Intermittent Fasting as a Tool for Weight Loss

Ayuno Intermitente como complemento de una Cirugía Plástica

Intermittent fasting is a strategy not only for losing weight but also for improving health on various levels.

The strategy is based on two normal physiological processes: the mTOR metabolic pathway, which is activated when we consume abundant food, and the AMPK metabolic pathway, which is activated when we fast.

This natural ability of the human body has been encoded in our genes since the time when the human species was nomadic and relied on gathering food and hunting for sustenance.

Due to the absence of agriculture and the inability to store food, our ancestors went through periods of abundant intake when they arrived in a region rich in tropical fruits, vegetables, tubers, etc., and game animals. During this period, the excess food was stored as fat, leading to weight gain. Fat became a highly efficient energy reserve due to its ability to concentrate large amounts of calories.

During times when natural resources were depleted and our ancestors moved to another region in search of food, there was a period of food scarcity or minimal intake, corresponding to an obligatory fast.

Simply put, the mTOR pathway is activated when we consume a sufficient amount of food, especially branched-chain amino acids (Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine). It is responsible for stimulating protein production and the formation of different cellular components. This process is called anabolism.

When we are fasting or when food intake is insufficient to meet the body’s energy needs, the AMPK metabolic pathway is stimulated.

The AMPK pathway is activated when ATP production levels—the energy units the body produces in the mitochondria—decrease due to fasting. Activation of this pathway initiates a process opposite to the mTOR pathway, producing catabolism, which manifests through the physiological phenomenon known as AUTOPHAGY.

Autophagy is the body’s most important mechanism for renewing its cellular structure by degrading damaged or malfunctioning proteins and cellular elements.

Literally, the body “eats itself,” using structural elements (proteins, enzymes, organelles, etc.) that are useless and accumulated in the lysosomes, which function as the “garbage bin” of the cell.

The importance of this process lies in its ability to remove “toxins” and unnecessary elements from the body while stimulating the formation of new mitochondria (organelles responsible for generating energy in the cell) and renewing cells, generating a rejuvenation process.

During fasting, the body not only uses proteins and other damaged structures but also body fat.

When the AMPK pathway is stimulated, weight loss occurs due to the release of triglycerides from fat cells, which are then transformed into Ketone Bodies by the liver—substances that serve as an alternative fuel to glucose but are more efficient and produce fewer waste byproducts compared to glucose metabolism.

This is the reason why we can observe the following beneficial effects of intermittent fasting on health:

  • Weight loss due to the utilization of body fat reserves, mainly intra-abdominal fat, reflected in a reduction of abdominal circumference.
  • Skin rejuvenation or visible improvement in skin quality, with a reduction in acne and other skin conditions like rosacea.
  • Visible improvement in “cellulite” or orange-peel skin due to the elimination of “toxins,” improved circulation, and better lymphatic drainage in the subcutaneous tissue.
  • Metabolic regulation through the control of Insulin Resistance and other hormones involved in appetite.
  • Improved sleep quality due to circadian rhythm regulation.
  • Improvement of intestinal bacterial flora, which plays a role in multiple health processes such as immune defense, mood, and weight.

HOW CAN I PRACTICE INTERMITTENT FASTING?

Intermittent fasting consists of extending the normal fasting period that occurs while we sleep to a minimum of 12 hours, ideally reaching 18 hours. This means consuming food within a window of 12 to 8 hours, for example, having the first meal of the day at 10:00 a.m. and the last meal at 6:00 p.m.

If you currently have a poor diet that is very high in sugars and High Glycemic Index Carbohydrates, such as white rice, potatoes, pasta, and white bread, your body will likely have high Insulin levels, a phenomenon known as Insulin Resistance.

High insulin levels make fasting difficult because the body will demand frequent food intake to maintain blood glucose levels. Additionally, the brain has developed a dependency on sugars and foods that rapidly raise blood sugar levels (High Glycemic Index foods) through the stimulation of Dopamine, a hormone that generates well-being and pleasure.

These two phenomena make intermittent fasting challenging, so it is necessary to start the process very gradually:

  • Delay breakfast by one hour each week. If you are used to having breakfast at 7:00 a.m., you can delay this meal to 8:00 a.m. for two weeks and continue delaying it until reaching 10:00 a.m.
  • Then, reduce the amount of food consumed at breakfast or replace it with foods that do not rapidly elevate blood sugar, such as eggs, plain Greek yogurt (without fruit or sugar), aged cheeses, and butter or ghee.
  • Finally, eliminate breakfast and replace it with unsweetened liquids like herbal tea, coffee, or tea.
  • At the end of approximately two months, you could be eating within an 8-hour window, having lunch at 12:00 p.m. and dinner between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

To accelerate this process and obtain benefits more quickly, it is possible to undergo a Treatment to Change Metabolism.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT IN A HEALTHY WAY?

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Dr. Giovanny Alvarado - Plastic Surgeon
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