For centuries, fasting has been a predominantly spiritual practice in which you dedicate a set amount of time to cleansing your body and mind. Even though it wasn’t known at the time, fasting and its benefits are rooted deeply in biology and can greatly affect how our bodies function and perform.
Today, fasting has become a hot topic of discussion, reemerging as one of the most effective ways to combat various health conditions, from obesity to diabetes. While further research is needed to fully understand the extent of fasting’s benefits, its undeniable efficacy is drawing attention. Even celebrities and athletes are embracing different fasting plans, adding to the growing interest. If you’re curious about fasting and how it all works, here’s what you need to know.
What is fasting?
Contrary to popular belief, fasting and autophagy are not the same thing. Autophagy is a cellular process that is triggered by extended periods of fasting or abstaining from food. When your body is deprived of nutrients for a time, it starts to use the damaged components in its cells for energy, and this process is known as autophagy (in Greek, self-eating). This is a survival mechanism our bodies developed over thousands of years, and it’s vital for maintaining healthy cellular function.
So, what fasting brings about goes beyond the breakdown of accumulated fats (which is why so many people use fasting as a weight loss strategy) – it can help our cells, and with it, our body stays healthy and strong. This is where things get tricky, though.
There isn’t a clear limit on how long you need to fast to trigger autophagy, and it can vary from person to person. While you can use a fast tracker for weight loss to keep tabs on how long you’ve been fasting, there’s no magic equation that can tell you exactly when the autophagy starts. If you’re just starting your fasting journey, know that there’s a level of trial and error involved and that it will take time for you to figure out what fasting schedule works best. This doesn’t mean you should give it up, just come into the practice with an open mind and a willingness to experiment.
How is autophagy connected to muscle health?
Whether you’re a recreational athlete or looking to lose some weight while fasting intermittently, you may wonder how that will affect your muscle health and performance. Combining exercise with fasting could have many benefits, as long as you do it cautiously and with a strong understanding of when your best times to work out and fast are and how/if they coincide.
Muscles in our bodies are highly dynamic, which means they constantly need maintenance to perform at a high level. Enter autophagy, the best cellular house cleaner anyone can ask for! As we know, this process lets the cells feed on their debris (damaged proteins and organelles), stopping it from accumulating in the muscle tissue and causing atrophy and weakness.
Additionally, autophagy can aid in regulating muscle stem cells, which play a significant role in muscle tissue regeneration and repair. This will keep your muscles healthy, and the process could boost your overall performance and endurance.
How do fasting and autophagy affect athletic performance?
With all the benefits listed above, it’s easy to see how fasting and autophagy can strongly impact athletic performance. Even some celebrity athletes know and use this. As autophagy boosts cellular health and muscle performance, triggering it regularly can bring about faster recovery after workouts and competitions, reduce the risk of injuries, and improve overall performance.
Along with all these positive effects, regular autophagy can also improve your energy levels, as it’s connected to healthy mitochondrial function, which is in charge of energy production and endurance.
Depending on your rhythm, you can incorporate different fasting strategies into your workout routine. However, it is important to exercise caution when pairing fasting with your training regimen, as this is not a small change you’re introducing to your life. If you’ve never fasted before, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor or nutritionist before you give it a go. This will ensure you have a well-thought-out fasting schedule that will complement your exercise goals without putting your health in any danger.
Conclusion
There’s a lot of information floating around about fasting and autophagy, but you should always keep in mind that this is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Your body is unique, as is the effect fasting could have on it, so stay mindful and incorporate this new routine slowly. That will ensure you listen to your body every step of the way and find the best approach to make the most out of fasting and the autophagy that comes with it.
Written by Olivia Wolfe ([email protected])
