Fasting and Exercise: A Perfect Pair?

A new study suggests fasting and exercise work well together, even increasing endurance.

D-brief
By Mark Barna
Mar 2, 2018 5:21 PMApr 9, 2020 10:22 PM
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(Credit: Gearstd/Shutterstock)

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Athletes training for endurance competitions tend to eat a lot, especially carbohydrates, which produce glucose to fuel the muscles. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps took in 12,000 calories a day during the 2008 Summer Olympics, for example. Regimented nutrition diets are also popular among athletes. The top Mixed Martial Arts fighters employ full-time nutritionists who prepare each meal for them.

But fasting?

More bodybuilders, professional cyclists and other athletes are turning up their nose at food. Some of them fast two days a week by eating about 600 calories a day (not a fast proper, but enough to achieve its metabolic effects) and then eating regularly the other five days. In shoptalk, this is called the 5:2 diet. Meanwhile, these athletes are doing aerobics and strengthening exercises – in other words, full training.

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