Intermittent Fasting and Exercise

Is fasting a good idea on an exercise program?

Credit: Kimzy Nanney on Unsplash

I’ll spoil it for you now:

It depends.

C’mon Scott, that’s a cop-out. A non-answer.

I know, I know. But that’s the reality — intermittent fasting, when done correctly, has numerous physical and mental health benefits. However, when not thoroughly researched, when not discussed with your doctor, when haphazardly applied to your routine, the odds you run into a problem rise dramatically.

You’ve taken a massive step towards long-term health and well-being by engaging in a regular exercise regimen. You most likely put some serious time and effort into developing your program. Perhaps you’re working with a personal trainer.

Same logic applies for any changes you make to your lifestyle, including fasting. You need to be armed with the facts before subjecting yourself to anything, both the positives and the negatives. Like exercise, fasting is a stress on the body, you need to be aware of the rewards and the risks. You want to compliment your exercise routine, not toss a grenade at it.

So how do you know if intermittent fasting is right for you? And more importantly, how do you apply it correctly? From personal experience, I can tell you that intermittent fasting…