Maintaining muscle while fasting?
EmbeeKay
Posts: 249 Member
Before having kids (six years ago), I used to fast one 24-36hr day a week for mental/religious purposes. (Not weight loss.) I have resumed doing this over the past couple of months, now that I’m no longer pregnant or breast-feeding, but before kids I was never concerned with gaining muscle and now I’m wondering about the effects this might have on muscle mass I’m trying to build. What kind of damage will a weekly 36 hour fast do? Is there any way to mitigate this? I still do drink coffee with a few ounces of high protein milk and some collagen powder, so I end up getting about 20g of protein over the course of the day. I appreciate this time of the week for mental purposes, but I also feel like I’m working pretty hard in the gym, and I’m not sure if one day a week of fasting can negate it all.
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Replies
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Before having kids (six years ago), I used to fast one 24-36hr day a week for mental/religious purposes. (Not weight loss.) I have resumed doing this over the past couple of months, Now that I’m no longer pregnant or breast-feeding, but before kids I was never concerned with gaining muscle and now I’m wondering about the effects this might have on muscle mass I’m trying to build. What kind of damage will a weekly 36 hour fast do? Is there any way to mitigate this? I still do drink coffee with a few ounces of high protein milk and some collagen powder, so I end up getting about 20g of protein over the course of the day. I appreciate this time of the week for mental purposes, but I also feel like I’m working pretty hard in the gym, and I’m not sure if one day a week of fasting can negate it all.
the only problem i would see is eating enough to maintain your weekly surplus if you have 36 hours where you're not eating.2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Before having kids (six years ago), I used to fast one 24-36hr day a week for mental/religious purposes. (Not weight loss.) I have resumed doing this over the past couple of months, Now that I’m no longer pregnant or breast-feeding, but before kids I was never concerned with gaining muscle and now I’m wondering about the effects this might have on muscle mass I’m trying to build. What kind of damage will a weekly 36 hour fast do? Is there any way to mitigate this? I still do drink coffee with a few ounces of high protein milk and some collagen powder, so I end up getting about 20g of protein over the course of the day. I appreciate this time of the week for mental purposes, but I also feel like I’m working pretty hard in the gym, and I’m not sure if one day a week of fasting can negate it all.
the only problem i would see is eating enough to maintain your weekly surplus if you have 36 hours where you're not eating.
If I can maintain the surplus, do you think the loss of any muscle during that period will be significant?0 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Before having kids (six years ago), I used to fast one 24-36hr day a week for mental/religious purposes. (Not weight loss.) I have resumed doing this over the past couple of months, Now that I’m no longer pregnant or breast-feeding, but before kids I was never concerned with gaining muscle and now I’m wondering about the effects this might have on muscle mass I’m trying to build. What kind of damage will a weekly 36 hour fast do? Is there any way to mitigate this? I still do drink coffee with a few ounces of high protein milk and some collagen powder, so I end up getting about 20g of protein over the course of the day. I appreciate this time of the week for mental purposes, but I also feel like I’m working pretty hard in the gym, and I’m not sure if one day a week of fasting can negate it all.
the only problem i would see is eating enough to maintain your weekly surplus if you have 36 hours where you're not eating.
If I can maintain the surplus, do you think the loss of any muscle during that period will be significant?
nope. you don't lose muscle in hours1 -
Just to clarify, are you trying to maintain the muscle or build muscle? I don't think you would have an issue maintaining it. If you are bulking it could be more difficult but you would have to keep track of your progress over time and see if you are affected.0
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https://idmprogram.com/fasting-and-muscle-mass-fasting-part-14/
https://breakingmuscle.com/healthy-eating/fasting-does-not-negatively-affect-muscle-gain
I really don't think you have much to be concerned about with one day of fasting per week.2 -
I would imagine you should be fine then as long as you keep up with your intake. Pay attention to your progress, especially lifting sessions around the fasting day, take measurements, photos.2
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As with most said above it shouldnt be a problem.
I would add to focus more on the right macros. It’s easy enough to gain muscle mass while still in a calorific deficit so long as your eating the right things.
Sardelsa has hit the nail on the head pay attention to your body, listen to what it tells you and reassess if need be.1 -
Lift_Eat_Repeat wrote: »As with most said above it shouldnt be a problem.
I would add to focus more on the right macros. It’s easy enough to gain muscle mass while still in a calorific deficit so long as your eating the right things.
Sardelsa has hit the nail on the head pay attention to your body, listen to what it tells you and reassess if need be.
Can you help me set my macros right
So I can gain muscle while I’m in a deficit
Please3 -
I could see if the timing was bad you could effect your recovery and your next workout.
That could slow progress compared to not doing it.
The referenced article to study on IF but still eating at night isn't the same situation.
The Fung article - well, ignore it.
Just keep in mind the recovery from a good resistance training program can easily be 24-36 after the workout - when your body will best use that extra food for repairs & rebuilding.
That's how you build muscle - tear down and then build up stronger/bigger.
So obviously the worst timing would be to start the fast soon after the workout and give your body little to nothing to recover with. Body can shuttle some resources to that, but it's going to be interested in keeping enough for more required functions.
So a workout intended to overtax the body so it builds back stronger is missed, or greatly reduced.
The other side of that could be fasting the 24-36 prior to a good workout.
If you are prevented from actually overtaxing the muscles because your body is overall tired, weak, ect - then you haven't obtained the benefits of the workout - more of a maintenance workout - which could be fine.
The problem on this side is it will still feel like giving it your all, but is it all your muscles could give?
This side of an issue could probably be observed easily enough - are you able to do your program as well compared to other workouts eating prior?
May not matter. May.2 -
Lift_Eat_Repeat wrote: »As with most said above it shouldnt be a problem.
I would add to focus more on the right macros. It’s easy enough to gain muscle mass while still in a calorific deficit so long as your eating the right things.
Sardelsa has hit the nail on the head pay attention to your body, listen to what it tells you and reassess if need be.
Can you help me set my macros right
So I can gain muscle while I’m in a deficit
Please
Jeff Nippard on utube has a great science based article on it. Search “can you build muscle on a calorie deficit”0 -
Lift_Eat_Repeat wrote: »Lift_Eat_Repeat wrote: »As with most said above it shouldnt be a problem.
I would add to focus more on the right macros. It’s easy enough to gain muscle mass while still in a calorific deficit so long as your eating the right things.
Sardelsa has hit the nail on the head pay attention to your body, listen to what it tells you and reassess if need be.
Can you help me set my macros right
So I can gain muscle while I’m in a deficit
Please
Jeff Nippard on utube has a great science based article on it. Search “can you build muscle on a calorie deficit”
He was being facetious. Watts has a pretty advanced physique and has been lifting for many many years. He's not the kind of person who is going to find muscle gains "easy" or even possible in a true deficit.
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jseams1234 wrote: »
He was being facetious. Watts has a pretty advanced physique and has been lifting for many many years. He's not the kind of person who is going to find muscle gains "easy" or even possible in a true deficit.
Haha luckily my original easy comment wasn’t aimed at someone as advanced as him then hey.
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At this point my weekly schedule looks like this:
Sunday- rest
Monday- lifting (full body)
Tuesday- insanity (trying to increase endurance)
Wednesday- fast, no workout
Thursday- lifting (full body- afternoon- after a meal or two)
Friday- insanity
Saturday- lifting (full body)
I’m tracking macros to make sure my protein is high, and I’ve tried to time it so that the fast does not impair recovery from lifting.0 -
Good setup then - allowing recovery, allowing some food prior to go into a workout strong.1
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You sound like you are worried about catabolism. Usually the body has to be wiped of glucose before going after your muscles for energy. Right at 24 hours, from what I've read you should be fine. Since you are doing 36 hours I would consider a carb loaded drink. You can do more reading about catabolism and insulin to help you better understand and plan. Hope this info helps1
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When you fast, you want to make sure you weight train in your feeding window, fasted cardio is okay. You also want to make sure your protein intake is at least 1 gram per 1 pound of body weight. This at least ensures you maintain the muscle mass you already have, and a possibility of even building muscle if your nutrition and macros are on point.0
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You sound like you are worried about catabolism. Usually the body has to be wiped of glucose before going after your muscles for energy. Right at 24 hours, from what I've read you should be fine. Since you are doing 36 hours I would consider a carb loaded drink. You can do more reading about catabolism and insulin to help you better understand and plan. Hope this info helps
That is helpful. Thank you!
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