#89 – AMA #11: All things fasting

In this “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) episode, Peter answers a wide range of fasting-specific questions from subscribers. Peter starts by defining the various fasting protocols, details his own personal fasting regimen, explains his revised plan for 2020, and provides a ton of value to anyone interested in fasting. Once again, Bob Kaplan, Peter’s head of research, will be asking the questions. If you’re not a subscriber and listening on a podcast player, you’ll only be able to hear a preview of the AMA. If you’re a subscriber, you can now listen to this full episode on your private RSS feed or on our website at the AMA #11 show notes page. If you are not a subscriber, you can learn more about the subscriber benefits here.

We discuss:

• Defining the various fasting protocols [1:00];
• Why Peter plans to switch to a 3-day fast once per month in 2020 [11:00];
• How Peter uses his CGM to gain insights into the depth of fast [13:15];
• Peter’s supplement protocol during fasting, and why he eats a ketogenic diet leading up to a prolonged fast [17:00];
• Peter’s exercise regimen during a fast [23:30];
• Peter’s hunger levels during a typical 7-day fast [26:45];
• Fasting observations—Core body temperature and thyroid hormone [30:30];
• Fasting observations—Glucose, BHB, and hunger levels [33:15];
• Peter’s sleep protocol during a fast [40:15];
• Does Peter observe any differences between men and women in their ability to fast? [47:00];
• How Peter prefers to break a long fast [50:15];
• Importance of community support while fasting, and is there a perfect fasting protocol? [52:00]; and
• More.

Defining the various fasting protocols [1:00]

The overnight fast

• The standard fast that almost by definition everybody does between dinner and breakfast
• Example: Finish dinner at 7pm, eat breakfast at 7am the next morning = 12 hour overnight fast

Time restricted feeding (TRF)

• The idea where you increase that window from just an overnight fast into a slightly longer window
• To put the overnight fast example used above into time-restricted feeding nomenclature, you would call it a 12/12 (meaning 12 hours of fasting followed by a 12-hour window)
• You can extend that and you can say a 14/10 window or a 16/8 window or an 18/6 window 
• The first number refers to the period of time that has no nutrient exposure and then followed by the window in time in which one would be able to consume food (typically ad libitum aka without restriction)

Alternate day fasting (ADF)

• Generally speaking, ADF means that every other day you do something other than eating ad libitum
• Most strict ADF = Consume nothing everything other day (this would be challenging to maintain over the long haul)
• More common versions of ADF = every other day you have a hypocaloric day
  • Example, 1,000 calories on the “fasting” day and then eat ad libitum (or they’re normal calories amount) on the non-fasting day
  • Could also refer to this as “alternate day calorie restriction” instead of ADF

Intermittent fasting (IF)

• This term has become popular with the public
• But many people mistake IF with TRF… in other words…

{end of show notes preview}