Fasting for Weight Loss

This is one of the most powerful ways I’ve learned to drop body fat quickly and keep it off forever.

Eat Stop Eat

Earlier this year I read a book called Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon. The main idea from the book is that you should fast once or twice a week for 20-24 hours to assist in weight loss and overall good health. During your fasts, you refrain from consuming any calories, but you should still drink your normal amount of water. Other zero calorie drinks, such as black coffee or unsweet tea, are also permissible.

I’ve tried many forms of fasting for weight loss in the past: skipping breakfast, skipping dinner, late-onset short-term intermittent fasting, 16/8 Leangains by Martin Berkhan, and many more. But I tended to lose too much muscle mass, which I hated. I also felt weak and lost strength in the gym.

However, the Eat Stop Eat fasting schedule has been incredibly easy. I eat my normal meals on Sundays, with dinner at 7:00. Then I simply don’t eat again until 7:00 on Monday night (24 hours of fasting). So I’m still eating something every day of the week; I just restrict my eating on Mondays until dinner time.

Why Intermittent Fasting Works for Weight Loss

The Eat Stop Eat plan works for several reasons. First, by fasting once or twice a week, you reduce your weekly calorie count. For example, if I normally eat 2400 calories a day (say, 800 calories at each of three meals), then over seven days, I’ll eat 16,800 calories. But if I fast for 24 hours twice a week, I’m skipping four meals, or 3200 calories. So my weekly calories drop from 16,800 to 13,600.

Second, as you get to 20 hours of fasting, your body will begin burning mostly your own body fat for fuel (during the first 20 hours, and at any other time, the body is usually burning a mixture of carbs and fats for energy). So with two 24 hours fasts, you’ll burn tons of body fat for about eight hours each week. That’s enough to lose weight without feeling sluggish or tired, as people often do on low-carb and ketogenic diets.

Third, intermittent fasting appears to be good for your health, including your gut health. With a break from the regular schedule of eating, your digestive system also gets a break which can lead to many health benefits with very few health risks.

Real Fasting Weight Loss Results from Strength School Clients

I’ve used this with several of my nutrition clients lately. One male client lost two inches on his waistline while increasing his strength in the gym. Another male client lost 2.5 inches and about 8 pounds of bodyweight. And a female client, who was already very lean and about 124 pounds, lost almost an inch on her waist and four pounds.

I’m giving this idea to all of you because I think it’s the most effective and easy way to lose unwanted fat and maintain the new look you achieve.

How to Do It

Here’s what I recommend:

If your waistline - measured at your belly button - is more than 50% of your height for men, try to fast for 24 hours twice a week.

If your waistline is about 50% of your height, fast for 24 hours once or twice a week.

And if your waistline is below 50% of your height, fast once a week for 20-24 hours.

So, let’s say you’re a 5’10” male (70 inches). Half your height is 35”. So if you have a 40” waist, you could fast twice a week for about 24 hours until your waistline drops to around 35”. At that point, fast twice a week for just 20 hours. Finally, when you dip below 35”, fast just once a week for 20-24 hours to maintain your new waistline and to reap the other health benefits.

Notes:

I don’t recommend working out during a fast, or at the end of a fast. Trust me - it’s not fun. You’ll probably have low energy and your workout will suffer. So if you workout on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, I’d recommend doing your fast(s) from Monday after dinner until Tuesday at dinner, or Wednesday at lunch until Thursday at lunch.

If you start to feel light-headed, dizzy, or otherwise unwell during a fast, you need to eat immediately and drink some water. You might feel some sensations of hunger during a fast, but you should never push through any more discomfort than that.

Waistline Is More Important Than Body Weight for Health

The 50% waist circumeference to height ratio is very important. Studies show that people who keep their waist at half of their height, or less, tend to live much healthier lives, with less chronic disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular problems, and obesity. Some scientists and doctors are even suggesting that waist circumference be used as a ‘vital sign’ - similar to blood pressure and pulse - in medical settings to diagnose overall health and wellbeing.

Also, looking at body weight and waistline can help you tell whether you’re making real changes. For example, if your bodyweight increases but your waistline stays the same - or maybe even drops - you’re probably gaining mostly muscle. But if your bodyweight and waistline increases, then you’re probably gaining fat (and maybe some muscle too).

So, in summary, if you’re interested in fasting for weight loss, I recommend that you try the version of fasting found in the book Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon. And whether you choose to use intermittent fasting or not, I encourage you to periodically measure you waist circumference and try to keep it around 50% of your height, or less.

-Shane