James Cracknell is running 100 miles in five days, while fasting

Written By Claire C

By Jane Mcguire

Published September 9th, 2020

Difficulty Level: Easy Read– gives a good overview of the event without too much complexity

In September of 2020, James Cracknell and a group of seven other runners completed a 100 mile run over 5 days.  Plus, they consumed only water and did the entire run in a fasted state.  Their goal was to prove that our bodies can, and maybe should, run on little-to-no carbohydrates. 

Our thoughts:

  • James Cracknell is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who ran 100 miles over the course of 5 days without consuming anything but water
  • His reasoning for the run was to show the problems with the UK’s dietary guidelines
    • The guidelines suggested that individuals should consume a diet consisting of 55% carbohydrates
    • He felt these guidelines had a little scientific basis and were a major reason for the increase in overweight individuals over time
    • He believes that society puts too much emphasis on our need for carbohydrates
  • His goal was to show that the body could be fuelled just by stored fat
  • He wanted this experience to show others that low carb diets and fasting are effective options for diabetes/pre-diabetes

Who is James Cracknell?

  • An Olympic rower from Great Britain
  • He has won two gold medals and six world championship titles 
  • In 2005, he was appointed an Order of the British Empire award for his services to sports
  • Since retiring, he has focused his energies on philanthropy, while working to bring awareness to the problems with our current dietary views

Can fasting actually help reverse or prevent type II diabetes?

  • Trials have shown intermittent fasting to be more effective than cutting calories for weight loss
  • Fasting can also help with blood pressure, inflammation, and circulating levels of fat and sugar
  • Researchers have noticed fewer fatty deposits in fasting subjects
    • Fatty deposits are lumps that develop under the skin due to a buildup of fat
    • They are often caused by insulin resistance
  • Small preliminary studies on the use of intermittent fasting to reverse diabetes have resulted in subjects being able to eliminate their need for insulin injections
    • Some were able to stop taking their other diabetic drugs as well 
  • Overall, preliminary findings look good, but scientists are committed to doing more research on the subject in the future

Our sources for information on type II diabetes reversal: 

Want to learn more?

 

Do you have content that fits with this blog and would like to share it?

All Topics

fasting flamingo

Read more content like this

Fasting Safely – Here’s what to know

Fasting Safely – Here’s what to know

In this article, Dr. Jason Fung discusses some of the most important things to keep in mind in order to fast in the safest way possible. He discusses some of the most common dangers associated with improper fasting and gives advice on how to prevent these. Most importantly, he discusses the importance of fasting with knowledge and experience and the power of easing into fasting. If you ever feel concerned about your own fasting practices, remember we’re here to help and provide you with advice and resources to make sure you have a positive experience with fasting!

read more
Eat, Fast, Feast

Eat, Fast, Feast

Eat, Fast, Feast – Heal Your Body While Feeding Your Soul – A Christian Guide to Fasting :: Why did most Christians stop fasting? And, is this ancient practice something your should consider adopting to strengthen your connection to God?

read more
The Joy of Fasting – Rumi Poem

The Joy of Fasting – Rumi Poem

There’s hidden sweetness in the stomach’s emptiness.
We are lutes, no more, no less.
If the soundbox
is stuffed full of anything, no music.
If the brain and belly are burning clean
with fasting, every moment a new song comes out of the fire.
The fog clears, and new energy makes you
 run up the steps in front of you.

read more
My favorite Intermittent Fasting Books – The 37 Best & Most Useful

My favorite Intermittent Fasting Books – The 37 Best & Most Useful

In the early 1900s there were a number of book published on fasting, but then there were very few new books on fasting or intermittent fasting until 2002 when Ori Hofmekler came out with The Warrior Diet. Then and starting in 2016 Intermittent Fasting books started popping up everywhere…

read more

Share this post with a friend

fasting flamingo

Leave a message

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.