When should I start the fast timer? I want to press ‘go’ straight after eating. But it feels like a bit of a cheat to start the fast timer on a full stomach!
Asked by: Lindsay G
This is a great question, and the answer is yes! Your fast starts as soon as you swallow your last bite of food. Zero’s Timer takes into consideration the postprandial state that you are in following a meal. In the app it is referred to as the “Anabolic Zone” when food is digested, nutrients are absorbed, and whatever isn’t used immediately for fuel is stored for later use or excreted when stores are full. The Anabolic Zone after a meal usually lasts around 4 hours depending on what and how much you ate, as well as physical activity during this time.
As you finish digesting your food, and nutrient absorption decreases from the gut, insulin levels fall, and instead of the liver removing glucose from circulation and storing it as glycogen, it begins to break down these stores and returns glucose to circulation to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. As soon as we start tapping into stored fuels, we enter the “Catabolic Zone” of a fast.
About the Author: Kristi Storoschuk
Kristi Storoschuk is a science communicator who focuses her research on ketogenic diets, metabolic therapies, and fasting for health optimization. She currently works alongside the world’s leading ketogenic researchers providing scientific education for the mainstream audience. She completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours) at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. Outside of her research, she spends her time doing CrossFit and optimizing her health with an ancestral approach.
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