A film called “Fasting” notes, per an MD, that eating at night (when our body’s circadium rhythm has reduced the activity of our pancreas, for example), turns you into a Type 2 diabetic as there’s not enough insulin production to get the sugars out of your bloodstream.
Eating at night (during your fasting window) also keeps insulin levels up which affects your body’s ability to release growth hormone and glucagon – both of which go up when insulin goes down.
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Yes, it does. I’ve watched the film…Keith Klein, CN, is one of the main indviduals highlighted in Tom Odar’s movie and he has been advocating six meals/day since the 1980s. (Klein helped Bill Phillips create Body For Life … the program is pretty much 1:1 with Klein’s, except Keith recommends real food vs. the supplements.) However, Klein recommends against IF but unlike the individuals I’ve referenced, he hasn’t done any research, etc. No slam – his clients’ before/after results are pretty impressive.
Without knowing what references Fung is citing, it is hard to comment on whether he is fairly interpreting the available science.
It is part of dieting lore that prolonged calorie restriction can cause a “broken metabolism”. However, the evidence for this seems ambiguous at best. I’ve read that permanent down regulation of metabolism was not observed in the famous Minnesota starvation experiment. Those guys saw resting energy expenditure return to normal levels once they began eating at a normal calorie level.
Fung has cited the results of a study of Biggest Loser contestants as part of his evidence for a downregulation of metabolism. This interpretation seems to have come from an analysis done by Kevin Hall, a reputable weight loss expert. However, others have pointed out what Hall really showed was that after weight loss, the contestants calorie expenditure dropped by a larger than expected amount, based on currently accepted models. What that misses is that when the contestants were obese, their resting energy level expenditure was higher than what those same models predict. And if you compared the dieted down lean contestants to normal subjects, their metabolic rate was normal. So they went from obese (and supercharged metabolism) to lean (and normal metabolism). It was not a case of dropping from normal metabolism to sub-normal metabolism.
My understanding of the current science is this:
When you lose weight, metabolism drops, because you have less body to fuel. To the extent that you lose muscle while dieting, that will accelerate the drop in metabolism, because muscle burns more energy than fat. Conversely, it you lose mostly fat, and keep muscle levels the same (or higher), the decline is minimized.
Data on the effect of fasting for weight loss is somewhat mixed. There does not seem to be consistent evidence that intermittent fasting reduces body fat in the absence of overall calorie reduction. That was my experience: time restricted eating did not cause weight reduction, by itself. I still had to reduce calorie intake, and for me, that required calorie counting and intentional restriction. Of course, if intermittent fasting makes it easier for you to reduce calorie intact, it will increase your chances of having success.
The BS I refer to is in regards ones BMR remaining the same after weight loss with IF and a higher fat diet , and his claims about other methods causing BMR to be lower for months or years.
Anyone who can be bothered to look can cite dozens of studies to support pretty much any position in exercise or nutrition, so to me that is meaningless.
In regards metabolism, why would I conduct blood tests ?
I am merely stating my observations and giving my opinions/thoughts , which in your initial post you asked for.
Even if peoples bmr’s went up or down a little (changes in weight , activity and muscle to fat ratio will do that anyway) ,then unless dramatic, then it isn’t going to have a big effect anyway.
As I said earlier , just my opinion/thoughts which you are fully entitled to disagree with.
Regards
Mark
Thanks – appreciate the information it makes sense, including the feedback on Fung’s references.
One point that I shared with my friends after reading Fung’s books, watched Fasting, etc., aligns with some of your points and the other reference to the Beyond Fat Loss movie: when Darden, Klein, etc., put individuals on a ‘plan’ (perhaps similar to Mark’s), they’ve lowered their calories with foods that are not super processed and/or junk. Maybe stated another way:
…and so on.
Add Dr. Darden’s recommendation from his research that the caloric size of a meal should be limited to keep the insulin release low, fat storage minimal if any.
Things we’ve all learned.
Anyho, appreciate the Kevin Hall information as well – wasn’t aware that.
== Scott==
Ok I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying here? In laymen’s terms what turns you into a type 2 diabetic and the eating at night during your fasting window part ?
There’s a quote saying “If you torture a study it will confess anything” It’s quite accurate. I have read articles about studies that show that IF is awesome and others that conclude that it sucks. I have tried almost every imaginable diet plan out there including IF and pretty much all of them work up to a degree (as long as they follow the basic scientific rules). I have been on IF for the last 3-4 years because it fits my lifestyle, never had any problem with it, I ve hit most of my PRs fasted.
I can write a long list of pros and cons of IF but the bottomline is if it fits your lifestyle go for it, if it doesn’t do something else.
I get concerned with things that say it contributes
To you becoming a 2 diabetic especially the part about eating or not eating at night etc?
Thanks. Scott
I guess that has to do with the fact that eating bigger meals since you consume same amount of food during smaller feeding window results greater insulin raise. But there are too many factors about that including the macros that you consume. On the other hand there are claims of the opposite, that it greatly improves insulin sensitivity, through fasting and through leptin raise because of the infrequent meals. Go figure…
I know many people using IF including myself and none had any problems with it, given there are not pre-existing health issues.
As per the original post, it would be interesting to learn what Mr Darden has to say on this.
I believe Intermittent Fasting works for brief periods (6 to 12 weeks) with some people. It seems to lose most of its effect after three months. As far as combining it with a higher fat eating, I’m not familiar with that concept.
I also believe that building muscle while you are losing fat keeps your metabolism from being dramatically lowered after you’ve lost significant fat.
Does Dr. Fung push negative strength training in his programs?
I don’t have Fong’s books – have read a couple, seen his videos – but strength training like you emphasize is not a key part of his program. He’s a nephrologist and found many of his patients are severely ill Type 2 diabetics with kidney disease.