Chronicles of Strength

Generalism and minimalism in fitness, business and life

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7 Reasons to Skip Breakfast, Train Fasted, and Eat One Meal a Day

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I was at a book signing at a Barnes and Noble the other day and was delighted by the delicious turn out. Some people traveled quite a number of miles to see me and buy my book so I did my damnedest to make it worth their excursion.

When I do these signings, or any workshop for that matter, I leave time for a general discussion of sorts—where the good people of The Great Republic can offer me an inquiry and have it responded to.

I restrict nothing; politics or religion, all is fair play. But mostly people want to talk about eating, lifting, and minimalism—not Bernanke’s crass monetary policy or belief in what is palpably unknowable.

“But I thought you were supposed to eat every 2-3 hours to keep your metabolism high?” I got this question twice at my last event. I answered it the first time, and then no sooner than I punctuated my conclusion did come another lady sit down and ask it again. So I repeated my dissertation.

It is plainly and simply a myth, is what I told her, and largely propaganda for the direct financial benefit of food companies. I made it known hardly anybody makes a fortune from fasting but me, but she didn’t get the joke.

There has never once been any conclusive evidence provided towards any benefits to be had from frequent eating, and most studies, to be sure, show the contrary, whereas there is a preponderance of evidence towards the benefits of fasting.

For one (1), a person in a fasted state experiences significantly more growth hormone (both pule and frequency), than does a person in a fed state. Natural growth hormone, as we know, is the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.

I continued, and mentioned how (2) fasting accelerates the detoxification process, and helps to (3) restore the enzyme pool. She was unfamiliar with the role of enzymes, so I gave her the quick summary, that there are primarily three types: digestive, food, and anti-oxidant—that enzymes are requisite for every chemical reaction that takes place within the body, and without a suffice supply one is quick to experience degeneration, and, ultimately, inevitably, death. Fasting, as well as the occasion controlled fast on raw food, helps to restore and replenish your natural enzyme pool, which is so heavily taxed and depleted by frequent feeding on cooked, dead foods.

Next I had to address the issue of low-energy, headaches, and other such pesky vermin associated with first-time fasters. I said, very plainly, that is what we would call a “healing crisis”, and is often a painful but necessary component of detoxification and a sign that one is at least partially metabolically inflexible (unable to shift between metabolic fuels—fat and protein, namely). As fasting purges the body of toxic build up, there is bound to be some feelings of uneasiness. As well, until you (4) improve your metabolic flexibility (the ability to switch efficiently between fuels), which doubtless fasting will help you to do, then yes, you might experience some fogginess, lethargy, and even the occasional, mild headache. My best advice here is to ease into it, and not do too much too precipitately—otherwise you will be repelled from fasting altogether and at once. But once all of that is squared away, what you will most commonly find is that (5) fasting serves to increase your productivity, alertness, and mental acuity. It’s a natural nootropic of sorts, and I, for one, would never event think to engage in any sort of intellectual work, including my writing, in anything but a fasted state. Fasting, to be sure, is a mild stressor, and it triggers an adrenal response—so it is plain as to how this could augment alertness.

Another interesting point for those of you interested in the brain is that (6) fasting and exercise, both when separated out and combined, significantly improve neurogenesis (the growth of new brain cells). Just something worth pondering.

Of course, in private, a fellow mentioned the bunkum about fasting “killing” all your muscle, and if I saw “that article’. I assured him it was trash, and that the facts blast the notion. The principal argument was that one does not build muscle when training in a fasted state because mTOR is not stimulated. Well, no shit. mTOR is in the insulin pathway, and is suppressed by fasting, exercise, caffeine, etc. What was failed to be recognized, however, is that when mTOR is suppressed it GAINS potential—meaning, when it is activated, it does its job more efficiently. The reverse is also true. Over stimulation of mTOR (through frequent, high-volume feeding) depletes it of potency—just as one might very well severely harm their insulin sensivity. So, in brief, (7) fasted training can actually afford you the potential to gain more lean muscle mass in the long run, is what I told him.

The benefits of fasting are so plain and enormous (and here I didn’t even bring up the most obvious attractor, which is, of course that (8) fasting accelerates fat loss) that I cannot feasible conceive of any reason why a normal, sane, and healthy individual would not attempt to fast in some way at least some of the time.

–       Pat

PS- If you want a little more help with this fasting stuff, here’s a “backdoor” way to get my One Meal a Day program (and at a discount, no less, as I’ve extended the special until Friday). I wrote this for people who want a very simple, very reasonable, fasting AND minimalist exercise plan that is all laid out for you and with no guess work.

Here’s how to get it:

1. CLICK HERE and subscribe to the Inner Circle ($20/month, cancel anytime)

2. After you do that, email me at PatFlynn@ChroniclesOfStrength.com with the subject line of OMAD and I’ll send it your way.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I don’t think fasting is very indicated for women, particularly peri- and menopausal women, who tend to struggle with cortisol issues and adrenal fatigue as it is. Adding the stressor of fasting (and 1 meal a day strategies) may not work as well with them as it does with you, younger and male. Surely we cannot generalise?

    Having said that, I agree that we all need to eat less often, no more than 2-3 times a day. Overnight fasts of 12+ hours are good and doable by nearly everyone.

    • Cis, we MUST be able to make SOME generalizations–otherwise no progress is ever gained and we wander aimlessly around in the nebulous void of “it all depends”, which benefits nobody. I have worked with MANY peri-and menopausal women–and for them, yes, it depends.

  2. Atta boy. I have always enjoyed fasting.My wife can’t understand why it is so easy for me. I carefully explain that as old as I am and having eaten so many home cooked and restaurant foods skipping meals is not a problem. Food doesn’t hold a big attraction for me. I have probably eaten it before anyway.

    I am enjoying working out in a fasted state and haven’t seen any down side to t yet.

  3. Great article Pat. I read “Eat, Stop, Eat” about a year and a half ago, and really appreciated the data presented and found it to be quite compelling. Since that time, I have been performing usually 2 24-30 hour fasts a week (though sometimes slipping, gotta be honest!). It has allowed me to reach that point where it just isn’t difficult to go without food for that amount of time. It is extremely refreshing to realize that we can really have control over our appetite (literally). And it is shocking the almost violent and vitriolic reactions some people have when they ask why I am not eating and I explain. There is a real stigma to fasting that I think our society would benefit greatly by overcoming this. What bothers me the most is the ignorance about fasting even in (especially in) the medical community.

    As a physician who works closely with other professionals in our weight management program, I am dismayed that they are either ignorant or opposed to the notion of discussing IF with their patients. Always enjoy reading and hearing people advocate the benefits of fasting. Hopefully this continues to gain recognition.

    • Peter, it sounds like you do great work. It is a misfortune–truly one of the greatest misfortunes–that so many physicians are either wholly ignorant to the plain facts, or wholly misinformed. Doctors often get far more credit than they deserve, I’m afraid–but it sounds like you are the exception, and that makes me smile. Keep strong!

  4. Hi Pat…really enjoy your articles. I was wondering what your thoughts were on the 1 gram/pound bodyweight of protein per day. Is this necessary to build muscle? Thanks Steve

    • Steve, it is a myth. Research has now shown that you can preserve and even build muscle with significantly less (the key, ultimately, is heavy resistance training). Really, if anything, it should be 1 gram per pound of LEAN body mass.

  5. Thanks for extending special! Will I receive the actual physical copy of your book… or merely the eye-straining electronic version?

  6. Hi Pat. I also practice fasting. I do daily 16 hour fasts (from 8pm-noon give or take) as well as weekly 24 hour fasts. Normally, training fasted doesn’t effect me at all. I’ve noticed, however, when I’m during a pure strength day (as in max strength) I don’t perform as well if I don’t use workout nutrition. (I use Plazma from Biotest) Any thoughts on this?

    • Hey Abby, well for max strength days (which SHOULDN’T be that frequent)use all the help you can get–that is, let food be your friend. I have never heard of that supplement, however, but, as a rule, any sort of pre-workout or performance enhancing supp (aside form a very basic creatine mono) is usually unnecessary, worthless, or harmful.

  7. I have been fasting for 7 months now, using the 18 hours of fasting and eating for six method. So far I have lost 45 pounds and have stayed lean and tight. Up untill recently my job did not afford me the time to train fasted, so just by fasting I have seen amazing results. Luckily my hours at work have changed and for the past 2 months I have been exercising fasted. I thought I was seeing crazy results before but now that I have been exercising fasted my results have trippled. Not only is my bodyfat percentage staying at 10%, my muscles have gained an inch or more (havent measured yet). Not only have I seen a gain in muscle size I have also seen increase in my muscle density, my strength, endurance and flexibility. When I first heard about fasting I not only didn’t believe in it, I was 100 percent against it. Luckily I am one of those people who need to try it for them selves to disprove it. Well as you can see almost a year later I have seen the benefits and will never turn back to how I used to eat.

    Joe Dymnioski

  8. Hey Pat, awesome post as usual!
    I’ve been skipping breakfast for 1.5 years, having only a low carb lunch and a decent post-workout meal (~ 16 hours of fasting). The results have been great! Now I’m interested in giving the one-meal-a-day approach a try.
    I just wonder what such a meal would look like? Calories, macronutrients etc – What would you recommend? Isn’t it tough to have enough energy in just one meal, esp when trying to eat “clean”?

    Thank you and best regards from Germany!

    • Chris, it is not so much as “one meal” as it is one “feeding period”. Macros/calories can be adjusted to your goals, of course–there is no one size fits all there. Check out the eBook for more details, I think you’ll get a lot out of it.

  9. Pat-

    I love the article and have seen some pretty significant improvements in my own life by adhering to your protocols. Do you have any links to peer reviewed studies that support your 7 claims outlined here? If so, I would love to read through them to add more heft to my own prosthelytizing.