Right dose of food. Was: The Right Dose of Exercise for a Longer Life

[eta2020]

I had read numerous studies which indicate that Calorie restriction diets or lifestyle which includes 2-3 days of fasting per week results in healthier and longer life.

IE:
How Intermittent Fasting Might Help You Live a Longer and Healthier Life - Scientific American
Caloric Restriction - Rhesus Monkey, CR, Insulin - Life Extension Health Concern

It looks as having more impact then exercise. If we look at people with high longevity we see shepherds from Corsica and fisherman from Okinawa. People which do not overeat and have low impact manual work helping them stay in good shape.

What do you think?

I personally practice fasting with very positive health results. That is you can exercise your ass off and you may not lower you Blood Pressure, but fasting makes my BP like 18 year olds .

 

[growing_older]

I've had very good results both in health and fitness on intermittent fast programs, but I've also slid downhill very fast as soon as I stop doing it. For me it's a lifestyle I have to maintain or else it backfires.

 

[Philliefan33]

I fast every night for twelve hours. Does that count?

 

[razztazz]

I fast every night for twelve hours. Does that count?

It should but.... Going somewhere between 12 and 16 hours without food is something I do & have done as a matter of course for many years. I can't see where it does anything special. I am not a person with weight problems but every so often I do pack on a few pounds. I almost never eat more than 1500 cals per day. When I try to drop a few pounds it's impossible. Just as hard to drop 6-8 pounds as it is for a fat guy to drop 50.

Maybe if I ate normally my blood pressure and blood sugar, & cholesterol would be off the charts but I can't say that for sure. My BP and blood sugar are quite good and always have been but that doesn't mean it's my routine fasting. No matter what my cholesterol is for the past 20 yrs my doctors always say it's bad. To paraphrase Michael Corleone on Hyman Roth in The Godfather II, I've been dying of that same heart attack for the past 20 yrs. Except that I still haven't had it. Fasting helping or not?

I think it's one of those solutions for people who actually have a problem. For routine use in "normal" people? Like chicken soup. It might or help but it couldn't hoyt.

 

[samclem]

Exercise and diet are both important. I've been on a strict exercise fasting program for several years now, abstaining from all unpleasant exertion. Before I began the program I would exercise and often feel fatigued afterward. Since I began my exercise fasting, this has not recurred.

Now that I've got my exercise under control, I'm starting a regular eating program, starting with a few hours per week and working my way up.

Diet and exercise are the key to fitness.

 

[Texas Proud]

I saw a program on people who did calorie restriction....

The one thing that came across was that they could hardly anything... they could not exercise... they could not walk much... they really were just skin and bones... IIRC (and I could be wrong) the main guy was like 6 ft and weighed about 120 (maybe 130).... it is a tough road to follow...

 

[donheff]

I didn't read the studies and would be interested in a more complete summary of what they show. I have seen studies over the years that didn't impress me. A few were random controlled (gold standard) studies showing drastic caloric restriction led to longer lifespans in mice. Some longevity nut cases applied this by essentially staring themselves but constant or even prolonged hunger has no appeal for me. I also skimmed a few observational studies that showed modest/marginal benefits of intermittent short term fasts in humans. I assume that is what you are most interested in. Do any of the studies show substantial effects? I wouldn't engage in such restrictions unless I saw a good likelihood of substantial benefits. We are not likely to ever see random controlled human studies of this sort - too hard, too long. But are there any random controlled mice studies of intermittent fasting and longevity or other health effects?

 

[rgarling]

Jason Fung has a series of excellent posts on fasting:

Fasting - A History - Part 1: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-a-history-part-i/
Fasting Physiology - Part 2: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-physiology-part-ii/
Fasting and Growth Hormone Physiology - Part 3: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-and-growth-hormone-physiology-part-3/
Fasting and Lipolysis - Part 4: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-and-lipolysis-part-4/
Fasting Myths - Part 5: https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-myths-part-5/

 

[eta2020]

I didn't read the studies and would be interested in a more complete summary of what they show. I have seen studies over the years that didn't impress me. A few were random controlled (gold standard) studies showing drastic caloric restriction led to longer lifespans in mice. Some longevity nut cases applied this by essentially staring themselves but constant or even prolonged hunger has no appeal for me. I also skimmed a few observational studies that showed modest/marginal benefits of intermittent short term fasts in humans. I assume that is what you are most interested in. Do any of the studies show substantial effects? I wouldn't engage in such restrictions unless I saw a good likelihood of substantial benefits. We are not likely to ever see random controlled human studies of this sort - too hard, too long. But are there any random controlled mice studies of intermittent fasting and longevity or other health effects?

Being constantly hungry would not appeal to me as well. Now fasting for 36 hours night/day/night is not overly difficult once you do it few times and know what to expect. Hours number 18-24 take some strong will rest is pretty easy.

You can google what benefits this provides. Most studies are not 100% sure about longevity, but they are pretty sure about benefits to Blood Pressure, Strokes, Hard attacks, Diabetes, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's, Cancer rates (because it lowers IGF-1 and stimulates destruction of weak cells), lower bad cholesterol...to name some

It is about living more years healthy without need for medications, enjoying life...and being healthy is good for a wallet as well.

Most Americans do not suffer from being 6 feet tall and being 120 pounds and unable to walk . Most of us are happy if we maintain healthy weigh. Fasting 1-2 times a week will not make you walking skeleton.