Intermittent fasting????

[Portcityjbird]

Is this working for anyone?

[gbrice75]

Works well for plenty of people, just like any well planned diet that's followed consistently.

[baseline_9]

If it helps you be consistent with hitting ur macros and keeps you on track GREAT....

Is it optimal, probably not....

Is it closer to optimal than not being consistent with ur dieting and macro intake, of corse...


It's just a lifestyle diet, nothing ground breaking .... If it fits ur lifestyle then great....

[Portcityjbird]

Something about eating 1700 cals in 3 hours sounds good....i know they got to be clean

[gbrice75]

Something about eating 1700 cals in 3 hours sounds good....i know they got to be clean

Yep, it's probably the most convenient and satisfying style of dieting (assuming you can handle the fasting aspect) that I've personally run. But, as Base and I both stated - any diet is only as good as the consistency with which it's applied. There is no magic formula.

[austinite]

I always get hungry an hour after a massive meal.

[MrMayhem]

If it helps you be consistent with hitting ur macros and keeps you on track GREAT....

Is it optimal, probably not....

Is it closer to optimal than not being consistent with ur dieting and macro intake, of corse...


It's just a lifestyle diet, nothing ground breaking .... If it fits ur lifestyle then great....

This^^^^
And I personally use this type of diet alot.

[baseline_9]

If I had to offer my personal opinion on IF'ing after doing it myself I would say to steer clear of it...

For me I found it installed bad eating habits and just supported me in picking 'bad' food choices....

Having a massive macro count for a meal is great... It allows you to eat loads and really feel full (for some time at least)... However it also gives you the ability to pick lower quality foods on a regular basis which won't interfere with your goals per se but in the long term is not 'healthy'.... I'm talking fibre, vitamins, minerals etc...

But that's just my personal take on it....

[MrMayhem]

If I had to offer my personal opinion on IF'ing after doing it myself I would say to steer clear of it...

For me I found it installed bad eating habits and just supported me in picking 'bad' food choices....

Having a massive macro count for a meal is great... It allows you to eat loads and really feel full (for some time at least)... However it also gives you the ability to pick lower quality foods on a regular basis which won't interfere with your goals per se but in the long term is not 'healthy'.... I'm talking fibre, vitamins, minerals etc...

But that's just my personal take on it....

And Ive found the exact opposite. So it looks like its really down to the individual... As stated above, ''If it fits your lifestyle great...''
If not, find something that does lol

[krugerr]

I found this IF to be an extremely useful tool for cutting bodyfat when I was up nearer 26%. It has very simple rules to follow and allowed me a nice easy entry point into understanding how to diet correctly.

As GB and Base have both said, its only as good as you make it. Personally I see this as a tool to use for extreme cutting or for heavily overweight people. If you begin to approach 17% BF or lower, I think there are much more effective ways to lose fat and maintain your lean tissue.
Its a valid dieting approach, it just has to be used correctly, you wouldn't recommend carb cycling for a 30% bodyfat guy, nor would I recommend IF for a 10% bodyfat guy. Many people have used to successfully, but it does take a certain amount of willpower to abstain from food for 16+ hours.

[Portcityjbird]

I can do the fast for 16 or more hours..it's just if i do cardio in the am and lift in the pm after i lift i can go and eat all that food and still lose fat?as long as I'm hitting all my macros...i want to lose about 10 to 15 pounds

[MrMayhem]

I found this IF to be an extremely useful tool for cutting bodyfat when I was up nearer 26%. It has very simple rules to follow and allowed me a nice easy entry point into understanding how to diet correctly.

As GB and Base have both said, its only as good as you make it. Personally I see this as a tool to use for extreme cutting or for heavily overweight people. If you begin to approach 17% BF or lower, I think there are much more effective ways to lose fat and maintain your lean tissue.
Its a valid dieting approach, it just has to be used correctly, you wouldn't recommend carb cycling for a 30% bodyfat guy, nor would I recommend IF for a 10% bodyfat guy. Many people have used to successfully, but it does take a certain amount of willpower to abstain from food for 16+ hours.

True that! It works great for me, but to be honest with you, Ima freak and Im extremely large. So this works great for me
But in doing this type of diet, I lose about 6 lbs a week and some LBM goes with it.

[MrMayhem]

I can do the fast for 16 or more hours..it's just if i do cardio in the am and lift in the pm after i lift i can go and eat all that food and still lose fat?as long as I'm hitting all my macros...i want to lose about 10 to 15 pounds

Not saying this is the correct way, but this is basically how I do it. Its worked for me.

[--->>405<<---]

from what ive read there are many benefits to fasting, i suggest u do some research on ur own to find out what they are. personally i fast 4 days per week for 21hrs and i love it! i maintain 10% body fat with not much effort other than that and when i eat i get to eat a lot and i get to eat stuff that i like fairly regularly. once u get into it u can get a feel for how to compensate when u want to have a cheat meal or if u have a dinner function or whatever..

if nothing else it is a great learning tool which will really broaden ur dietary knowledge and increase ur ability to manipulate diet to achieve certain goals u have. combine this with cycling carbs based on activity and u can really do some good stuff!

i love the benefits and will always fast.

[Portcityjbird]

Thanks everyone for the info and replys

[OdinsOtherSon]

I've IF'ed for over a year. I love it, as long as I'm dialed in, but as baseline 9 said, it can lead to bad food choices. At the end of the day it's simply a style of eating. It all comes down to your discipline and commitment. If 6 meals a day helps you maintain your discipline then that's what you need to be doing...same for IF.

[Portcityjbird]

How about diet soda will that break the fast or no?

[OdinsOtherSon]

As long as its sugar free and relatively calorie free. Sorry for the vagueness...I hardly ever drink a soda, including diet sodas. I'm assuming most diet beverages are sugar/calorie free. If so, I'd say you're fine. I drink black coffee, water and green tea during the fast.

[thisAngelBites]

I did IF - every other day for a little over a year. At the beginning I made worse food choices on the non-fasting day, but that went away pretty quickly (within a couple weeks) and then I found myself craving kale salad and sprouts and good stuff on my fasting day instead of rubbish. In general, for a year I found it pretty easy and thought it was ideal for me.

But the reason I stopped is that I started to feel like I was becoming obsessed with food. I literally felt that food had taken over my brain and I was constantly thinking about what I couldn't eat (on fasting days) or what I could eat next (non-fasting days) and at what time. I started arranging things in my day around food and eating. It got bad enough that I realised if I carried on I would have an eating disorder. LOL So I just eat whole foods now (no grains and small bits of dairy, mostly raw) and no more food obsession. It is such a shame because before the obsession I felt and looked great, but I could not do it long term.

[gbrice75]

How about diet soda will that break the fast or no?

If it's calorie free (as diet soda is), it shouldn't. However, I'd probably err on the side of caution. If soda is that important to you, just wait until you're having your feeding window IMHO.

But the reason I stopped is that I started to feel like I was becoming obsessed with food. I literally felt that food had taken over my brain and I was constantly thinking about what I couldn't eat (on fasting days) or what I could eat next (non-fasting days) and at what time. I started arranging things in my day around food and eating

Funny, I'm the exact opposite. When I was following a more traditional '6-8 smaller meals/day' type regimen, I was literally thinking about my next meal the very minute I took my last bite of the current one. I just felt that I was chronically underfeeding my body.

When I ran IF, I was able to satisfy cravings (for larger, satiating meals moreso than food choices), and didn't think about food much, at least during the feeding window. My fasting window only got rough about 2 hours before breaking, which wasn't that bad to deal with because I knew the 'reward' was right around the corner.

I'm not currently following IF, but I'll never again eat a bunch of small meals as I see no benefit personally. Right now I'm eating 4 larger meals plus a PWO shake - I may even knock it down to 3 (larger) meals.

[thisAngelBites]

I'm not currently following IF, but I'll never again eat a bunch of small meals as I see no benefit personally. Right now I'm eating 4 larger meals plus a PWO shake - I may even knock it down to 3 (larger) meals.

It wasn't that I was eating small frequent meals on the eating days and not eating enough - I can't explain what it was - I have the sense that continuing to do a fasting day every other day for a year just somehow got to me. It's as if my hypothalamus was so bothered to have those frequent fasting days that it just forced me think about food constantly, even when I had eaten enough. A friend of mine tried it (fasting 2 or 3 days per week, I think) and she also got to the point where she was obsessed with food. At first the fasting days were very easy, but in the end they seemed to have this detrimental effect in my head. :-)

I also do better if I eat (the same amount of daily food) in larger meals. That was true for the eating days during IF too.

[gbrice75]

It wasn't that I was eating small frequent meals on the eating days and not eating enough - I can't explain what it was - I have the sense that continuing to do a fasting day every other day for a year just somehow got to me. It's as if my hypothalamus was so bothered to have those frequent fasting days that it just forced me think about food constantly, even when I had eaten enough. A friend of mine tried it (fasting 2 or 3 days per week, I think) and she also got to the point where she was obsessed with food. At first the fasting days were very easy, but in the end they seemed to have this detrimental effect in my head. :-)

I also do better if I eat (the same amount of daily food) in larger meals. That was true for the eating days during IF too.

Interesting! Well, needless to say you did the right thing (stopping); you have to listen to your body.

Both times I ran IF, I followed the Leangains protocol, i.e. 16 hours fasting, 8 hour feeding window. On my 2nd run, I incorporated (1) full 24 hour fast/week, mainly to restrict an additional 2000 calories or so per week.

[thisAngelBites]

have to listen to your body.

Both times I ran IF, I followed the Leangains protocol, i.e. 16 hours fasting, 8 hour feeding window. On my 2nd run, I incorporated (1) full 24 hour fast/week, mainly to restrict an additional 2000 calories or so per week.

It's shame it didn't work in a permanent sense. I was very happy with my slimness but in the end I chose mental health. :-)

I've considered trying that (I didn't know it had a name). Do you find your intake of calories is substantially smaller, or do you get the same amount of calories in a shorter time, but benefit from having lower blood glucose/insulin?

[gbrice75]

It's shame it didn't work in a permanent sense. I was very happy with my slimness but in the end I chose mental health. :-)

Mental health FTMFW!!

I've considered trying that (I didn't know it had a name). Do you find your intake of calories is substantially smaller, or do you get the same amount of calories in a shorter time, but benefit from having lower blood glucose/insulin?

While fasting is nothing new or groundbreaking, Leangains is an approach that is more bodybuilding 'friendly'. It can be used for both cutting or 'bulking' (maintaining as well), although I've only used it for the former. Caloric intake remains the same (i.e. if you normally cut at 2000 calories on a standard diet, you'll still cut on 2000 calories running Leangains), but you have an 8 hour (or less, if you want) window to get those calories in. That's one of the things that made it so appealing; big, satiating meals. During the fast period, you benefit from low/stable BGL, suppressed insulin, and other hormonal benefits (epinephrine, norpeinephrine, and the relationship between ghrelin and leptin), but I digress.

The idea is to cycle through periods of growth (i.e. the feeding window), and periods of fat mobilization and oxidation (the fast), which supposedly is optimal somewhere around hour 13 or so, although I tend to think this is more individualistic. So many people have it burned into their brain that our bodies are either in a constant state of breakdown or growth, which isn't the case. They're always going through both processes, albeit at different times.

[thisAngelBites]

Thanks v much for the details - you've piqued my interest as I really like the benefits of the fasting period. I'm going to read about these other (more moderate) methods of fasting in case something else looks like it might work well for me.

I really did learn that I can't live in that permanent state of super tight control over my diet. My brain simply won't let me. Respect for people that can manage these regimens and do it for the long haul.

[baseline_9]

Mental health FTMFW!!



While fasting is nothing new or groundbreaking, Leangains is an approach that is more bodybuilding 'friendly'. It can be used for both cutting or 'bulking' (maintaining as well), although I've only used it for the former. Caloric intake remains the same (i.e. if you normally cut at 2000 calories on a standard diet, you'll still cut on 2000 calories running Leangains), but you have an 8 hour (or less, if you want) window to get those calories in. That's one of the things that made it so appealing; big, satiating meals. During the fast period, you benefit from low/stable BGL, suppressed insulin, and other hormonal benefits (epinephrine, norpeinephrine, and the relationship between ghrelin and leptin), but I digress.

The idea is to cycle through periods of growth (i.e. the feeding window), and periods of fat mobilization and oxidation (the fast), which supposedly is optimal somewhere around hour 13 or so, although I tend to think this is more individualistic. So many people have it burned into their brain that our bodies are either in a constant state of breakdown or growth, which isn't the case. They're always going through both processes, albeit at different times.

Good point....

But we're actually doing both at the same time.... It is just that the ratio changes.... Something I have learnt is that the body doesn't have 'on and off' switches and the process of catabolism and anabolism are going on all of the time... Just at different rates depending on training, diet, Whatever....

[gbrice75]

Good point....

But we're actually doing both at the same time.... It is just that the ratio changes.... Something I have learnt is that the body doesn't have 'on and off' switches and the process of catabolism and anabolism are going on all of the time... Just at different rates depending on training, diet, Whatever....

Good point as well. People tend to associate anabolism/catabolism with regard to muscle tissue only. Protein synthesis (an anabolic process) from a prior meal could be occurring simultaneously as the next meal is being digested (a catabolic process). Crude example, but you catch my drift.

[canesfan804]

How about diet soda will that break the fast or no?

You should just drink coffee to help fight the hunger. Black coffee tho.

[gbrice75]

You should just drink coffee to help fight the hunger. Black coffee tho.

Or... ready for this? How about - WATER!!!

[canesfan804]

Or... ready for this? How about - WATER!!!

Sorry I thought that was understood...... I thought OP was looking for caffeine fix.

Gbrice I would like to know what kind of macro split did you run on IF?

[Portcityjbird]

I drink water and coffee all day but the fizz in the soda would help with appetite. But im fine with just water and coffee during the 20 hour fast

[gbrice75]

Sorry I thought that was understood...... I thought OP was looking for caffeine fix.

Gbrice I would like to know what kind of macro split did you run on IF?

lol, hopefully, you're right. I was just messing around.

Re: my macro split on IF - tbh, I don't really remember! If you're that interested, feel free to go through my thread(s) (linked below for your convenience) as I'm sure I referenced it in there somewhere. I don't have the time to do it myself atm, and further, I'm too lazy.

http://forums.steroid.com/nutrition-...t=intermittent

http://forums.steroid.com/nutrition-...t=intermittent

[Portcityjbird]

Just a quick question....will L- carnitine break the fast in the morning?

[Portcityjbird]

Damn 1 more....do you think 1500-1600 cals a day is not enough for me....

188lbs
20-25%bf
5'10

[gbrice75]

Damn 1 more....do you think 1500-1600 cals a day is not enough for me....

188lbs
20-25%bf
5'10

For cutting... going by 25% (that's a big range bro, can you narrow it further, or post pics?), it's not too low for you, but you should definitely refeed 1x a week IMO.

[FONZY007]

I've been doing 14-16 hours and feel great while the weight is just melting off... It is hard but once you get used to it it's great...

They did a study with giving 2 mice the same amount of food

1 mice ate when ever he wanted and the other in 8 hour window only

The mice that ate when ever he wanted was fat and the other in 8 hour window was skinny..

It came out in men's fitness a few months back

[Portcityjbird]

The pics are up on my other thread but what do you mean by refeed eat my maintenance

[gbrice75]

The pics are up on my other thread but what do you mean by refeed eat my maintenance

I'd eat above maintenance... usually a carb refeed (i.e. higher carb day) assuming carbs are being kept relatively low throughout the week which has a significant impact on overall calories (being low).

[Portcityjbird]

Im not eating alot of carbs but im still getting 150-200g carbs do i still need to refeed?

[gbrice75]

Im not eating alot of carbs but im still getting 150-200g carbs

Daily?