Below is an info email from www.eatstopeat.com (Brad Pilon, author)
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Hi,
As you can imagine, I receive lots of questions about Eat Stop Eat, with the most common question being about fasting and losing muscle.
Most people are still very concerned that they will lose muscle if they don’t eat every 3 hours. My answer has always been, don’t worry, if you are resistance training then you won’t lose muscle.
The other day, I received a very interesting question that went something like this – “If calorie restriction doesn’t cause
muscle loss, then what does?”
Great question. We all know that people who are bedridden and on a low calorie diet lose muscle. When I first starting writing
Eat Stop Eat, and was running the idea past several dietitians for input, they all brought up stories of muscle loss in their patients who were bedridden and on a low calorie diet.
And since I am constantly saying that caloric restriction doesn’t
cause you to lose muscle if you are working out, then that leaves being ‘bedridden’ (or ‘disuse’ as they say in research) as the
cause of muscle loss.
In my opinion, the best way to lose muscle it to not use muscle.
Ever break your arm and have to wear a cast, or know someone who did?
Do you remember how skinny that arm was when the cast finally came off? Put a cast on your arm and your muscles will shrink
faster then an expensive new shirt in the dryer.
There was no change in nutrition, only a change in the amount the muscles were used, and the muscle wasted away.
In fact, ‘casting’ is so effective at causing muscle loss that it has been used in research to study something called ‘disuse atrophy’or muscle loss from lack of use.
In a study conducted at the University of Nottingham, 22 male and female studies had casts put on their right leg for two weeks.
Their diets didn’t change, yet after only two weeks the cross sectional area of their quadriceps (the big muscles in your thigh)
decreased by 10%.
NO change in diet..but the muscle still decreases in size by 10%.
The Bottom line is as long as you are working out, and meeting some sort of caloric minimum (studies have gone as low as 80 grams of protein and 800 Kcals a day) you will not lose muscle.
Most importantly you will definitely not lose muscle following Eat Stop Eat. However, since you will be losing weight, it means all the weight you lose will be fat.
Brad
www.EatStopEat.com
Duration : 0:1:58
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
You idiot, …
now go jerk off
You idiot, Indian/Pakistani shit. You are posting this video to advertise your worthless web-site.. I opened it and closed it within 10 seconds. I can tell you are here to make money the easy way, but hey fucker, don’t play with people s’ health. Full of shit..
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Twenty day fast …
Twenty day fast won’t cause muscle loss? hahahaha If you don’t eat for twenty days not only will you lose muscle, you will also die.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Damn I’ve been …
I’ve been working and studying non-stop for the past three days and have have hardly anything. All I’ve had since Sunday has been a slice of pizza, a hot pocket, some peanuts, some crackers. Nothing else is coming to mind. I’m starving! I’m gonna get some food now I just hope I haven’t lost muscle.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
dude…. if your …
dude…. if your going to bash on someone…. at least use proper grammar.
have fun cursing at this post. lol ignorance is so predictable
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
my answer is : …
my answer is : you and i think u suck and absolutely no knowledge
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
No!! The body gives …
No!! The body gives up fat cells first as they have seven times the amount of energy stored in one pound. In fact German scientists claim that even a 20 day fast will not cause muscle loss.
Eating too much speeds up the aging process as one has to be constantly digesting foods and making the vital organs work. Also more T cell damage takes place with too much eating.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Cuz I’m a female …
Cuz I’m a female and have too large cabs, the muscle is too hard and bulky like a man’s leg
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
act like ur age …
act like ur age mate yu acting like a 4 year old… stupid fukass y yu wna knw bwt muscles… it dn tsuit yu im a personal trainer nd i knw wat hapens so keep ur mouth shut… i replied coz sum1 replied 2 meh y du al pakis nd indians fast der all r weird.. so i replied yu racist fuker… so wat iz it gt 2 du wid yu…
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
ur an inconsiderate …
ur an inconsiderate hoo shud stay out of other peoples business it woz a question u dum cunt
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
yu stupid man did i …
yu stupid man did i fukin say that to you…. open ur spekky4 eyes then read the message… inogorant man
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
suck my …
suck my its my point of view u cunt
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
yu racist bastard
yu racist bastard
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
so if it works for …
so if it works for you. why would you say it is detramental?Fasting works and it reprograms your body and helps you lose weight and unwated water weight as well as toxins. Lots of emotional stuff too! It gets easier as you go and yes, you will definitely lose weight! DON’T DIE, FAST!!!
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
increased im …
increased im guessing this is an indicator that the body had started to use lipids as energy. at the 24hr mark the protein level in muscles had dropped but was still slightly higher than before the fast. not one of the studies i found said that short term fasting decreased metabolism, also not one said that it causded muscle loss. i read 10 studies i think. but keep in mind as a general rule for every study out there that says one thing there is another to disagree, how ever i wasn able to find1
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
hey, i have been …
hey, i have been doing a short 24 hr once a week for around 4 weeks now. it doesnt appear that i have suffered any muscle loss, in fact i found a few studies which all said short term fasting decreases the amount of free radicals in your body increases GH and does not slow your metabolism. keep in mind we are talking about short term fasting here. one of the studies also showed muscle biopsies protein and lipid content in blood. after 12 hrs muscel protein had increased and lipid level in blood
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Fasting contrary to …
Fasting contrary to what the media says will not make you lose muscle.This only happens over a period of weeks the body actually protects heart muscle from wasting!.The human body was never made to consume regular meals!that’s why we store fat easily.detoxing is rubbish the body is always being cleaned by the liver and kidneys!
FASTING IS GOOD FOR THE BODY in that it returns the body to a neutral metabolic state.(not clogged up)try eating good every other day and see how fit you will be!
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
aside from the …
aside from the detox for your brain and body, you will be able to breathe significantly easier. so if you practice yoga, qigong, or meditation, fasting makes these practices much more effective, especially qigong or meditation. I usually try not to exercise too much when I fast. not sure if physiologically it is a bad idea but something about working myself really hard without food for energy doesntseem right.not sure about this or the muscle issue though. but fasting does have definite benefits
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
so before you start …
so before you start making ketones you may have extremely low energy around the 12 hour mark. if you stick it through youll find all of a sudden you’ll get a phenomenal feeling of lightness and energy. something to keep in mind, however, is eventually your body does turn to muscles for energy. i am not positive when this happens as opposed to using fats (i am in no way a biologist) so i could see this being a problem for your muscles. this is something i am still trying to figure out as well…
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
there a tons of …
there a tons of benefits to fasting, physical and spiritual. tpyically a person is “fasting” about 12 hours after the last meal when glucose is generally no longer being used. if sustained deprivation of glucose occurs the body kicks in its starvation response which basically turns to fat deposits for energy, turning them into ketones which are an extremely efficient source of energy. because you turn to fats for energy, you not only lose weight but you get rid of toxins stored in the fat…..
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
y do u fast i think …
y do u fast i think its a rite lode of ballsack
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
u dirty ss
u dirty ss
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
The kind of fast …
The kind of fast recommended by Brad Pilon in “Eat Stop Eat” should not cause any muscle loss provided that your calorie intake is normal when you are not fasting. I don’t actually count calories myself, but if your weight loss is on target then your calories are too. Personally, I’m doing the 16 hour daily fast recommended by the body-building blogger Martin Berkhan and the results so far have been awesome.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
why would anyone …
why would anyone want to lose leg muscle
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Hey guy…
As far …
Hey guy…
As far as the research is concerned, Pilon’s Eat Stop Eat is actually his master’s thesis… lol.
In other words, it had to pass peer review so that he could get his degree
For me, the eating 6 meals per day is a tougher way to go… as I stay hungrier throughout the day for some reason.
Also, because of the growth hormone surge as you approach your 24th hour… it is possible to gain strength… or at least I haven’t stopped gaining strength yet.
Plus, it’s easy (a plus)
March 13th, 2010 at 6:26 am
Well, walking is …
Well, walking is not really a good idea of getting loosing because i usually walk alot going to school and places and it didnt really help. it`s base on experience ok? so heres the question, If there are any methods of loosing leg muscles? and is it possible?