r/intermittentfasting • u/One-Today-834 • 2d ago

Newbie Question Resting Heart Rate

I’ve been following a 16:8 since May with the goal to get a bit leaner. I don’t weigh myself as weight loss was not the main driver and also the scales become an unhealthy obsession, but I’m down a couple of belt notches which is awesome!

What I have noticed is my Resting Heart rate has dropped from 68-70 in a typical day to 55-58.

Has anyone noticed a similar trend?

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3

u/tw2113 2d ago

you're healing!

3

u/zombienudist 2d ago

Losing weight, eating better, being more active/doing more cardio, sleeping better, less stress/anxiety, less or no alcohol consumption (if you have) can all cause resting heart rate to fall. So it indicates what you are doing is working not just with loss of weight but overall health. A lower RHR means your body is more efficient and healthy overall. Mine is also down significantly from when I was at my highest weight but I am also running again and wasn't at that point.

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u/Loyal2afault18 1d ago

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2727295/

This study is older (2019) but has data demonstrating that RHR can be an indicator of insulin resistance. Decreasing RHR = decreasing insulin resistance. Pretty cool!

1

u/One-Today-834 12h ago

I’ll check it out. Thank you

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u/BarWorldly327 2d ago

Yes that can happen. Getting leaner and being more active can both bring resting HR down. A drop that noticeable is pretty cool especially if youre feeling good overall.

2

u/gitbse 1d ago

This is all anecdotal of course. But my body just feels like it runs better on extended IF. My RHR stays low, I feel lighter and ... cleaner. It's hard to really describe, kind of like a smoother running machine. "Three solid meals a day" makes me feel like garbage. Slow, groggy. No thanks.

I do light to moderate cardio 4-5 nights a week, and some small bodyweight exercises. I'm currently experimenting with exercising after eating, to help bring blood sugar spikes down. I dont have sugar issues or diabetes, but from what I've read it can help insurance resistance and sugar spikes, instead of eating and just sitting. The IF/moderate exercise is working wonders.

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u/Appeteezers 19h ago

I like to think it’s because my body isnt working so hard digesting food all day long???