IF

Have you tried Intermittent Fasting? I think it is super cool.

Some experts say that you should fast every day for 19 hours and eat for 5 hours, or that you should do a weekly 24 hours. The fasting is supposed to have health benefits such as increased longevity, weight control, improved blood glucose, etc. The benefits are said to be akin to those realized on a long term calorie restricted diet. Some say that you should be sure to work out when fasting because it increases growth hormone and also signals to your body to maintain muscle proteins instead of consuming yourself. Paleo proponents believe that the intermittent fast is more like our ancestors would have eaten, as there would not have been a grocery store or refrigerator stocked with snacks nearby at all times.

It kind of goes against a lot of the conventional "dieter" wisdom that says if you skip meals (esp breakfast) that you will shut down your metabolism and get all fat and stuff. That scares me a bit, but the research seems compelling.

There are many resources that give directions of "how" to do it, (check google) but I don't follow directions well so I made up my own way. I just skip meals once in a while. Maybe once a week, maybe twice. Usually I am busy on the weekends so I skip breakfast and lunch on Saturday for a fast of about 20 hours. Or I'll do it when I am at a party or event where there is not anything appropriate to eat. Instead of eating off my plan, I just don't eat. Once I break the fast it is with a regular meal and I am satisfied. I don't feel the need to pork out, I just eat a meal and then I am OK.

I really think this would have been difficult on a regular carbo diet because insulin is not stabilized. On the higher fat/proteins of the paleo type diet it is not really that hard at all. I will say that once I do break the fast I feel tired like I had a vigorous day. Tired in a good way.

What do you all think? Do you fast regularly? What benefits have you seen, if any?

For more research, check out Eat Stop Eat and the many other resources.