5:2 diet and lifting...

juliemouse83

I promise I ran through the search and didn't find answers (or the question) I am looking for. If this is a redundancy, I apologize.

I have seen tons of posts on LeanGains and lifting, but nothing on doing the 5:2 intermittent fasting with the 5x5 program.

Now, being a Noob to this whole lifting concept, I have to ask...if the goal is to build strength and muscle, and to bump our calories to TDEE ( or there abouts) to build, isn't it counterproductive to be fasting two days out of the week and only be consuming 500 calories during those fasting days?

My schedule is going to me 5x5, M-W-F,and Couch to 5K T-Th- Sat, with Sunday as a rest day.

Am I on the right track by not trying to fast for two days?

Going to run out for a bit to look at a squat rack, but will check back later for replies...

ETA I apologize if my terminology isn't right, or my reference to TDEE is incorrect. I am all ears to learning the propr nutrition requirements for doing this. Initially I got on the "get healthy/lose weight bandwagon because I committed my fat self to doing a 5K mud run in April. It has since turned into a personal quest to be one the strongest, most healthy me that I can be.

auddii

I don't do IF or 5:2, so I have no practical advice. However, if you do want to try it, I definitely wouldn't lift on a fast day. That would suck. My only advice would be try and see how it works for you. A deficit is a deficit, and so it should balance out, but I know I would hate it.

tameko2

IF you want to try it, go ahead, but make sure you lift as you go into the fact (like say on the morning of the first fasted day) not at the end of the fasted day. I wouldn't try to lift after more than say, 16 -24 hours fasted (I'm including sleeping overnight in there) and not everyone does well training fasted, period, so you'll have to experiment with that to see how you even do.

But otherwise, it should be fine - MAYBE. IF results vary wildly from person to person, and same for training fasted. Some peopel do very well training fasted, or with 5:2, and others do terribly.

macybean

I do 16:8 IF (which I realize is a lot different than 5:2) and lift fasted some days, after eating other days. Just depends on the work schedule. I haven't noticed a difference in my lifting. I'm no where near as hungry as when I eat several small meals a day. I don't know why, but for me it works. You just have to find what works for you.

juliemouse83

OMG, y’all!

I just did my first 5x5 session…I’m such a weakling…I managed freaking TEN pounds on the barbell…And I’m sweating like a freaking pig…It feels good! BUT…I can’t IMAGINE trying to do this on a fast day…when I’m going not lifting, I’m going to be running to get ready for a 5K.

I love my rack and bench…I feel shaky, but amazingly wonderful….Run tomorrow and lift again on Monday!

I love this, y’all!

Thank you for the support!!!!

juliemouse83

I do 16:8 IF (which I realize is a lot different than 5:2) and lift fasted some days, after eating other days. Just depends on the work schedule. I haven't noticed a difference in my lifting. I'm no where near as hungry as when I eat several small meals a day. I don't know why, but for me it works. You just have to find what works for you.

16:8 - that’s the Lean Gains thing, right? 16 hours of fasting, and eating during a regular 8 hour period?

This might work better of me than 500 calories 2 days a week. I wanted to KILL people yesterday…I don’t mind having the munchies, but that growling, gnawing sensation in my belly makes me incredibly hostile…Not so hot in a work environment…

Just sayin…. :grumble:

tameko2

I do 16:8 IF (which I realize is a lot different than 5:2) and lift fasted some days, after eating other days. Just depends on the work schedule. I haven't noticed a difference in my lifting. I'm no where near as hungry as when I eat several small meals a day. I don't know why, but for me it works. You just have to find what works for you.

16:8 - that’s the Lean Gains thing, right? 16 hours of fasting, and eating during a regular 8 hour period?

This might work better of me than 500 calories 2 days a week. I wanted to KILL people yesterday…I don’t mind having the munchies, but that growling, gnawing sensation in my belly makes me incredibly hostile…Not so hot in a work environment…

Just sayin…. :grumble:

IF you feel that way I think 5:2 is not a good plan for you. I've done 16:8 kind of haphazardly for over a year now and I like it, but I feel great when I'm fasted and I've never been a fan of breakfast.

macybean

Yeah, I'm not sure 5:2 would work for me, but I am surprised at the 16:8 (yes, Lean Gains style). I think consistency is key for me.

Will_Thrust_For_Candy

In my opinion 5:2 works best when you can take your fasted days on rest days.

I do 14/10 Leangains style as that is what works for me. Sometimes it ends up being closer to 16/8 or something in between. I train best in a fasted state and I'm not a breakfast fan so for me it works great because I workout first thing in the morning.

Basically you just need to play around with different styles until you find something that works for you!

One word of caution though, as your lifts get heavier you will get hungrier FOR SURE lol so keep that in mind with the 5:2 method :happy:

Good luck!

juliemouse83

Thank you all, again, Ladies! :flowerforyou:

I will tweak and see what works best for me...

Definitely going to do some hard reading about LeanGains.

DaniH826

I love this, y’all!

Tee hee. Yep, lifting is amazing for sure. I always look forward to lift days even though it's hard work!

xidia

This might work better of me than 500 calories 2 days a week. I wanted to KILL people yesterday…I don’t mind having the munchies, but that growling, gnawing sensation in my belly makes me incredibly hostile…Not so hot in a work environment…

Just sayin…. :grumble:

This does get easier by the third or fourth fasting day.

I dropped 5:2 just before I started lifting because it was screwing up my cardio, but I was also restricting calories on non-fast days (I know, I know!) so it probably wasn't a completely fair experiment.

juliemouse83

I found that it's one thing to fast at home on a Sunday. I can find plenty of things to keep me busy and my mind OFF off food.

At the office, however, someone is always bringing something in to eat, and the smells and having people eating right in front of you were just torture.

I am also finding that I am a whole lot more hungry than I have been, so I am reworking food.