Intermittent Fasting for Strength Training and Fat Loss - Part Two

[nondualism]

Was yesterday a rest day? training day? and what's today?

Yesterday was a training day (facepalm). Today is slated to be a training day - but could be a rest day - either way.

I don't calorie cycle, just a straight calorie deficit each day. I'm at ~10-12% body fat right now.

[alekkx]

Anyone want to suggest what they believe would be the best lifting program to follow on IF? Right now I'm trying to cut the last few lbs. (to reach my 'aesthetic' goal) and then I plan on following SS on a caloric surplus towards the end of summer.

Personally I prefer sticking to compounds almost exclusively and I'd just like some input. Any links would also be helpful.

Heavy low volume on the compounds and adding a few accessory movements with a bit of volume wouldn't hurt IMO.

[Yomamma777]

1200pm...wake up
100pm...bcaa
130pm-230pm...gym
430pm...bcaa
600pm...meal1
900pm...meal2
1200am...meal3
300am...meal4

I weight train 4 days out of week, 2 mile run 2 days, and yoga 1 day.

Run days and yoga days - above minus meal 2.

Weight days - ~2200cal
Other days - ~1600cal

Maintenance is about 2800..

Trying to cut...above good enough??
Critiques welcome. Thanks

No expert here, but it looks like your feeding period is 9 hours, not eight.

[JavaT]

None with IF for me. Absolute zero temptation to. Eating clean and non-dense foods = more volume + kitchen creativity = leads to zero temptation. But that's just me.

I ditto this, but modified somewhat.

I AM tempted (unfortunately) to cheat on certain days of the month, and no amount of willpower -- short of a flat-out miracle -- can stop the cravings for "crappy carbs" at that time.

So. Since there's not much I can do about THAT, I try to look at it from the approach that those days will be my built in "high" or cheat (hate that word) days, a shakeup to my metabolism, and all other on-plan days of IF'g combined will hopefully keep me progressing.

If it weren't for TOM cravings, I would have absolutely NO REASON or desire to cheat.

Men? You guys have it waaaaayyyyy too easy. (insert evil snarly face)

[JavaT]

I'm actually trying to finally take myself seriously. I tend to stop counting calories when I have a bad day (or stressful, or rainy, or bored, or whatever) and I need to STOP. So, I'm taking steps to basically eat really well like 90 percent of the time and then stop being so hard on myself. I think this is more a woman problem. Or do guys have this weird emotional thing with food, too?

This is DEFINITELY more of a woman thang
(certain times of the month when food is emotionally AND physically gratifying),
and there's pretty much NOTHING we can do about it to mitigate damage.

But ya got the right attitude: Try to eat well 90% of the time.

[Darkie]

Guys Im wondering should I take the recomp path or a cut before that? Here is my current picture and its flexed. Would sure appreciate the feedback and your opinion.

[nondualism]

Guys Im wondering should I take the recomp path or a cut before that? Here is my current picture and its flexed. Would sure appreciate the feedback and your opinion.

First - blurry photo is blurry.

Second - where is yr musclez?

[JJ22]

Guys Im wondering should I take the recomp path or a cut before that? Here is my current picture and its flexed. Would sure appreciate the feedback and your opinion.

It's always my choice to cut down to a desired level of BF prior to starting a mass gain phase.

[dcarterc]

It's always my choice to cut down to a desired level of BF prior to starting a mass gain phase.

I would second this piece of advice....

[Jenslyn17]

It's always my choice to cut down to a desired level of BF prior to starting a mass gain phase.

How do you feel this affects your gains? Do they tend to be more lean in general when you start from a lean basis?

[Darkie]

First - blurry photo is blurry.

Second - where is yr musclez?

Hmm they are hangin in there Thats why I asked what to do...To cut down a few pounds then work my way up from there or just Recomp all the way?
Tnx for the feedback nonetheless

[sportyaccordy]

How do you feel this affects your gains? Do they tend to be more lean in general when you start from a lean basis?

Its easier to cut once and clean bulk than to constantly yo yo

I haven't got to the single BF range yet but I am cutting now and hoping this will be the last one I have to do for this long (3 months- shooting for 15lb loss)

To me it makes more sense to get as lean as I can once and then slowly add mass while staying in the single digits... that yo yo **** is losing game

[Jenslyn17]

Its easier to cut once and clean bulk than to constantly yo yo

I haven't got to the single BF range yet but I am cutting now and hoping this will be the last one I have to do for this long (3 months- shooting for 15lb loss)

To me it makes more sense to get as lean as I can once and then slowly add mass while staying in the single digits... that yo yo **** is losing game

Definitely agree with that, but what I'm really thinking about is if being at a lower BF when bulking affects the rate at which you can put on lean mass. I hear a lot of guys feel that they add more lean mass when at a low BF, and comparatively more fat when you gain at a higher BF

[Locavore]

I know there still aren't a whole lot of women showing off IF results, so... I'll add myself to that small crowd. I just finished 12 weeks of IF:



Don't get me wrong-- "finished" doesn't mean that I'm stopping. Just that I hit 12 weeks and now I have pretty pictures to show for it. -21 lbs. Can't tell you for sure how I did on retaining LBM, but I *feel* like I held on to it all. My shoulder measurement went up, my legs look more muscular.

[Jenslyn17]

Amazing! Good job!!

[PeanutButterBan]

Amazing! Good job!!

x2 - For sure keep going, doing fantastic!

[bulldog_3]

I know there still aren't a whole lot of women showing off IF results, so... I'll add myself to that small crowd. I just finished 12 weeks

AWESOME! Great job!

[sportyaccordy]

Definitely agree with that, but what I'm really thinking about is if being at a lower BF when bulking affects the rate at which you can put on lean mass. I hear a lot of guys feel that they add more lean mass when at a low BF, and comparatively more fat when you gain at a higher BF

I don't think there's a correspondence... if anything I would say at low BF putting on mass would be slower as one would keep the surplus lower to ensure minimizing of fat gain

I forget who said it... Lyle or Martin... but down in the single digits its advised to keep bulking at about 1/2lb per week, which makes sense- ~250 extra kcals per day, which is very small for the avg dude

Just makes sense.. u cut down to 6% and want to stay there, so u have to sacrifice all out gains to stay lean (esp if you've moved ebyond noob gains).

I know there still aren't a whole lot of women showing off IF results, so... I'll add myself to that small crowd. I just finished 12 weeks of IF:

(Excellent transformation pics)

Don't get me wrong-- "finished" doesn't mean that I'm stopping. Just that I hit 12 weeks and now I have pretty pictures to show for it. -21 lbs. Can't tell you for sure how I did on retaining LBM, but I *feel* like I held on to it all. My shoulder measurement went up, my legs look more muscular.

Great stuff!

[dcarterc]

x2 - For sure keep going, doing fantastic!

x3 that's an amazing transformation!

[Madevilz]

wow, good job Loca

[IrishPilot]

I know there still aren't a whole lot of women showing off IF results, so... I'll add myself to that small crowd. I just finished 12 weeks of IF:....

Repped...well done!

[TheAnatomist]

Particularly if you started out with >20% BF and have had difficulty cutting fat using other methods but have been successful with IF:

30 years old, 5'9", 177 lbs, about 18-20% BF. Lifting high intensity low volume RPT style a la Martin Berkhan three times a week. I follow the Lean Gains protocol as closely as I can.

Rest days: 1620 cals (185 g protein, 45 g carbs, 80 g fat)
Training days: 2190 cals (200 g P, 215 g C, 60 g F)

Have been having trouble losing fat for a long time. The above is working, just very gradually though my strength has either been staying steady or increasing week to week (with some visible mass gain, particularly in my legs).

What do you guys advise I do to accelerate my fat loss while ideally maintaining my lean mass?

Ideas I've come up with are to drop training cals more, or keep my cals the same on training days but mess with the macros a little. If anyone experienced can chime in, I would appreciate it bigtime!

[hankst]

Two ways:
- lower intake
- higher output (activity)
up tp the point where it just doesn't **** up your progress in the gym. Not a lot more you can do without performance enhancing drugs.

[PeanutButterBan]

I would take a look at rest day cals. I'm 6'2" 198 and my rest day calls are lower than yours; I found it helpful to think of energy balance on a week to week basis rather than on a daily basis.

Right now you're eating 6570 training calories and 6480 resting calories for a total of...13050 a week. You might try redistributing that a bit, based on BWx12 your daily maintenance is about 2124. On training days I would eat 25% more, 2655 kcal, giving you a properly anabolic environment. Similarly on rest days I would lower by at least 25%, so 1593 or less, I think you could get away with 1400. Thus totally 7965 training calories, and 5600 resting calories for a total of...13565. So you're weekly balance is still well under maintenance (14868) and you're maximizing anabolic potential on training days and fat burning potential on rest days.

[milkneggs786]

Incredible incredible progress!! Well done Loca!

[hully1029]

SEASONED IFers - does it matter how long I wait to eat after my workout to be most effective??

[PeanutButterBan]

SEASONED IFers - does it matter how long I wait to eat after my workout to be most effective??

From 2 pages ago...

* When working with clients I am always open to compromising on the above rule. If your preference is to eat a larger meal in the evening instead of noon, or whenever you break the fast, it's no great harm. Some people prefer to save the largest meal on rest days for dinner with their family instead of having a large lunch and that's fine by me if it makes them enjoy and adhere to their diet better.

[hully1029]

i know i may be asking repetitive questions, but i very much appreciate the help. THANKS!!

From 2 pages ago...

* When working with clients I am always open to compromising on the above rule. If your preference is to eat a larger meal in the evening instead of noon, or whenever you break the fast, it's no great harm. Some people prefer to save the largest meal on rest days for dinner with their family instead of having a large lunch and that's fine by me if it makes them enjoy and adhere to their diet better.

[ChinoZ32]

I ditto this, but modified somewhat.

I AM tempted (unfortunately) to cheat on certain days of the month, and no amount of willpower -- short of a flat-out miracle -- can stop the cravings for "crappy carbs" at that time.

So. Since there's not much I can do about THAT, I try to look at it from the approach that those days will be my built in "high" or cheat (hate that word) days, a shakeup to my metabolism, and all other on-plan days of IF'g combined will hopefully keep me progressing.

If it weren't for TOM cravings, I would have absolutely NO REASON or desire to cheat.

Men? You guys have it waaaaayyyyy too easy. (insert evil snarly face)

I suppose but trust me you're not the first to mention that. :P

And that's a great way of approaching it. Especially when those certain days are workout days, hold off a little post workout, man that would work nicely to your advantage.

Call it 'free' meals like Lyle does

Flexible vs. Rigid Dieting

[ChinoZ32]

Awesome progress

Well bloody done Loca!!!!