The FastDay Forum

I was reading this interesting article on fasting written by the NHS and noticed that it says:

"To prevent muscle breakdown, [non-fast] meals must contain enough energy food, such as carbohydrates and some fat...You should have a balanced diet with the right proportion of carbs, fat and protein."

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Healthyramadan/Pages/fastingandhealth.aspx

I eat low-carb, even on NFDs. So am I jepodising my muscles? I thought that as long as I ate sufficient protein, my muscles would be a-okay..

I think that there is a ton of mixed information out there! A lot of sources are now saying that high fat/protein is better. I think low carb is fine, I would keep some carbs like fruit.

Ooer, more conflicting recommendations, too confusing.
Always, when I think I've got a sussed plan of fare, someone has to come out with another theory/study.
Any ideas anyone?

[carorees]

The paragraph you mention is completely at odds with the rest of the article. The first part is scientifically sound and then they add in this bit which doesn't make sense.

Protein breakdown to supply energy will only happen if your body is unable to burn fat. As most of us carry enough fat around to supply weeks of energy, it really isn't a problem. Carbs don't prevent protein breakdown. Humans don't need carbs to live. They do need fat and protein. Most of us eat more than enough protein not to worry about protein breakdown. Fasting diets have been shown to result in less protein breakdown than normal calorie reduction. I suspect this is because of the reduction in carb intake during the fasting time.

See this article for more info on balancing carbs, fats and protein:
https://www.fastday.com/fasting/the-bas ... hy-eating/

Nothing of concern in that article. In fact it's all old recycled news.

Dr. MM set up 5:2 to totally avoid "starvation" issues. In other words you just can't get there following any of the common variants of 5:2.

To prevent muscle loss during weight reduction use them! Anaerobic weight lifting 3 times a week is the best method (proven by numerous studies). In other words, weight machines, free weights or HIIT. (FWIW, some of the fastest people I've met - capable of consistent sub 9 minute miles! - started out with very high BMIs and retained muscle by working out while they lost the weight.)

The body's biological requirement for carbohydrates is zero, none, nada, zilch. We eat them because they taste good, are available in amazing variety and quantities, and because TV and our cultures are over the top with adverts.

Carb restriction (as one of many possible add-ons to 5:2) works because it prevent insulin from driving your blood sugar levels down which is turn drives your hunger monster crazy.

Added fat consumption is a necessary given once you've reached maintainance. Protein as a percentage of total daily intake is essentially biologically fixed because eating too much of it will make you feel very unwell. You just won't do it for very long. (And, as an important related point, low carb only seems high protein because everyone typically ignores the internal calories that come from burning your own body fat that fills out the rest of your daily TDEE.)

By definition, once you've reached maintenance you don't want to lose any more weight. To prevent that, and because it's unlikely that you can go back to your old ways of eating (or of eating carbs beyond a certain weight-maintaining level), fat is your only other alternative to meet TDEE.

HTH

I would think the only thing carbs are good for as pertains to keeping muscle is that they can be used to make glycogen which might need replacing after a fast or workout.

Friend of mine has been referred for weight management by her doctor. The hospital have advised 2 portions of protein and 6 of carbs per day. She admits to cheating already.

Thanks guys. I don't want to go back to eating carbs just because some weird NHS article recommends it It's my birthday today and I'm still not eating carbs. They make me bloated and hungry.

After misleading us for 30 years plus I take all dietary advice from the NHS with a pinch of salt.(just a pinch not too much)

I know I've said this before but I CANNOT for the life of me understand why the NHS nutritional advice for people with type 2 diabetes (that very group, who more than any other, cannot metabolise carbs in large quantities) is to eat large portions of starchy carbs for good health (and they cite bread, pasta, rice). What is the one one food group, more than any other that pushes blood sugar up? Carbs. Doesn't really matter whether they're 'wholegrain' or not either. I really don't get it.