Quick Fasting questions

#1

Protein. You need a certain amount of protein to prevent muscle decay right?

So if you don’t eat for multiple days, don’t you still need that same amount of total protein (or close to it)? If not, why not? It doesn’t make sense that you need a minimum amount of protein each day, unless your fasting, then it doesn’t matter. Can someone explain this to me?

Also, this is my 3rd time with extended fasts I’m on day 3 of a 4 day fast (other two were just 3 days). Today (2 hours after wake-up) I checked blood sugar and blood ketones and it read 100 mg/dl and 2.1 mmol/L. I’m not worried about the ketones, but the blood sugar seems high for third of fasting right?

(Robert C) #2

Hi @Joshua1 - the thing to keep in mind is that you are not fasting in a vacuum.
You are eating, then you are fasting, then you are eating.
When you cut all calories, your body does all sorts of things to allow you to go out on the next hunt - including increasing HGH.

When you refeed and workout with elevated HGH you add muscle.

On the other hand, daily protein on a calorie restricted diet will simply slow your metabolism, causing weight gain and making it more difficult to work out well.

(Chris Robertson) #3

According to Dr Fung you experience a small amount of muscle loss at the start of a fast but your body stops burning muscle very early in the fasting process. After your fast is over the extra HGH you have been getting makes it so you gain the muscle back very quickly and often you have more muscle when all is said and done than what you started with. The muscle that is eaten away is also the muscle made of less healthy cells that you want to get rid of anyway. It acts like spring cleaning for your body. Out with the old to make room for the new.

#4

A small, but important correction: it’s protein not muscle. During the early stages of a fast there is an increase in protein catabolism, that doesn’t necessarily come from skeletal muscle cells. There are lots of cells from which the body can draw amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to meet it’s energy needs. Dr Fung says that’s why his patients don’t need skin removal surgery after weight loss.