After sharing my experience of using fasting during chemotherapy, many people assumed that fasting had become something I only used for health maintenance or cancer prevention.
The truth is quite different.
Fasting has become a permanent part of my life. But not for the reasons most people think.
Today, I fast because I believe it helps me build a stronger, healthier and more resilient body. And over the last few months, I’ve been experimenting with something new. Something I now call:
Fasting For Growth
Before you stop reading, let me explain.
Most people think of fasting and muscle growth as opposites. Fast to lose weight. Eat to build muscle. Simple.
Except the human body is rarely that simple.
The Experiment
For the last few months, I’ve adopted a weekly routine that looks like this:
- A 36-hour water-only fast once every week.
- Breaking the fast with two highly nutritious meals rich in protein, healthy fats and micronutrients.
- Followed by a more carbohydrate-focused meal.
- Then a heavy resistance training session.
The goal? To take advantage of the unique metabolic and hormonal environment created by fasting.
And the results, at least for me personally, have been remarkable.
At 57 years old, I am stronger than I have been for decades. My body composition has improved dramatically. I look and feel more athletic than I did in my forties.
Could I have achieved this without fasting? Possibly. But I don’t believe I would have achieved it this quickly, or while maintaining the same level of metabolic health.
Why Might This Work?
Several things happen during prolonged fasting.
Growth Hormone Increases
One of the body’s responses to fasting is a substantial increase in growth hormone secretion — up to 2000% increase in men and 1200% in women.
This isn’t primarily to build bigger muscles. It’s an ancient survival mechanism designed to preserve lean tissue during periods without food and allow the body to focus on fat as the primary source of fuel. But it creates an interesting physiological environment.
Insulin Sensitivity Improves
After fasting, the body often becomes more insulin sensitive. In simple terms, nutrients may be partitioned more effectively into muscle and glycogen stores rather than simply being stored as fat.
Metabolic Flexibility Improves
Many people have lost the ability to efficiently switch between burning carbohydrates and burning fat. Regular fasting appears to restore this flexibility. You become metabolically adaptable. And I increasingly believe this is a hallmark of both health and longevity.
The Refeed Matters
This is not an excuse to complete a fast and then eat pizza.
The refeed is critical. My first meals after fasting are usually built around:
- High-quality protein.
- Eggs, fish or grass-fed meat.
- Colourful vegetables.
- Fermented foods.
- Extra virgin olive oil.
- Foods designed to nourish both me and my microbiome.
Only after those foundations are in place do I deliberately increase carbohydrate intake before training.
The sequence matters. Nourish first. Fuel second. Perform third.
The Training Session
The final stage is heavy resistance training. Compound movements. Progressive overload. Hard work.
Because muscle is far more than aesthetics. Muscle is metabolic health. Muscle is resilience. Muscle is healthy ageing.
As we age, preserving and building muscle becomes one of the most important investments we can make.
Is This For Everyone?
Probably not.
If you are underweight, pregnant, have a history of eating disorders, have diabetes, or are taking medications that affect blood glucose, fasting should only be undertaken with appropriate medical guidance.
And even for healthy individuals, fasting should be introduced gradually. Start small. Learn how your body responds. Experiment. Adjust.
What I’ve Learned
What fascinates me most about fasting is that it has evolved from a treatment-support strategy into a lifestyle. It has changed my relationship with food. It has taught me that hunger isn’t an emergency. It has restored metabolic flexibility.
And perhaps most surprisingly, it has become one of the most powerful tools I have found for maintaining strength, body composition and long-term health.
Will this become part of the formal 1% Protocol? Absolutely.
Because the goal was never simply remission. The goal was to build a body and mind capable of thriving for decades to come.
And this feels like another 1% worth keeping.
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