Dr. Stacy Sims

So this is the big debate, right? So we look at fasting and we're at first... came out and was like, okay, we see that obese, sedentary individuals who had to lose weight rapidly for surgery, they're put on a fasting-type program. to lose weight quickly in order to survive surgery.

So this is the big debate, right? So we look at fasting and we're at first... came out and was like, okay, we see that obese, sedentary individuals who had to lose weight rapidly for surgery, they're put on a fasting-type program. to lose weight quickly in order to survive surgery.

And unfortunately, a lot of those times we look at clinical research and it gets transposed over to health and fitness without actually asking if it's viable. So then we look at the lower end of the fitness population, people who are just learning to move and wanting to move. And like, I also want to lose more body fat so that I can move better. Oh, I'll start fasting.

And unfortunately, a lot of those times we look at clinical research and it gets transposed over to health and fitness without actually asking if it's viable. So then we look at the lower end of the fitness population, people who are just learning to move and wanting to move. And like, I also want to lose more body fat so that I can move better. Oh, I'll start fasting.

And when we see a lot of the like push on it, it comes from male data again. So when we start looking at women and a lot of women used to come with their partners to see me and say, I don't understand. We're both doing the same kind of fasted training. He's leaning up and getting fitter. I'm putting weight on and getting slower. I'm like, okay, well, we have to separate it out, right?

And when we see a lot of the like push on it, it comes from male data again. So when we start looking at women and a lot of women used to come with their partners to see me and say, I don't understand. We're both doing the same kind of fasted training. He's leaning up and getting fitter. I'm putting weight on and getting slower. I'm like, okay, well, we have to separate it out, right?

If you're a woman, you want to fast for all the health reasons that we hear about with regards to telomere length, improving longevity, improving our body's metabolic control. Then we work with our circadian rhythm where we stop eating at dinner. So we have dinner and we don't eat two to three hours before bed. We have the overnight fast.

If you're a woman, you want to fast for all the health reasons that we hear about with regards to telomere length, improving longevity, improving our body's metabolic control. Then we work with our circadian rhythm where we stop eating at dinner. So we have dinner and we don't eat two to three hours before bed. We have the overnight fast.

And then you want to have food within a half an hour of waking up to blunt that cortisol peak that's natural upon waking. For men, you can have variations of fasting. You can do intermittent fasting, you can do warrior fasting, and you can still have benefit. But for women, when we look at the data, and if we were to do a warrior fast, which is a 20-hour fast, four-hour eating window,

And then you want to have food within a half an hour of waking up to blunt that cortisol peak that's natural upon waking. For men, you can have variations of fasting. You can do intermittent fasting, you can do warrior fasting, and you can still have benefit. But for women, when we look at the data, and if we were to do a warrior fast, which is a 20-hour fast, four-hour eating window,

For men, we see more parasympathetic drive, so they get that more focus. They have better blood glucose control. They get an acceleration of body fat loss. They become more metabolically flexible, meaning their body is able to transfer between carbohydrate and fat utilization. For women, it doesn't happen that way. For women who do a warrior fast, so that's a 20-hour fast,

For men, we see more parasympathetic drive, so they get that more focus. They have better blood glucose control. They get an acceleration of body fat loss. They become more metabolically flexible, meaning their body is able to transfer between carbohydrate and fat utilization. For women, it doesn't happen that way. For women who do a warrior fast, so that's a 20-hour fast,

fasting and four hour eating window, they end up with less blood sugar control. We have higher resting blood glucose. We have more fat storage. We have more sympathetic drive. So that means the body's under stress and you're not going to be able to sleep or recover well. And we see a downturn of the thyroid within four days of doing this.

fasting and four hour eating window, they end up with less blood sugar control. We have higher resting blood glucose. We have more fat storage. We have more sympathetic drive. So that means the body's under stress and you're not going to be able to sleep or recover well. And we see a downturn of the thyroid within four days of doing this.

So when we're looking at the data of fasting, again, it's pulling from the men and generalizing to the women. But when we start really looking and narrowing it down and looking at female specific data, the type of fasting that's out there in the health and fitness world is not appropriate for women.

So when we're looking at the data of fasting, again, it's pulling from the men and generalizing to the women. But when we start really looking and narrowing it down and looking at female specific data, the type of fasting that's out there in the health and fitness world is not appropriate for women.

Six or seven.

Six or seven.

Exercise is a stronger stimulus for autophagy than fasting. So we look at exercise in itself as a fasting state. What happens during exercise? You start exercising, your body is trying to provide fuel. So it's breaking down fat, it's breaking down glucose, it's breaking down amino acids.

Exercise is a stronger stimulus for autophagy than fasting. So we look at exercise in itself as a fasting state. What happens during exercise? You start exercising, your body is trying to provide fuel. So it's breaking down fat, it's breaking down glucose, it's breaking down amino acids.