Why I Started Fasting

A few months ago, I sat down with my family and watched the National Geographic documentary created by Darren Aronofsky titled “Limitless”, starring Chris Hemsworth (of Marvel “Thor” fame). The whole series was captivating and fascinating, but it was the third episode that stood out the most. In this episode, Chris enlists the help of longevity doctor Peter Attia to learn about the health benefits of fasting. Under the guidance of Dr. Attia, Chris goes on a four day fast (and Attia also fasts with him). During this ordeal, he learns about the science behind fasting and why it works so well to restore the body to health and vitality.

We were intrigued. All this talk about ketones and autophagy and cleanup of senescent (“zombie”) cells that would somehow enable you to stave off cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, degenerative joint disease, inflammatory conditions of the bowels, etc. was too alluring and enticing to just ignore.

“Let’s do a 3 day fast!” my wife enthusiastically suggested. I was a bit skeptical. After all, I didn’t want to inadvertently do more harm than good. Chris Hemsworth had performed his fast under medical supervision and the guidance of a trained expert. I wasn’t about to attempt a 3 day fast without first being absolutely sure that it was safe and I wouldn’t end up fainting suddenly in the middle of the day (or worse).

Doing My Research

The first step after watching the documentary was to do some Google Searches. Little did I realize, but there is a deluge of information on this topic. The most common thing that kept coming up in the search results was “intermittent fasting”. I had not heard of this before, so it was an education to read about this on various blogs. The idea behind intermittent fasting is to schedule your meal timing around voluntary fasting and non-fasting cycles over a given period. Apparently, there are various methods of implementing intermittent fasting, from alternate day fasting, period fasting, and daily time-restricted feeding (more on this later).

It was a bit overwhelming. And I couldn’t really be sure that all of this wasn’t just another fad. I didn’t want to just jump on another Atkins, Keto or Paleo diet. I was looking for evidence that that would have real and lasting health benefits that were genuine. The last thing I wanted was to cause health problems by experimenting with my body and health.

I was still doing my research and reading blogs and articles, when about a week later a family friend dropped by to pay us a visit. We were just catching up and and talking about how everything was going in our lives when she told us that her father-in-law (a retired gynecologist) had been following the research of a scientist named David Sinclair.

“Have you heard of him?” she asked.

I admitted that I hadn’t. Who was he? Apparently, it turns out that he is a Harvard Medical School scientist and professor and his specialty is in longevity and health lifespan.

Our friend pulled up his photo on her phone and showed it to me.

“How old do you think he is?” she asked.

He looked to me like he might be about 35 years old.

“He’s in his fifties,” she said. But he didn’t look like it at all.

She sent me the link to his Youtube podcast and his TED Talk on aging and longevity. From there it was down the rabbit hole for me. I watched all eight episodes of the podcast with rapt attention. As I understood a bit more about the recent research and what scientists have learned, I became more convinced that there is something real and tangible behind this.

Episode 2 in the podcast talks about what and when to eat for longevity. They also explain the science behind how fasting can combat aging and promote health.

Time Restricted Eating

In the podcast, we learn that Dr. Sinclair has been following time restricted eating and usually eats one proper meal a day (usually dinner). His co-host on the podcast (also the co-author of the book, “Lifespan”), Matthew LaPlante, asked what advice Dr. Sinclair would give if he had to summarize everything in a nutshell. The answer was simple: “Eat less often.”

Apparently, when you eat is as important, if not more important, than what you eat.

They also explained the benefits of a mostly plant-based diet to slow aging.

At this point, I was ready to try it. I am generally healthy and have no underlying conditions or co-morbidities. Of course, please consult with your physician before you make any changes in your diet or lifestyle.

My wife and I chose something we felt we could achieve and sustain. Something that we felt we would be able to accomplish was the 16:8 time restricted eating formula. The way this works is simple: there are 24 hours in a day, and 16 of those hours are allocated as the fasting window while 8 of those are allocated as the eating window (I don’t like the term “feeding” because it makes me feel like we’re livestock or something).

We chose 12 pm (noon) to 8 pm as our eating window. Dr. Sinclair suggests that you overlap your fasting period with the night time when you are sleeping. This makes it easier to extend the fasting period since you are sleeping for 7 to 8 hours anyway and you won’t be feeling hungry or having thoughts of meals while you are asleep.

In addition to the time-restricted eating, I also committed to going on daily 20 minute walks, and using my sit-stand desk to stand most of the day while working.

Also, since I was concerned about whether I would be getting enough nutrition after starting this 16:8 fasting routine, I began drinking the Athletic Greens drink that Dr. Sinclair mentions on his podcast as one the sponsors.

What It’s Like

The first week was an adjustment. Upon Dr. Sinclair’s recommendation, I drank a lot more water than I usually do. I found that fluids do indeed give you a feeling of being full and you can forget about your hunger for a while. I also took the advice to keep myself busy so my mind was engaged in some task and didn’t wander and start ruminating about my hunger pangs.

It took willpower and effort in the first week. I kept checking the time, waiting for 12:00 pm so I could begin eating. But, we were able to do it. A side benefit that we appreciated was the extra free time we got because we didn’t have to prepare breakfast. It felt great to have that extra time back.

By the second week, we had found our groove and knew what to expect. In the morning, I would warm some water in the kettle and fill my water bottle. I would sip on that until around 11:55 am when I would begin preparing my Athletic Greens. At 12:00 pm, I would break my fast with Athletic Greens (they recommend it best to take it on an empty stomach). And then I would eat.

We started noticing subtle but definite changes after 2 weeks. Here are a few observations:

• Our sleep was more restful and refreshing.

• We had more energy that lasted throughout the day (no “afternoon slump”)

• We felt more mental clarity and alertness.

Of course, these are all anecdotal reports. The only way to know for sure what the effects are is to get a blood test and examine the results. This is our next step and we plan to do it at the appropriate time.

The Future

As the science progresses and doctors learn more about how the body reacts during these perceived adversities of fasting, I believe we will (collectively as a society) redefine our relationship with food. In the ancient times, food was not plentiful and processed as it is today. Our bodies have innate wisdom from centuries ago about how to keep us alive and thriving. It would behoove us to pay attention to that wisdom.

It’s no secret that consuming processed foods and sugar, combined with a sedentary lifestyle, can lead to major health problems. But these are preventable. We have a choice and we can choose to live healthy lives. After all, who wants to spend their days visiting doctors offices or walking the hallways of hospitals? If you could stave off degenerative disease until the very last days of your life, why wouldn’t you?

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.