Debunking Intermittent Fasting Myths

Philip Pape 0:01

Let's talk about intermittent fasting . You've probably tried restricting your eating window because someone told you it would burn fat , boost your metabolism , clean up your cells through autophagy . But instead of getting these amazing benefits , you're maybe gaining weight during your feeding window . You're feeling tired and cranky . You're wondering if there's something wrong with you , or is there a different way I can do this ? Today , we're uncovering 10 myths about intermittent fasting that keep getting repeated by influencers and even some respected experts . You'll learn why many of these claims completely misrepresent the research , and I'll show you what actually drives results , because it's not about when you eat . It's about what you do consistently Now , whether you're fasting right now or thinking about starting . You'll discover why many of these so-called benefits might be holding you back from better results and how to decide if IF actually makes sense for your lifestyle .

Philip Pape 0:58

Welcome to Wits and Weights , the podcast that blends evidence and engineering to help you build smart , efficient systems to achieve your dream physique . I'm your host , philip Pape , and today we are examining the truth about intermittent fasting claims that just won't go away Now . I rarely talk about IF on the show , but I have personal experience with it and it is still a hot topic . And let me be clear . This is not about bashing intermittent fasting . Some people genuinely thrive on it and they can , and I'll tell you about my own experience in a bit . But most people don't need it for results and you shouldn't feel pressured to follow arbitrary eating windows if they don't work for you . Now , before we dive in , if you want to take control of your nutrition without restrictive rules around meal timing , download my free Nutrition 101 for Body Composition Guide , where you'll learn how to master macros , calories , workout nutrition and develop a sustainable approach that still , of course , gets you results . Click the link in the show notes or go to witsandweightscom slash free to get your copy of the Body composition nutrition guide .

Philip Pape 2:06

So , before we get into the myths , let me just quickly share my own experience with intermittent fasting , which was all the rage about 10 years ago , overlapping with CrossFit and paleo and the lean gains protocol , following this very strict , rigid approach , and the idea was a 16 to 8 fasting pattern . So I would have dinner around 5 or 6 pm and then not eat again till let's see let me do the math around 11 , something like 10 , 11 am . So basically , eight-hour fasting window , 16-hour eight-hour feeding window , 16-hour fasting window . So you would basically not have breakfast and then you would have a late lunch or an early dinner to make it work , and I followed this because I thought it would optimize fat burning . I didn't even worry too much about the longevity stuff , I was just trying to lose weight . I would train fasted and I did this for years and I thought , okay , I'm able to do the things I'm trying to do , so it's working right . But I still wasn't able to control my body composition or my weight . My body effectively got used to it and so I would end up eating more than I intended to in the feeding window . My performance in the gym was inconsistent because I was training fasted , even though I was also using at the time , bcaas branched-chain amino acids and later on EAAs CAAs branched chain amino acids and later on EAAs . My recovery wasn't great . I wasn't seeing better results than in another way of eating , which I only discovered later , once I stopped intermittent fasting .

Philip Pape 3:34

And really my I guess , number one advice from this whole podcast , before we get into myths , is experimenting with if you're going to do fasting , track what you're doing and track the results and how you feel , and then do it without the fasting and see what changes . That's really the best way to tell what's going to happen . Now you may say , well , I don't really want to do that , because I think intermittent fasting is better for longevity or for burning fat or whatever . That is what we're going to address today . All right , we're going to talk about when it could be helpful , but then all the reasons it's not , so that you don't feel pressured to do it . And I think that's very liberating . It's very liberating because I still hear people who have struggled with , you know , having excess body fat , trying to lose weight , and they're like it's finally working because I started fasting . Well , we're going to get into why that is and the lens on that is you're telling the truth . Obviously , I'm not gaslighting . You are getting some change . You are losing weight , but is it because of the reasons you think ? And are you putting something else at risk and preventing results from something else ? So we're going to get to that . Let's just jump right in . Enough set up here Myth number one that fasting makes you burn more fat .

Philip Pape 4:46

Now you can change the wording of this and say fasting makes you lose more weight , more fat . I'm just going to lump it all together , but the fat part , specifically is the claim that fasting puts you into a fat burning mode , making weight loss easier and more efficient . Now , yes , your body does shift to using more fat for fuel when you're not eating , but this misses the point because fat loss itself depends on being in a calorie deficit over time . If you're eating the same number of calories , studies show and physics show no difference in fat loss between intermittent fasting and regular meal patterns period . Any short-term increase in fat burning during the fasting window guess what ? It gets canceled out by what happens in your feeding window . So that's myth number one it offers absolutely no benefit . I know this because my very approach with clients , which is focused on a sustainable way of losing fat efficiently and successfully , doesn't include intermittent fasting , and very few of my clients ever need it or want to do it , except for practical purposes and I'll address that a little bit later when I talk about who it might be right for . But it has zero benefit in burning more fat Zero .

Philip Pape 6:01

Myth number two that fasting boosts your metabolism . Now , there's a kernel of truth here in that short-term fasting can temporarily increase metabolic rate through stress hormones , but long-term shows that extended fasting lowers your metabolism as your body conserves energy , and this is basic evolution . Your body doesn't know when the next meal is coming , so it adapts by becoming more efficient with its energy use . This is the same principle of unpredictability , right . The same reason . I tell people to eat consistently day to day , to sleep consistently day to day , to train consistently , do things in a consistent way , and your body then doesn't try to conserve energy because it doesn't know when this thing is coming next . It doesn't know when you're to conserve energy because it doesn't know when this thing is coming next . It doesn't know when you're getting to sleep , it doesn't know when you're getting food . Now , on the other hand , you might say well , what if I'm intermittent fasting very consistently ? In that case , I think it's fine . And again , it doesn't boost your metabolism , it doesn't drop it either . My point is it just doesn't offer any benefit over any other feeding window , right . And the same thing happens when we are on a very low-calorie diet , right . In other words , your body conserves , you have metabolic adaptation , your metabolism drops , and that's why we focus on a more moderate approach to our calorie deficits and we use refeeds and diet breaks when appropriate to make it sustainable so that you can stick with it . So fasting definitely does not boost your metabolism .

Philip Pape 7:27

We're going to move on to myth number three , which is that fasting improves insulin sensitivity Very important one here . This is now we get into the health claims . Here's the thing about insulin sensitivity it is primarily driven by body composition , activity level and overall diet quality . Body composition , as in more muscle , less fat . Right , we talk about muscle being a sink for glucose . The more muscle you have , the more you train , the more insulin sensitive you are . Your activity level just moving , controlling that blood sugar being active , and then your diet quality itself . Now , while short breaks between meals can help with insulin function in terms of you're reducing the number of spikes of blood sugar which , by the way , are not a big deal if you're active , in fact , we want them when we're lifting weights Studies that compare fasting to regular meal patterns no difference when calories and weight loss are matched in terms of insulin sensitivity . So what does improve insulin sensitivity ? I alluded to it is building muscle through resistance training , staying active throughout the day , eating enough protein and maintaining a healthy body fat level .

The Truth About Intermittent Fasting

Philip Pape 8:38

All right .

Philip Pape 8:38

Myth number four that fasting is better for hormonal health . Oh , this one really irks me because I hear it especially in the over 40 and the peri-post-menopause crowd . Some podcasts , even podcasts that I respect , talk about fasting as being some panacea for women and for hormonal health , and the claim is that the fasting itself optimizes hormones like insulin , growth hormone and cortisol stress hormone , for better fat burning and better retention of muscle . And again , while fasting temporarily affects these hormones , the changes aren't necessarily even beneficial , because fasting can increase your stress hormones . They can disrupt your reproductive hormones , particularly in women . I've had female clients come to me after their cycles became irregular from aggressive fasting . So you really got to watch out . You're not doing more harm than good . The research shows that hormonal health is derived from consistent nutrition , adequate energy , not being underfed . A very key point we have harp on here is not always being dieting , but actually eating enough food , good sleep and stress management rather than manipulating meal timing . So again , with every one of these myths , I want you to be clear that the myth is actually a myth and there actually could be evidence showing the opposite in some cases . But again , I'm not going to go to the extreme on that side either .

Philip Pape 10:04

Myth number five that fasting induces superior autophagy . So autophagy is the cleaning out of your cells . This claim is fascinating because it is based almost entirely on animal research and also on extreme fasting protocols that last at least 24 or more hours . So autophagy is your body's cellular cleanup process . It does increase when you're fasting , but it also happens during exercise , during sleep and during any form of calorie restriction . And we don't actually know if fasting enhances autophagy more than these other methods in humans . We just don't have evidence that supports that right . If , again , you want to support cellular health , guess what I'm going to say Focus on regular exercise , movement , training , quality sleep , good nutrition , rather than fasting . And , by the way , again , I'm not trying to bash on fasting . Fasting is just a tool . What I'm trying to show is that the claims people make about fasting being superior for these things are what are false giving you more options , which is great .

Philip Pape 11:10

Myth number six that fasting is the key to longevity . And this one comes from studies where severe calorie restriction extended lifespan in various species . Have you heard about this ? Right ? You've heard about calorie restriction being somehow helpful for longevity , but the human evidence is much less clear , if existent at all , because any longevity benefits for humans likely come from improved health markers like reduced inflammation , better metabolic health things that you can achieve through lifestyle , through lots of other approaches that have nothing to do with fasting .

Philip Pape 11:45

I've had people who come to me , actually not because they want to build muscle or lose fat , but because they're concerned with longevity . They're concerned with their high blood pressure or their high resting heart rate or their cholesterol , and they feel like they're compromising their health and they wonder should they be fasting , should they be doing so-called longevity protocols ? And typically what's happening is they're either not eating enough they're not eating enough protein , fiber , nutrients , they're not moving enough , they're not training . There's all the lifestyle things they're just not doing . Yet Once we get those in place , we get to a balanced approach to their food , focused on whole foods , regular meals , very flexible approach , having nothing to do with , you know , restricting your feeding windows . Guess what happens ? Health markers improve significantly . See it time and again and again it's a very liberating thought that you can do that and you don't need to fast .

Philip Pape 12:33

Myth number seven is that you can eat whatever you want during the feeding window . Now , maybe not all of you buy into this myth and you understand that eating too much , whenever it is , can be a problem . I get it , but still I think it is a myth that's out there and it's probably the most damaging one , because it leads to overconsumption and poor food choices . Very much like a dreamer bulk right the idea that I'm going to just eat whatever I want , as much as I want to build muscle can lead to overconsumption and poor food choices , and I see it constantly .

Philip Pape 13:07

People are fasting and initially they have some success because they lose some water weight , they cut their calories , they're not able to eat as much . Then what happens ? Their body gets used to it . They start to overeat during their feeding window , and by overeat I simply mean they're consuming more calories than they intend or that they want for whatever their goal is , which usually is maintenance or fat loss , and so they're overeating . And this happened to me back in the day because I was fasting for years to the point where my body is like this is just how it is , so now you could eat more calories during that window , and then you almost feel like entitled to make up for the fasting period .

Philip Pape 13:41

Or you feel like you're hungry , starving . Even if you get quote unquote used to fasting , you still may have higher hunger than you would have otherwise if you weren't doing it . And no matter what your fasting window is , you still have to consider total calories and food quality . It's still important . No matter what , the amount of calories in a day is still going to matter , and so I see people gaining weight on intermittent fasting . It happens all the time , right , even if they're perfectly adhering to the window , because they're cramming a day's worth of processed foods within eight hours . You know they think anything goes and their body adapts to it All right After the break . We're going to address one of the biggest intermittent fasting myths of all and I'm going to share a bonus myth related to your training performance and building muscle .

Jenny 14:27

Hi , my name is Jenny and I just wanted to say a big thank you to Philip Pape of Wits and Weights for offering his free 50-minute nutritional assessment . During that time he gave me really good tools on how I can further my health and fitness goals . He asked really great questions and stayed true to his offer of no sales pitch . I have since applied these things and gotten really close to my health goals and my weight goals , and now I'm able to flip over and work on my strength and my muscle conditioning using a lot of the things he offers in his podcasts , and I just am very grateful for his positive inspiration and encouragement for all of our health . Thank you , philip .

Philip Pape 15:13

Welcome back as we reveal the final three intermittent fasting myths that need to die , plus a bonus myth that will unlock even more progress with your body composition and physique . Myth number eight that fasting detoxes your body . Now I wasn't sure if I wanted to clue this in there , but I've actually seen more and more people make this claim and it's kind of related to the autophagy a little bit . It's this whole like cleaning you out thing . Your body's detoxification systems are already quite well-evolved and capable and robust your liver , your kidneys , your lymphatic system . They work continuously . Whether you're fasting or not , they're always working for you . They're amazing . Fasting does not enhance or accelerate this process at all . If you want to support natural detox , stay hydrated , eat plenty of fiber , get adequate protein , maintain a healthy lifestyle . Obviously don't smoke , don't drink to excess , because that'll put a strain on your detoxification system right , and those basic habits are going to do far more for you than any fasting protocol . And I don't know about you . I'd rather be lifting weights and eating what I want when I want , rather than having to fast and still get the result and still get the quote-unquote detox All

Debunking Intermittent Fasting Benefits

Philip Pape 16:31

right .

Philip Pape 16:31

Myth number nine fasting is better for cognitive function . So some people swear by this . Oh , I fasted and I had this mental clarity . My brain was just firing on all cylinders . I didn't feel sluggish , lethargic , dah , dah , dah dah . You hear all of this and I've done that myself . Okay , I've used to fast once a week for a whole day , so I would go dinner to dinner , right , so a 24 hour period , and I would claim that I just felt so much clearer , so much mental clarity . The research actually shows mixed results and it shows a massive level of individual variation . So if you have what seems like a temporary boost in focus , it's probably because of your stress hormones , not an inherent benefit of fasting . A lot of people actually experience brain fog and or concentration when they're fasting , especially when they're having to then do demanding tasks , not just training fasted , but work . You work If you have a day job and you're now trying to work while you're hungry . And so , anecdotally , some people might have cognitive benefit , but most folks perform better cognitively with regular meals and stable blood sugar . Again back to the basics .

Philip Pape 17:39

And then myth number 10 , and again , this is maybe the biggest one I'm not going to say the most dangerous , but it's the one that just blanket statement on the internet that fasting can work for everyone , that it's a diet right . It's like here's keto , here's vegetarianism , here's carnivore , here's fasting , and it's going to work . You pick the one you want and it's going to work for everyone . And this myth insidiously ignores the massive individual differences that we all have . The whole reason I created this podcast is the reason I coach people to figure out their own bodies , their own metabolism , their own lifestyle , their own psychology .

Philip Pape 18:13

It is so different from person to person that if you try to put yourself in a box it can be extremely problematic , especially for women . And again , men , women love you all . But unfortunately women get the brunt of the marketing on this stuff and the claims on this stuff . And women also have the bigger hormonal disruptions in late 30s into 40s and 50s . But fasting is also unsuitable for certain people . If you have a history of disordered eating , if you have very high physical demands , if you have chronic stress , it could make it worse . It just can Be careful . I'm okay if you want to experiment , but measure these things and see if one isn't superior to the other for you , for you .

Philip Pape 18:55

I've seen far too many clients try to force fasting , and I mean before we work together . They tell me about their stories of fasting because they think that's the only resort they have left . Even maybe it'll be surprising to you is the impact of fasting on your training performance , and I am a proponent now that most people should not be training fasted and again , I use the word most , not every , because , just like all the other claims , or the very last one , that fasting's for everyone , fasted or fed , training may not be everyone . You may be in the very , very , very small percentage of people that , for whatever reason , perform better when you're fasted . It's extremely rare , though , and usually the reason they think they're performing better , faster than not , is because when they're fed , maybe they eat too much too close to their workout and they just don't like the digestive results or the feeling of it , or they feel sluggish , or they're eating the wrong things , or they're not eating carbs but they're only eating protein . There's a lot of reasons that you might think training fed doesn't work for you and we need to talk .

Philip Pape 20:15

I want you to reach out to me , schedule a rapid nutrition assessment . Let's have a call and talk about your peri-workout nutrition . Peri meaning in and around . What are you eating before and after ? When are you eating . What is the composition of macros ? What is the food ? Is it highly digestible ? I will help you figure out if that's the problem , before you say I just need to train fasted and I'm going to start taking EAAs , which are pretty much a waste of money , since you could just eat protein , and because all these other myths are not true about fat burning and everything else autophagy you don't have to worry about those .

Philip Pape 20:47

It really comes down to how do you get the most out of your workouts . Coming to the gym feeling ready to go energized , you don't feel like you have too much in your stomach . You go ahead and you slam the weights with control , with intensity and with focus , and you're able to get through a 60 or 90-minute training session with your energy intact , having gotten all the reps , and then you recover , and then you're not too sore the next day , and on and on . It all ties together and much of it comes down to not training fasted . And if you go from fasted training to fed training , you might find a step change in your lifting , in the weight , in the volume , in the intensity , in the energy , in the recovery , all of it , and so it's definitely worth trying out if you haven't done it or you've been training fasted for a long time .

Philip Pape 21:33

And stop making the excuses . But well , I only have a half hour before I get to the gym . Well , guess what ? Protein shakes and a banana , my favorite . Okay , half protein shakes and a banana , my favorite . Half an hour is plenty . Or you can guzzle on some highly branched cyclic dextrin just very simple , pure , easily digestible form of carbs , and get the energy in your body and see what it's like .

Philip Pape 21:53

Stop making the excuses . There are some legitimate things like okay , I have to take thyroid medication and I'm trying to go to my home gym 10 minutes later . But again , even then can we work things out to make it work for you . Or , worst case , have a bigger carb , heavier dinner , not too late , but late enough that it's still in your system when you work out the next day . All right , so yeah , you might burn a little more fat during a fasted workout , but then you're going to burn less fat in the rest of the day and you're probably going to perform worse . Right , that goes back to myth number one . That means less muscle stimulation . Even the lower calorie burn it compromised results . All of it goes down okay , and training fasted will probably increase your muscle breakdown , and that's not what we're trying to do , because the research is clear that having amino acids available through eating protein helps preserve muscle during fat loss . So why are we trying to slow that down ? So all of this illustrates the bigger point Don't let artificial rules get in the way of what actually drives results Proper fueling , progressive overload , consistency and all the basic lifestyle habits . All right .

Philip Pape 22:55

So the key takeaway isn't that intermittent fasting is quote unquote bad . It's that you just do not need it for results . Most of my clients don't use it and those who do typically choose it because listen up it matches their natural hunger patterns or their schedule , purely practical reasons that are individualized to them . It is not for any supposed metabolic benefits whatsoever . Now what does matter ? All right . Number one creating a sustainable calorie deficit . If you're trying to lose fat , you probably need to be in a moderate , sustainable calorie deficit through tracking and awareness , eating balanced meals , prioritizing protein and whole foods . Number two timing your meals to support your training performance . So where timing matters is getting it around your workouts , not whether you have fasting and feeding windows . The next one is getting adequate sleep , managing stress and then finally being consistent with the foundational basics before you start to add any complexity like intermittent fasting , which , at some point , if you want to try it out , great , but don't use that as step one .

Philip Pape 23:58

What is the best approach ? The best approach is the one that fits your lifestyle , the one that you can maintain long-term . If that includes some form of IF , then great , and if not , that's perfectly fine too . That is really my message today . All right , so if you want to learn exactly how to set up your nutrition for results without restrictive rules like fasting , download my free Nutrition 101 for Body Composition guide . You'll discover how to master your macros , optimize your workout nutrition and develop sustainable habits . That last , click the link in the show notes or go to witsandweightscom slash free to get your copy today . Until next time , keep using your wits lifting some weights and remember you don't need complicated rules around meal timing to get great results . Focus on the approach you can be consistent with while enjoying your diet . I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights Podcast .