I have had great success with intermittent fasting in the past. I used it to initially lose 75 lbs and then used it again the following spring to get ready for summer. I have been a great proponent of intermittent fasting in the past and still am.
If you would like to hear more about my transformation, check out my about me page.
Intermittent fasting is a great method for cutting. It allows you to eat big meals and still lose weight. If you can get through the initial week or 2, you get used to it and not eating during the day actually feels good. You may end up feeling more alert and energized. Then, when you are winding down for the day, you get to eat a few big meals before going to bed.
What I Like Most About Intermittent Fasting:
Intermittent Fasting Allows You to Eat HUGE
I have always been a big eater. In fact, when I was in my early 20’s I used to accept challenges to eat ridiculous amounts of food. Now that i’m older and wiser I wouldn’t accept an eating challenge unless it was to see who could eat the most plain chicken in a day.
There’s just something about sitting down in front of a giant meal and demolishing it. This is especially satisfying after an entire day of fasting.
When you are dieting and eating 6 small meals per day, you are constantly in that “not quite satisfied” state where you’ve eaten but you are left wanting more. Intermittent fasting makes food so much more enjoyable.
Intermittent Fasting Makes your Supplements More Effective
I am a big time supplement junkie. I take way more stuff than I need to, especially while cutting / dieting.
Many supplements should be taken with food for proper absorption, but others are absorbed best on an empty stomach.
One of the best additions to your fat loss stack is the supplement Yohimbine. Multiple studies confirm that Yohimbine is effective at helping you lose fat during a caloric deficit. The catch is that Yohimbine is most effective when taken in a fasted state.
Suggestion: Check out an article I wrote about Yohimbine by clicking this link.
Your other fat loss supplements such as caffeine are also going to hit you harder and potentially work better while you are fasting. If you have even taken your stimulant based pre-workout on an empty stomach, you probably know what I mean.
Intermittent Fasting CAN Make you More Productive
Have you ever eaten a meal and then felt sluggish or tired after? This often happens to me. Especially after eating carbs and especially bread. Intermittent fasting alleviates that. You don’t eat and feel sluggish until the evening when you are ready to go to bed.
Also, after the initial 2 weeks of I.F. something happens. Your body gets used to not being fed and you become more alert and aware while in the fasted state. You no longer feel hungry during the day and it all feels natural – at least for me and many others who have reported the same effect.
Another thing is eating takes time. If you are scheduled to eat meals at 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, and 9 then you have to stop what you are doing and take a break 6 times a day so you can slam down some chicken and rice or whatever your poison is. It can definitely be distracting and take away from your productiveness.
With intermittent fasting you work all day with no distractions and then eat at night when you are ready to wind down and relax.
Check out this related video:
Why I’ve Decided Not to Utilize Intermittent Fasting This Year
Right now it’s the end of January and I’m just starting my cutting phase after a slow bulk.
(I like to lose weight slowly because research shows it will allow you to preserve more muscle)
I’d say my bulk was successful. I started the slow bulk mid-August. I went from 205 to 240 and gained 35 lbs over 5 months. All of my lifts are up. I’m definitely fatter but can still barely see some abs. (First thing in the morning in just the right light 😉 )
Suggestion: Check out this article I wrote on Slow Bulking
I feel I’ve gained a decent amount of muscle and strength this winter and want to do everything I can to keep it.
Many experts / bodybuilders will say that eating every 3-4 hours is the best way to grow … or retain … muscle, especially when it comes to eating protein. They will say that your muscles need a steady flow of protein all day every day and I can see the reasoning behind this belief.
You see, your body stores fat in the form of bodyfat and carbs in the form of muscle glycogen. It doesn’t store protein in the same way.
Your body uses the protein it can while it can (while it’s in your body being digested) and that’s it. Once your done fully digesting the protein, you no longer have the building blocks for muscle building floating around to keep building muscle.
Now, research shows that it takes several days of fasting before you actually start losing muscle from not eating protein.
Research also shows that it is incredibly difficult for an advanced lifter to gain any muscle during a cut.
So, why not do intermittent fasting then?
Basically i’m curious. I’ve done a successful cut twice now using intermittent fasting, but I want to see what will happen this year while cutting on 6 meals per day.
If eating 6 meals per day helps me to keep just a bit more muscle than I would have if I used intermittent fasting, it will all be worth it.
I am going to diet back down to 205 (which is what I got down to last summer) and compare the results.
Once this “experiment” is over, I’ll definitely report my findings.
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