Find out more about the effects of intermittent fasting on your body and how it can help you lose fat and build muscle.
Over the past couple of years, intermittent fasting has gained popularity because it offers many health benefits. The less well-known fact is that intermittent fasting can be used for muscle growth and weight loss.
Most people associate ‘fasting’ with starvation. But that is not the correct way to view it. Intermittent fasting is an eating style that includes periods of food restriction. If you eat nutritiously rich foods, your body will not be starved. You won’t eat within a specific time period of the week or day. This is what our bodies are made for. The English word “breakfast” comes from “breaking fast.” This does not mean you should eat right away but rather end a fasting period. Breakfast is the critical meal of each day. It is not because it is eaten in the morning but because it is used to fuel your body after a fasting period.
Always consult a doctor before starting any such program, especially if your medical condition is severe. The weight loss doctor in Houston will be focusing on intermittent fasting to gain muscle and lose weight – in this article; we hope to help you get the summer body you want.
While fasting, you consume fewer calories
Fasting is avoiding meals for any length of time, no matter how small or large. You will consume fewer calories if you don’t compensate for the calories you haven’t eaten during your eating period. For example, you could save 500 calories if you skip dinner or breakfast.
According to Healthline, a man needs to consume 2500 calories per day to maintain weight and 2000 calories to lose one pound (approximately 0.55 kg) every week. To maintain her weight, a woman must consume 2000 calories per day and 1500 calories to lose 1 pound. These are just average numbers. Your caloric needs will vary depending on many factors. However, the point is that if you skip one meal a week and don’t eat later, you will be in a deficit of calories necessary to lose weight.
Fasting can increase your metabolic rate
The number of calories you consume is called the metabolic rate. Therefore, the higher your metabolic rate, the greater the amount of calories you’ll burn. This will make it easier to lose weight and keep it off.
A study showed that two-day fasts could increase your resting metabolic rate by 3.6%. Another study revealed an 11% increase in metabolic rates after a three-day fast. This means that you’ll burn more calories at rest than before and lose weight quicker.
You will often find information that prolonged fasting can slow down your metabolism. But intermittent fasting does not mean that your body will go into starvation mode. If done correctly, intermittent fasting won’t slow your metabolism.
Fasting can help you lose fat and keep your muscles strong.
Many people fear that they will lose muscle mass if they begin intermittent fasting. Research has not found any evidence to support this assertion. This is easy to explain. Fasting means that you are not eating any calories. This forces the body to use energy elsewhere – not from your muscles but fat stored within your body. There is evidence that intermittent fasting may be more effective than continuous low-calorie diets.
This applies to obese and overweight people and people in good shape. One study examined the effects of intermittent fasting on healthy, resistance-trained males who used the popular 16:8 method for intermittent fasting. One group did intermittent fasting and resistance training three days a week, while the other followed a regular diet. Both the regular and intermittent fasting groups gained equal amounts of muscle. However, the group that fasted lost more weight than the group. Intermittent fasting won’t slow down muscle growth, nor will it make you lose or gain muscle at an even slower rate, but it will help you lose weight.
Fasting activates the human growth hormone required for muscle building
HGH is a vital hormone for fat loss and muscle building. Adults with low HGH levels will have a higher body fat percentage and lower muscle mass. You will need to maintain high levels of HGH if you want to lose weight and gain muscle.
Although there aren’t many studies on the effects of intermittent fasting on muscle growth, there is strong evidence to show that it can cause an increase in HGH up to fivefold. Fasting stimulates high levels of HGH, which should help increase muscle mass and speed up recovery from workouts.
This concludes that if you follow a healthy diet and exercise routine during intermittent fasting, muscle growth should be possible.
Intermittent fasting can be used to build muscle.
Muscle gain cannot be achieved by intermittent fasting. But, it should be accompanied by a healthy diet and exercise to achieve muscle gain. This is possible because of the success stories of athletes. Kristijan, an athlete who shared his story with the community, is one of them. He combined intermittent fasting with bodyweight training to achieve incredible muscle gains and fat loss.
Brad Pilon, the author of the book “Eat, Stop, Eat,” proves that intermittent fasting can be used to gain muscle and lose fat. Martin Berkhan, the “father of intermittent fasting,” consults professional athletes about how to do intermittent fasting and gain muscle. These athletes’ results speak for themselves.
What is the secret to success? There isn’t one. You need an exercise stimulus that will stimulate muscle growth to gain muscle. You must give your body enough resources to properly recover from injury and build new muscle tissue. You need to exercise properly and eat well.
Get enough protein in your feeding window to build muscle tissue. Schedule your workouts within your meal window so that you can consume muscle-building food afterward while you’re anabolic. Research has shown that intermittent fasting and resistance training can help preserve muscle mass while reducing weight. The app, combined with intermittent fasting, is an excellent combination for muscle building and fat reduction before summer! ShapeScale explains in detail how to gain muscle with intermittent fasting. We recommend that you check it out!
TAKEAWAY
Intermittent fasting is a great way to lose weight. Research has shown that it doesn’t cause muscle damage. Intermittent fasting is possible if you eat enough protein and exercise to increase muscle.
Intermittent fasting should be combined with a regular workout program. Premium includes a variety of exercise plans that focus on building muscle. The in-app Nutrition guide contains 65+ healthy recipes to help build muscle.