Low-Carb Lesson - Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Fasting

Today’s Low-Carb Lesson - The Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Fasting.

Today we are lucky to have Dr Caryn Zinn join us. Caryn is a registered dietician, lecturer, researcher, academic, author and part of the amazing faculty at Prekure. Caryn is one of the world's most respected low-carb and whole-food advocates and its application to metabolic health and sports performance. Her contact details are at the end of this post.

Medical Disclaimer -Before embarking on any change in diet, lifestyle or activity, you may need to be under the supervision and care of your primary healthcare provider. This article should not be construed as medical advice, nor should it be substituted for medical advice from your healthcare provider. By continuing to read this article, you assume all responsibilities and risks for instituting lifestyle management.

Low-Carb Lesson - Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid When Fasting

In today's interview we discuss:

• What are the main benefits of intermittent fasting?
• How to start intermittent fasting.
• Do you need supplements?
• How does fasting affect thyroid function? Muscle mass?
• Top myths about intermittent fasting.
• The top 3 mistakes to avoid when fasting.

What are the main benefits of intermittent fasting?

So what is the point of fasting? Why would you want to skip meals? And what's the difference between starvation and fasting?

Starvation is a prolonged period without food, leading to malnutrition. Intermittent fasting, however, is a planned short period of time when you choose to abstain from eating but you eat a nutrient-dense meal before and after.

Fasting for short periods of time allows the body to rest from constant eating and snacking. It allows blood sugars (which may often be chronically elevated) to fall within the normal range, it gives the gut a period of rest and it can improve insulin sensitivity, weight loss, appetite control and a whole host of other benefits.

Autophagy = Self-eating. Self-cleaning.

When fasting, autophagy begins.   

Autophagy is a cellular process that will remove old cells and regenerate new ones. It's like your body giving you one massive spring clean, but at the cellular level.

During autophagy, any old cells that are damaged or ready to be removed, will break down into their individual amino acids and help regenerate new cells.

You don't actually need to be fasting for autophagy to occur. Even eating low-carb and keto will help the autophagic process.

Why fast and for how long?

There are various benefits from fasting, therefore how long you want to fast (or can fast) will depend on your health goals and your ability to fast in a safe and healthy manner. Fasting must be healthy both physically, metabolically and mentally.

Intermittent Fasting - missing 1 or 2 meals

This can improve your relationship with food. To help you manage weight. To manage blood sugar control. To manage certain conditions such as inflammation.

Short-term fasting - 1-3 days fasting

This type of fasting may help tap into the deeper benefits such as autophagy, cellular clean up and cellular regeneration.

Long-term fasting - beyond 3 days

You may acheive a catabolic start where stem cell regeneration occurs, a boosting of the immune system, you are deep into ketosis and are getting the benefits of living in an anti-inflammatory state.

Beyond 24 hours seems to be the maximum state

How to start intermittent fasting.

If you are new here, the Intermittent Fasting Guide For Beginners is perfect and so easy-to-follow. You will learn how it works. What to eat. What to drink. What does each intermittent fasting plan look like?

Read more: Intermittent Fasting Guide For Beginners

The top 3 mistakes to avoid when fasting.

1. Do not overeat - the number one problem that sabotages weight loss is overeating during your eating window. Fasting is not a licence to eat as much as you want. Follow the regular low-carb eating guidelines and eating principles.
   • Eat ONLY until full, STOP when no longer hungry. Enjoy NUTRIENT DENSE whole-food meals. QUALITY over quantity.
2. Know your why - this will help guide you into a liberation mindset (I don't want to eat) rather than a fixation mindset (I can't eat).
3. Don't get fixated with numbers - don't set unrealistic goals. Don't set yourself up for failure. Ensure you have balance in your life. Become intuitive. If you have to stop fasting for various reasons, that's OK. Life happens. Become an intuitive faster.

Intermittent Fasting - Summary & Top Tips

1. Metabolic flexibility - by living low-carb and being fat-adapted allows us to become efficient fat burners and be able to tap into our fat reserves when required. It also allows us to efficiently burn carbs when required. 
2. Autophagy may occur at certain levels even when not fasting. Fasting has so many health benefits and there is some, but not conclusive, evidence as to when each benefit occurs. 
3. Be an intuitive faster. Don't over complicate things. Fast when you want to but allow yourself to adjust the days and times that fit in with your lifestyle. In addition, you can use fasting as an unplanned option when eating out and there are no options that appeal to you. 

Mistakes to avoid when fasting - Questions from my PRO membership:

All are answered in the interview above.

1. I've been reading that autophagy is also initiated by lifting weights. What’s your opinion of shorter fasts combined with weight lifting to engage the autophagy process for the good of health? 
2. Do you need supplements during fasting?
3. Help - I fast Mon/Tues and eat really well throughout the week and my weight drops during a fast then slowly creep back up so the net effect is zero. What do I do? Have I wrecked my metabolism or do I need to fast for longer and more often? I only have 4 kg to lose. 

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Conclusion:

Intermittent fasting has numerous health benefits and you have to decide what your goal is and what you want to achieve. 

Always monitor your health and wellbeing during a fast. If at any time you feel unwell STOP and enjoy a healthy nutrient-dense low-carb meal. It may be this fast was not right for you. 

When you break a fast - go slow and keep it low. Go gently on your digestive system.

Become an intuitive faster. Fast when it suits you, your lifestyle, your health, your family and your motivation.

Dr Caryn Zinn

You can find Dr Caryn Zinn, today's guest expert on the following social media and through her private practice.

Websites -  https://www.carynzinn.co.nz/ & https://whatthefatbook.com/
Prekure Health Coaching & Practitioner training - https://www.prekure.com/ 
Facebook -  https://www.facebook.com/carynzinndietitian 

Dr Caryn Zinn is part of the faculty at PreKure, who are providing training and inspiration to the medical profession to become more focused on disease prevention. PreKure’s vision is to make prescribing lifestyle medicine as easy as prescribing pills.

• If you are thinking of becoming a qualified Health Coach and would like to see the variety of courses available - CLICK HERE.
• If you are a practitioner who wants to up-skill in Ketogenic Nutrition & Treatment - to see the curriculum - CLICK HERE.

Caryn is also on the front page of the worldwide directory of Low-Carb Practitioners. The first worldwide directory so you can find a practitioner who utilises the amazing power and benefits of low-carb or ketogenic nutrition, near you.

HOW TO START LOW-CARB

If you are new here and would like to learn how to start low-carb, take a look at this page for beginners.

There are all the resources you’ll ever need to learn how to start a low-carb diet or how to start a keto diet.