FASTING In this age, much of the food around is

Newsflash: YOU DON’T HAVE TO EAT. actually

Fasting is a gift. All those times you trying to kill you.
are at a party It is poison.
or the airport or on a train and they Donuts? Poison. Soda? Poison. Potato
don’t have any chips? Poison.
good, healthy food for you to eat, the YOU DON’T NEED IT.
answer is Another huge benefit of fasting is that
simple: DON’T EAT. it
Often, not eating—fasting—is beneficial recalibrates your hunger demand signals.
for you. Here We often
are some of the physiological benefits think we are starving after a few hours
that fasting without food.
appears to bring: “I haven’t had anything to eat since
• Improves function of cells, genes, and breakfast,” we
hormones • shout at 1:15 in the afternoon. We
Induces loss of body fat • Reduces risk literally say:
of insulin “I’m starving!”
resistance and type 2 diabetes • Reduces YOU ARE NOT STARVING.
oxidative Humans can survive thirty days without
stress and inflammation • Induces cell food.
repair You can make it a few extra hours.
processes • Increases brain-derived You can actually make it a few days
neurotrophic without any
factors • Increases levels of endorphins • issue.
Induces I fast twenty-four hours fairly
detoxification process regularly.
There are also some psychological I do seventy-two-hour fasts
benefits that I approximately every three
find very real. First of all, fasting months.
demands that And you know what, they aren’t that big
you exercise your will. of a deal.
It is not easy. When I am fasting, I still do everything
In this modern age, we are surrounded by I would normally do if I were eating. I
food all day work. Work out. Train
every day. normally do if I were eating. I work.
Your caveman survival instinct, which is Work out. Train
afraid of jiu-jitsu.
starving, screams at you: I drink water, some tea, maybe eat some
“Eat that food! Eat as much as you can! sunflower
This might be your last chance!” seeds in the shell just to have something
DON’T FALL FOR THAT. to chew on.
But fasting isn’t that hard and you will
This isn’t the last food you will ever feel better
see. at the end of it. Fasting will
In fact: You will see more food in about recalibrate what
ten minutes. hunger is to you. You will realize that
You don’t need it. you aren’t actually hungry most of the
You won’t die without it. time. You are just bored.
In fact: Just the opposite is true. And, at the end of a fast, your food will
taste better, too.