Intermittent Fasting Explained (Kind of)
Today is the first day of my transition to intermittent fasting. I pushed my normal breakfast time of 7:30am (the moment my butt hits my chair at work) to 9:10am. My goal is to push my first meal back to about 11:30am.
Ok, let me explain the basics of IF before I get into the nitty gritty and the rest of my game plan. If you Google intermittent fasting you'll come across a few different systems. The one I will be adhering to is comprised of 16 hours of fasting and an 8 hour window of eating. Personally, I'm choosing to make my 8-hour window from roughly 11:30am to 7:30pm for social reasons. I want to be able to enjoy dinner with my boyfriend, go out to dinner with friends, or enjoy something sweet to finish off my macros right before bed (because who doesn't like ending their day on a sweet note?).
(My work alarm is odd and I don't actually use alarms for eating 😉)
Intermittent fasting isn't about starving yourself or punishing yourself. It simply capitalizes fat burning. More on that in a bit. I will still be eating the same amount of protein, fat, and carbs as I would on a regular "diet" routine. Quick side note - who else hates the word "diet?" It has a dreadful connotation. When I told my Granny I was doing Whole30, she just heard "diet" and was quite adamant that I didn't need to diet. While I do appreciate her concern over me not starving/depriving myself or having body image issues, that's not the type of "diet" Whole30 is. To me, when I use the term diet, I simply mean the food, macros, and eating routine I use. And as far as Whole30 (if you read that post, you know I quit on Day 19) it was simply about eating clean and healthy and it had a HUGE benefit to me energy- and mood-wise.
I'm only going to give notes on my research into IF. As I said, this is day one of my transition to IF, I'm not even doing it yet so I am no expert. Always do your own research, talk to doctors and professionals if you have concerns, and do what works for you. That's what I'm trying to do - I'm going to see if intermittent fasting works for me, and if not, oh well, I can readjust later. But rumor has it, IF helps burn fat and my goal is to get lean and strong, so let's go for it!
Tidbits and Tips on IF:
► The day is divided into 16 hours of NOT eating, and 8 hours of eating.
► Macros should remain the same. Protein needs to stay high so your body doesn't lose the muscle mass you've worked so hard for.
► IF is claimed to increase fat oxidation, reduce body weight, and accelerate fat loss (Those all sound similar huh?)
► When you eat, your body releases insulin. Insulin helps you store fat. It is made by the pancreas.
► IF triggers growth hormone (anti-aging).
► IF has been shown to help reduce LDL and increase HDL, reduce blood pressure and inflammation, and reduce post-prandial (did you know there's a word for "after meal?") blood glucose.
► Martin Berkhan, creator of the Lean Gains system of IF, suggests consuming more carbs than fat on training days, and upping fat/reducing carbs on rest days. (I don't intend to do this, at least not anytime soon. I'd like to at least keep my macro plan simple for now)
► Consuming BCAAs during the 16 hour fasting phase is technically not fasting because you'd be consuming a SMALL amount of protein. However, BCAAs are recommended if you are doing fasted training. (I will likely be doing this, because I've been enjoying morning workouts)
► If one day your schedule just does not allow your regular fasting/eating hours, don't panic. Just resume your normal 16/8 schedule the following day and keep doing your best.
► Sleep does count towards those fasted hours, hallelujah!
► During the fasting, you can have water, plain black coffee, or unsweetened tea. (Goodbye morning latte 😢 )
► You should spread your protein allowance throughout your 8-hour window to optimize protein synthesis.
► For supplement suggestions to help optimize your fasted workouts (if you do them during the 16-hour window) read this: https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/intermittent-fasting-science-and-supplementation.html
Note: All info is from multiple articles on bodybuilding.com. Always fact check and know the reliability of your source. I'm confessing I'm not an expert.
Alright, well that does it for the mini-IF lesson. If you have any additional information or personal experience with intermittent fasting, please stop by my Contact section and send me a note! I'd love to hear from you.
-The Girl