The SIMPLE Way To Make Your Body KILL BELLY FAT! | Dr Jason Fung
Summary
TLDRIn this insightful discussion, Dr. Jason Fung, a leading voice in the modern intermittent fasting movement, debunks myths surrounding fasting and its impact on weight loss. He explains how extending fasting periods can lower insulin levels, promoting fat burning. Despite initial backlash from the medical community, Dr. Fung's research and advocacy have contributed to a broader understanding of fasting's benefits for health and reversing type 2 diabetes. The conversation also touches on the importance of hormones, fiber, and unprocessed foods in managing weight and metabolism.
Takeaways
- π½οΈ Intermittent fasting is suggested as a tool for weight loss by extending the fasting period and reducing insulin levels, which allows the body to burn fat more effectively.
- π The concept of using intermittent fasting for weight loss was not widely recognized in the medical field until around 2013-2014, despite the practice having been used for thousands of years.
- π£οΈ The speaker faced criticism from the medical community for advocating intermittent fasting, with concerns that it could lead to increased hunger, lowered metabolic rates, and weight gain.
- π Contrary to common myths, studies have shown that fasting can actually increase metabolic rates, as the body activates itself to use stored energy during periods of no food intake.
- πββοΈ Fasting periods can vary from 16 hours to multiple days, with the idea being to allow the body to utilize its fat stores for energy when food is not consumed.
- π± Leptin, a hormone that reduces hunger, may be resisted by individuals due to high insulin levels, which can lead to weight gain.
- πΎ A fiber-deficient diet, often a result of food processing, can lead to rapid spikes in insulin and contribute to weight gain and cravings for processed foods.
- π₯ High-fiber, unprocessed foods are recommended to slow down the absorption of glucose, reducing insulin spikes and the associated pleasure response that leads to cravings.
- π₯© While protein is often considered beneficial for weight loss, it also increases insulin levels and is not an efficient macronutrient for energy storage.
- πΉ Juicing is not considered a true fast due to the high sugar content in many juices, and its effectiveness depends on the types and amounts of juice consumed.
- π The speaker hopes that their work will contribute to reversing type 2 diabetes and changing the conventional understanding of weight loss beyond the 'calories in, calories out' model.
Q & A
What is the primary purpose of extending the fasting period according to the transcript?
-The primary purpose of extending the fasting period is to allow enough time for insulin levels to be low, which facilitates fat burning and helps in pulling calories back from the body's fat reserves.
Who is credited with popularizing the concept of intermittent fasting for weight loss in the modern context?
-The transcript suggests that the person being interviewed is credited with popularizing the concept of intermittent fasting for weight loss in the modern context, as they were one of the first to advocate for it from a medical standpoint around 2013-2014.
What were some of the myths about intermittent fasting that were debunked in the discussion?
-Some of the myths debunked include the ideas that intermittent fasting would cause weight gain, increase hunger, and lead to a drop in basal metabolic rate, also known as 'starvation mode'.
How does the body physiologically respond to fasting in terms of metabolic rate?
-Contrary to the myth of 'starvation mode', the body's basal metabolic rate actually increases during fasting. This is due to the activation of the body's fight-or-flight response, increased cortisol and growth hormone levels, which tell the body to start using stored energy.
What is the significance of insulin levels in the context of weight loss and fasting?
-Insulin levels play a crucial role in weight loss because when insulin is low, the body is more likely to burn fat for energy. Fasting helps to lower insulin levels, thus promoting fat burning.
What is the role of leptin in relation to hunger and weight management?
-Leptin is a hormone that helps to reduce hunger and is involved in weight management. The transcript suggests that leptin resistance could be an issue, where the body becomes less responsive to the hormone's appetite-suppressing effects.
Why is fiber important in the context of weight loss and insulin response?
-Fiber is important because it slows down the digestion process, leading to a slower rise in insulin levels. This helps to prevent the rapid spikes in insulin that can contribute to weight gain and make it harder to lose weight.
What are some examples of unprocessed foods that are high in fiber?
-Examples of unprocessed, high-fiber foods include beans, whole grains, and vegetables. These foods help to slow the absorption of carbohydrates, which can aid in weight loss.
How does the consumption of protein impact insulin levels and weight gain?
-While protein does spike insulin levels, it is not as efficient as carbohydrates or fats for weight gain because the body does not store protein as a source of energy. However, consuming large amounts of protein can still contribute to weight gain.
What is the speaker's view on juice fasting as a method for weight loss?
-The speaker views juice fasting as less effective than regular fasting because it can still provide a significant amount of sugars and calories, which may not contribute to weight loss effectively.
What is the speaker's hope for their work in the field of intermittent fasting and weight loss?
-The speaker hopes that their work will help people understand and reverse type 2 diabetes, break the stigma around weight loss, and promote healthier lifestyles through the understanding of hormones and fasting rather than relying on drugs or surgery.
Outlines
π½οΈ Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss and Insulin Management
The speaker discusses the concept of intermittent fasting for weight loss, emphasizing the importance of extending the fasting period to allow for fat burning due to low insulin levels. They claim to have been a pioneer in promoting intermittent fasting for weight loss in the medical field around 2013-2014. The speaker refutes common myths about fasting, such as causing weight gain, tiredness, and increased hunger, by citing historical use and scientific data. They also counter the idea of 'starvation mode' by explaining that fasting can actually increase metabolic rates, as evidenced by studies showing increased calorie burning during fasting periods. The speaker faced criticism from the medical community but stood by the physiological benefits of fasting.
π Varieties of Fasting and the Role of Leptin in Hunger Regulation
This paragraph delves into the different types of fasting, such as 16-hour, 24-hour, and multi-day fasts, and how they can be tailored to an individual's weight loss goals. The speaker clarifies that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to fasting. They also introduce the hormone leptin, which is responsible for reducing hunger, and discuss the potential issue of leptin resistance, which could contribute to obesity. The speaker suggests that the over-processing of foods, leading to a lack of fiber and rapid insulin spikes, may be a factor in leptin resistance and the current obesity epidemic.
π₯ The Impact of Protein and Processed Foods on Insulin Levels
The speaker discusses the role of protein in weight loss and insulin levels, noting that while protein does spike insulin, it is not as easily stored as fat or carbohydrates. They argue that the over-processing of food, which often removes fiber, leads to rapid insulin spikes and contributes to weight gain. The speaker advocates for a return to unprocessed foods, which have a more natural and slower impact on insulin levels. They also touch on the topic of juice fasting, expressing skepticism about its effectiveness compared to water fasting due to the high sugar content in juices.
π The Broader Impact of Intermittent Fasting and Reversing Type 2 Diabetes
In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on their work's impact on promoting intermittent fasting and its potential to reverse type 2 diabetes. They express a desire to challenge conventional thinking about weight loss and diabetes management, advocating for a return to older, more natural approaches. The speaker acknowledges the audacity of their goals but remains hopeful that their work can contribute to significant health improvements on a global scale. The conversation concludes with a nod to the power of challenging established norms and the potential for such 'crazy' ideas to bring about meaningful change.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Intermittent Fasting
π‘Insulin
π‘Fat Burning
π‘Metabolic Rate
π‘Hormonal Balance
π‘Leptin Resistance
π‘Fiber
π‘Obesity
π‘Type 2 Diabetes
π‘Processed Foods
π‘Hormonal Activation
Highlights
Intermittent fasting can aid in losing body fat by extending the fasting period and reducing insulin levels, which facilitates fat burning.
The concept of using intermittent fasting for weight loss gained popularity due to the advocacy of Dr. Jason Fung, despite initial resistance from the medical community.
Dr. Fung debunked myths about intermittent fasting, such as causing weight gain, tiredness, and increased hunger, by citing historical use and scientific data.
Fasting can actually increase basal metabolic rate contrary to the belief that it leads to a 'starvation mode' with reduced metabolism.
Hormonal changes during fasting, such as increased cortisol and growth hormone, activate the body to use stored energy, supporting weight loss.
Dr. Fung's personal experience with fasting includes various methods, emphasizing that there are no strict rules and it can be adapted to individual needs.
Leptin resistance may be a factor in obesity, where insulin's weight gain effects overcome leptin's weight loss signals.
Fiber deficiency, resulting from food processing, may contribute to insulin spikes and unhealthy food cravings.
Unprocessed foods are recommended for their slower insulin response, helping to manage hunger and weight more effectively.
Protein consumption and its effect on insulin levels are discussed, suggesting that while it's not the primary focus, it still plays a role in weight management.
Dr. Fung advocates for eating less often and choosing unprocessed foods to manage insulin levels and promote weight loss.
Juice fasting is criticized for potentially providing too many sugars and not being as effective as water-only fasting for weight loss.
The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding hormones' role in weight loss beyond the traditional calories-in, calories-out model.
Dr. Fung's hope is that his work will contribute to reversing type 2 diabetes and changing the conventional thinking on weight loss.
The impact of Dr. Fung's work on intermittent fasting has already influenced millions, prompting discussions and practices worldwide.
The closing tradition of the podcast involves a question left for the next guest, focusing on the concept of one's greatest gift to the world.
Transcripts
if you want to lose body fat you
actually need to extend the period of
time that you're not eating in other
words extend your fasting period and get
rid of all the snacks in order for you
to have enough time that your insulin is
low when insulin is low it's going to
allow fat burning which is going to
allow you to pull those calories back
out you're cited as being really the
founder of modern intermittent fasting
and I've heard people talk about
intermittent fasting on this show over
and over and over and over again now
but the internet says that it really
came from you I know the interet and
fasting has been happening for thousands
of years but the idea of it as a tool
for weight loss they say it came from
you it because in 2013 2014 really
nobody was talking about it from a
medical standpoint like what's happening
in the body why is it good why is it bad
and really I was for years sort of this
one voice in the wilderness that was
saying like hey this is a tool for us if
you want to lose weight because it's
important then you can just set aside a
period of time that you don't eat at the
time people thought it was extremely bad
for you and I I looked through all the
literature and I said well why is it bad
for you and they had all these reasons
there's all these myths about
intermittent fasting and how it's going
to cause you to gain weight and be tired
and hungry and all these sorts of things
I said well no there's actually a lot of
data here over the last you know 2,000
years that we've used intermittent
fasting and they're simply not true and
I can go over a few of those but that's
why there was nobody talking about it at
the time and that's where I started to
sort of bring it into the uh sort of
public Consciousness that this is a tool
that's all it is were you attacked for
that at the time oh absolutely like I
got I got attacked from all sides I got
you know doctors were coming after me
dietitians were coming after me
everybody thought I was going to do so
much harm and the funny part was that
you know as I think back as as I spoke
to a lot of colleagues a lot of
colleagues would say to me you know what
I used to do that when I was in training
we did that all the time we'd go 24
hours without eating because we're in
the o or we're in the ER or we are busy
so we did that constantly and nothing
bad happened and I remember thinking you
know what as a doctor I actually tell
people to fast all the time if you have
to go for surgery you need to fast if
you're after surgery you need to fast if
you do fasting blood work you need to
fast so why is it that I'm actually
telling people to fast all the time and
yet for weight loss you shouldn't fast
that doesn't make any sense and
physiologically from a body standpoint
it doesn't make any sense uh one of the
things people talked about was you know
it's going to make you eat more later
it's going to make you more hungry your
basil metabolic rates going to go down
this was one of the big myths of
intermittent fasting that's going to
cause the so-called starvation mode
right and this is the idea that your
basil metabolic rate will fall so low
that when you do start to eat you're
gonna gain weight again so I said well
let's think about this you can do a
study where you take somebody say you
for example and you could fast them for
four days and measure how much how many
calories they're burning their basil
metabolic rate on day Zero before the
fast and measure them four days into the
fast and see how many calories you're
burning so on day Zero they say you're
you're burning say 2,000 calories a day
on day four of zero food you don't eat
any food for four days they measure how
much calories you're burning your body
is burning 2200 calories your basil
metabolic rate didn't go down it went up
your body's activating itself during
fasting which is fascinating because if
you're trying to lose weight dropping
that masal metabolic rate is death like
if you drop that metabolic rate it's so
hard to lose weight that's what the
calorie restricted diets did that's what
the lowfat diets did the eating all the
time did but when you actually fast your
metabol rate went up and we see this in
study after study and the reason is
actually basic physiology it's actually
medical physiology like first year
medical school stuff when you don't eat
what happens in your body from a hormone
standpoint is that your insulin's going
to fall you're going to allow your body
to start using the calories that are in
the body at the same time other hormones
go up so the sympathetic tone goes up
which is your fight ORF flight response
your cortisol levels go up because again
it's an activation and your growth
hormone goes up because those hormones
are going to start telling your body to
start pulling calories out so you're
actually activating yourself think about
in the wild if you see a Hungry Wolf is
that wolf just sort of you know all like
lethargic no he's activated he's
actually more dangerous than any other
wolf as opposed to say a lion who just
ate because when you just eat you just
want to lie there you know you you want
to digest your food you have no energy
so people say wow your your your
metabolic rate is going to go down if
you fast no the the truth is actually
the opposite it goes up do you fast oh I
do that regularly yeah and what does
your fast look like because I've heard
of all these different types of fasting
36 hours 72 hours oh yeah 14 hours
there's no rules for fasting you could
do you know it could be 16 hours so 14
hours remember is sort of a baseline 12
to 14 hours right that just means you're
not eating after dinner that's it um and
so if you want to lose weight that's
probably not strong enough to make you
lose weight because 12 to 14 hours is
sort of just this Baseline that people
had in the 70s um so you can go to 16
hours for example and you shrink that by
either eating breakfast a little later
or eating dinner a little earlier but
you can do more than that you can do say
a 24-hour fast you could eat two meals a
day say eat between 12 and 6 that's a
6-hour eating window or you could eat
once a day which is like a 24-hour fast
or or you could even go multiple days uh
without eating because again your body
is smart like our your body knows what
to do if you have all those calories
sitting on your body right 100,000
calories sitting in body fat and you
don't eat for three days well you need
6,000 calories well you have 100,000
200,000 so what's the problem take it
out of your body fat let your body eat
your body fat that's what fasting is
doing for you and it's totally natural
because because that's what it's there
for that body fat is not there for looks
it's there for you as a source as a
store of calories so fasting just lets
you use that there's nothing wrong with
it leptin is this hormone that
essentially brings down my Hunger makes
me less hungry is it therefore possible
that people are becoming lepin resistant
there is left in resistance the question
again is why and the way to think about
it is it's sort of this sort of balance
right so so insulin if you give people
insulin like if you think about causes
of obesity what causes people to gain
weight well if I give you insulin you'll
gain weight if I give me insulin I'll
gain weight so insulin causes weight
gain whereas leptin will cause the
opposite so it's sort of the Seesaw body
fat is nothing more or less than uh a
store of energy right and you only store
energy when your body tells you our
entire body runs on hormones right
nothing happens without the hormonal
system being activated so insulin is
pushing us to gain weight leting us is
pushing us to lose weight and what's
happening is that one is sort of
overcoming the other insulin is
overcoming the leptin in the last six
months so many of the nutritionists I've
spoken to have really impressed upon me
that we are fiber deficient and I'm
wondering how that happened um well I
think it was part of the processing uh
thing so taking out fiber is a great way
to make foods more appealing if you will
um so what happens is that if you take
um flour for example and you have a lot
of fiber in it then the digestion is
slowed so what you get is a slower rise
so you take flower and you put a lot of
fiber in it well instead of uh having
this huge spike in insulin which you're
going to get it's a much slower spike in
insulin when you have the huge spike in
insulin it basically overloads your
system and it makes you feel you know
gives you this big hit sort of like if
you have like cocaine for example you
know it's it's turned into a very fine
powder then you snort it so you get this
massive sort of Spike same thing with um
you know carbohydrates if you don't have
any uh fiber you you pull all the fiber
out by processing you get this massive
sort of unnatural Spike and your body
says oh that's great it tastes great I
really love it and you get people who
are sort of addicted to it because that
big spike is going then going to release
dopamine and dopamine me is a pleasure
hormone so you eat you know cookies or
whatever highly processed foods you get
this sort of pleasurable response and
that makes you crave it if you have a
lot of fiber it acts almost sort of like
an antidote to that carbohydrate because
you're slowing down that release what
foods are high in fiber well mostly
unprocessed Foods so the the things like
beans and if you're having if you're
eating uh whole grains for example
compared to others then it's going to
have reduction in the speed of
absorption so it's again not about the
calories necessarily or even necessarily
about the carbohydrates because you're
still eating the same amount of
carbohydrate but you're slowing down the
speed at which is absorbed which is
going to change the instructions that
you give your body if you have a massive
spike in glucose you get this massive
dopamine surge right and your body's
like yo love it then the next time
you're like okay give me that refined
carbohydrate what about protein because
we we tend to think a protein is
something that you know is super great
for weight loss yeah protein is probably
uh sort of inter it's not bad I mean the
main thing is cutting down the
carbohydrates but you know in the OB
code I really talk about cutting the
processing down because uh proteins
usually don't come as pure protein right
in nature you never find like you know
how you have like whe powder protein or
whatever the only way you can do that is
by processing the heck out of food to
get some kind of pure protein it doesn't
exist in nature like it almost doesn't
exist in maybe there's a few examples
but when you eat meat you think okay
there's a lot of protein but that's
actually a lot of fat in there too right
um if you eat anything else that has
protein it's it's rarely uh all protein
you know very lean meats like chicken
breast and stuff are going to be higher
in protein but there's still a lot of
other stuff in there and it's very rare
that somebody will eat just all pure
100% protein it tends to be hard to eat
like the fat brings a lot of flavor and
so on so it's a bit of an unnatural way
to eat sure if you if you're to eat a
lot of protein it does Spike insulin so
it does have some effect to gain weight
but it's actually a very um inefficient
U macronutrient that is your there's
three macronutrients there's
carbohydrates there's um fat and there's
protein your body stores energy or
calories in two ways there's car glucose
which is carbohydrate and it stores it
as body fat which is fat right it
doesn't protein is not a way for the
body to store energy so when you're
eating a lot of protein it's very
difficult for it to turn it into a
storage mechanism like you know so you
eat glucose and you eat fat you can
store glucose and you can store fat but
you eat protein but you don't really
store it as a source of energy so all
foods then increase our insulin
levels I guess the best solution is to
fast H fasting is certainly one way but
just changing the foods to uh other ones
because if you look at the
insulin uh release in processed foods
versus unprocessed Foods there's a huge
difference so if you eat sort of uh
highly refined foods like white bread
for example then you're going to have a
very different response in insulin
compared to sort of um a whole a whole
food so uh unprocessed Foods in general
your body knows how to handle like we've
been eating them for thousands of years
um but certainly anytime you eat your
insulin is going to go up you're giving
your body instructions to store energy
so the solution is to eat less often
what if you do a juice fast juice fast
of course is not a real fast because
you're you're taking a lot of sugars
what you think of juice fasting um I'm
generally I I I think it's less
effective than regular fasting and it
really depends on how much juice you
take if you take a lot of juice you
could easily get you know thousands of
calories plus a lot of sugar if you do
it you know cucumber juice and stuff
that's very low in sugar and kale juice
then it could be very very healthy for
you because there's vitamins and stuff
there so it all depends on how it's done
we have a closing tradition on this
podcast where the last last guest leaves
a question for the next guest without
knowing who they're leaving it for and
the question that's been left for you
is what is your greatest gift to the
world I think if if if you know I
suppose it's sounds very arrogant um but
I really hope that my my work helps
people sort
of reverse the type 2 diabetes because
that is really sort of one of the most
most close things that I deal with
because I deal with it professionally
sort of every day um and helps break the
stigma of not just the stigma but the
understanding like like you know
stimulates more thinking about weight
loss how to lose weight more than
calories in calories out I mean it's so
sort of Pie in the Sky because you know
it's there's a whole you know worldwide
sort of institutionalized ized
fossilized almost you know thinking
around calories it's all about calories
sort of thing so to for me to upset it
seems
ridiculous but I hope that I can at
least start that conversation to say hey
let's think about these things let's
think about the hormones let's think
about reversing type two diabetes let's
think about all getting together and
helping each other to become so much
healthier not through drugs and not not
through more surgery and not with you
know weird and new things that you've
never heard of but with the tried and
the true sort of oldest thinking that
has been there right it's it's to me
it's I I sometimes think about this like
crazy like why do I think I can even do
that right it's just ridiculous it's so
much hubris but you know I I can only
try right because I I see in my own
practice how good it's done for some
people so it drives me to say I need to
bring it to more people I need to to to
explain it to them if they want to be
helped they will be helped but if they
don't understand this okay I'm not
trying to force myself to do anything
but you know that's what I hope my
greatest gift will be um but at the same
time I sort of think that's just you
know you're crazy if you can think you
can do that but well it's The Crazy Ones
that change the world Dr Jason um It's
The Crazy Ones that changed the world
and even with you know your conversation
around intermittent fasting has changed
many many lives that you'll never get to
meet I imagine many many millions many
many millions because it's even brought
the conversation to this show before you
entered the room many many months and
months and months and almost a year ago
people started talking on the show about
intermittent fasting and that's in many
respects due to the work that you've
done to fether that conversation and now
your work continues to highlight the
fact that type 2 diabetes is a reverse
ible disease in many cases and I think
again that's going to
save you know tens of millions if not
hundreds of millions of lives over the
coming coming decades and years so thank
you for what you do Dr Jason um it's an
huge honor to get to sit with you today
and I feel wiser and more enlightened
and like someone has turned the lights
on in a certain part of my knowledge
because of this conversation so I thank
you for that tremendously thank you so
much it's been great if you love the
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