How I used intermittant fasting to create a better life
Intermittent Fasting was something i’d heard of, but never paid much attention to. It sounded a bit too extreme, something that was too associated with spirituality or as part of some kind of religious experience.
For me it wasn’t something that was associated with the everyday man looking for health and lifestyle improvements.
Recently a few different people have helped me understand the benefits of intermittent fasting and make feel more accessible. Mostly, I have Jocko Willink of Jockopodcast and Joe Rogan of the Joe Rogan Experience to thank for this, and for those that follow my blog (mattsagenda.com), you’ll know I have more to thank them for than just this one lifestyle improvemet. Also I cant forget to thank Dr Rhonda Patrick from Found My Fitness who was a solid source of sound advice.
Both Jocko and Joe have spoken of the numerous benefits of incorporating intermittent fasting into your weekly routine. They speak from personal and anecdotal experience, both themselves having experimented with intermittent fasting, and having had a number of guests on their podcasts who have also see the benefits.
Before I go into some of these in more detail, lets be clear on exactly what we mean by intermittent fasting.
WHAT IS INTERMITTENT FASTING
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t specify which foods you should eat but rather when you should eat them. As such, it’s not a diet in the conventional sense but more accurately described as an eating pattern.

Fasting has been a practice throughout human evolution. Ancient hunter-gatherers didn’t have supermarkets, refrigerators or food available year-round. Sometimes they couldn’t find anything to eat. As a result, humans evolved to be able to function without food for extended periods of time. Unfortunately within our western society we seem to have forgotten that. We cant go 5 mins without coming across and consuming food.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Some of the below gets a bit deep into the science. I’ve made a note of helpful references at the bottom of the article.
Cellular repaire: When in a fasted state, your cells initiate cellular repair. This includes autophagy, where cells digest and remove old and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells. Translation, it helps keep your cells healthy. This means better skin, eyes, nails, digestive system, organs etc etc. Less dead cells and newer healthy cells is a good thing all round.
Insulin: Insulin sensitivity improves and levels of insulin drop dramatically. Lower insulin levels make stored body fat more accessible. This can help lead to weight loss and better body composition.
Human Growth Hormone: Studies have found HGH levels can increase up to 5-fold. Again this this can help lead to weight loss and better body composition. From personal experience I’ve seen strength gains in the gym, and postive changes to my body compositon, but in all fairness, I change my diet and supplement regime so often its a bit difficult to say exactly what this can be attributed to.
Fat burning: In addition to lowering insulin and increasing growth hormone levels, it increases the release of the fat burning hormone norepinephrine (noradrenaline). This combined with the reduction in calories will again lead to weight loss and better body composition.
Brain health: Intermittent fasting increases the brain hormone BDNF — brain derived neurotrophicfactor (a naturally-occurring protein in the brain that improves brain function and lowers your risk of mental disease) and may aid the growth of new nerve cells.
Science aside, when fasted I have more clarity and feel like my brain is free to processes information more quickly and more effectively. Its like a fog has been lifted from my mind. Its more alert and more efficeint at stringing the right sentences together to convey what I want to say. It feels a bit like a nootropic.
LENGTH OF FAST
Intermittent fasting can be incorporated into your life in numerous different capacities, and by this, really we are talking about the length of the fast. I fast in 2 different ways:
The 16/8 method: Also called the Leangains protocol, it involves skipping breakfast and restricting your daily eating period to 8 hours, usually 1–9 p.m. I fast for 16 hours in-between. I do this for 5 days during the week, then relax it at weekends.
Once you get use to it theres no issues with hunger. A couple of cups of strong coffee in the morning and before you know it time has flown and its lunchtime. Takes a month or so to get used to, but after that its plain sailing.
Eat-Stop-Eat: This involves fasting for 24 hours, once or twice a week, for example by not eating from dinner one day until dinner the next day. I usually only manage this for 1 day a week, and make sure that its when I don’t have a gym session planned.
SUMMARY
Side effects of fasting are obviously hunger, but if you can get over this, the benefits make themselves know really quickly. You feel better in yourself. For me the mental clarity is fantastic.
I feel alert and capable at work, not in a lethargic fog, which sometimes happens if I (formally) had to larger breakfast or in fact any meal.
The more you practice intermittent fasting the easier it gets. Your body adapts. I find my body has started to crave it, it almost anticipates and desires the break from food consumption so it can focus all its energy on repair and maintainence.
Try it and you wont regret it.
For more nutrition related information and opinion at my blog, mattsagenda.com
References — credit to Healthline, Medibank and Optimal Living Dynamics
