Elsevier

Medical Hypotheses

Volume 73, Issue 4, October 2009, Pages 619-622
Medical Hypotheses

A “mini-fast with exercise” protocol for fat loss

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2008.09.063Get rights and content

Summary

From the standpoint of promoting leanness, exercise is of most value if oxidation of stored fat is maximized during and following the exercise sessions. Bahadori has proposed that this can best be achieved if prolonged exercise of moderate intensity is performed during a 12–14 h “mini-fast” that entails skipping a meal; if subsequent food consumption features low-fat foods, the fat stores expended during and after the exercise will not be fully repleted by dietary fat. Thus, prolonged compliance with such a regimen should lead to steady loss of body fat until a much leaner equilibrium body composition is attained. The feasibility and efficacy of this strategy has been examined in an open pilot study. Participants were asked to perform prolonged, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least 3–5 times weekly, nesting each exercise session within a 12–14 h mini-fast. No restrictions were placed on daily calorie consumption, but low-fat, low-glycemic-index food choices were recommended. Of the 34 subjects originally enrolled, 27 returned for follow-up evaluations at 6 and 12 weeks. During the 12 week study, the average fat loss in these 27 subjects – 7.4 kg – corresponded to one-quarter of their baseline fat mass. Fasting insulin levels likewise fell by 25%. The rate of fat loss was at least as great in the second 6 weeks as in the first, suggesting that fat loss might have persisted for some time if the study had been prolonged. This protocol, combining elements of exercise training, fasting, and low-fat eating, is both sustainable and healthful, and in reasonably compliant subjects may have considerable potential for promoting and maintaining leanness and insulin sensitivity.

Section snippets

Exercising for fat loss

Although regular exercise is invariably invoked as an aid to weight control, the context in which exercise is conducted is rarely considered. The benefit of exercise for weight control reflects its ability, not to burn calories per se, but to promote selective utilization of stored fat. This is best achieved if exercise is conducted during the post-absorptive phase (when insulin is at basal fasting levels), if the exercise is of moderate intensity and prolonged duration, and if no food is

A pilot clinical assessment of a “mini-fast with exercise” protocol

To assess the utility and feasibility of the “mini-fast with exercise” strategy for achieving loss of body fat, a 12 week open clinical study has been conducted at Oasis of Hope Hospital, Tijuana, Mexico, employing volunteers from the hospital’s own staff. Thirty-four subjects were enrolled, of whom 27 returned for follow-up evaluations at both 6 and 12 weeks. Weight, percentage body fat, and serum levels of insulin and glucose were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. Near-infrared

Proper integration of exercise and diet is the key

It is generally acknowledged that, regardless of how weight loss is achieved, regular exercise is required for this weight loss to be conserved over the long term. Thus, studies show that almost all subjects who maintain a substantial weight loss for 5 years or more engage in regular and substantial physical activity while attempting to moderate their intake of fatty foods [33]. Therefore, most people who are not blessed with “lean genes” and who have ready access to the rich Western diet will

Acknowledgement

A generous financial contribution from the Heart Disease Research Institute of Phoenix, Arizona helped to make this study possible.

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