Intermittent Fasting & Time 

Restricted Eating 
A comprehensive and entertaining guide on how, why, and why not.  

With love, 
Marko Papuckovski 

 
INTRODUCTION (And disclaimer)  

Intermittent fasting (IF) is not a diet, but rather it is a ​meal timing plan​ in which you 
dedicate a period with no consumption of any calories, and, a separate period in which 
you consume all your calories.  
 
Granted that you do this properly and don’t over indulge, you should see some benefits.  
 
There are exceptions and some individuals with particular genetic deletions may not do 
well with IF and other individuals with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s may also 
find that IF is not for them. 
 
Remember, everything is not for everybody. 
 
This is a guide, not a prescription.  

HYPOTHESIS (Why you may want to try this)  

By allowing for a period of time with no consumption of food you: 

 
 
1. Increase the rate of fat burning by using stored fat as fuel. 
 
2. Improve mental acuity by allowing for ketone production which then fuels the brain.  
 
3. Recycle damaged cells via the process of autophagy.  

1   
THINGS YOU MAY NEED TO KNOW 
OTHERWISE REFERRED TO AS A​ GLOSSARY OF TERMS  

Term  Definition 

A normal physiological process in the body that deals with 

Autophagy  
destruction of cells. 

A hormone predominantly made by adipose cells that 

Leptin 
helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger. 

Adipose cells, adipocytes, also known as lipocytes and fat 

Adipose Cells   cells, are the cells that primarily compose adipose tissue, 
specialized in storing energy as fat.  

Or fat, is an anatomical term for loose connective tissue 

Adipose Tissue   composed of adipocytes. Its main role is to store energy in 
the form of fat. 

Is a hormone made by the pancreas that helps the body 

Insulin 
store and use glucose. 

Metabolism  A set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms.  

Mitochondria  Converts oxygen and nutrients into ATP (energy).  

Ketones  Are byproducts of the breakdown of fatty acids. 

Fatty Acids  Are byproducts of the breakdown of adipose (fat) cells.  

IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth 

Is a signalling hormone which promotes growth. 
Factor 1) 

mTOR (Mammalian Target  Regulates cell growth, cell survival, cell proliferation, 
of Rapamycin)  protein synthesis, autophagy and transcription.  

Neurogenesis  The production of neurons.  

Apoptosis  A process of programmed cell death, usually resulting in 

the death of damaged cells.  

2   
TYPES OF FASTS (SHORT VS LONG) 

SHORTER FASTING PERIODS​; generally promote fat loss and support body composition 
goals. This isn’t to say that they don’t promote autophagy, they just don’t do it as much.  
 
16/8  
This is where you dedicate 8 hours to eating and 16 hours to fasting. 
 
14/10 
This is where you dedicate 10 hours to eating and 14 hours to fasting. 
 
20/4 
A more demanding version of the previous two, this is where you fast for 20 hours and 
eat for only 4 hours.  

LONGER FASTING PERIODS​; are generally implemented to promote healing via 

autophagy and apoptosis. In layman's terms, this means that long fasts will help you kill 
off damaged and unwanted cells that could mutate and form tumors… as an example.  
 
72 hour 
This is a 3 day fast in which you only consume water. You should go into this prepared 
and have a clear goal, it’s not something you want to take lightly. 

120 hour 
This is a 5 day fast. Refer to above and take it even more seriously.  

Dry fasting 
This is a type of fast in which you don't consume water or calories. The idea is that we 
break down fat stores to pull the hydrogen from the fatty acid molecule and combine it 
with the oxygen from out breathing to create molecular water.  

3   
What should I eat before I start my fast? 

Your last meal should be high in fibre, fat and protein. This will ensure that you stay 
satiated by increasing LEPTIN: a hormone that inhibits hunger.  

What can I have during my fast?  

You can have black coffee with no sweeteners and no milk or cream. Coffee may even 
help to suppress your appetite and increase rates of autophagy. 
 
You may also have tea with no sweeteners.  

But, you want to avoid drinks with artificial sweeteners as these can create a metabolic 
response by spiking your insulin levels. This includes pre workouts and BCAA 
supplements.  

How do I break my fast? 

There’s some different thoughts on this. As a general rule you want to either combine 
protein with carbs OR protein with fat. Not fat and carbs.  
 
Your gut may be a little more sensitive than usual, so go into a soft landing i.e. eat 
something unprocessed and easy to digest.  

Once you do break your fast, take some time to REST AND DIGEST. At this point, your 
body will be sending blood to your gut and small intestine to process the food you ate.  

You may feel a slight ‘crash’, not to worry, if you consumed good quality, unprocessed 
foods, this will go away. If you broke your fast with cereal and milk… well my friend, I 
can’t help you there. 
 

4   
When can I work out?  

Whenever you feel comfortable.  

As a general rule, the earlier in the fast you workout the stronger you will feel, and, the 
later in the fast you workout the weaker you will feel.  

This of course is a general rule and you may be ‘not quite human’. 
 
 

When should I take my supplements?  

I recommend taking (most) supplements with food so wait until you eat.  

Will I lose muscle? 

If done correctly, meaning you eat enough calories (especially from protein) then no, you 
should not lose muscle. Here’s a study for you geeks:  

“After 8 weeks, the 2 Way ANOVA (Time * Diet interaction) showed a decrease in fat mass 
in TRF compared to ND (p = 0.0448), while fat-free mass, muscle area of the arm and 
thigh, and maximal strength were maintained in both groups.”  

Moro.T, Tinsley.G , Bianco.A, et al., 2016, Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding 
(16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and 
cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males, ​Journal of Translational Medicine​, 
14:290 

5   
Will fasting affect my thyroid? 

The production of thyroid hormones may slow down. However, when you resume to eat 
it should return to normal. If you’re dealing with an autoimmune disorder which affects 
the thyroid, it’s a good idea to run some tests and consult a professional. 

 
Men Vs Women 

Aaaaaannnd FIGHT!  
 
Jokes, chill.  

Due to the nature of a female’s reproductive system, their body will send hunger signals 
much more aggressively.  

So, a female’s body may perceive fasting as relatively stressful when compared to a 
male’s body and go into what we call ‘fight or flight’ mode. 

If you’re dealing with adrenal fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome, or similar conditions, 
this may not be for you. 
 
 

Oh, you’re still here? 

Awkward.  
Keep scrolling you geeks… 
 

 
 

6   
 It takes roughly 12-26 hours for your liver to deplete glycogen stores.   
 
Once that’s done, you will release free fatty acids from your adipose tissue and they will 
go to the liver where they are used to make ketones. These ketones are then used as an 
alternative energy source for the body.  
 
Ketones activate pathways in the body which delay age related diseases, they help 
increase repair processes and reduced damage generated by the mitochondria. 
 
Furthermore, when training fasted your mitochondria become primed to use free fatty 
acids for fuel (remember those guys that we released from our fat cells). 
 
In other words you’re using fat as fuel! 

   

7   
 When fasting you are deactivating growth pathways like IGF-1 and mTOR.  

Both of these pathways are activated by amino acids.  

In order for autophagy to happen, IGF-1 and mTOR need to be DEACTIVATED. This can 
only occur in a fasting state and any intake of nutrients, especially amino acids (protein) 
will ACTIVATE IGF-1 and mTOR resulting in no autophagy. 

8   
 IGF-1 is associated with higher cancer incidence by affecting apoptosis. Apoptosis 
(programmed cell death) is the body killing off cells that are too damaged to repair. For 
this to happen, we need IGF-1 to be INHIBITED. If IGF-1 is around, it will override 
apoptosis signalling and allow the growth of these damaged cells 
 
But, IGF 1 is also important for growing muscle, and, as we know, muscle mass is very 
important for longevity.  

IGF-1 is also an important factor for neurons. It promotes neurogenesis i.e. the 
production of new neurons in the brain.  

Exercise helps IGF-1 cross the blood/brain barrier and go to the brain. Exercise 
also helps to transport IGF-1 into the muscles as opposed to having it float around 
in your bloodstream where it can be a growth signal to damaged cells.  
 

Exercise makes IGF-1 go to the right places. 

Would you look at that, another reason why you should get moving.  

 
 
 

9   
  
 
 
 

This is great general info that anyone can 

implement into their routine.   
 
However, if you want specific help and a fast 
track to your goals, book a free Health 
Assessment Call.  
 
There’s nothing to sell so leave your credit card 
at home. 
 
Click ​here​ to find a time.  

Over and out.   

   
 

   

10   
 

 
 
 

11