A “mini-fast with exercise” protocol for fat loss
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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Cited by (8)
Augmenting brain metabolism to increase macro- and chaperone-mediated autophagy for decreasing neuronal proteotoxicity and aging
2017, Progress in NeurobiologyCitation Excerpt :This supports the notion that a background diet can modulate the outcome of an exercise intervention and may further enhance or even prevent potential beneficial effects from taking place (Fig. 4). In fact, nesting an exercise session within a 12–14 h mini-fast, e.g. by skipping a single meal, promotes insulin sensitivity and also optimizes fat loss (Bahadori et al., 2009; McCarty, 1995). It has been suggested that exercise superimposed on short-term fasts, such as observed in the Bahadori leanness program, might provide robust neuroprotection (McCarty and Falahati-Nini, 2007).
Ketosis may promote brain macroautophagy by activating Sirt1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1
2015, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :Although blood ketone levels don’t notably rise during exercise – owing to rapid muscle oxidation of ketone bodies – a post-exercise rise in blood ketones has often been reported (“post-exercise ketosis”) [173,174]. Continuing carbohydrate avoidance following exercise, coupled with administration of the supplements described above, might represent a practical strategy for enabling significant ketosis to be achieved in the context of less than 24 h of carb restriction – for example, with the “mini-fast with exercise” strategy for achieving and maintaining leanness [175,176]. In summary, ketosis can be expected to stimulate autophagy in brain neurons by boosting HIF-1α levels, increasing Sirt1 activity, and decreasing mTORC1 activity.
Minimizing the cancer-promotional activity of cox-2 as a central strategy in cancer prevention
2012, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :A whole-food plant-based diet (no or minimal animal protein), low in saturated and omega-6 fats, moderate in monounsaturates (as from almonds and olive oil) and in protein, and rich in fruits, vegetables and herbs that provide phase 2 inducers (crucifera, garlic and onions, green tea, etc.) and vitamin C; Aerobic exercise training configured in a way that promotes leanness and good insulin sensitivity; [311–313]Daily low-dose aspirin, enteric-coated; A supplementation regimen including vitamin D (4000–10,000 IU daily), EPA/DHA (or stearidonic acid, when available), spirulina (or PhyCB-enriched spirulina extracts), astaxanthin, melatonin (before bedtime), nutraceutical phase 2 inducers (reasonable choices could include lipoic acid, green tea polyphenols, aged garlic extracts, sulforaphane), N-acetylcysteine, soy isoflavones, and vitamin B12;
Full-spectrum antioxidant therapy featuring astaxanthin coupled with lipoprivic strategies and salsalate for management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
2011, Medical HypothesesCitation Excerpt :Thus, correcting abdominal obesity by an appropriate lifestyle strategy that is sustainable and healthful is an ideal approach if feasible. Since fatty meals can cause high postprandial hepatic fatty acid influx – particularly in the context of insulin-resistant visceral adipocytes [12,13] – the best strategy in this regard may be to couple fat-burning aerobic exercise training (preferably conducted in a way that optimizes the oxidation of stored fat during and in the hours following exercise) with a diet low in both fat and glycemic index [14,15]. Avoidance of dietary saturated and trans fats may be of particular value, as there is evidence that these fatty acids are more pathogenic than unsaturated fats in NAFLD [2,16–18].
The moderate essential amino acid restriction entailed by low-protein vegan diets may promote vascular health by stimulating FGF21 secretion
2017, Hormone Molecular Biology and Clinical Investigation