Nutrition and Exercise Balance – Where to Start?

As you can see from my last post I just finished a 24 hour fast.

Fasting might sound like a contradiction especially considering I am writing about “Balance” today. But it’s quite the opposite.

yin_yang

From all the research I’ve looked at over the years and coming back from the SENS conference on anti aging I’ve come to realize that most of us in the industrialized countries are far out of balance on the ‘too much’ side of things.

Too much food, too much drink, too much alcohol, too much leisure, too much fitness and nutrition information, too much tv etc.

At first glance a 24 hour fast sounds drastic, but when you look at it from the perspective that we all struggle with eating too much, and too often, and are exposed to food marketing and food choices far too much and too often…well then a 24 hour fast doesn’t even sound long enough!

Fasting is just as much a mental as it is physical step towards balancing your body. It provides a sense of control and accomplishment that you can control food instead of food controlling you. That is the mental benefit. The physical benefits are too numerous to list here, but suffice to say it will cause you to burn fat, allow your system a chance to clear out, reduces inflammation, and reduce water retention (to name a few).

So from the standpoint of ‘Balance’. Fasting is something that most people in modern industrialize countries could benefit from.

Even if you’re not interested in weight loss it can provide a new perspective on your relationship with food and how you respond and control your feelings of hunger/appetite and need/desire for food.

If you’ve never tried, it I suggest picking up Brad Pilon’s book Eat Stop Eat and learn how to incorporate short breaks from food into your life.

John

Posted by johnbarban in Uncategorized
Tags: 24 Hour Fast, Balance, Exercise, Fasting, Nutrition, Weight Loss |5 Comments

5 Responses to “Nutrition and Exercise Balance – Where to Start?”

  1. Suzan Nashashibi Jordan Says:
    September 21st, 2009 at 4:02 pm

    Fasting might be a very good detox trigger if done rightly and damaging if done in a complete starvation mode but 24hrs seem to be ok i assume that the fast might include water or not im not sure anyway what i wanted to say is that we have our special fasting month which just finished but the fasting is from sunrise to sunset then u can eat lightly and drink and hydrate ur body it does have a beneficial physiological and psychological effect on our body we stop eating sunrise to sunset and that s willpower used positively so self esteem is better we are in control and our body gets and overall cleansing and fat burning push which radiates effectively on our health and u stop taking food for granted its the fasting month in islamic calendar then all goes back to normal

  2. Brian Says:
    September 22nd, 2009 at 10:43 am

    HI John,

    What is your take on 3, 24 hour fasts a week? (ex. Mon-Wed-Fri) Besides difficuly fitting in to one’s scehdule/inflexibility – do you see any other issues with fasting 3 times a week for 24 hours? Your thoughts would be much appreciated

  3. johnbarban Says:
    September 22nd, 2009 at 10:49 am

    @Brian
    From a physiological standpoint I don’t see anything wrong with it. It seems like it would be a social/practical issue fitting them in, but that might not even be too difficult depending on your schedule etc.

    So I don’t see any reason it would be a problem besides scheduling.

    JB

  4. Brian Says:
    September 22nd, 2009 at 3:12 pm

    Thanks for the repsonse.

    It’s funny how on my first venture to lose fat I was trying to add in an additional 14 to 21 meals per week to meet the 5-6 meals per day plan. And with fasting I am subtracting meals to lose fat. The latter seems to make alot more sense to me. Thanks to you and Brad for your good research and work.

  5. Koree Says:
    June 10th, 2010 at 3:39 pm

    I have been doing a 24-36 hr fast once per week for three weeks now. I am doing it for general health and as a mental excersise primarily.

    But I am REALLY interested if there is ANY studies done one similar fasting and long term weight loss. If this is going to make me fatter, i have to stop. If this will help me hit weight goals, I will continue! Does anybody know anything about this. All my googling has let me to this page. No one seems to have any idea about the truth behind the weight los aspect of such a long term, periodic fast. But everyone has a theory that mean little to me.

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