Mark asks:
“Thanks very much for your interesting emails, and I really enjoyed the do’s and don’t health tips. Just a quick question- on your fasting days do you do any training on those days? I would be really interested to know what works best…”
A great question.
I recommend some form of fasting for everyone. Why? Because it’s a natural human thing to do. We’ve become so overstuffed with food in our modern day world that it is more and more becoming a necessity to take a break from eating.
But there are lots of different types of fasting. And each type has different benefits and drawbacks and other things to consider.
Early on when I was getting into health, due to the influence of Paul Bragg, I started doing a 24 hour fast once a week.
This was many years before intermittent fasting became the trendy thing it is today.
While I switched off and on this over the years, I am back to this routine once again. Why? Because it really is a solid healthy habit. A weekly break to cleanse the system.
Generally, I am fasting on Sundays and take that day off of training too. That’s current plan but that’s more so because they fit together well in my current schedule.
But with an intermittent fast, 24 hours or under, it is okay to train. In fact, there is certainly something to be said for training after a short fast and then eating right after it for increasing the anabolic benefits.
It’s extended fasts where training begins to become tricky.
That being said, if you’re brand new to fasting, training at the end of 24 hours could be tough.
In other words, if you’ve been riding the blood sugar roller coaster for years without a break, it certainly could leave you feeling no energy to train.
But, in time you will adapt to it.
And I think that is a sign of health. Can you go for a period of time without eating and be just as strong and enduring as you would be with food?
I’m reminded of “the father of physical culture,” Bernarr MacFadden who showed his health and prowess by doing some big lifts after a week-long fast.
That’s going to take a little bit more of some work.
The longest fast I’ve done thus far was five days. And on the fifth day, I went for a several hour uphill hike. Whew! It was tougher than normal, but I did it.
To sum up, yes I do recommend fasting and training, but work into doing it smartly.
I have a whole very-detailed chapter on this in my upcoming book, but I’ll have to save that for another time. Right now you can find some good details on fasting, especially the growth hormone releasing benefits, inside of Upgrade Your Growth Hormone.