Lifting while fasting???

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Replies

  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    dbmata 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?
    Just means you haven't tried it.

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

    Actually I have. That is if people are considering not eating from 7pm till after your 5:30am workout, a fasted workout. I did that twice a week for two years. And I perform better when I'm properly fueled. Even a banana before that morning workout made a huge difference. It seems the term"fasted" is subjective. Is that not eating for 4 hours? Or 12 hours? Or 24 hours? Is sleep involved? Etc.

    OP - since the fasting is based on spiritual reasons, then just listen to your body. Try the workouts if you want, but take it slow at first and build up. If you feel faint, stop. If you start feeling tired all the time, stop. Definitely try finding high calorie, nutrition dense foods to eat during your meal time. Protein bars and nutrition shakes will probably be your best friends. You really won't be doing any good for your body by working out without the proper nutrients to do the work and recover from it. So depending on how long you are fasting and only eating 800-1000 calories a day for, I'd be really careful.

    The correct calorie intake is based on height, age, weight, etc. But most doctors and RD's don't recommend women eat under 1200 calories a day.

    Best of luck!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Correct for what? Weight maintenance? Try a TDEE calculator. For strength? That is up to you and how you feel. I don't think there is some big problem with lifting fasted or on low calories. If you insist on eating once a day and want to maintain general health, 1200 might be a good floor value.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
    You can do what my trainer does periodically. A fasting day which consists of 500-600calories. He eats breakfast....something like a 2 egg cheese omelet or eggs and a meat and then he eats dinner.....protein and veggies. I'd do your lifting before your evening meal so you are getting the protein afterwards and you should throw in some carbs too if you are lifting heavy.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member
    esjones12 wrote: »
    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 ;)

    What you just wrote there is why fasting would probably not work for you. You are more about endurance workouts which weightlifting/ bodybuilding and running for weight loss is not. So, yes, you have to fuel your body differently.

    However, if you were not doing those endurance workouts, then it would be different.

    I personally, as other posters have mentioned, have set some PR's in lifting since I started doing IF(Intermittent Fasting) 16:8 (Leangains). Heck, yesterday I wasn't able to haul my rear outta bed in the early AM so I went to the gym at lunch. Over 16 hours into a fast cycle and I set a PR on my squats. In fact by the time I did my squats I was probably 17 hours into the fast. So that is 17 hours without one morsel of food or calorie laden drink passing my lips. I still had plenty of energy for my workout.



  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    wait, clarify please. You're taking in one meal, and that meal is 800-1000 calories?

    Yes and I know you are probably going to tell me that is not enough. I have no issues raising my caloric intake to meet the needs of my lifting program. I am doing this for spiritual reasons not to lose weight. With that being said, I'm just trying to find a good balance so that I can continue lifting during this time. :) Any advice on finding the correct caloric intake would be appreciated.

    Are you doing this everyday, once a week, once a month?
  • tx_angel77
    tx_angel77 Posts: 34 Member
    auddii wrote: »
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    wait, clarify please. You're taking in one meal, and that meal is 800-1000 calories?

    Yes and I know you are probably going to tell me that is not enough. I have no issues raising my caloric intake to meet the needs of my lifting program. I am doing this for spiritual reasons not to lose weight. With that being said, I'm just trying to find a good balance so that I can continue lifting during this time. :) Any advice on finding the correct caloric intake would be appreciated.

    Are you doing this everyday, once a week, once a month?

    I'm lifting 4 days resting 2. Fasting every day for a while. My overall goal is to lose fat and build lean muscle at the same time. I know fasting for an extended period of time may be throwing a wrench in it but I was hoping to continue toward my goals while fasting.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    wait, clarify please. You're taking in one meal, and that meal is 800-1000 calories?

    Yes and I know you are probably going to tell me that is not enough. I have no issues raising my caloric intake to meet the needs of my lifting program. I am doing this for spiritual reasons not to lose weight. With that being said, I'm just trying to find a good balance so that I can continue lifting during this time. :) Any advice on finding the correct caloric intake would be appreciated.

    Are you doing this everyday, once a week, once a month?

    I'm lifting 4 days resting 2. Fasting every day for a while. My overall goal is to lose fat and build lean muscle at the same time. I know fasting for an extended period of time may be throwing a wrench in it but I was hoping to continue toward my goals while fasting.

    If you can do what ksy1969 just posted then fasting shouldn't deter your lifting efforts at all. I, too, lift in the AM while fasted. It works for me. I have much more energy and have made gains. Just experiment and see what works for you!
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    wait, clarify please. You're taking in one meal, and that meal is 800-1000 calories?

    Yes and I know you are probably going to tell me that is not enough. I have no issues raising my caloric intake to meet the needs of my lifting program. I am doing this for spiritual reasons not to lose weight. With that being said, I'm just trying to find a good balance so that I can continue lifting during this time. :) Any advice on finding the correct caloric intake would be appreciated.
    I'm not going to piss in your cheerios over it.

    You will find out if it is or is not enough. I would say, you'd probably want to up it. However, it's really easy to find out what the correct caloric intake is.

    You have your goal in mind right? Add calories, analyze body changes. How do you feel? Are you achieving the goals you have set? If yes, well done. If not... increase of decrease calories based on goals.

    i'll be honest, I did not see or I missed a goals statement... so this is a shot in the dark. So if it were me, and I were at 1k calories, but lifting.

    I would increase to 1500 and then add in the lifting. I'd also increase intake to 1800 on days before lifting sessions. I'd do that for a month or two and then reassess.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    So all it sounds like you need to do is figure out your daily calorie intake. There are many online calculators to help you. They will be more than 800-1000 cals, that is not enough to sustain your lifting long term.

    Also lifting 4 off 2 is fine. Its also not lifting everyday as you previously stated.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    esjones12 wrote: »
    Actually I have. That is if people are considering not eating from 7pm till after your 5:30am workout, a fasted workout. I did that twice a week for two years.
    Yeah, I wouldn't consider that fasted. I guess technically one could. My own personal usage is I'll eat by 6-8pm, lift sometime around 3pm the next day, and eat a snack around 4:30p once I'm done.

    for me that's a fasted workout. At the start they are mentally challenging, afterwards they are simple.

    Working out first thing in the morning though? I just call that working out before breakfast, there's nothing really challenging to that, and I doubt any of the benefits from extended fasting would be realized.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    auddii wrote: »
    tx_angel77 wrote: »
    dbmata wrote: »
    wait, clarify please. You're taking in one meal, and that meal is 800-1000 calories?

    Yes and I know you are probably going to tell me that is not enough. I have no issues raising my caloric intake to meet the needs of my lifting program. I am doing this for spiritual reasons not to lose weight. With that being said, I'm just trying to find a good balance so that I can continue lifting during this time. :) Any advice on finding the correct caloric intake would be appreciated.

    Are you doing this everyday, once a week, once a month?

    I'm lifting 4 days resting 2. Fasting every day for a while. My overall goal is to lose fat and build lean muscle at the same time. I know fasting for an extended period of time may be throwing a wrench in it but I was hoping to continue toward my goals while fasting.

    If you're fasting every day and not trying to lose, you should eat your maintenance calories for the day in one meal. Calculate your caloric needs including your lifting sessions; my guess is that it's going to be about twice what you're currently eating if not more. Daily pizza :laugh:
  • jonjhayden
    jonjhayden Posts: 165 Member
    I am afraid to throw a tempest into a teapot but here goes.

    I have read many of you state that it is not possible to gain muscle mass while eating a calorie deficit.

    There actually is some research that has been done by Dr. Robert Huizenga that has shown it is possible to increase Lean Muscle Mass while eating at a deficit. It requires careful monitoring of one's macros as well as an accurate calculation of one's RMR based on an accurate body composition analysis (in his studies with a DEXA scan).

    His research was using overweight to morbidly obese individuals (thus they had plenty of stored calories in their bodies). However, he has demonstrated the ability to eat at a deficit, lose fat and still increase muscle mass.
  • tx_angel77
    tx_angel77 Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks everyone for your comments. I appreciate the information and I think I have a plan moving forward. ;)
  • kgilrivera
    kgilrivera Posts: 10
    Hey everyone,

    I have decided to start losing weight to get the beach body I have always dreamed about. It is def. hard to reach that goal but I am gonna make it happen. My goal is compete in a physique competition next year (2015.) If you have any suggestions, ideas, workout plans or anything let me know, I appreciate your support in advance.
    Happy New Year!!!!!
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