# Anyone fast longer than 8 hours?



## L11 (Jan 21, 2011)

OK, from what I've read, IF just seems like skipping breakfast, and therefore eating about 800 less calories a day.

My will power is amazing, and when I'm at work I can easily not eat, so I actually think I can do a 24 hour fast pretty easily on my 1 rest day a week. Eat at 9pm the night before, miss breakfast, go to work, miss lunch, eat dinner when I get back. This will put me in about 2000 calorie deficit for the day.

My only concern is, is this pretty catabolic?


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Fasting for 8 hours? I call that sleeping lol.

Don't worry, i think it's not established that not eating breakfast will not summon the catabolic ghost who will steal your gainz


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

when i was doing some serious IF last year (and prob in a couple of months time) i had a 4 hour eating window every day.

On training days i would eat an hour before the gym, then stuff my face an hour after the gym but i was still hitting my daily cals.

strength in the gym never suffered tho my sex drive did for some reason ive never sussed out


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

a.notherguy said:


> when i was doing some serious IF last year (and prob in a couple of months time) i had a 4 hour eating window every day.
> 
> On training days i would eat an hour before the gym, then stuff my face an hour after the gym but i was still hitting my daily cals.
> 
> strength in the gym never suffered tho my sex drive did for some reason ive never sussed out


Could be down to your macros. When people cut with low fat, sex drive often suffers


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

simonthepieman said:


> Could be down to your macros. When people cut with low fat, sex drive often suffers


i was getting a decent amount of fat in, i think it was more low(ish) carb related (i struggle to eat massive meals every day so i was putting cheese on most things to get the cals in on a smaller meal and cutting some of the bulky carbs out of what i was eating).#

Just a general lack of energy i think from being on a cut and training hard.


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## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

I fast for 16hrs per day. Food never tasted so good!


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## iamyou (Oct 29, 2012)

When I was natty and did IF I fasted 20 hours a day and trained on an empty stomach for over two years. Loved it. Not sure if I could have gained more LBM if I didn't do it, but at least I was shredded year round.


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## smaj210 (Aug 1, 2009)

i dont fats per se but my last meal is at 8pm and my next meal is about 10-10.30 am


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## TommyFire (Jul 18, 2010)

24 hours is all good mate.


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

I've just started....finish eating about 10pm...start about 5pm...so more like 19hours...BUT...i train at 3pm and do have 30g bcaa plus a pre workout so i count that as breaking my fast at 3pm ish.

eating about 600 - 700 below maintenance(maintenance is around 2900)...training mon,tues,thurs and fri...wed and sat are low low carbs...then im fasting from 9pm sat to 7pm sunday..then have a 2hour window where i will cheat..probs smash a cheesecake*full one* pizza, few bags of sweets and then a 100g protein shake or something.

*Intermittent Fasting - Routine*

*Training Days.*

Intra - 10g Creatine, 30g BCAA's, 10g Glutamine., Pre workout drink.

*5pm* - 80g protein shake, 500ml Fresh Pineapple Juice, 1 Banana.

80g Protein, 80g Carbs

*6pm* - 450g Steak Mince(5%) with 60g white rice, tomato type pasta sauce, activia 165g yoghurt.

95g Protein, 75g Carbs, 20g Fats

*9pm* - 400g chicken breast, 60g white rice with tomato type sauce, 165g activia yoghurt

1 Scoop Casein, Greens Powder, 5g Fish Oil. 2g Evening Primrose Oil.

105g Protein, 75g Carbs, 10g fats

*= 280g Protein, 230g carbs, 30g fats. - 2300Cals *

*
**Non Training Days* ( Saturday fast from 9pm till 7pm then Cheat meal on Sunday)

*4pm* - 80g Protein Blend, 15g evoo,15g Coconut Oil, Greens Powder. Blueberries

80g Protein, 30g Fats, 10g carbs

*6pm* - 500g Turkey Thigh, hot sauce, greens.

100g Protein, 45g Fats - 10g carbs

*9pm*, 200g Chicken breast, 5 medium free range Whole Eggs. 1 Scoop Casein, 5g Fish Oil, 2g Evening Primrose Oil. Blueberries.

90g Protein, 40g fats, 10g Carbs.

*= 270g Protein, 115g fats, 30g Carbs - 2200Cals.* - Thats calories from direct sources..maybe a little higher cos if indirect like carbs etc

Will see how it goes.....should be effective i hope! Cals might be a little low...but ill be smashing in 4000-4500on a sunday in the 2hour cheat window so probs be fine.

Cardio is just PWO at 15mins just to get me used to doing it.

Don't want to do a drastic cut, but if i do this for a good 3-4months i reckon i should continue to lose weight, probs just up my cardio every 2weeks by 5-10mins. Gonna try keep my carbs highish on training days

Wouldnt mind @defdaz and @TommyFire seeing what they think to my plan..and anyone else who wants to comment.


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## TommyFire (Jul 18, 2010)

UK1989 said:


> I've just started....finish eating about 10pm...start about 5pm...so more like 19hours...BUT...i train at 3pm and do have 30g bcaa plus a pre workout so i count that as breaking my fast at 3pm ish.
> 
> eating about 600 - 700 below maintenance(maintenance is around 2900)...training mon,tues,thurs and fri...wed and sat are low low carbs...then im fasting from 9pm sat to 7pm sunday..then have a 2hour window where i will cheat..probs smash a cheesecake*full one* pizza, few bags of sweets and then a 100g protein shake or something.
> 
> ...


Yeah really well thought out plan mate. Macros are spot on.

You'll have to gauge your fatloss accordingly but if you have a 'cheat' day/meal etc and really go overboard you may want to think about going really low kcal on one of your rest days-hitting protein requirements but keeping fat AND carbs to trace amounts. This is what i did and it worked pretty well.

Other than that you seem to have got the grasp of it!

Good luck, if you have any more questions then i will help as best as i can.


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

Thanks @TommyFire

Well i figured im 600-700cals below maintenance...carbs are only eaten on my 4 training days...other than my cheat meal.

Plus 15mins light cardio puts me another 150cals less, and training fasted will help burn into my fat stores easier.

So i reckon 4000cals for a cheat will be fine on a sunday but ill monitor progress. Not aiming to become drastically lean...but if i can slowly lean out whilst maintaining size i will be happy with that.


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## TommyFire (Jul 18, 2010)

UK1989 said:


> Not aiming to become drastically lean...but if i can slowly lean out whilst maintaining size i will be happy with that.


You'll see much better results long term the slower you can do it.


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

TommyFire said:


> You'll see much better results long term the slower you can do it.


Yeah true!

At the moment, yesterday and today i've been going like hypo..i have meal 1, fine..then like now im about to eat the steak with rice etc, and im sweating, all warm etc...no idea why


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

My only concern is swapping fats for carbs on non-training days. IF is all about filling your glycogen back up during the eating window so that you have a nice steady release the next day and enough for training. I.e. all the benefits of carbs but a nice long window for optimal lypolysis during the fast. If you eat fats on the non-training day but then then next day you train you'll be depleted big time by the time your workout comes around.

IMHO carbs are what IF is all about and you shouldn't be altering this on the non-training days. Good luck though mate, be interesting to see your results.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

UK1989 said:


> Yeah true!
> 
> At the moment, yesterday and today i've been going like hypo..i have meal 1, fine..then like now im about to eat the steak with rice etc, and im sweating, all warm etc...no idea why


First couple of days? Takes a little time to adjust but you'll be fine - up your carbs if necessary mate.


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

defdaz said:


> My only concern is swapping fats for carbs on non-training days. IF is all about filling your glycogen back up during the eating window so that you have a nice steady release the next day and enough for training. I.e. all the benefits of carbs but a nice long window for optimal lypolysis during the fast. If you eat fats on the non-training day but then then next day you train you'll be depleted big time by the time your workout comes around.
> 
> IMHO carbs are what IF is all about and you shouldn't be altering this on the non-training days. Good luck though mate, be interesting to see your results.


Valid point...i may just add in like 50g oats and an apple with my last meal on non training days then....and cut my fats down by 15g...cos that will give me some carbs for the next day? What do you think?


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

Although...saturday ill stay close to zero..as im not training sunday you see...so that means just better use of burning fatty acids from sat through till sunday night when i have my cheat meal.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

IF is all about getting the best of both worlds mate, carbs AND efficient fat burning (that you just can't get from eating carbs every two or three hours due to the disruption insulin causes). IMO there's no point doing fasting and low carbs. If you're going to low carb then just eat whenever, makes no difference.


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## Hayesy (Aug 15, 2011)

done a few 24 hour ones.....not so brutal after a binge


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## Skinniman (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi, im on wk 13 of I.F and introduced keto to run along side it as I had reached a sticking point, I was 14st ish to start with and got down to 13st in 10 wks, from 10 weeks I introduced keto and dropped a further 6lbs in 3wks. Not lost any strength at all intact im stronger and leaner than ever !

I have read ppl lose strength and size but I honestly haven't, I have lost bf all the way, waist from 35" to 32/31. Chest 46" to 45" bi's still 16.5". I'm now 12st 8lbs as of this am, I want to lose a further 8 lbs over nxt 3/4 weeks and hopefully reach bout 10% bf.

Best of luck with ur quest.

Skinniman


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## UK1989 (Jan 4, 2013)

defdaz said:


> IF is all about getting the best of both worlds mate, carbs AND efficient fat burning (that you just can't get from eating carbs every two or three hours due to the disruption insulin causes). IMO there's no point doing fasting and low carbs. If you're going to low carb then just eat whenever, makes no difference.


Yeah understood...so on my off days...even on the lean gains site it says lower carbs and higher fats..so would you include carbs...just keep them lower?

If i just have say carbs in my last meal then ill be fine i imagine.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

Well who am I to argue with Martin but for me you're depleted so it doesn't really matter where your cals come from you're still going to use them all up and then some. I'd rather get some protein-sparing, insulin-inducing carbs in there to promote a bit of good old fashioned anabolism.


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## Iluv2b_Free (Jun 18, 2011)

I fast 20 eat two meals in my 4 hour window, 1 @ 8pm , 1 @ 11:30 pm.


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## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

Iluv2b_Free said:


> I fast 20 eat two meals in my 4 hour window, 1 @ 8pm , 1 @ 11:30 pm.


And are you of sound mind? That would send me mental! 16 is hard enough.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

I strongly agree with @defdaz on this, even if it goes slightly against the stuff MB says on leangains - IF definitely seems to help maintain muscle mass better when carbs are not avoided.

The whole rationale for the IF theory, which is much older than leangains btw, is that IF dieting is aimed to maximize nutrient partitioning - during the feast phase carbs go to fill glycogen stores and not to fill fat cells, and during the fasting phase that stored glycogen spares muscle during anaerobic activities which otherwise (if glycogen stores are low) will ever-so-slightly eat away muscle a bit more, and the low insulin helps lipolysis stay efficient.


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## Iluv2b_Free (Jun 18, 2011)

Absolutely. I don't even get hungry unless im grocery shopping or once i start cooking my meals for my window. It's all in your head. I just remind myself i have already eaten my calories don't worry about it i'll get more later and it will be DELICIOUS.

I also have been able to stick to this window damn near perfectly. I have only broken the fast once early by 1.5 hours [18.5 hr fast instead of 20, and i compensated on the other end by waiting 21.5 hour to eat again back to my normal window] went on a date with gf so needed to start it.

I love IF because eating 6 times a day spaced out and counting all my sh!t keeping track is obnoxious as hell. This I just NAIL my protein in ~120g first meal, 80g + second meal and call it good. Fats / carbs don't matter [for me personally its different for everyone] I just need to stay in a caloric deficit of some sort. I try to stay around 300-500 deficit. Maintaining my weight ~ 2700 calories


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## Guest (May 10, 2013)

48 hours after a night out on the booze is the longest i've gone without food


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## Ukmeathead (Dec 4, 2010)

Iluv2b_Free said:


> Absolutely. I don't even get hungry unless im grocery shopping or once i start cooking my meals for my window. It's all in your head. I just remind myself i have already eaten my calories don't worry about it i'll get more later and it will be DELICIOUS.
> 
> I also have been able to stick to this window damn near perfectly. I have only broken the fast once early by 1.5 hours [18.5 hr fast instead of 20, and i compensated on the other end by waiting 21.5 hour to eat again back to my normal window] went on a date with gf so needed to start it.
> 
> I love IF because eating 6 times a day spaced out and counting all my sh!t keeping track is obnoxious as hell. This I just NAIL my protein in ~120g first meal, 80g + second meal and call it good. Fats / carbs don't matter [for me personally its different for everyone] I just need to stay in a caloric deficit of some sort. I try to stay around 300-500 deficit. Maintaining my weight ~ 2700 calories


Got any pics?


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## foodaddict (Feb 11, 2013)

Christ Almighty mate. If I did that they'd find me dead in bed, with rigor mortis and everything


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

defdaz said:


> My only concern is swapping fats for carbs on non-training days. IF is all about filling your glycogen back up during the eating window so that you have a nice steady release the next day and enough for training. I.e. all the benefits of carbs but a nice long window for optimal lypolysis during the fast. If you eat fats on the non-training day but then then next day you train you'll be depleted big time by the time your workout comes around.
> 
> IMHO carbs are what IF is all about and you shouldn't be altering this on the non-training days. Good luck though mate, be interesting to see your results.


I've done IF where it was low carb on 4-5 days and medium carbs on 1-2 days. This was ofset by an epic refeed day of 5K+ calories.

I was training 4 days a week doing 5/3/1 and hit PRs in bench and Deadlift (which are solid numbers for a natty).

Bewarned, you have to do the epic carb day commited though. not 3-4K cal nonsense


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

dtlv said:


> I strongly agree with @defdaz on this, even if it goes slightly against the stuff MB says on leangains - IF definitely seems to help maintain muscle mass better when carbs are not avoided.
> 
> The whole rationale for the IF theory, which is much older than leangains btw, is that IF dieting is aimed to maximize nutrient partitioning - during the feast phase carbs go to fill glycogen stores and not to fill fat cells, and during the fasting phase that stored glycogen spares muscle during anaerobic activities which otherwise (if glycogen stores are low) will ever-so-slightly eat away muscle a bit more, and the low insulin helps lipolysis stay efficient.


Hallelujah! Someone else actually gets it!! I love you det! :wub:


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

defdaz said:


> Hallelujah! Someone else actually gets it!! I love you det! :wub:


Thanks buddy - you actually helped me get my head around IF a bit better a while back, so kudos in return


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## L11 (Jan 21, 2011)

simonthepieman said:


> Bewarned, you have to do the epic carb day commited though. not 3-4K cal nonsense


Did you still fast on the 4k day? As in you consumed 4k worth of calories the small window, and the majority of it was carbs?

If so, I take my hat off to you.


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## defdaz (Nov 11, 2007)

If you ask me 'epic' refeeds are just an excuse for people to eat sh*t for a day. Your muscles and liver have a finite capacity (and a limited rate of uptake) for storing glycogen. Get anywhere near those limits and all you do is ask your body to store it all as fat. Silly.


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## Bull Terrier (May 14, 2012)

defdaz said:


> If you ask me 'epic' refeeds are just an excuse for people to eat sh*t for a day. Your muscles and liver have a finite capacity (and a limited rate of uptake) for storing glycogen. Get anywhere near those limits and all you do is ask your body to store it all as fat. Silly.


I think I agree with this, based on my past experience of cyclical diets. However a structured refeed is fine - as in consuming a pre-determined amount of carbs and limiting fats. I think that a refeed day with high carbs and fat is definitely asking for trouble. All-out pigout days really unwind hard work from low calorie/low-carb days. Not just a hunch - this is my prior experience.


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

defdaz said:


> If you ask me 'epic' refeeds are just an excuse for people to eat sh*t for a day. Your muscles and liver have a finite capacity (and a limited rate of uptake) for storing glycogen. Get anywhere near those limits and all you do is ask your body to store it all as fat. Silly.


Yet huge amounts of people use it and results speak for themselves and LOOSE fat in progress. Bizarre.


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## Ukmeathead (Dec 4, 2010)

simonthepieman said:


> Yet huge amounts of people use it and results speak for themselves and LOOSE fat in progress. Bizarre.


I know on that IA forums they do them epic refeeds 5-6k cals


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Ukmeathead said:


> I know on that IA forums they do them epic refeeds 5-6k cals


That's where I first learnt about it.

I thought it was BS at first but then kept watching people get lean and strong and decided to give it a go myself. A lean 230lb+ elite level power lifter in his 50s has learnt more than a few tricks in his time


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## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> Yet huge amounts of people use it and results speak for themselves and LOOSE fat in progress. Bizarre.


Can you go into detail as to why you think it works for these people? It seems ludicrous to me, but I'm interested to hear your thoughts.


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## Ukmeathead (Dec 4, 2010)

simonthepieman said:


> That's where I first learnt about it.
> 
> I thought it was BS at first but then kept watching people get lean and strong and decided to give it a go myself. A lean 230lb+ elite level power lifter in his 50s has learnt more than a few tricks in his time


They also drink gallons of green tea a day bloody nutters!


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

rectus said:


> Can you go into detail as to why you think it works for these people? It seems ludicrous to me, but I'm interested to hear your thoughts.


With a pen and paper I can put together a hugely compelling argument. I'm on my mobile and its too long to type out.

The key thing to note is it works. Logic and reason aside. It works.

People would be surprised how glyogen the body can hold. Look at Steve Redgrave's and Michael Phelps diet during completion time.

Also when you go from 6 days low calories, low GI to a mega high calorie, high GI diet. It does crazy **** to your metabolism. I can speculate, but it would be bro science as I'm not a doctor. But the heat you feel is testimony to the thermogenic effect.

As I said before, the proof is in the pudding, tons of people do it successfully. It's nothing new or revolutionary.

I remember all the same when IF raised its head. Starvation mode/catabolism/get fat from too many cals at night.

Check out the iron addicts forum for more info. It's an awesome resource over there


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## simonthepieman (Jun 11, 2012)

Ukmeathead said:


> They also drink gallons of green tea a day bloody nutters!


Lol. I've started drinking it too. Not that much though. 3 mugs is enough


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## rectus (Jan 18, 2012)

simonthepieman said:


> With a pen and paper I can put together a hugely compelling argument. I'm on my mobile and its too long to type out.
> 
> Check out the iron addicts forum for more info. It's an awesome resource over there


I'm happy to wait until you get on your PC  I'll have a look, cheers.



simonthepieman said:


> Lol. I've started drinking it too. Not that much though. 3 mugs is enough


Just supplement it? I got some free with the Phenibut I bought recently. Going to run it instead of Clen haha 'cause I 'kin hate the stuff!


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## Suprakill4 (Jul 11, 2008)

No.


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