Intermittent Fasting: Weight Loss, Recovery and Performance

Whether you’re a die-hard, competitive athlete, or just breaking into the CrossFit scene, you’ve probably heard the term ‘Intermittent Fasting’ floating around your box or local gym. And rightfully so. While it used to be reserved for only elite bodybuilders and fitness models, Intermittent Fasting provides untapped performance and health benefits (and yes, aesthetic perks, too!) that are making it gain serious traction among mainstream athletes.”Good news”! Intermittent Fasting is simple: Keep your meals to an 8-hour window during the day, and you’re golden. This puts you in a ‘fed state’ for 8 hours and a ‘fasted state’ for 16 hours, hence the name. Eating 5-6 small meals a day is pretty much the norm amongst Crossfitters, due to claims that it’ll keep blood sugar in check, but a careful look shows that having more frequent meals actually elevates your baseline blood sugar levels . Higher blood sugar levels lead to insulin resistance and glucose intolerance as well. By allowing you to eat fewer (and yes, larger) meals in a shorter time span, Intermittent Fasting keeps blood glucose, insulin intolerance, and glucose resistance all in check. Not to mention, eating all 3 meals in an 8-10 hour span increases your satiety, meaning it’ll be a lot easier for you to put down that extra cookie!