What is ActivatedYou Morning Complete?
ActivatedYou is a wellness brand founded by actress Maggie Q and Dr. Frank Lipman. Their flagship product, Morning Complete, is a daily wellness drink mix that contains a complex blend of nutrients. The formula is designed to support gut health, boost energy, and enhance overall wellness. Key blends in the powder include:
- Green Superfoods Blend: Featuring spinach, kale, and barley grass.
- Metabolic Enhancing Blend: Contains green tea extract, turmeric, and ginger.
- Prebiotic Fiber Blend: Includes chicory root fructooligosaccharides (FOS).
- Probiotic Blend: A mix of live microorganisms like Bacillus coagulans.
- Antioxidant Blend: From ingredients like pomegranate and lycium berry.
- Adaptogen Blend: Including ashwagandha and rhodiola rosea.
Why ActivatedYou Breaks a Fast
The question of whether a substance breaks a fast depends heavily on the specific fasting goals, but for most forms of intermittent fasting (IF), consuming Morning Complete ends the fasting period. The primary reasons relate to its caloric and compositional profile.
- Caloric Content: Each scoop of Morning Complete contains approximately 15-20 calories. Any caloric intake during a fast, even this small amount, signals the body to halt the metabolic state of fasting. While some people practice a "dirty fast" allowing a minimal caloric intake, this is not a true fast, especially for goals like cellular repair (autophagy).
- Insulin Response: Ingredients that trigger an insulin response will also break a fast. While the supplement is sweetened with monk fruit (a zero-calorie sweetener), the inclusion of prebiotic fibers and green superfoods represents a food source. Furthermore, even calorie-containing ingredients like specific amino acids can stimulate an insulin release, and the blend of greens and other plant-based nutrients in Morning Complete contains these.
- Metabolic Switching: The core purpose of intermittent fasting is to prolong the period when your body has burned through glucose stores and switches to burning fat for energy. Consuming calories, particularly carbohydrates or protein from the various blends in Morning Complete, will prevent or immediately stop this metabolic switch.
- Autophagy Inhibition: For those fasting for longevity and cellular cleanup (autophagy), any intake of nutrients, especially protein or amino acids, will inhibit this process. The green superfood and other nutrient blends in Morning Complete contain amino acids, making it unsuitable for a longevity-focused fast.
ActivatedYou vs. Intermittent Fasting
Instead of viewing it as a replacement for fasting, ActivatedYou Morning Complete can be integrated into your eating window. The company's own marketing frames it as a way to break your fast, not as a fasting-friendly product.
| Feature | ActivatedYou Morning Complete | Strict Intermittent Fasting |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | Approximately 15-20 calories per scoop | Zero calories during fasting window |
| Carbohydrates | Contains prebiotic fiber, a source of carbohydrates | Avoids all carbohydrate intake during fast |
| Protein/Amino Acids | Presence in green superfoods blend can trigger insulin response | Abstains from all protein intake to promote autophagy |
| Metabolic State | Shifts body from fat-burning to calorie-processing | Promotes metabolic switch to burn stored fat |
| Autophagy | Inactive; amino acids signal body to build rather than repair | Active; absence of nutrients triggers cellular repair |
| Role in Diet | A nutrient-dense way to start your eating window | A tool to restrict the eating window and induce metabolic benefits |
How to Use Morning Complete with Intermittent Fasting
To benefit from both intermittent fasting and ActivatedYou's Morning Complete, timing is everything. It is best to use the supplement to end your fasting period and transition into your eating window. For example, if you follow a 16:8 fasting schedule and break your fast at noon, a scoop of Morning Complete can be your first intake of the day. This provides your body with beneficial probiotics, prebiotics, and other nutrients as you begin consuming food again, which can aid digestion and gut health.
Conclusion
While ActivatedYou's Morning Complete is not suitable for consumption during a strict intermittent fast, it can be a valuable part of a wellness routine when used correctly. The calories and nutrients in the blend will break a fast, particularly one focused on maximizing autophagy or ketosis. The product is best used as a nutrient-dense and energizing way to start your eating window, supporting gut health as you refuel your body. For anyone considering an intermittent fasting regimen, it is always wise to consult with a healthcare professional before adding new supplements. For more information on their views, check out the ActivatedYou website for their article on fasting.
