Alternate Day Fasting

This type of intermittent fasting is easy and helps balance the bodies anabolic/catabolic states.

OVERVIEW:

• Intermittent fasting is a way to restrict eating times. You only eat within your eating window and do a water only fast for the remainder of the time.
• Intermittent fasting regimens are safe to follow for the whole month, or for life, as long as they are of short duration and not causing negative side effects (i.e., binging, weight regain, reduced hunger, tiredness).
• An intermittent fasting regimen can help with blood glucose regulation, lowering of insulin levels and obtaining a better balance between anabolic and catabolic states. They can also help with weight loss.
• Though fasting, on its own, will not restore insulin function it is still a great tool, alongside a proper dietary and exercise regimen, to begin normalizing hormone levels.

RULES:

Alternate day fasting can be done in one of two ways:

• Option #1: A water fast for 1 full day, every other day, for a total of 3 days of fasting per week. On your eating days, you can have 2 - 3 meals.
  
  Example
  
  Monday - Fast
  Tuesday - 2 - 3 meals
  Wednesday - Fast
  Thursday - 2 - 3 meals
  Friday - Fast
  Saturday - 2 - 3 meals
  Sunday - 2 meals

You can choose to start the fast on any day of the week you wish, just make sure that it ends up looking like the above schedule where there are only 3 days a week of fasting.

Continue your carbohydrate restricted dietary protocol during eating times.

• Option #2: If 1 day is too long of a fast for you, switch to 'one meal a day' (OMAD) for a schedule that looks like this:
  
  Example
  
  Monday - 2 meals
  Tuesday - OMAD
  Wednesday - 2 meals
  Thursday - OMAD
  Friday - 2 meals
  Saturday - OMAD
  Sunday - 2 meals

You can choose to start the OMAD on any day of the week you wish, just make sure that it ends up looking like the above schedule where there are only 3 days a week of OMAD.

Continue your carbohydrate restricted dietary protocol during eating times.

KEEP IN MIND:

• Make sure your fasting times are water only. This means no consumption of anything with taste and/or calories. Eating while fasting is snacking and that quickly becomes caloric restriction, not true fasting. Fasting and caloric restriction have different hormonal consequences.
• Eat to satiety, during your eating times, so that you do not get hungry during your fast. Satiety means you do not leave the table hungry. Hunger during fasting times means you are nutrient depleted. Eat nutrient dense, carbohydrate restricted meals during eating days and be sure to consume adequate protein.
• As with all fasting regimens, keep electrolytes in mind and supplement accordingly. A recommended electrolyte guide can be found here
• If you are a type II diabetic, on medications, do not start this protocol without first discussing it with your healthcare professional, as combining fasting, alongside glucose lowering medications, can cause dangerously low blood glucose.