Post: #276

Interesting that its essentially recommending people go without food and water for up to 72 hours and remain fairly sedentary during that period and not do too much.

Periodic water fasting, analysing one's diet and activity patterns seem like they could be beneficial. I'm not sure about dry fasting however or benefits of 'metabolic water' though?

I would prefer to eat a balanced diet and do regular exercise. I can deplete glycogen stores in muscles by doing large volumes of compound exercises or going for a long run.

Have you guys ever had a DEXA scan or attempted to measure your body fat composition? I'm interested in any measurement of these proposed benefits. Like just how many 'toxins' would be stored in ones fat that you're proposing would be reduced.

Post: #277

Some of the less enlightened forum members have claimed that this thread will encourage other members to starve to death. I just came across this interview of Dr. Goldhamer, the director of the True North Health Center, which has operated a successful fasting clinic for thirty years.

Quote:However, we have to also recognize that people have limitations. So we are monitoring their electrolyte levels, their clinical presentation, and so forth to ensure that we do not transition from the fasting state into the starvation state.

Fasting is what happens when you have labile reserves that you are mobilizing and utilizing. If you exceed those reserves, you enter a process called starvation. If you continue starvation, then the client would die, and that would be really bad for outcome data, so we try not to do that.

I have to say that in 10 000 consecutive patients, everybody who has walked in for fasting has been able to walk out. We have no mortality associated with fasting to date, and as our safety data indicates, this is a safe and effective process when it is done according to protocol.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684131/


So, serving 10,000 patients over thirty years, that fasting clinic has never experienced a single death from fasting. This should put to rest any misguided claims that equate fasting with starvation.

Post: #278

How much have all you guys lost in these 10 day water fasts???

Post: #279

(06-11-2018 08:59 PM)Pancho Wrote:  How much have all you guys lost in these 10 day water fasts???

Read the prior posts. The information is there. I lost twenty pounds on a 14-day water-only fast. One pound to two pounds per day is typical; one person in this thread reported more than three pounds per day. You will quickly regain about half that weight once you re-feed (unless you are really overweight).

Post: #280

The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve. Once you understand that then you can figure out what fasting method may be best - water, dry or intermittent.

For me personally - my story in brief. My doctor whom I have known for 20 years and I respect - we studied in the same university and are of similar age. However, whenever I mentioned the topic of fasting - he would usually say be cautious and would discourage it.

On my annual blood test a couple of years ago, he noticed was thyroid was showing above the healthy range levels which is above 4.0. He asked me to do blood tests every three months to keep track. My range was about 4.2 and once hit 5,2.

He then told me that I would need to start taking thyroid medication - the problem though is once you start taking the medication you will have to always be on it. If you stop taking it more damage can occur to the thyroid.

That is when I did my ten day water fast. I then went in again for my check up - and my thyroid was back down to the normal range of 2.6.

My doctor was puzzled bc according to him once the thyroid is out of balance, there is nothing you can do to correct it except medication. He was also puzzled by how perfect the rest of the blood test was - especially the
cholesterol.

Of course I did not mention my 10 water only fast to him bc he would not approve. If I had listened to him, I would be taking expensive daily thyroid medication.

Simply doing a ten day water only fast brought the body back to normal ranges and health.

The ten day fast was not that difficult either. Before you knew it, it was completed.

So for me, fasting is primarily about getting internal health.

I have had difficulty losing weight by fasting - you lose the weight but it comes back. Now I trying a keto plan. Lets see what happens.

Post: #281

So you sought medical advice from a Doctor but then did not disclose big changes in your health regime/diet?

"The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve" and then evaluate all of the options available to you. For example, I believe you could lower cholesterol by eating more fibre and increasing the amount of moderate physical activity.

I also disagree with your assertion that many people would agree that a 10 day fast would pass quickly.

Post: #282

(06-11-2018 09:55 PM)Bain Wrote:  The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve. Once you understand that then you can figure out what fasting method may be best - water, dry or intermittent.

For me personally - my story in brief. My doctor whom I have known for 20 years and I respect - we studied in the same university and are of similar age. However, whenever I mentioned the topic of fasting - he would usually say be cautious and would discourage it.

On my annual blood test a couple of years ago, he noticed was thyroid was showing above the healthy range levels which is above 4.0. He asked me to do blood tests every three months to keep track. My range was about 4.2 and once hit 5,2.

He then told me that I would need to start taking thyroid medication - the problem though is once you start taking the medication you will have to always be on it. If you stop taking it more damage can occur to the thyroid.

That is when I did my ten day water fast. I then went in again for my check up - and my thyroid was back down to the normal range of 2.6.

My doctor was puzzled bc according to him once the thyroid is out of balance, there is nothing you can do to correct it except medication. He was also puzzled by how perfect the rest of the blood test was - especially the
cholesterol.

Of course I did not mention my 10 water only fast to him bc he would not approve. If I had listened to him, I would be taking expensive daily thyroid medication.

Simply doing a ten day water only fast brought the body back to normal ranges and health.

That's pretty insane when you think about it. Are doctors really that ignorant and the profession is really that corrupt and beholden to big pharma? Like I wrote earlier, many people in the medical establishment that I've spoken to don't know much about the claimed benefits of fasting. People who have benefitted from it should be more outspoken and critical of doctors that look to a pill as the first option.

Post: #283

(06-11-2018 11:00 PM)Arado Wrote:  People who have benefitted from it should be more outspoken and critical of doctors that look to a pill as the first option.

I agree, but have you not read the attacks just on this thread? I wish that it was that easy. People are so brainwashed by society in general, and the medical profession in general, that they relentlessly attack anyone that threatens the status quo. Medical doctors are relentlessly persecuted by state medical boards for significant deviations from the norm. I could write a thread about it -- and, in fact, entire books have been written about it. In fact, if I research an alternative treatment on Google and a negative article appears from Quackwatch, I consider that a positive factor.

Post: #284

So you sought medical advice from a Doctor but then did not disclose big changes in your health regime/diet?

"The important question to ask is what are your goals or what are you trying to achieve" and then evaluate all of the options available to you. For example, I believe you could lower cholesterol by eating more fibre and increasing the amount of moderate physical activity.

As a general rule, high cholesterol is not bad. Cholesterol is actually essential to good health, especially brain health. There is plenty of bad science out there and much it revolves around creating a lucrative market for expensive drugs. When I lost my doctor because of ObamaCare, my new doctor immediately tried to place me on a statin drug. I said "no thanks" and explained that I liked cholesterol. She listed me as "non-compliant." lol

Quote:The nation’s top nutrition advisory panel has decided to drop its caution about eating cholesterol-laden food, a move that could undo almost 40 years of government warnings about its consumption.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk...107004aa1f

I typically run my plans past my doctor if I just happen to have an appointment while carrying out that plan, but I never allow a doctor to dissuade me from a health plan unless there is a legitimate valid reason. Unless you hire a functional health doctor, the best that you can hope for is an allopathic doctor who will not stand in your way. A doctor is just a guide; you must be the primary decision-maker regarding your own health. Most people rely far too much on their doctor and fail to take responsibility for their own health.


I also disagree with your assertion that many people would agree that a 10 day fast would pass quickly.

I did a 14-day water-only fast and, while I would not say that it passed quickly, it passed far more quickly --and was far easier -- than I expected. Of course, this was in a fasting clinic where there were health and cooking classes to break up the day.

Post: #285

Yep. The wise doctors know that often the best thing they can do for their patients is get out of the way and let nature do its work.

And fasting is nature's way how it heals - not only humans, but animals - even plants, trees, mountains, rivers, forests, oceans... everything.

Those doctors who are quick to prescribe medication - and there are many - usually interfere with the process of nature.

There are many skeptics but there are also many who understand.

Post: #286

(06-11-2018 11:45 PM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  Of course, this was in a fasting clinic where there were health and cooking classes to break up the day.

Cooking classes while doing a 14 fast?? lol.

Post: #287

(06-11-2018 11:53 PM)Bain Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 11:45 PM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  Of course, this was in a fasting clinic where there were health and cooking classes to break up the day.

Cooking classes while doing a 14 fast?? lol.

I had no problem taking all the healthy cooking classes or walking through the cafeteria and watching people eat, but my suite mate, who was juicing, never lost hunger pangs and could not do it. In fact, I visited the buffet most days just to see what I would be eating during the re-feed. That 14-day water-only fast truly was much easier than I expected. I was really surprised. I actually felt worse during the re-feed. I would not recommend a long fast while working. Then again, everyone is different so it could work for some people.

Post: #288

(04-08-2018 05:20 AM)Ice Man Wrote:  

(04-07-2018 06:40 PM)Bain Wrote:  What I did say was a one day dry can be quite beneficial if you properly prepare yourself -- meaning drinking plenty of water (and fruits) before your fast. Emptying your system of water for a day of two and then drinking the 3 - 4 litres on the third day is like doing a inner body flush.

You have completely made this up and have no idea what you're talking about.

There is no benefit to dehydration, none. There is no "inner body flush" by dehydrating yourself then drinking again- unless your "inner body flush" means recovering normal brain cell function, normal blood flow, heart rate etc that was increasingly degrading every moment you remained dehydrated. Yeah, I imagine it probably feels great to return to a normal functioning brain, cardiovascular and respiratory system after a number of days without it. What a great flush!

For anybody with a human body, here are just a few things happening to you under dehydration, ever increasing with time:

- Brain tissue fluid decreases, impacting cell function in the brain, and everything from mood to cognitive ability.
- Blood becomes thicker, heart rate increases, cannot pump it adequately, drop in blood pressure
- Ability of body to regulate temperature degrades, hyperthermia (increase in body temp)

These things and more begin to compound on each other the longer it goes on.

Not dying after X number of days does not indicate purposeful dehydration is healthy, beneficial, good or smart to try. Zero benefits to not drinking fluids, and very real and increasing negative impact, from the very first hours.

Be safe guys, and for the love of god ignore the "dry fast" trolls.

Decades ago, the IDF (aka the Israeli Army) had something called "water discipline" practiced on elite soldiers. They often had to endure serious force marches with limited water consumption as part of their routine training. Even non-elite soldiers had to go through forced marches like that in boot camp. It was far from pleasant but it was supposed to build character and endurance. The practice stopped following medical research by Professor Zohar that showed that many of these elite soldiers suffered severe health problems for life due to that water deprivation! I am no medical expert but I started reading this thread on day 4 of a 5 to 7 days fast (I have not decided yet when exactly to stop). I am doing that after reading the blog of Dr Jason Fung. His recommended fast encourages water consumption and even allows tea, coffee, and bone broth. My purpose in doing it is to see if it helps reduce my high cholesterol level. I will report results when I have them. But one thing I am sure of because I am not a medical professional: limiting your water consumption without medical advice and supervision is sheer folly. Good post, Ice Man!

Post: #289

(06-12-2018 12:04 AM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 11:53 PM)Bain Wrote:  

(06-11-2018 11:45 PM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  Of course, this was in a fasting clinic where there were health and cooking classes to break up the day.

Cooking classes while doing a 14 fast?? lol.

I had no problem taking all the healthy cooking classes or walking through the cafeteria and watching people eat, but my suite mate, who was juicing, never lost hunger pangs and could not do it. In fact, I visited the buffet most days just to see what I would be eating during the re-feed. That 14-day water-only fast truly was much easier than I expected. I was really surprised. I actually felt worse during the re-feed. I would not recommend a long fast while working. Then again, everyone is different so it could work for some people.

That is a good point. During my ten day water only fast, -- on the 7th day I went to the market where they had a food festival happening -- and all that outdoor cooking and smells did not bother me or make me hungry. If I was doing a juice only fast - I would likely not be able to do that.

Hence, I find doing a 10 day intermittent fast - where I still eat once or twice a day -- more difficult to do than a 10 day water only fast.

So many are confused by this. You would think doing a water only fast would be more difficult - but it is more easy - bc I think you are shutting down your cravings whereas if you feed yourself even a little, the cravings get stimulated like a beast.

That is why doing a long water only fast is more easy to do than most think. Once you get past day three, it becomes a lot more easy.

Post: #290

(06-11-2018 07:14 PM)Mig Picante Wrote:  Interesting that its essentially recommending people go without food and water for up to 72 hours and remain fairly sedentary during that period and not do too much.

This is absolutely essential to achieve the full benefits of a fast. Every time you eat, your body spends a huge amount of its energy supply to digest your food. If you rest while fasting, all that energy is now used to repair your body on a cellular level. So, while some people can exercise during a fast, it defeats the purpose of maximizing the amount of energy used by the body to repair itself. This is a key concept behind fasting.

Post: #291

I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

Post: #292

A forum member wrote me a PM asking for information about how the True North Health Center monitors patients during a fast. After writing a detailed response, I realized that it might be helpful to other members doing longer fasts (more than five days), so I am posting that information here. Fasting doctors typically recommend that if you do a fast longer than five days, it should be medically supervised. If you cannot attend a health clinic, this information will help you to work with your doctor (if they are open-minded).

First, for people who are on medications that they cannot stop, such as prednisone, antidepressants, etc., a water fast is contraindicated. These people should NOT water fast, but rather, do a juice cleanse. Before you arrive at True North, you must perform a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), which is a blood test that gives doctors information about the body's fluid balance, levels of electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and how well the kidneys and liver are working. If your kidneys or liver show out-of-range, then you should NOT water fast, but rather, do a juice cleanse. The same for a heart arrhythmia. They also require a CBC panel, a lipid panel, a homocysteine test,a C-Reactive Protein (CRP) test, and a 25-dehydrooxyvitamin test. If you are diabetic, they require an HGBA1C test. If you have thyroid issues, they require a TSH test. If you watch the True North videos, I know that they discuss the scenarios where fasting is contraindicated.

While I was at the clinic, a husband and wife arrived. The wife was in such poor health that True Health refused to admit her (because it was unsafe to do so) and sent her directly to the nearest hospital. The staff takes this stuff seriously. On the day that I left (about a week later), I had lunch with them. True Health allowed the wife into the clinic after she stabilized at the hospital. They both had serious health issues, but were now feeling great and impressed by how quickly their bodies reacted to eating a healthy diet. (Some people go to True North just to eat well for a few weeks or a month, to rest, and to LEARN how to eat healthy once they leave -- and do not undertake a fast or a juice cleanse.)

To answer your specific question, they monitored the following on a twice-daily basis:

1) Weight
2) Blood pressure
3) Pulse rate -- and quality
4) Water intake (at least six 16-ounce glasses of water required daily)
5) Collected urine each day to monitor ketone levels
6) Asked about any symptoms (most of which were normal while fasting)
7) Once per day, you had the opportunity to ask a doctor any questions about your symptoms or other concerns

Once a week, they would run a CBC or CMP panel to monitor your body's reactions to the fast. Ideally, you should run a CBC or CMP before you begin a long fast (five days or more) and discuss the results with your doctor to ensure that everything is normal. If you do a fast of ten days or more, ideally you should run another test half-way through your fast. If any of your CBC or CMP test levels are high, True North switches you from water fasting to a juice cleanse.

Ideally, you should just rest during your fast and allow the huge amount of energy that your body typically uses to digest food to be used for the healing process. You also should expect to have a significant drop in blood pressure during a fast (so be careful whenever you rise from a seated or lying position) and a lower body temperature (so expect to be colder than normal).

Post: #293

(06-12-2018 09:36 AM)sync Wrote:  I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

It can greatly depend on your situation. For example, my 14-day water-only fast was far easier than my first fast, which was a five-day fast that I discontinued after 3-1/2 days (because I felt weak as a kitten). I have no explanation for this incongruency, other than I did the 14-day fast at a health clinic after I had done several dozen shorter fasts on my own and the first fast was done at home (with no prior experience).

Post: #294

(06-12-2018 09:36 AM)sync Wrote:  I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

If you are new to fasting, then yes it is extremely difficult. The more you do it gets more easy.

After the fast though you need to develop good eating and exercise habits. If you cannot do this then doing a fast will not be of any real benefit.

Post: #295

(06-12-2018 09:53 AM)Bain Wrote:  

(06-12-2018 09:36 AM)sync Wrote:  I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

After the fast though you need to develop good eating and exercise habits. If you cannot do this then doing a fast will not be of any real benefit.

I absolutely agree that developing good eating and exercise habits will reap the maximum amount of health benefits. I have seen first-hand how it brought me back from the edge of an autoimmune disorder and helped me regain my health.

I disagree that a fast will not be of any real benefit to those who fail to eat healthy and exercise (unless you are already seriously ill -- and in that case, I agree). I became interested in fasting, because a friend managed her autoimmune disease by fasting for five days each year. After she fasted, all her symptoms disappeared and she could discontinue her medication. Once her condition flared up again (in 10-12 months), she would do another fast. She refused to change her diet. IMO, this is not the smartest course of action, but it shows me that fasting really does work to control significant health problems (even well-entrenched ones). At True North, I also met a man who ate and drank whatever he wanted during the year and then attended True North each year (for several weeks of fasting) to clean up his body. Fasting provides a holiday and work-break to your body, so that it can repair itself.

Everyone has a different life philosophy and experiences different levels of enlightenment at certain points in life. Doing something to improve yourself is better than doing nothing.

Post: #296

I have read a lot in the thread, but not all of it, so pardon me if I barge into an open door. I think everybody who actually tried to fast for several days without even juice agrees that it is not difficult at all to do, but at least some report that the first couple of days may be difficult. My personal experience is that it is easy from day one. I even enjoyed sitting with my family during dinner with nothing more than a cup of bone broth (which, for those who follow the advice of Dr Jason Fung, is allowed). But I think it was easy for me because I barely consume carbs when I do eat. Furthermore, for a few days prior, I had started intermittent fasting, at first one meal a day and then one day off and one day on (which was also easy for me). As a result, I suspect that my body was already used to digesting fat. My advice to anybody who wants to try fasting is to reduce carbs drastically first. That is, go on a ketogenic diet. Then, proceed to intermittent dieting; e.g., one meal a day or one day fasting per two days. Extended diets come last.

Disclaimer and excuse: I am not a medical professional, so I should not give advice, BUT this particular advice is far from medically risky. If you are considering fasting, surely you should not be afraid of a week or two of ketogenic diet. And note that I do not advise anybody to fast! I only speak to those who want to try fasting.

Minor note: I said it is easy for me, but don't confuse that with pleasurable. Eating is enjoyable and I do miss that joy sometimes these days (while I am fasting). But it is easy because I am not hungry.

Post: #297

Let me preface this by saying I'm not against the concept of fasting. I'm doing intermittent fasting now and I've done a ten day juice fast in the past which improved my health both in the short term and long term as it help me understand several important nutrition concepts that I had been unaware of.

I still believe that fasting for multiple days will have a negative affect on strength and muscle size for most guys. I understand that fasting can lead to the production of growth hormone and testosterone and that the theory is that muscle doesn't break down at all until fat stores have been exhausted. However, every bodybuilder, powerlifter and athlete I've ever talked to notices the same strong correlation that I do - you get bigger and stronger when you eat more and you lose gains when you eat less.

For example, a competitive powerlifter told me that his opinion on squats and deadlifts was to not worry too much about programming, sets and reps, and frequency because 80% of it is eating. He could skip the gym for a week but his squats and deadlifts would remain the same or go up if he was eating a lot, but those lifts would go down regardless of his training if he wasn't eating a lot.

Does anyone have any specific recommendations for how athletes can get the most out of multiple day fasting?

Are there any guys who do a lot of lifting and have done fasting for multiple days? What were your experiences? What are your suggestions?

Post: #298

(06-13-2018 12:40 PM)birthday cat Wrote:  Let me preface this by saying I'm not against the concept of fasting. I'm doing intermittent fasting now and I've done a ten day juice fast in the past which improved my health both in the short term and long term as it help me understand several important nutrition concepts that I had been unaware of.

I still believe that fasting for multiple days will have a negative affect on strength and muscle size for most guys. I understand that fasting can lead to the production of growth hormone and testosterone and that the theory is that muscle doesn't break down at all until fat stores have been exhausted. However, every bodybuilder, powerlifter and athlete I've ever talked to notices the same strong correlation that I do - you get bigger and stronger when you eat more and you lose gains when you eat less.

For example, a competitive powerlifter told me that his opinion on squats and deadlifts was to not worry too much about programming, sets and reps, and frequency because 80% of it is eating. He could skip the gym for a week but his squats and deadlifts would remain the same or go up if he was eating a lot, but those lifts would go down regardless of his training if he wasn't eating a lot.

Does anyone have any specific recommendations for how athletes can get the most out of multiple day fasting?

Are there any guys who do a lot of lifting and have done fasting for multiple days? What were your experiences? What are your suggestions?

My humble opinion from someone who is still learning and using plain common sense.

Multiple days fasts for an athlete or someone trying to build strength and muscle is not a good strategy bc longer and multiple fasts do utilize muscle for fuel.

There may be benefit if you are doing multiple one day fasts though as a cleanse and removing food from the system while strength building.

I would say focus on one proper long fast then start eating well -- get internally healthy first -- then focus on muscle building goals.

Many persons who look fit bc of their hard training may actually not be healthy.

Then doing a one day fast every one or two weeks for a cleanse would not affect muscle building but may help bc of the new energy and lightness you would get.

Post: #299

(06-12-2018 09:51 AM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  

(06-12-2018 09:36 AM)sync Wrote:  I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

It can greatly depend on your situation. For example, my 14-day water-only fast was far easier than my first fast, which was a five-day fast that I discontinued after 3-1/2 days (because I felt weak as a kitten). I have no explanation for this incongruency, other than I did the 14-day fast at a health clinic after I had done several dozen shorter fasts on my own and the first fast was done at home (with no prior experience).

From my understanding, your body may need "training" in order to smoothly kick into ketosis. So if that is the case, it makes sense if your first fast(s) are more difficult than later ones, as your body becomes more efficient at kicking into "keto mode."

Post: #300

(06-14-2018 11:39 PM)Monkey Business Wrote:  

(06-12-2018 09:51 AM)Tail Gunner Wrote:  

(06-12-2018 09:36 AM)sync Wrote:  I did 7 days. Was not easy for me.

I know a guy who did 42 days, but this was 20 years ago. Now is fat and drinks a lot.

It can greatly depend on your situation. For example, my 14-day water-only fast was far easier than my first fast, which was a five-day fast that I discontinued after 3-1/2 days (because I felt weak as a kitten). I have no explanation for this incongruency, other than I did the 14-day fast at a health clinic after I had done several dozen shorter fasts on my own and the first fast was done at home (with no prior experience).

From my understanding, your body may need "training" in order to smoothly kick into ketosis. So if that is the case, it makes sense if your first fast(s) are more difficult than later ones, as your body becomes more efficient at kicking into "keto mode."

It is interesting that you raise this issue, because I watched a functional health video today where someone asked a question about fasting -- and that is exactly what the doctor said. So, I believe that you are correct. Here is the applicable portion of the transcript:

Quote:Jonathan: Jay, what are your thoughts on fasting to reset or stimulate stem cells to enhance cellular and tissue regeneration and autophagy? You're a big fan of fasting, so am I. What do you think?

Jay:[01:27:00] I'm a huge fan of fasting. I think that's, I really believe as we look at the Science, mTOR and Autophagy, the difference of it. mTor is about building tissues. Autophagy is like cleaning up debris, you know? We need a balance of it. Intermittent fasting is what shuts mTOR off and it turns on Autophagy and cleaning up debris. I love intermittent fasting. I love block fasting. Don't just start, though, and say, "Oh, I'm going to do a three or four day water fast," off the bat. You can start with vegetable juice fresh for a day. You can start with daily intermittent fasting and get your body used to it. Then, yeah, continue to work.

[01:27:30] The whole idea is you want to rotate the foods you eat and you want to rotate the timing of when you eat the foods. You always want to change it up. The big idea is we want to be healthy, which means we're looking at training our body to be able to adapt and you only adapt when things change. That's why we want to change because, you know the seasons are different, the foods availability is different. The timing, when we eat, the type. If we change that we keep our body improving its adaptability so if you do get hit with some major stressor like a car accident or an emotional trauma, you know, relationship things or some massive horrible infection. That you've been working to improve your adaptability and you're less likely to get knocked down or, you know, die from something like that.

[01:28:00] If we understand that everything we're doing around us, don't do the exact same thing all the time. We want to build the adaptability in because inevitably that's going to make us stronger. Fasting in and out will do that.

Birthday Cat: That reference to mTor may offer a significant clue regarding your question about fasting and muscle building. I am sure that the answer is out there somewhere. I found this article doing a quick ten-second search:

Quote:Intense exercise: Intense exercise actually activates mTOR by first suppressing it. When you begin to exercise, mTOR is inhibited, suppressed like a spring. After you finish exercising, mTOR is super-sensitive, holding massive muscle-building potential. It’s ready to be released as soon as you consume food.

In order to increase mTOR’s muscle-making potential, you must first suppress it. And you suppress it by not eating. That way, when you do unleash it — either through eating, exercise, or a combination of the two — the effects are amplified.

"Make Muscle Gain Easier with Fasting" --

http://www.dummies.com/health/nutrition/...h-fasting/