Intermittent Fasting. Anyone tried it?
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TheFitFireman
Posts: 185 Member
So I've been intermittent fasting for over a month now and it has helped me dramatically. I was at a weight loss plateau but from "IF" I started losing the last bit of stubborn belly fat and love handles that didn't want to go away.
For those who don't know what Intermittent Fasting is I'll explain it in a short condensed version. The concept is that you fast 16 hours of the day and eat all of your calories within an 8 hour time period. You generally start your 8 hour eating period after you work out if you work out in the mornings, or you start the eating period around 5 hours before you workout if you workout at night. I will say that at first it was pretty challenging to not eat during my fast period, but after a couple days it became easy.
Below is going to be the more in depth details that I got online.
Fasting and feeding
My general position on the fasted phase is that it should last through the night and during the morning hours. Ideally the fast should then be broken at noon or shortly thereafter if you arise at 6-7 AM like most people. Afternoons and evenings are usually spent in the fed state.
However, the fast could also also be broken later in the day depending on your personal preferences and daily routine. I personally tend to break the fast as late as 4-6 PM since I work well into the night and rise later than most people with normal jobs.
The recommendation for fasting through the earlier part of the day, as opposed to the latter part of the day, is for behavioral and social reasons. Most people simply find it easier to fast after awakening and prefer going to bed satiated. Afternoons and evenings are times to unwind and eat. For adherence reasons during dieting, I've also found that placing the feeding phase later in the day is ideal for most people.
The protocols
I work with four different protocols depending on when my clients train. Depending on setup, one, two, or three meals are eaten in the post-workout period.
Fasted training
Training is initiated on an empty stomach and after ingestion of 10 g BCAA or similar amino acid mixture. This "pre-workout" meal is not counted towards the feeding phase. Technically, training is not completely fasted - that would be detrimental. The pre-workout protein intake, with its stimulatory effect on protein synthesis and metabolism, is a crucial compromise to optimize results. The 8-hour feeding phase starts with the post-workout meal.
Sample setup
11.30-12 AM or 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: Training
1 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal of the day).
4 PM: Second meal.
9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Calories and carbs are tapered down throughout the day in the example above.
Early morning fasted training
Here's a sample setup for a client that trains early in the morning and prefers the feeding phase at noon or later. Read this for details regarding this protocol.
6 AM: 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA.
6-7 AM: Training.
8 AM: 10 g BCAA.
10 AM: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: The "real" post-workout meal (largest meal of the day). Start of the 8 hour feeding-window.
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
For the sake of conveniency, I recommend getting BCAA in the form of powder and not tabs. Simply mix 30 g of BCAA powder in a shake and drink one third of it every other hour starting 5-15 minutes pre-workout. Tabs are cheaper, but much more of a hassle (you're going to have to pop a lot of tabs). Check my supplements guide for specific brand recommendations.
One pre-workout meal
This is the most common setup for my younger clients that are still in college or have flexible working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Pre-workout meal. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
3-4 PM: Training should happen a few hours after the pre-workout meal.
4-5 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Two pre-workout meals
This is the usual protocol for people with normal working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Meal one. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
4-5 PM: Pre-workout meal. Roughly equal to the first meal.
8-9 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
Key points
* No calories are to be ingested during the fasted phase, though coffee, calorie free sweeteners, diet soda and sugar free gum are ok (even though they might contain trace amount of calories). A tiny splash of milk in your coffee won’t affect anything either (½-1 teaspoon of milk per cup at the most - use sparingly and sensibly if you drink a lot of coffee). Neither will sugar free gum in moderation (~20 g).
* The fast is the perfect time to be productive and get things done. Don’t sit around, get bored and brood about food.
* Meal frequency during the feeding phase is irrelevant. However, most people, including me, prefer three meals.
* The majority of your daily calorie intake is consumed in the post-workout period. Depending on setup, this means that approximately 95-99% (fasted training), 80% (one pre-workout meal) or 60% (two pre-workout meals) of your daily calorie intake is consumed after training.
* The feeding window should be kept somewhat constant due to the hormonal entrainment of meal patterns. We tend to get hungry when we're used to eating and maintaining a regular pattern makes diet adherence easier. If you're used to breaking the fast at 12-2 PM and ending it at 8-10 PM, then try to maintain that pattern every day.
* On rest days, meal one should ideally be the largest meal, as opposed to training days where the post-workout meal is the largest meal. A good rule of thumb is to make meal one on rest days at least 35-40% of your daily calorie intake. This meal should be very high in protein; some of my clients consume more than 100 g of protein in this meal.
* When working with clients I am always open to compromising on the above rule. If your preference is to eat a larger meal in the evening instead of noon, or whenever you break the fast, it's no great harm. Some people prefer to save the largest meal on rest days for dinner with their family instead of having a large lunch and that's fine by me if it makes them enjoy and adhere to their diet better.
* Macronutrients and calorie intakes are always cycled through the week. The specifics depends on the client's ultimate goal: fat loss, muscle gain or bodyrecomposition. The details will be revealed in the book. Generally speaking, carbs and total calorie intake is highest on training days. On rest days, carbs are lower and fat is higher. Protein is kept high on all days.
* Here are the supplements I recommend everyone to take on a daily basis: a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D and extra calcium (unless dairy is consumed on a regular and daily basis).
* For fasted training, BCAA or an essential amino acid mixture is highly recommended. However, if this feels like too much micromanaging or simply questionable from an economic standpoint, you could also make due with some whey protein. The importance of protein intake prior to fasted training is outlined in this and this post.
* People sometimes ask me which protocol is best. I tend to look at things from a behavioral perspective first and foremost, so my reply to that is to choose the protocol best suited to your daily routine and training preferences. When dealing with clients I make the choice for them. If you work a 9-5 job and your only option is to train after work, training fasted is generally a bad idea and I always choose the one or two meals pre-workout protocol.
* Even from a physiological perspective, each protocol has it's own strengths and theoretical benefits. With "physiological perspective" I mean in terms of nutrient partitioning, fat loss and muscle growth. This deserves an article on it's own. I have some interesting and compelling arguments that I think are very unique.
[Source: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html]
For those who don't know what Intermittent Fasting is I'll explain it in a short condensed version. The concept is that you fast 16 hours of the day and eat all of your calories within an 8 hour time period. You generally start your 8 hour eating period after you work out if you work out in the mornings, or you start the eating period around 5 hours before you workout if you workout at night. I will say that at first it was pretty challenging to not eat during my fast period, but after a couple days it became easy.
Below is going to be the more in depth details that I got online.
Fasting and feeding
My general position on the fasted phase is that it should last through the night and during the morning hours. Ideally the fast should then be broken at noon or shortly thereafter if you arise at 6-7 AM like most people. Afternoons and evenings are usually spent in the fed state.
However, the fast could also also be broken later in the day depending on your personal preferences and daily routine. I personally tend to break the fast as late as 4-6 PM since I work well into the night and rise later than most people with normal jobs.
The recommendation for fasting through the earlier part of the day, as opposed to the latter part of the day, is for behavioral and social reasons. Most people simply find it easier to fast after awakening and prefer going to bed satiated. Afternoons and evenings are times to unwind and eat. For adherence reasons during dieting, I've also found that placing the feeding phase later in the day is ideal for most people.
The protocols
I work with four different protocols depending on when my clients train. Depending on setup, one, two, or three meals are eaten in the post-workout period.
Fasted training
Training is initiated on an empty stomach and after ingestion of 10 g BCAA or similar amino acid mixture. This "pre-workout" meal is not counted towards the feeding phase. Technically, training is not completely fasted - that would be detrimental. The pre-workout protein intake, with its stimulatory effect on protein synthesis and metabolism, is a crucial compromise to optimize results. The 8-hour feeding phase starts with the post-workout meal.
Sample setup
11.30-12 AM or 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: Training
1 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal of the day).
4 PM: Second meal.
9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Calories and carbs are tapered down throughout the day in the example above.
Early morning fasted training
Here's a sample setup for a client that trains early in the morning and prefers the feeding phase at noon or later. Read this for details regarding this protocol.
6 AM: 5-15 minutes pre-workout: 10 g BCAA.
6-7 AM: Training.
8 AM: 10 g BCAA.
10 AM: 10 g BCAA
12-1 PM: The "real" post-workout meal (largest meal of the day). Start of the 8 hour feeding-window.
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
For the sake of conveniency, I recommend getting BCAA in the form of powder and not tabs. Simply mix 30 g of BCAA powder in a shake and drink one third of it every other hour starting 5-15 minutes pre-workout. Tabs are cheaper, but much more of a hassle (you're going to have to pop a lot of tabs). Check my supplements guide for specific brand recommendations.
One pre-workout meal
This is the most common setup for my younger clients that are still in college or have flexible working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Pre-workout meal. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
3-4 PM: Training should happen a few hours after the pre-workout meal.
4-5 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.
Two pre-workout meals
This is the usual protocol for people with normal working hours.
Sample setup
12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Meal one. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
4-5 PM: Pre-workout meal. Roughly equal to the first meal.
8-9 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
Key points
* No calories are to be ingested during the fasted phase, though coffee, calorie free sweeteners, diet soda and sugar free gum are ok (even though they might contain trace amount of calories). A tiny splash of milk in your coffee won’t affect anything either (½-1 teaspoon of milk per cup at the most - use sparingly and sensibly if you drink a lot of coffee). Neither will sugar free gum in moderation (~20 g).
* The fast is the perfect time to be productive and get things done. Don’t sit around, get bored and brood about food.
* Meal frequency during the feeding phase is irrelevant. However, most people, including me, prefer three meals.
* The majority of your daily calorie intake is consumed in the post-workout period. Depending on setup, this means that approximately 95-99% (fasted training), 80% (one pre-workout meal) or 60% (two pre-workout meals) of your daily calorie intake is consumed after training.
* The feeding window should be kept somewhat constant due to the hormonal entrainment of meal patterns. We tend to get hungry when we're used to eating and maintaining a regular pattern makes diet adherence easier. If you're used to breaking the fast at 12-2 PM and ending it at 8-10 PM, then try to maintain that pattern every day.
* On rest days, meal one should ideally be the largest meal, as opposed to training days where the post-workout meal is the largest meal. A good rule of thumb is to make meal one on rest days at least 35-40% of your daily calorie intake. This meal should be very high in protein; some of my clients consume more than 100 g of protein in this meal.
* When working with clients I am always open to compromising on the above rule. If your preference is to eat a larger meal in the evening instead of noon, or whenever you break the fast, it's no great harm. Some people prefer to save the largest meal on rest days for dinner with their family instead of having a large lunch and that's fine by me if it makes them enjoy and adhere to their diet better.
* Macronutrients and calorie intakes are always cycled through the week. The specifics depends on the client's ultimate goal: fat loss, muscle gain or bodyrecomposition. The details will be revealed in the book. Generally speaking, carbs and total calorie intake is highest on training days. On rest days, carbs are lower and fat is higher. Protein is kept high on all days.
* Here are the supplements I recommend everyone to take on a daily basis: a multivitamin, fish oil, vitamin D and extra calcium (unless dairy is consumed on a regular and daily basis).
* For fasted training, BCAA or an essential amino acid mixture is highly recommended. However, if this feels like too much micromanaging or simply questionable from an economic standpoint, you could also make due with some whey protein. The importance of protein intake prior to fasted training is outlined in this and this post.
* People sometimes ask me which protocol is best. I tend to look at things from a behavioral perspective first and foremost, so my reply to that is to choose the protocol best suited to your daily routine and training preferences. When dealing with clients I make the choice for them. If you work a 9-5 job and your only option is to train after work, training fasted is generally a bad idea and I always choose the one or two meals pre-workout protocol.
* Even from a physiological perspective, each protocol has it's own strengths and theoretical benefits. With "physiological perspective" I mean in terms of nutrient partitioning, fat loss and muscle growth. This deserves an article on it's own. I have some interesting and compelling arguments that I think are very unique.
[Source: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html]
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Replies
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not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward0
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I fast between breakfast and lunch and then from lunch to dinner, and sometimes I actually make it. But on a more serious note, I agree with the above poster. Good luck if it is what you want to do.0
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not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward
Never claimed it to be some kind of "magic bullet", but have you actually done any research on it, or are you talking from ignorance? Just thought I'd inform people on this way of living, it has worked for thousands of people and helped them out of fat loss plateaus like it did for me. You shouldn't knock it unless you've tried it and personally know that there's "little to no added reward".0 -
not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward
Never claimed it to be some kind of "magic bullet", but have you actually done any research on it, or are you talking from ignorance? Just thought I'd inform people on this way of living, it has worked for thousands of people and helped them out of fat loss plateaus like it did for me. You shouldn't knock it unless you've tried it and personally know that there's "little to no added reward".
tried it, wasnt all that. Actually got weaker and felt like **** most of the time. Some people like it, but i prefer my breakfast and being able to eat when i want, and not having to cycle macros.0 -
not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward
Never claimed it to be some kind of "magic bullet", but have you actually done any research on it, or are you talking from ignorance? Just thought I'd inform people on this way of living, it has worked for thousands of people and helped them out of fat loss plateaus like it did for me. You shouldn't knock it unless you've tried it and personally know that there's "little to no added reward".
tried it, wasnt all that. Actually got weaker and felt like **** most of the time. Some people like it, but i prefer my breakfast and being able to eat when i want, and not having to cycle macros.
You can eat 8 hours of the day... You can begin your eating period earlier in the day to fit in breakfast if you wanted to. Also, you don't have to "cycle macros" at all, so not sure exactly what you were doing there...
I've felt great doing "IF" and from every single person I've talked to who has done it has felt great as well, so not sure why you felt like s***. As far as strength goes, you don't loose strength, you're still eating all your calories like you're suppose to so there's no reason for you to be weaker from it.
Go to this source, there's benefits to fasting.
http://www.naturalnews.com/032212_fasting_disease_prevention.html0 -
I love IF. No, it's not a magic bullet and it's not going to miraculously make the weight drop off while eating whatever you please. It is, however great for people like me, who do not like breakfast but do like big meals. I don't find the macro management difficult and I eat healthier, without feeling any need for "cheat" days.
The form of eating that is going to be successful for anyone is the one that suits them and their lifestyle, whether that be IF, primal, low carb or whatever.
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I love IF. No, it's not a magic bullet and it's not going to miraculously make the weight drop off while eating whatever you please. It is, however great for people like me, who do not like breakfast but do like big meals. I don't find the macro management difficult and I eat healthier, without feeling any need for "cheat" days.
The form of eating that is going to be successful for anyone is the one that suits them and their lifestyle, whether that be IF, primal, low carb or whatever.
I'm glad you enjoy it as well! That's one of my favorite things about it, the fact that I can eat large meals and feel like I'm indulging instead eating like a rabbit where I eat tiny meals throughout the day like some people think you're suppose to do.0 -
not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward
^^ This. I've been doing IF for about a year and I like it from a lifestyle perspective. But from a weight loss perspective, I personally don't think it is superior to not fasting, given the same caloric deficit & macros. I think it just comes down to personal preference.
Also, there are many different IF programs besides Leangains (the 16/8 program outlined in the original post in this thread). If you're interested, there is a great FAQ in the IF group (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/599982-intermittent-fasting-faq)0 -
Here's some sites that back fasting and promote its benefits.
http://voices.yahoo.com/fasting-weight-loss-increased-human-growth-hormone-4799394.html?cat=51
http://www.naturalnews.com/032212_fasting_disease_prevention.html
http://healthreads.hubpages.com/hub/The-value-of-fasting-in-raising-HGH-levels
http://www.eatstopeat.com/growth-hormone/growth-hormone.html0 -
Im trying it for the first time on sunday request via my trainer. However Im doing the 24hrs with 30g of BCAA in that period. hoping I can last that long0
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Just recently started to try it... after one day, the only bad part I found was becoming bored.... At work I am busy, at home there isn't much to do. Or I get stressed out, for reasons I don't wish to expand on.....So staying on the fast becomes difficult.
But, I will adapt, I always have before, I will this time too
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I do it. I agree with the philosophy behind it but I don't do the supplements. I just don't eat between 8pm and 12pm the next day. It works for me and allows me to better control my macros. I'm eating the same calories and everything, just doing it within an 8 hour window instead of stretching it out an entire day. So far I like it, but I try to keep it as less technical as possible.0
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Im trying it for the first time on sunday request via my trainer. However Im doing the 24hrs with 30g of BCAA in that period. hoping I can last that long
You can do it! Set your mind to it and you can make it through that 24 hours!0 -
tl:dr but i'm never hungry so it's sort of like i'm fasting on some days.
if it works for you, do it =]0 -
Just recently started to try it... after one day, the only bad part I found was becoming bored.... At work I am busy, at home there isn't much to do. Or I get stressed out, for reasons I don't wish to expand on.....So staying on the fast becomes difficult.
But, I will adapt, I always have before, I will this time too
Don't eat out of boredom, you don't want to do that anyways. If you can, try getting out of the house and finding outdoor activities you can enjoy and keep food off your mind.0 -
One thing to keep in mind though is if your body thinks there's a famine, it'll start holding onto fat like there's no tomorrow in order to survive the lean times.0
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tl:dr but i'm never hungry so it's sort of like i'm fasting on some days.
if it works for you, do it =]
There's a reason I posted a short version before the longer, more in depth part, so it wasn't too long for people to read...0 -
I do it. I agree with the philosophy behind it but I don't do the supplements. I just don't eat between 8pm and 12pm the next day. It works for me and allows me to better control my macros. I'm eating the same calories and everything, just doing it within an 8 hour window instead of stretching it out an entire day. So far I like it, but I try to keep it as less technical as possible.
This is exactly how I did it for about 2 months. I was unemployed at the time, so it gave me a lot of structure to my day, which I was lacking, and that led to grazing. I really paid more attention to what I was eating. Also helped me realize I had been typically starting my day with anywhere from 300-500 calories just in the cream and sugar I was putting in my (way too many cups of) coffee!
I think it's sort of like a low carb diet in the way that the people who it works for absolutely love it, and the people it doesn't work for, it absolutely does not work for. There's a plan that suits everyone, this just happens to be part of mine.0 -
not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward
I agree its not a magic bullet but I do not see any micro managing at all and no restrtictions other than not having to eat as often and I really like the rewards.
so D- for you but thanks for playing0 -
One thing to keep in mind though is if your body thinks there's a famine, it'll start holding onto fat like there's no tomorrow in order to survive the lean times.
True, but your body doesn't go into that famine mode within that 16 hour fasted period. Takes longer than that for your body to think you need to start storing fat. Plus, you have all those calories you consumed still in your body being used as energy from the day before.0
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