Intermittent Fasting For Weight Loss Preserves Muscle Mass?

March 21, 2011

Does intermittent fasting preserve muscle mass during weight loss? A new study claims it does. This is quite exciting, so I’m interrupting my planned schedule to give you the low down on these findings. I just got access to this paper and I’ll be writing this post as I read through it.

The study:

“Intermittent versus daily calorie restriction: which diet regimen is more effective for weight loss?”

Intermittent what?

Right off the bat, let me note that the title and abstract does not mention intermittent “fasting” anywhere. Instead, the author is using intermittent “calorie restriction” (CR) as a catch-all term for various intermittent fasting regimens. This includes intermittent fasting (IF) and alternate-day fasting (ADF). Below I’ve listed the studies for intermittent CR included in the review:

Halberg N, Henriksen M, Soderhamn N. Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. J Appl Physiol 2005; 99: 2128–2136.

Michalsen A, Riegert M, Ludtke R. Mediterranean […]

Original post by noreply@blogger.com (Martin Berkhan)

Be Nice and Share!

Filed under: Fitness

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Warrior Fit Testimonials

First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.

Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight. At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does! Thank you!! - Theresa F.

The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.

When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do. It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished. I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy. - Jami L.