Lifting while fasting???

tx_angel77

I have been lifting a couple of times a week and doing cardio a couple of times a week. I decided to do a 1 meal a day fast (for personal reasons, not a crash diet).... and I was curious about any advise on if I should stop lifting/cardio, cut back or just eat a huge meal???? Thanks for any insight.

vismal

Have you reduced the overall calories you are eating or are you just cramming them into 1 meal? If you are still eating enough to only be in a moderate deficit then I wouldn't change your exercise schedule at all. If reducing to 1 meal a day has caused you to severely reduce calories, I'd reevaluate the 1 meal a day plan.

scg17

I'm curious as well.

I've had an issue recently with stomach stuff where I'm having to force myself to eat, but even then I'm hitting about 1000 cals a day at most (I have seen a doc for this many times over the years, it's a random thing, possibly an ulcer, that flares up for a couple weeks a couple times a year for the last six years or so. Maybe just stress). I've been cutting back my workouts, but I really miss them. Is it dangerous to lift when you are only getting 800 cals, even if it is just for a brief time? I feel really good, just pains when I actually do eat.

holyfenix

Well first it is not dangerous to lift on an intermittent fasting diet if done correctly. Unfortunately for all you can't build muscle without a calorie surplus (barring newbie gains sometimes) and you can't lose fat without a calorie deficit. So you probably won't get any stronger, but lifting while dieting will help you preserve muscle. I lift when I am fasting but never on a day I am fasting. I fast twice a week.

SueInAz

If you aren't getting enough calories to really sustain your body while being sedentary, then adding exercise or lifting isn't a good idea.

scg17, have you tried getting extra calories in liquid form? Sometimes that's less difficult for the body to handle. I'm thinking protein powder or packaged protein drinks, smoothies, milk shakes, etc.

PwrLftr82

If you're going to lift fasted and remain fasted for awhile after, then I recommend taking BCAAs to prevent muscle catabolism. That said, if you can't get all of your daily calories in one meal, then I don't advise doing so.

dbmata

There's nothing wrong with expending energy while fasted.

I actually am stronger when fasted, but my muscular endurance is junk. Most of my PR lifts come when fasted, and my best bike sessions have been fasted, while taking in just enough heed to keep going for the session. 1 bottle an hour.

SueInAz

dbmata wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with expending energy while fasted.

I actually am stronger when fasted, but my muscular endurance is junk. Most of my PR lifts come when fasted, and my best bike sessions have been fasted, while taking in just enough heed to keep going for the session. 1 bottle an hour.

I'll agree with this as long as the person is getting adequate energy and nutrition over the long term. I run fasted all of the time. However, I break my fast soon after and get my calories in during the remainder of the day.

Lifting while eating far too few calories on a daily basis seems like an exercise in futility to me.

sijomial

I lost my weight following the 5:2 way of eating - two days a week very low calories, five days at maintenance calories.
My experience was that the ability to train fasted developed over time. At first even fairly moderate fasted exercise would prompt signs of glycogen depletion - dizzy, wobbly, weak....

But over time (months) there was a noticeable apparent adaptation. I can now train fasted or fed (weights or cardio) with the same intensity and performance and with no adverse effects at all. Also very noticeable that my need to feed on cycle rides is much diminished. Bear in mind though as my weekly calorie deficit was low I wasn't going into a fast day underfed.

My advice for fasted training would be suck it and see - build up progressively.
The other piece of advice would be to keep your overall weekly deficit small if you are training intensively.

esjones12

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

vismal

esjones12 wrote: »

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

This just isn't the case for most people. Many people exhibit enhanced energy from fasting. It takes far more then a mere 16 hour fast to deprive the body of the needed energy for a workout. Your body stores plenty of fuel in the form of glycogen that unless you are going to be doing some serious endurance work, you should be fine energy wise.

sijomial

esjones12 wrote: »

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

Unless you are training at high intensity for over two hours you really don't need to be afraid. If you are into endurance exercise then there actually is a very good reason for including some fasted training.

rybo

esjones12 wrote: »

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

Your fear is unfounded. The reality is that manypeople eexercise a good bit while "fasting" and do not suffer reduced performance. There is a huge difference between fasting and starvation.

Liftng4Lis

I exercise, lift and or cardio, every morning fasted. You need to do what works for you. If you find you're having no energy to have a productive workout, then I would re-evaluate.

TimothyFish

There are limits on how much you can do without replenishing your body's energy stores. For cardio, it takes an hour or more to deplete the glycogen stores. I'm not sure what it is for lifting, but it should be similar. Given enough time, glycogen stores will rebuild from the body converting fat into glycogen, but it takes a while. So, while expending energy during a fast is okay, it may be necessary to cut long workouts short and wait longer between workouts.

Of course, there is also the problem that you can't gain muscle during a fast because you don't have additional protein to build from.

Sevendust912

Lifting while fasted works great for me I wouldn't have any other way. Maybe take some pre-workout before or drink black coffee.

esjones12

As I said...to each their own. Personally, I do do 2+ hour HIIT style workouts and focus on learning how to properly fuel my body during workouts for my OCR races which can last from 2-5 hours. I've done plenty of workouts before eating in the morning (2 years, 2x a week worth), but honestly I feel better and work harder when I'm properly fueled. I've also seen plenty of people pass out during workouts because they hadn't eaten for awhile. But I'm just speaking to my personal experience, as you all have. My bad if mine is different

dbmata

esjones12 wrote: »

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

Just means you haven't tried it.

My fasted and unfasted workouts are at the least equitable, generally the fasted ones are better.

dbmata

MrM27 wrote: »

esjones12 wrote: »

I don't believe in fasting....but to each their own. I would be afraid of becoming weak, fainting, or just plain down dogging my workouts because I had no energy. At that point, what is the point?

Not everyone fefeels the way you do about it. That's why fasting isn't for everyone.

Truth. Fasting can be very difficult.

court_alacarte

if your schedule allows,you could train in the mornings of your fast--that way you're not waiting until the end of the day having to work out on fumes, per se. plus then it's out of the way!