People who already fast but are obese

[AndrewMC]

Hi guys. Brad, I appreciate all your work, man!

I’ve used fasting techniques for about 15 years now. I feel that I have a good understanding of the science, methods, pitfalls, nuances, etc. regarding this topic. For me, fasting has been a tool to produce results I’m very happy with — I’m always under 15% bf, usually under 10%, and quite healthy.

I’ve recently begun teaching nutrition strategies to people though and one of the big topics I cover is fasting. In organizing my thoughts on the subject, one sticking point continually bothers me… why is it that so many people already fast daily yet don’t lean out, and sometimes end up fat or obese?

Here’s what I mean…

I work as a personal trainer in my full time job and it’s amazing to me how many overweight clients report that they already skip breakfast (and often lunch) and do all their eating in a 4-6 hour window in the evening. According to research, fasting is a great way to increase insulin sensitivity and up-regulate fat burning pathways. These people are spending a lot of time in low-insulin states, should be relatively decent fat-burners (given their Eat Stop Eat lifestyles), and are not going overboard on calories during feeding times. So why are they struggling with obesity?

I only ask because it’s something I see a lot and would like to get a better handle on.

Thanks!!

[Author]

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