"I went into this hoping to demonstrate that this thing I've been doing for years works, but as soon as I saw the data, I stopped," said UCSF researcher Dr. Ethan Weiss.
For 7 years now, Dr. Weiss has been experimenting with Intermittent Fasting.
Eventually, he decided to run a randomized clinical trial to get some evidence. And the result of that study is what you'll learn about in this blog...
Proponents of intermittent fasting defend it like a mamma bear defends her cubs after a long winter fasting in a cave...
Coincidence?
At least 4 or 5 times a week, someone asks me...
"So, what do you think about Intermittent Fasting?" Or "Does Intermittent Fasting really work?"
Since I'm not a fan of pretending to know things I don't know, my answer is usually...
"I'm not sure. There's no real research."
If you don't know what intermittent fasting is, its a diet fad that's been gaining popularity over the last few years.
The short explanation is that you have a window of time where you're allowed to eat, and a window of time where you don't eat.
This approach to eating is appealing because it's so simple to follow.
I tried it for 2 months about 2 years ago and found that I liked it because of the simplicity.
Eat now, don't eat now.
Red Light, Green Light.
It's binary.
There was nothing to remember or forget.
BUT after two months and no measurable results, I stopped.
The study released yesterday out of UCSF specifically studied the 16:8 version of Intermittent Fasting for 12-weeks.
16:8 means you have an 8-hour "feeding window" followed by a 16-hour fasting period where you are only allowed water.
For example, you might eat between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm and then fast until 8 am the next day.
If you quit eating at 4 pm you'd probably want to see some freakin' results!
Well...
The study found "No Statistically Significant Difference" between the control group and the group who practiced 16:8 Intermittent Fasting.
The control group who ate normally lost 1.5 pounds.
The intermittent fasting group lost 2 pounds.
However, they did find that the intermittent fasting group did show a statistically significant loss of muscle.
Not good (If you value your metabolism and strength.)
The bottom line, the 16:8 version of Intermittent Fasting, failed it's first randomized clinical trial.
The Jury is out on other versions, such as 20:4 (warrior diet) or 36:12. And I'll certainly keep you updated.
In other current news...
I spoke with a member here at ProCore named Lane about an hour ago. He stopped me between sets, covered in sweat, with a big smile on his face (If you know Lane, that's no surprise).
He began by saying, "I can't wait to see my Doctor in October!"
He told me that he started with us at 231 lbs. And now, after following our nutrition and exercise program, he's down to 209 lbs!
"She (his doctor) wanted me under 210, and she's going to freak out when she sees my progress! I think I can lose a few more pounds before I see her. She's going to pleasantly surprised!"
Want to know what Lane's secret is?
How you can lose more weight, have more energy, and build more muscle?
Want a reliable and dependable way to reach your goals without feeling miserable and spending hours in the gym every day?
Book a FREE 45-minute strategy session right now, and we'll show you how to do precisely that.
But don't wait. If you wait for a week, I promise you'll wait 3 months.
All of a sudden, Halloween will be here, Thanksgiving, then Christmas, then New Years, then... you get the idea.
Don't wait. Your health is too important.
Once again you can claim yours by clicking here.
