If you’re looking to burn more fat and reveal those abs, the Intermittent Fasting diet may just be for you.
This is the eating system that allowed me to go from a chubby, bloated 17% body fat, down to a chiseled machine at 10% body fat. I can show you how to achieve the same if this is something you want.
But first, a quick definition.
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What Is The Intermittent Fasting Diet?
Simply put – you fast without any food or calories for longer and eat for a shorter period of time.
You could potentially ‘skip breakfast,’ or if you prefer, you could ‘skip dinner.’ It’s really up to you, but I caution you to be aware of your social life and any events coming up because it’s not a good idea to be fasting during these – most people are better off skipping breakfast.
How much longer the fasting period becomes depends on the Intermittent Fasting model you follow, and this should be the one that’s most suitable for your overall lifestyle, both now and long-term.
There are several variations you can choose from, including 16/8 fasting (most popular), 20/4 fasting, OMAD (one meal a day), alternate-day fasting, and even extended fasting like a 72 hour fast (or longer).
16/8 fasting tends to be the best model to get started with, as it’s incredibly simple, and only involves pushing back your first meal back four hours (in most cases).
Now you’ve got an idea of what Intermittent Fasting is; I’m going to give you the reasons WHY it works so well (all five models).
1. It Reduces Your Appetite
One of the biggest ‘diet hacks’ you can have is not even wanting to eat a calorie surplus. This is what the Intermittent Fasting diet does for you – it’s an almost fat loss without even trying.
So how exactly does it reduce your appetite?
Well, it’s logistically very difficult to cram tons of calories down your mouth in a short space of time. Don’t believe me?
Try getting 2.5k calories of healthy food down you inside of a 4-6 hour window. It’s seriously tough. And this is exactly what makes getting to a chiseled 10% body fat and staying there so much easier.
If you combine this narrow eating window with things like teas or black coffee during the fasting window, good quality sleep, and the complete elimination of junk food, then you’re on a path towards looking like a fitness model.
2. It Slashes Your Insulin Levels
Insulin is your primary storage hormone, and when your insulin levels are chronically high (Like most people’s), you’re in perpetual ‘storage mode.’
When you’re in perpetual ‘storage mode,’ when is there time to burn fat?
The reality is that there isn’t, and therefore no fat will be burned. Intermittent Fasting combats this, by FORCING your insulin levels down, via a longer fasting period.
Lowered insulin levels aren’t just amazing for fat loss, though, it’s also going to help you to avoid long-term health problems like diabetes.
3. It Increases HGH (Human Growth Hormone)
This hormone plays a critical role in anti-aging, fat loss, and muscle gain all in one. And your Intermittent Fasting diet will really help you to jack up your levels.
This hormone also starts to decline post-30 or so sharply, and there’s a very good reason guys like Sylvester Stallone have been taking it for years.
What’s more?
A 72 hour fast (remember the extended fasting model I talked about above?) has been proven to increase HGH levels by 300%(!) That’s insane. This study found a huge increase in HGH secretion frequency over a 5 day fast. And even ‘normal’ Intermittent Fasting schedules boost HGH, although to a lesser extent.
If you’re looking to burn more fat and reveal your abs, definitely look into fasting, and extended fasting in particular.
4. It Boosts Testosterone
It just keeps on getting better.
Intermittent Fasting, believe it or not, just happens to be an excellent strategy for muscle growth. One of the main reasons behind this is the potential for an increase in testosterone.
Specifically, this testosterone increase could be up to a whopping 180%, although this study assumes there is plenty of fat to be lost in the first place. It’s an indirect testosterone booster because it essentially eliminates the excess estrogen circulating around your system.
ALL of this means that you’ll experience:
- A higher metabolism
- More energy
- Extra muscle mass
Which all assist you in your fat loss journey.
5. It Makes A Calorie Deficit Enjoyable
One of the biggest reasons people fail to lose fat on diets is because their diet is simply tortured. Whereas the Intermittent Fasting diet is absolute heaven, assuming you do it properly.
This ties back into my previous point about consuming teas and black coffee during the fasting period to both reduce your appetite, and not make you feel like you’re being deprived of anything.
On top of this, you REALLY get to enjoy the ‘feasting period,’ as most people (depending on body weight and activity level) can enjoy 2k+ calories and very enjoyable meals later on in the day.
All of this ensures that your fat loss diet is enjoyable, which means you will actually stick to it long-term.
Summary
Hopefully, this has given you a flavor for Intermittent Fasting and why it’s so successful as a fat loss strategy. You’ve got the hormonal benefits, and then the psychological benefits too.
This system transformed my life, and I sincerely hope it can transform yours too.
If you’d like more information, feel free to check out my entire Ultimate Guide To Intermittent Fasting.
