Can I Grow Muscle While Fasting?
Here’s the simple answer to this question – but please read on because there are certain issues where fasting is more important than building big muscles: With regard to muscle growth and fasting, Fasting long term is not ideal for building muscles. However, it depends upon your needs for fasting. Generally, if you are regularly working out and you are a healthy individual, you are going to be looking to consume more calories in order to build muscle. In this case, there may seem no real reason to go on a fasting regime. But what is important is to understand why it would benefit us to fast from time to time.
Why Fast for Muscle Growth and Fasting?
Fasting would create more benefits than worrying about muscle growth if you suffer from:
1. Cancer
2. Type 2 Diabetes
3. Being obesely overweight
4. Inflammation/joint pain etc
5. Chronic Fatigue – M.E.
6. High Blood Pressure
7. High Cholesterol
8. Heart Disease
9. Many other illnesses
What are the Benefits of Fasting?
1. You will trigger autophagy – where the body will recycle damaged, mutated and pre-cancerous cells into healthy tissue.
2. Your body will detoxify and eliminate a lot of toxins and other bad stuff.
3. Evidence is now emerging that shows fasting as a potential way of starving cancer (see this article for more information).
4. Fasting will force your body to produce ketones and ketones will help to preserve muscle mass.
What Types of Fast are there?
1. Intermittent Fasting – where you only eat inside a determined ‘eating’ window and the rest of the time (including sleep), you don’t eat.
2. Prolonged Fasting – where you will not eat for a specified amount of time – normally 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours and building up to five to seven days. An important factor here is that the fatter you are, the longer you can fast. If you are a skinny individual, you will need to be a bit more careful in your approach.
When and How I Fast
I fast for five days, twice per year for general health, where I drink water only. To avoid the dreaded detox headache, I mix some wheatgrass powder or barley grass powder with water and I will drink two or three of these per day. After each of these five day fasts, I feel amazing at the end of the process. If I get sick (an upset stomach, a cold or other virus) I will stop eating for twenty four hours.
Can I Workout While Fasting?
If you are getting enough nutrients and minerals from supplements, it would be okay to workout. However, you should listen to your body and not attempt to go over the top with heavy lifting. Long walks (longer than thirty minutes) are the perfect exercise to take, while you’re fasting and a walk will actually increase the benefits of your fast. In my experience, I walk for 45 minutes at the end of EVERY workout and even when I am fasting. But during a prolonged fast, I will not go overly heavy on my gym workouts – relying more on speed, reps and intensity than heavy weights.
Best Supplements to Take on a Prolonged Fast
1. Electrolytes (without added sugar) – to avoid unpleasant side effects.
2. Sea salt – as part of the electrolyte balance.
3. Amino acids (without added sugar) – to preserve existing muscle size.
4. Omega 3 fish oil – for DHA and EPA healthy fats.
Recap
1. Fasting is not ideal for growing big muscles.
2. Fasting is perfect for avoiding and eliminating illnesses.
3. Fasting may help to starve cancer.
4. Overcoming illnesses is more important than having big muscles.
5. It’s better to be skinny and healthy, than obese and sick.
6. Don’t Take My Word for it – Muscle Growth and Fasting Supporting Scientific Evidence.
Finally
Over many years, my attitude has slowly moved from an aesthetic ‘look big’ outlook to one of improving overall health. I highly recommend that you research the health benefits of fasting. There should be enough information here for you to make an informed decision.
In this video, Dr Berg talks about muscle growth and fasting.
