Categories: Health, Nutrition
Author

Daniela Wiessner

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Intervallfasten

Forget everything you’ve heard about eating all the time as a foundation for health and performance. This idea isn’t just wrong – it’s actively sabotaging your health. The truth? Your body is made for periods of hunger. Our ancestors didn’t hunt with protein shakes in hand and didn’t have 24/7 access to food. They were survivalists – and these ancient survival mechanisms can give you a massive performance advantage today. Fasting as a reboot for your health? Read this!

All set for a fresh start – what happens during fasting

Fasting is more than just a diet trend or even a slimming craze. It is the button for your physical reboot. After around 12 to 16 hours without food, your body starts to switch to reserve – and that’s the trick. Instead of burning sugar, your body produces ketones. These things are like super fuel for the brain and ensure that you think more clearly, concentrate better and your mood remains stable.

And that’s just the beginning. At the same time, a high-performance program is running inside you: damaged cells are recycled (autophagy), inflammation decreases, insulin sensitivity improves – in short: your body cleans up.

The specific fasting benefits that no supplement can offer you

Fasting is a scientifically proven method with measurable benefits:

  • Inflammation inhibition: Chronic inflammation – the root of many modern diseases – is measurably reduced by regular fasting.

  • Increased fat burning: Your body draws directly on fat reserves instead of constantly living on food.

  • Mental sharpness: Ketone bodies are premium fuel for your brain. Many fasting people report increased concentration and mental clarity

  • Improved insulin sensitivity: Your cells respond better to insulin again – the key to preventing type 2 diabetes.

  • Cellular regeneration: Autophagybreaks down old, damaged cell components and replaces them with new ones.

Longer fasting intervals – new study points to systemic changes in the body

Current research results from an international study by the Berlin Institute of Health at CharitĂŠ (BIH), the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences and the Precision Healthcare University Research Institute (PHURI) at Queen Mary University of London show that the human body undergoes extensive, systematic changes in several organs during longer periods of fasting. After several days of water fasting, over 1,000 proteins in the body change – with effects on the brain, immune system and cell structure. These effects go beyond mere weight loss.

“A new finding of the study is that the body undergoes significant changes in the protein composition of the blood after about three days of fasting – one in three of the proteins measured changed during fasting. This indicates that the entire body reacts to the strict calorie restriction with adjustments in all important organs.”

Why hunger makes you healthier – and helps you live longer

It sounds paradoxical, but it’s biologically ingenious: regular periods of fasting can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s disease. Studies show: People who fast regularly not only have better blood lipid levels – they also activate genes that have to do with longevity and cell protection.

Fasting acts like an internal mechanic that rids your system of waste, waste and dysfunction. No detox tea in the world comes close.

Intervallfasten ,Methoden

Fasting methods: Find your way

You fast for 16 hours and eat in an 8-hour window. In practical terms, this often means skipping breakfast and eating between 12 noon and 8 pm. This method is easy to integrate into everyday life and already delivers most of the benefits of fasting.

You eat normally on five days of the week and reduce your calorie intake to around 500-600 calories on two non-consecutive days. This method is suitable for people who do not want to fast every day.

You only eat one meal a day and fast for the remaining 23 hours. This method maximizes the benefits of fasting and radically simplifies food planning. Not suitable for beginners, but extremely effective.

Consuming only water for 24 hours or longer is the most intensive form of fasting. Autophagy and ketosis are maximally stimulated here. Start with 24 hours and increase slowly. Important: For longer periods of fasting, you should always inform yourself beforehand and seek medical advice.

Fasting is not rocket science

Practical implementation: These tips will help you to successfully integrate it into your everyday life:

Coffee is your ally

Black coffee without sugar or milk does not break the fast and can suppress hunger. Bonus: caffeine also stimulates fat burning. Don’t overdo it – 2-3 cups are ideal.

Training during fasting

Contrary to popular belief, training while fasting is not only possible, but can even increase fat burning. Strength training and moderate cardio work extremely well. For high-intensity workouts, ideally place them at the end of your fasting period or in your eating window.

Electrolytes – the underestimated factor

During longer periods of fasting, you lose sodium, potassium and magnesium. A teaspoon of sea salt dissolved in water or mineral water can stabilize the electrolyte balance and prevent headaches or feelings of weakness.

The first few days are the hardest

Your body has to adapt. Hunger comes in waves and disappears again – often within 20 minutes. Hang in there and it will get easier with each day. After about a week of regular fasting, it will become routine.

Fasting – try it yourself

Fasting is not a theoretical concept that you should study endlessly. It is a practice that you have to experience for yourself. Start with 16:8 for a week. Observe how your body reacts. Note your energy, concentration, hunger and mood. The results will convince you.

While others are scrambling from meal to meal, you are using one of the most powerful biological levers for health, performance and longevity. The question is not whether you can afford to fast – but whether you can afford not to.

Note

Controlled fasting can serve to optimize health under these aspects. However, this is highly individual. It is therefore always advisable to discuss fasting with a doctor who is familiar with the subject. Under no circumstances should fasting be used to emulate an idealized body image. Every metabolism is unique. What boosts one person’s metabolism may leave another with a lack of energy. This article merely aims to encourage you to think about the fact that sometimes less is simply more!

Sources:

🩺 Medically tested

This article has been professionally reviewed by Dr. Verena Immer. She is a doctor of integrative and anti-ageing medicine with a holistic approach that combines conventional medical knowledge with complementary methods. She has successfully applied the concept of individualized medicine in her own practice near Munich and currently offers personalized medicine – with a focus on longevity – in Switzerland.

Image source: istockphoto.com |

  1.  Shows off his perfect body | credits @ Georgijevic
  2. in plate simulating a clock with the hands of a fork and a knife | credits @ Rosendo Serrano Valera
  3. Alarm clock with IF | credits @ Sasithorn Phuapankasemsuk

Disclaimer

This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor-patient relationship is established. Use of any information contained in this blog or materials linked to this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Users should not ignore or delay medical advice for any medical conditions they may have and should seek the help of their healthcare professional for such conditions.

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