Question about IF

[cmrocks]

Hi,

Was hoping to get some help with intermittent fasting. I'd like to try out the program.

I'm just wondering about the timing of the meals. I work at a mining camp and they serve meals at 7 AM, noon and 7 PM. At these meals, I can eat however much I want. I workout from 6-7 PM then go eat.

To get the full benefit from the program, I want to train fasted and have a fairly long fasting window. My concern is, how the hell do I get enough calories eating only one meal? Could I do something like this and still have the program work for me?

7 AM: Wake up
7 AM - 6PM: Fast with just some BCAAs during the day
6 - 7PM: Train
7 - 8PM: Sit for dinner and eat as much as humanly possible
9 PM: Weight gainer shake
10 PM: Weight gainer shake, bed time

I think I could stick to a schedule like this but I'm really not sure if it would be humanly possible to eat 2500 cals in that short of a time period.

Oh and my goals are to just keep making lean gains. I've been seriously training for about 6 months now and my weight has stayed the same at about 165 lbs but I've had a huge change in body composition. I've gone from a 33" pant to a 31" with an increase in muscle as well. I'd like to keep doing the same and eventually end up at a very lean 165 - 170 lbs.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[HATETANK]

Shakes are a terrible idea imo. One meal a day and two shakes are doing to be way below optimal.

[BWC101]

I would recommend eating at noon as well. Will allow you to fast for the recommended period of 8pm-12noon and the benefits in terms of performance after having this pre-workout meal outweighs the benefits of training fasted in my opinion.

I hate training fasted anyway- especially lifting but if you train at night, fasted training is not overly practical under the leangains protocol for fasting.

[joeyrey]

So you're doing a fast from 11pm-6pm? Dude makes ur eating window around like 4pm-10pm then you can stuff all those calories down

[cmrocks]

Shakes are a terrible idea imo. One meal a day and two shakes are doing to be way below optimal.

That's sort of what I figured, unfortunately.

[razorfin]

My recommendation is to eat when you're hungry. IF is not a magic formula, although it is good for discipline and I quite enjoyed it. I was doing IF until about a month-ish ago, then i thought 'wtf do i wait until 12pm to eat when im hungry now?

There is no need to limit your eating times, it's not a sure fire way to get lean or hench, eating a calorie deficit or surplus whilst lifting like a beast, is.

[PAU1]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=146880263
Here is your guide!

[cmrocks]

I would recommend eating at noon as well. Will allow you to fast for the recommended period of 8pm-12noon and the benefits in terms of performance after having this pre-workout meal outweighs the benefits of training fasted in my opinion.

I hate training fasted anyway- especially lifting but if you train at night, fasted training is not overly practical under the leangains protocol for fasting.

I can do that easily but then the only different compared to what I am doing now is skipping breakfast. I guess that will help but it doesn't seem like it will change things that much.

[BWC101]

I can do that easily but then the only different compared to what I am doing now is skipping breakfast. I guess that will help but it doesn't seem like it will change things that much.

That is essentially all the leangains protocol is.

For potential benefits of this approach I suggest you read through some more of Martin Berkhan's info.

[SoloX5]

LeanGains FAQ: http://examine.com/leangains-faq/

[StephSkywalker]

Why not break your fast at 12pm? Then workout at your normal time of 6pm, then eat your last meal at 7pm.. Then start your fast again at 8pm?? Then you would have your 16 hrs fasted and 8 hrs fed..