IF-I feel like I should know this but....

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Aint2Proud2Meg
Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
edited October 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been recently doing intermittent fasting. I'm not strict and don't think it's magic, but I love that I can sort of "put off" eating until later and it's easier to stay under my calorie limit. Thinking I had to eat several small meals actually made me feel like I was failing in the past when I was actually making excellent, healthy progress.
Anyhoo, I've resumed exercising in the morning after about 6 months of being fairly sedentary. I love Insanity as its my ol' faithful, but of course it's a huge increase in activity.
I'm not one to naturally want to eat directly before or after a workout, but some insist you should eat before or after based on gender, intensity, yadda yadda.
I'm trying and failing to keep this short, but anyway... fine to not eat until my 1 or 2 pm window? Or should I be eating a little something pre/post workout? Go with my gut?

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  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    Go with your gut. For the general population nutrition timing around exercise doesn't matter so just do what works for you in regards to energy to get through the workout and the rest of the day.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss. Do whatever works best for you in terms of workout performance. If you don't like eating immediately before/after a workout, there's no reason to do it.
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
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    You should only eat before/after if it help you stay on track and progress towards your goals. For you, it sounds like it doesn't, so you shouldn't.
  • Aint2Proud2Meg
    Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
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    Thanks @VintageFeline That's really what I believe to be true. I just sort of wanted to confirm it because IF by it's nature means a longer window of not eating than a regular eating schedule. But if it's all good, I'm gonna keep on keepin' on.
  • Aint2Proud2Meg
    Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
    edited October 2017
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    @jjpptt2 Thank you. I appreciate folks taking the time to give feedback on my silly questions.
    Once in a blue moon, I'll be ravenous after a workout, so I'll eat. Most of the time however, it seems to suppress my appetite until much later in the day.
  • KickboxFanatic
    KickboxFanatic Posts: 184 Member
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    AnvilHead wrote: »

    Thanks for sharing, this is great!
  • Aint2Proud2Meg
    Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
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    @AnvilHead Ooh cool! I'll be saving that for sure. Thanks all!
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    AintTooProudToMeg wrote: »
    @jjpptt2 Thank you. I appreciate folks taking the time to give feedback on my silly questions.
    Once in a blue moon, I'll be ravenous after a workout, so I'll eat. Most of the time however, it seems to suppress my appetite until much later in the day.

    The only silly question is the one you didn't answer (or get snarky if that answer doesn't suit you, heh). You don't know what you don't know or, like all of us, we question ourselves.

    +1 on exercise usually suppressing appetite for a time afterwards too.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    It's also worth mentioning that when Alan Aragon speaks of "extreme fat loss" and "advanced exercisers", he's speaking of competitive bodybuilders/physique athletes who are near the peak of their genetic potential and trying to eke out the very last, tiniest possible gains, and/or are already extremely lean and seeking to lose the very last, most stubborn fat deposits to get into contest condition.

    That class of people have utilized all the conventional means (calorie deficit, progressive strength training, cardio, etc.) to get big and lean, and now the insignificant little details such as nutrient timing (and water level manipulation, carb depleting/loading, etc.) may matter. For the rest of us, it's majoring in the minors and is going to make 1/10 of nothing of a difference.
  • Aint2Proud2Meg
    Aint2Proud2Meg Posts: 193 Member
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    @AnvilHead I did sort that out as I was reading it, BUT I can absolutely see why someone should specify what that means! My sister is a figure competitor. And if you're thinking "why don't you ask HER for advice?!" You're spot on. BUT as close as we are (super BFFs, of course) we are not in the same country and I'm actually hoping to surprise her a little with my progress when we are together next. I used to be super fit but now it's been a few years since I was even just "overweight".
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    I think it really depends on you as an individual. For me, as a type 1 diabetic who does endurance, adding a small snack (we're talking a date + 10 gm of nuts, or a banana) within 30 minutes of finishing my workout has been a key driver in eliminating some of the severe hypos that have plagued me for years. I've had *one* hypoglycemic incident since starting this back in mid-August/early September, compared to the multiple times per week that I used to get for as long as I could remember.

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