Daily Intermittent Fasting...My Experience.

[DIVINITUS]

After trolling around here last week, I saw the thread someone posted about intermittent fasting. In the thread Built posted a link (Patrick D's Training Journal: Intermittent Fasting) to someone's blog/journal and their experience. I did my own research on the subject, specifically the daily version, and figured I would give it a try. I'm not sure why to be honest, some of the logic seemed to make sense.

Right now i am lifting heavy (for me)...3 day split. Mon/Upper Push, Wed/Lower, Fri/Upper Pull. I am 208lb and consume around 2750 calories a day. According to 3 different websites with calculators of different kinds, I should eat around 2500-2600 for maintenance. I am trying to build muscle right now, as I am about to start a cycle of 1-Andro RX, but doing it slowly.

I chose the daily intermittent fast, which takes all of the calories i would consume in a day and has me taking them all in during a 6 hour "window". I started this Monday night and i am currently doing it right now, as of Friday. How do I feel? In a word...great!! My workouts have been awesome so far...all of my fear of working out on an empty stomach has been put to rest, at least this week. I feel strong, as strong as when I would eat well timed carbs and food before working out, etc. This Tuesday my eating window was 3pm-9pm. I woke up on Wednesday, had 1 black coffee and starting drinking water, by the time I worked out it was 2pm and I felt good...good energy, good focus...no lethargy, and it was squat/deadlift day!

Anyway, I am really feeling good, possible just because I "switched it up" on my body, but I will continue this for awhile longer to see if the results continue. It may be in my head, but I also feel/look a bit leaner...especially during my workout. I am thinking of eating this way while on the 1-Andro aswell if I continue to feel results.

Sorry for the book, just thought I would share this experience as I was/am blown away by how I feel eating this way. I haven't had ONE issue fighting off cravings during my fast window...just floors me really.

 

[Merkaba]

I do IF when I'm cutting calories, i.e. losing muscle. Never Tried it while trying to build muscle. I practice full 24 to 30 hour fasting periodically, and did a couple 18+ recently when cutting. i really like IF especially for me cause a cup of coffee will get me through til the evening. I try to get something in me before working out, then I stack on the calories afterwards usually over about 6 hours.

 

[Built]

Being hungry sucks, but it's funny how there seems to be a limit to how hungry you feel while totally EMPTY, where there seems to be no end to the hunger of being starved on a lowfat diet of eggwhites and oatmeal, 6-microsnack-a-day cutting diet. Plus this way you get to feel FULL for six hours every day - WHILE CUTTING.

 

[DIVINITUS]

And boy, do you feel full over those 6 hours! the first day was tough on the ole gut. Because I am not trying to lose weight and if anything trying to add muscle, I may extend the window to 7 or 8 hours and maybe bump the cals to something closer to 3000 while on the 1-Andro. Either way, I love this method of eating so far. Last night, 11pm was my last meal and right now it's 4:15am and I still feel very full and satisfied.

Built, do you think bulking this way would work well? I'm assuming that as long as my cals are up high enough I will have no problem putting on muscle, but the articles I have read DO state that eating like this mimics a calorie restricted diet, even if there is no technical restriction...thoughts?

 

[Built]

Yanno, all I can suggest is "try it".

You can try reading Martin Berkin's blog for info.

 

[DIVINITUS]

I've been reading alot on his blog...very informative stuff. I think I will give it a shot

 

[Yanick]

IF, for me, is more about craving control/comfort. I don't think I would do it if I was trying to put on some weight because hunger/comfort is not an issue. Or rather it is but the other way around, you feel stuffed all day because of the amount of food you're eating all the time. Just my 0.02 cents but I feel like IF would work against me when trying to eat over maintenance.

Calorie deficit though? I don't think I'll ever do anything else. As of this morning I'm down 20lbs without a sweat. Sure I feel a bit run down and beat up from the overall calorie deficit, but I don't get hungry until about 1pm and I have my food in about 8-9 hours which keeps me full and happy. I'm basically in love and can't believe how I used to torture myself in the past.

 

[DIVINITUS]

I think I still might try because I gain weight pretty easily. I don't need 5-6k calories to pack it on, not at my age anyway. i also haven't had a tough time cramming the calories into my 8 hour window...and most importantly, as long as I continue to build strength, I actually feel better eating this way, think about food less, and so far my workouts haven't suffered...we shall see how I fair Monday...week 2 of this for me.

 

[Yanick]

Hey I hear ya. I've never tried something like IF with a caloric surplus. It might even work for a fatty like me. Keep us posted on your progress, I'll put it on my to-do list (its a very long list though lol).

 

[DIVINITUS]

Cool...I will keep you posted. I am going to be running 30 days of 1-Andro starting by the end of this week so I will definitely keep up with my progress!

Also, try sifting through leangains.com if you're interested for some info on IF and bulking.