Rishi Sunak fasts for 36 hours! Should you? Know here
United Kingdom Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has a unique weekly routine: fasting for 36 hours straight. From Sunday evening to Tuesday morning, Sunak consumes only water, tea, or black coffee. He believes this practice helps him maintain a "balanced lifestyle." In a BBC interview, Sunak shared, "I tend to try and do some fasting at the beginning of every week as part of a general balanced lifestyle but everyone will do this differently."
Fasting allows Sunak to indulge in sugary treats
This fasting routine allows Sunak to enjoy his love for sugary treats during the rest of the week. He's even confessed to being a "Coca-Cola addict," with a preference for Mexican Coke due to its sugar cane content. A source close to Sunak revealed, "It's true, he doesn't eat anything at all on a Monday. It's remarkable really, given that he is often on visits or doing PMQ prep on a Monday."
Comparing Sunak's fasting to the 5:2 diet
Sunak's unique fasting lifestyle has divided nutritionists. Some of them see his fasting as a more intense version of the popular 5:2 diet, where individuals limit their calorie intake to 500-600 calories twice a week. However, a few others note that Sunak's fasting method differs from a restricted calorie diet, as it puts the body into a fasted state.
Potential benefits and downsides of fasting
Fasting may offer some health benefits, such as promoting metabolic flexibility and triggering autophagy, a cellular cleaning process. However, most of these benefits are based on animal research and longer fasts, so the findings offer mixed results. While fasting can aid in weight loss, it may also lead to muscle loss and decreased physical activity due to lower energy levels.
Fasting not suitable for everyone, shares expert with NewsBytes
Aakash Bansal, a certified dietician, founder, and fitness expert at FormFit, shares with NewsBytes that Sunak's fasting practice isn't for everyone. "It's not recommended for those with disordered eating, pregnant women, or individuals with diabetes," he adds. However, according to him, it could potentially benefit people with pre-diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity. "Intermittent fasting has also been linked to a reduced risk of chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers," concludes the expert.
