leptin, the hormones influencing appetite. Basically, it suppresses the hunger-hormone ghrelin and stimulates the production of leptin, the satiety hormone. Moreover, this practice boosts athletic performance and energy levels, slows down aging, and improves immune function.

Although this can be an effective way to break your fat loss plateaus and boost your health (there are case studies also showing people’s cells and bodies regenerating after being unwell), you always need to consider whether this is safe for you and suitable for your lifestyle and current state of health.