How to Minimize Metabolic Damage from Fasting

MiraclePowertv

I fast on a semi-regular basis for spiritual purposes. While fasting, I typically consume broths and some soups (mostly non-chunky type), while continuing with my green tea in the morning and sometimes adding in some juices during the day.

On a fast like this, I will generally lose 10-15 pounds, although it generally all comes back after the fast is over.

My question is... does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep the metabolism burning during the fast? would it work to add cardio or resistance training workouts during a fast?

I'm interested in success stories and some sound advice on getting enough nutrition during the fast to prevent metabolic damage. Thanks in advance.

TavistockToad

how long do you fast for?

Springfield1970

Hi I'm really interested in the nature and reason for your fasting, can you tell me more?

I wouldn't go over lactate threshold (high intensity training) during a cut let alone a fast unless I was happy to lose some muscle, as the body can only burn 30 calories per hour per pound of body fat, and for me at under 20% body fat that's a disaster. This happened to me when I was on a 20% below maintenance cut while training for triathlon a couple of years ago. Considering it takes me 3 plus hours per week of heavy lifting and a week of excess calories and 100 plus g of protein per day to gain a quarter of a pound of muscle, I don't want to cut into that. By the way organs can be tapped into for fuel too, which is why anorexics often keel over of heart attacks.

You're also at high risk of injury, it's not just vitamins you need its adequate calories for repair and growth.

I'd be resting/walking if I were you!

If you have to liquid fast, try sneaking in high calorie stuff like coconut milk. What are the rules?

neanderthin

Springfield1970 wrote: »

Hi I'm really interested in the nature and reason for your fasting, can you tell me more?

I wouldn't go over lactate threshold (high intensity training) during a cut let alone a fast unless I was happy to lose some muscle, as the body can only burn 30 calories per hour per pound of body fat, and for me at under 20% body fat that's a disaster. This happened to me when I was on a 20% below maintenance cut while training for triathlon a couple of years ago. Considering it takes me 3 plus hours per week of heavy lifting and a week of excess calories and 100 plus g of protein per day to gain a quarter of a pound of muscle, I don't want to cut into that. By the way organs can be tapped into for fuel too, which is why anorexics often keel over of heart attacks.

You're also at high risk of injury, it's not just vitamins you need its adequate calories for repair and growth.

I'd be resting/walking if I were you!

If you have to liquid fast, try sneaking in high calorie stuff like coconut milk. What are the rules?

I think you'll find a lb of body fat can supply 30 calories of energy a day, not an hour.

HeySwoleSister

Working out is probably not a good idea during an extended fast. Consider the cultural traditions of fasts like Ramadan, Lent, and Yom Kippur...during the period of fasting, observant people will use that time to rest and reflect quietly. Activity does not resume until the after-fast feast period, if there is one, or the resumption of a normal diet.

I am unfamiliar with the patterns of other faiths, but as far as I know, almost all traditions which incorporate fasting do so in periods of tranquil meditation, not frenzied activity.

Mr_Knight

Unless the fast goes beyond 2-3 days, there isn't really anything to worry about. I personally wouldn't be adding much cardio because big calorie burns in a big deficit can very quickly lead to burning up lean body mass - so I limit to relaxed 5k run every other day.

There's always caffeine etc to jack things up and keep you moving, I suppose. EC stack generally requires ramping dosage up and down, which there isn't time for in a short fast.

Evidence of positive physiological changes under fasting conditions is mounting - the latest I read is a big uptick of stem cell production after 36 hours - so just keep the fasts relatively short and you should be fine.

Might also want to take a read up on PSFM, since you're fasting anyway, as protein intake can become critical.

MiraclePowertv

TavistockToad wrote: »

how long do you fast for?

It varies between 3 to 21 days

MiraclePowertv

Springfield1970 wrote: »

Hi I'm really interested in the nature and reason for your fasting, can you tell me more?

What are the rules?

Usually the purpose of the fast is to increase spiritual sensitivity and awareness. I am of the Christian faith, leaning more toward the charismatic side.

The rules can vary as well... I am currently on a fast where I'm eating soup, mainly creamed soups without much solid substance content. Other times the fasts can consist of fruits and vegetables. Some very short fasts are just clear liquids.

SciranBG

I fast occasionally too and recommend it as an alternative to the occasional people who bring up cleanses. When I do them I am generally near 0 calories. I've heard ~35 calories is the amount that "starts up digestion". I have heard that you should not exceed 48 hours without a source of protein though. Perhaps you could add something like nutritional yeast or whey protein. In my case I would consider both of those as breaking the fast, but I stick to around 24-36 hours, so it wouldn't be as much a concern.
As for metabolism, I have heard doing a gradual refeed can help. When you break the fast, keep your calories low and each day add a bit more up until about what your normal maintenance TDEE would be.

Springfield1970

neanderthin wrote: »

Springfield1970 wrote: »

Hi I'm really interested in the nature and reason for your fasting, can you tell me more?

I wouldn't go over lactate threshold (high intensity training) during a cut let alone a fast unless I was happy to lose some muscle, as the body can only burn 30 calories per hour per pound of body fat, and for me at under 20% body fat that's a disaster. This happened to me when I was on a 20% below maintenance cut while training for triathlon a couple of years ago. Considering it takes me 3 plus hours per week of heavy lifting and a week of excess calories and 100 plus g of protein per day to gain a quarter of a pound of muscle, I don't want to cut into that. By the way organs can be tapped into for fuel too, which is why anorexics often keel over of heart attacks.

You're also at high risk of injury, it's not just vitamins you need its adequate calories for repair and growth.

I'd be resting/walking if I were you!

If you have to liquid fast, try sneaking in high calorie stuff like coconut milk. What are the rules?

I think you'll find a lb of body fat can supply 30 calories of energy a day, not an hour.

You're right! Thank you for correcting that, it's also 31. I've got 20lb of fat which means I'm in trouble if I cut more than 620 off my Tdee per day. I play it safe and cut 1-200, and always fuel up nowadays.

Mr_Knight

I believe that number (31 calories/lb adipose/day) is still a matter of some study. I would treat it as having significant error bars.

MKEgal

MiraclePowertv wrote:

does anyone have any suggestions as to how to keep the metabolism burning during the fast?

You're still alive, right? So your metabolism hasn't stopped.

Here are some studies I found searching PubMed.
Couldn't find anything about long-term food deprivation, but there's lots about short-term.

Possible metabolic impact of ramadan fasting in healthy men.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25552155


Alterations in metabolic profile occur in normal-weight and obese men during the Ramadan fast despite no changes in anthropometry.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25177497


Reducing resistance training volume during Ramadan improves muscle strength and power in football players
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24048913


Ramadan and sport: minimizing effects upon the observant athlete
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23888431
"Performance of repeated anaerobic exercise is impaired, but aerobic power and muscular strength show little change during Ramadan. Ratings of fatigue are increased, and vigilance and reaction times are impaired, particularly during the afternoon."


Effect of fed- versus fasted state resistance training during Ramadan on body composition and selected metabolic parameters in bodybuilders
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23617897
"Hypertrophic training in a fasted or in a fed state during Ramadan does not affect body mass and body composition of bodybuilders"


Conducting an acute intense interval exercise session during the Ramadan fasting month: what is the optimal time of the day?
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22947072
"Ramadan fasting had a small to moderate, negative impact on quality of performance during an acute high-intensity exercise session, particularly during the period of the daytime fast. The optimal time to conduct an acute high-intensity exercise session during the Ramadan fasting month is in the evening, after the breaking of the day's fast."