Health

Fasting for Better Focus, Weight Loss, and Metabolic Health

I’ve written previously about intermittent fasting as a viable weight loss approach with the ability to burn fat but keep muscle intake. I haven’t really discussed the other benefits, including fasting for better focus, and metabolic health.

I’ll describe many of the benefits of intermittent fasting and explain the mechanisms which improve your health. Intermittent fast is a simple adjustment to your routine with a number of benefits you might want to explore further through your own experience.

Better Metabolic Health with Intermittent Fasting

According to Benjamin Bikman Phd, author of Why We Get Sick, most people, whether they know it are not, are insulin resistant, which means their body doesn’t properly respond to insulin, which is a hormone that helps control blood sugar (glucose).

Intermittent fasting helps your metabolism by conditioning your body to change fuel sources—from glucose to fat (ketones). This change is known as metabolic switching, and it has significant health benefits:

Better Blood Sugar Levels:
When you fast your body takes a break from sugar consumption, which helps insulin work better. This improves fasting insulin sensitivity, which lowers your risk from diabetes and almost every other disease, according to Bikman.
Constant Energy Levels:
People think that when you fast, you don’t have that much energy. The truth is actually the opposite. Your body uses less energy digesting food leaving you more alert and energized. In addition, the use of ketones for energy replaces glucose.
Short-Term Benefits:
You can begin to experience improvements in insulin resistance and energy within just a few weeks of beginning intermittent fasting. By making sure you avoid sugar and processed food during your “feasting” period you may even notice changes earlier.

Poor metabolic health destroys (ages) your body and causes a number of diseases but by fasting you can feel younger, more energized and healthier.

Improved Hormone Balance with Intermittent Fasting

While intermittent fasting not only improves your metabolism it also helps balance your hormones. Here’s how:

Boosts Growth Hormone:
When you fast for a short period of time it naturally increases human growth hormone (HGH) levels. Higher HGH leads to improved muscle tone, stronger bones, and better recovery after you exercise. All of these benefits count more as you get older

Maintains Testosterone Levels:
While studies indicate testosterone levels decrease, particularly in young healthy males when doing intermittent fasting, it does not affect muscle mass, muscle strength, and may actually increase SHBG concentration. SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) helps control the amount of sex hormones that are actively working in your body.

Lowers Inflammation:
As part of the metabolic effects, intermittent fasting will decrease inflammation. Chronic inflammation impacts your hormones, such as cortisol that makes you feel tired. Fasting also improves cortisol sensitivity when done regularly.

It is far more difficult to forgo food for days and may not provide some of the benefits listed above but simple fasting cycles like 16:8 can support hormone health and improve the way you feel.

Higher Energy Levels and Productivity

While you may feel irritable and hungry when you first start Intermittent fasting, it doesn’t make you feel tired but it usually does the opposite. Short fasting periods can increase your energy and focus, allowing you to feel more productive. Here’s how:

Stable Blood Sugar:
Because you aren’t snacking while fasting, your blood glucose levels stays constant – no ups and downs leaving you feel tired in the afternoon or after breakfast (if that is the meal you delay/skip during fasting).

Clearer Thinking:
Intermittent fasting provides a break for your digestive system. This allows your body to focus more energy on your brain, helping you to think more clearly and remain focused.

Increased Alertness:
Short-term fasting, as experienced with intermittent fasting, increases norepinephrine (noradrenaline). This is a natural hormone that is involved in regulating alertness, focus, and cognitive function.

Having a clear focused mind while doing fasting, particularly during the morning, when many of us are most productive, is a plus. Add a cup of coffee and some focus meditation and you’ll be able to stay on task long enough to get things done..

Additional Benefits of Intermittent Fasting:

Weight Loss:
As part of the title of the article suggests, perhaps the biggest reason people adopt intermittent cyclical fasting is for weight loss and specifically fat loss. As the body transitions into ketosis after about 12 to 14 hours, your body begins to use fat rather than glucose as an energy source.

Increases Longevity:
Because intermittent fasting reduces inflammation and healthy cell repair through autophagy, it may extend lifespan if it doesn’t involve prolonged calorie restriction..

Simplifies Meal Planning:
It may be a relief for some that they don’t need to prepare an extra meal a day, making the daily routine simpler.

Saves Time and Money:
As an extension to making life easier by not needing to prepare an extra meal, it also saves money on groceries and time preparing the extra meal each day.

Common Challenges to Consider When Fasting for Better Focus:

Initial Hunger and Discomfort:
- It will likely take time for your body to adjust when you first start intermittent fasting. In the meantime you may feel hungry and irritable, which will impact your ability to focus and stick with fasting. If you stick with it for a week or two you may find it becomes a natural part of your routine.

Social Interactions:
- If you choose to time your fasting period to forgo dinner, you may find this conflicts with family meals or social events. This is probably why many choose to skip breakfast instead. Even still, you may feel you need to miss out on Sunday morning brunch with friends. This is your choice but I for one would never miss out on an occasional event with friends or family on account of my fasting. It is good to stay somewhat flexible.

Not Suitable for Everyone:
- People with certain medical conditions, history of eating disorders, or blood sugar issues, or even women of child bearing age should always discuss fasting with a medical provider first. In fact, everyone should discuss intermittent fasting with their doctor before trying it.

Potential Overeating:
- A major trap many people fall into, including myself when I started fasting, was to compensate for the fasting period by eating too much during the ‘feasting’ period. I didn’t gain weight but had difficulty losing weight and fat.

Make sure to consider these points when exploring whether cyclical intermittent fasting is right for you.

Conclusion: Why Not Give Fasting for Better Focus a Try?

Intermittent fasting provides so many more health benefits than just losing weight. While it may be a bit difficult to start, after a few days it becomes a simple habit that not only helps your brain, metabolism, and hormones, but also gives you more energy. You’ll also think more clearly and feel sharper mentally. With these benefits, why not give intermittent fasting a try?

If you’re ready to see the benefits intermittent fasting can provide, delay your morning breakfast by a short period, like an hour, and over time, push it back to a point you feel comfortable with. Start today!

Check out Intermittent Fasting for Belly Fat: Easy Way to Beat Fat.

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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the support and guidance of your physician when you are unsure about any health issues.

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