# Your IF fasting results/schedules



## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

I've done alot of Intermittent fasting research and I'm going to give it a try starting tommorrow. (I've heared this is the best way to loose fat while hanging on to your muscle).

Just thought I'd put this thread together so we can hear about your results and/or progress from doing IF dieting, also add the schedule that worked best for you. This would make it easier for others to research this. Because there's so many broken IF threads about.


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## Justin Cider (Jul 18, 2010)

interested to see replys/results..........


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

I did a little IF experiment whilst injured in the latter half of this year after reading Berardi's review of IF protocols (http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting).

Very basically i tried two approaches (one 36hr fast per week, and the eat only in a six hour window each day approach), each for about six weeks. Bear in mind though that a) was injured so not training with weights, B) didn't really 'need' to diet or cut anyway as I started at just over 10% b/fat which is about where I like to be... the whole thing was mostly just a little experiment to keep me feel I was doing somethign while I couldn't train, and the overall calorie deficit was fairly small.

Of the two protocols I was in a similar degree of kcal deficit as measured over a week, and I dropped weight the same with both protocols. I did lose a little LBM on both, more than i'd expect to on a normal cut, but then I wasn't training so lacked the main stimulus that helps retain muscle mass so that made sense and was expected. Fat loss was also similar to a 'standard' cut.

The only issue I had was during the eating in 4-6 hour window only approach, which I found made it difficult to eat comfortably - I experienced some heartburn, gas and mild IBS, things that I normally don't with the same food selection on other diets or even with the other IF approach... otherwise I found it quite fun and enjoyable, and particularly with the one day a week fast, I found it quite energising... the one day a week fast felt like a nice little detox type thing.


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Great, thanks for that. Exactly what I was after. In the six hour window aprotch did you still fast on rest days? Hope more people jump in on this thread.


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Also that's a great link thanks.


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

I've been doing it for about 5/6 weeks and despite eating 4200 calories my weight gain has been 0!

Confused is not the word!


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## 25081 (Nov 24, 2011)

I went from around 16% body fat to around 12% in two months (78.8kgs to 72kgs). I had an 8 hour window each day between 1pm and 9pm as that worked out well for me at work. I trained 5 times a week at around 5.30pm, (weights only, no cardio). Weights went up but not as much as when im on a bulking phase.


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## Bamse (Feb 5, 2011)

Robbie said:


> I've been doing it for about 5/6 weeks and despite eating 4200 calories my weight gain has been 0!
> 
> Confused is not the word!


Adjust your diet. You probably underestimated how many calories you expend.


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

Bamse said:


> Adjust your diet. You probably underestimated how many calories you expend.


But I'm only 72kg and doing weights 3x a week? I've heard of a fast metabolism but thats just stupid!


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## Bamse (Feb 5, 2011)

Robbie said:


> But I'm only 72kg and doing weights 3x a week? I've heard of a fast metabolism but thats just stupid!


But what do you do the rest of the time? Do you have a physically demanding job?


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## ki3rz (Sep 12, 2011)

It's going good for me, cant tell you how much weight i've lost (dont use scales) but my bf has dropped quite a bit. I use a 4 hour eating window in the weekdays, and usually an 8 hour eating window on weekends just because these both fit into my daily routines. It makes everything so much easier doing IF


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## Robbie (Dec 31, 2007)

Bamse said:


> But what do you do the rest of the time? Do you have a physically demanding job?


I sit behind a desk!


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Steuk said:


> Great, thanks for that. Exactly what I was after. In the six hour window aprotch did you still fast on rest days? Hope more people jump in on this thread.


Injured so wasn't training with weights - torn intercostal meant I really couldn't do a lot, but at the time of the IF experiment was healing up a bit so was going for a brisk 2-3 mile walk with the dog each day, and did this on the fast days as well as the normal eating days.

To be honest I think training when fasted is fine unless we are talking long duration fasts in excess of 48 hours when you would be v low on glycogen and so would risk burning up a bit of muscle. To be cautious though you could take 5-10g BCAAs if particularly worried about LBM loss.


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks for all the replys it's interesting reading your experience on IF. ShaneB could you talk us through your eating schedule as I will be working out around this time.


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## 25081 (Nov 24, 2011)

Steuk said:


> Thanks for all the replys it's interesting reading your experience on IF. ShaneB could you talk us through your eating schedule as I will be working out around this time.


My lunch at work is at 1pm so i would break my fast with a high protein, low carb meal (Usually something ive made up and taken into work). I would get home from work around 5pm and would have a protein shake and a small bowl of porridge. An hour after, I would train (with BCAA's intra-workout) and post workout i would have another protein shake followed by a large meal high in protein and complex carbs. This would usually fill me up for a while but if i was hungry before bed (which i often was), I would have something like cottage cheese with celery around 8ish (never later then 9pm).

Basically, I was aiming for between 1500 and 2000 calories a day, with most of them being consumed in my post workout meal (This would be the only one with carbs - and lots of them).


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks mate that's helped me alot!!


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## RFC52 (Jan 4, 2011)

I use Martin Berkhan's leangains approach with an 8 hour feeding window from 12-8 each day. Training fasted usually very early morning-if very early, I use the stop-gap BCAA technique- BCAA's every 2 hours till I hit 12. Also, fasted training includes the intake of BCAA's pre-workout.


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Just an update on my IF routine 2days in:

Break fast at: 12:30

whole tin of tuna on 4 whole meal bread

25g dry roast nuts

3pm Myprotien shake

4:30 Pre work out sup: jack3d

5pm Gym

6:30 beef casserole with veg home made mash

7:30 myprotien shake

How does this look for today?


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## ki3rz (Sep 12, 2011)

Looks good, long as the macros on your beef casserole aren't bad, looking organised mate


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Thanks. Don't think home made casserole is to bad? Not sure though. but tomorrows tea will be chicken and brown rice. I may get a few crackers with soft cheese down me with my final shake tommorrow?


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Just a quick update if anyone is interested. I've been doing the IF diet now since new year and it's going well. The first week and half I didn't notice much in the way of weight loss but I defiantly got stronger in the gym and just felt good in my self. 4 weeks on and I now weigh 12st10. I started out about 13st9. So weight loss is steady but consistent.

An average days diary is:

12:30. Break fast with 3 wholemeal bread and whole tin of tuna

Handfull of nuts

Protien shake

Orange

3pm. Protien shake

Banana

4:30. Jack3d

5pm. hit the gym

6.30. Brown rice with chicken breast and bacon

7.30. Protien shake

Handfull or nuts

8pm. Fast starts

Every other day for Lunch I'll have brown rice/pasta with chicken. And on weight days I'll have an extra protien hake before my pm meal.


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## KRSOne (Jul 31, 2011)

Steuk said:


> Just a quick update if anyone is interested. I've been doing the IF diet now since new year and it's going well. The first week and half I didn't notice much in the way of weight loss but I defiantly got stronger in the gym and just felt good in my self. 4 weeks on and I now weigh 12st10. I started out about 13st9. So weight loss is steady but consistent.
> 
> An average days diary is:
> 
> ...


deffo following this mate. going to give it a try in a week or so. you ever seen leangains? check out the guys website and testimonials if not, its pretty amazing

good luck bro, subbed


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

Cheers. I'm still on the fast and it's like a way of life now lol. I'm down to 12st6 now. Still following my above meals. Fasting at 8pm and breaking the fast at 12:30. I've defiantly put on a bit of lean muscle and my strengh has increased. The fat has shredded from my gut neck/chin. And u have slightly more definition on my arms.

Yesterday was:

12:30 break fast with brownrice diced chicken breast squirt of BBQ sauce.

Protein shake

Handfull of dry roasted

3pm protein shake

Orange

4:30pm Hemo rage (pwo sup)

5pm gym

6:30 Handfull of dry roasted nuts

4 scrambled egg 3 slices of chopped ham and one wholemeal bread

7:30 protien shake

8pm fast starts.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Steuk said:


> Cheers. I'm still on the fast and it's like a way of life now lol. I'm down to 12st6 now. Still following my above meals. Fasting at 8pm and breaking the fast at 12:30. I've defiantly put on a bit of lean muscle and my strengh has increased. The fat has shredded from my gut neck/chin. And u have slightly more definition on my arms.
> 
> Yesterday was:
> 
> ...


Hey, this looks very interesting, glad tere is a name for it to start off with. 

I ran something similar last year and will be looking at starting it again next week (had a layoff from training due to very bad insomnia, but sorted now so back on it next week). Mine was:

09:30 - enhanced post work-out shake (about 60 mins post training) - whey, oats, milk, fruit - about 2 pints so takes a while to consume 

12:30 meal - normally chicken breast/turkey/tuna with rice or sweet potato and vegetables

4:30 light snack - nuts and fruit

19:00 - meal as above

then nothing until 09:30 next morning. My fast is about a 14 hour fast, yours is out at 16. is it better at 16 hours - curious - for me this works, but interested if there is a basis - anything to do with the body's circadian rhythms - that makes it better at 16. Any idea?

It does work well, and despite me training first thing in the morning at the end of the fasted period, the weights I am lifting are getting bigger and closer to when I trained 20 years ago.

Out of curiosity are you using, or have you used, any AAS whilst on this protocol?

cheers


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## RFC52 (Jan 4, 2011)

DiggyV said:


> Hey, this looks very interesting, glad tere is a name for it to start off with.
> 
> I ran something similar last year and will be looking at starting it again next week (had a layoff from training due to very bad insomnia, but sorted now so back on it next week). Mine was:
> 
> ...


I may be wrong, but somewhere on leangains.com I recall reading about the effects of the fast becoming most prevalent in the 12-16 hour period. I think 14 would be fine, but why not try adding that extra 2, see how it feels!


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## Steuk (Dec 21, 2011)

I feel the 16h fast works well for me but Some times I'll have a few crackers with soft cheese at about 8:30 if I've had a good cardio session. I'm not sure if it's better or worse than doing a 12/14h fast?

My training looks like this:

Monday weights

Tuesday cardio

Wednesday weights

Thursday cardio

Friday weights

Sat/sun rest.

And no I haven't been doing any aas, but I'm going to be doing a pro hormone course next month. I'll be using hdrol.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Steuk said:


> I feel the 16h fast works well for me but Some times I'll have a few crackers with soft cheese at about 8:30 if I've had a good cardio session. I'm not sure if it's better or worse than doing a 12/14h fast?
> 
> My training looks like this:
> 
> ...


I honestly dont know, just thought it a coincidence that the route I had been taken to lose weight actually had a name! :lol:


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

JonnyF156 said:


> I may be wrong, but somewhere on leangains.com I recall reading about the effects of the fast becoming most prevalent in the 12-16 hour period. I think 14 would be fine, but why not try adding that extra 2, see how it feels!


Cool. thanks for the info on the site.


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## james_benjamin (Nov 13, 2012)

how did intermittent fasting work out for you then? did you loose much muscle and strength?


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

4pm till bedtime, no restrictions on kcals just a focus on getting my protein in (read: lots of junk food  ).

In about three months went from:



To:


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## Rusky87 (Jan 15, 2012)

Great results defdaz! Inspirational stuff.


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## Ukmeathead (Dec 4, 2010)

defdaz said:


> 4pm till bedtime, no restrictions on kcals just a focus on getting my protein in (read: lots of junk food  ).
> 
> In about three months went from:
> 
> ...


Sounds good any benefit to not restricting kcal later in the night?


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## IronMaiden (Mar 31, 2010)

Interesting reading. Keep it going guys sounds like its proper working!

Iv just started and going to do it for a few weeks without counting cals to see where I get eating naturally. Do u guys all count cals ?


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## ChiNN (Sep 12, 2013)

Quite interesting. I had a 6 hour eating window and definitely saw some changes.


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## IronMaiden (Mar 31, 2010)

ChiNN said:


> Quite interesting. I had a 6 hour eating window and definitely saw some changes.


Was u counting cals and macros mate ?


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## mark22 (Jul 13, 2011)

I didn't eat from 8 last night till 6 this evening, lost 4% bf... Serious cals in and out with some fat burning ckd, it works.

Oh and get a nutribullet, it seriously rocks.


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## User Name (Aug 19, 2012)

I started experimenting about 2 weeks ago. Generally I'm eating breakfast around 4.30pm-5pm and eating till 10-11pm.

It's actually harder not eating when not exercising, at the gym I don't really think about food. Definitely feel hungrier on the days I do more cardio.

Not counting calories at all - I'm even eating a lot of 'tasty crap' like desserts (sticky toffee pudding and cheescakes etc.) at the moment. But it's good to already be on a 500-1000 calorie deficit before breakfast. :tongue:

I guess I could probably get 'almost ripped' if I stick to the same routine minus the desserts. We'll see! Christmas is coming!!


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