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Thinking of trying Intermittent Fasting.

post #1 of 48
8/9/10 at 10:43am
Thread Starter 
New poster here

Wondering if anyone has had any past experiences with Intermittent Fasting?
If so, how is it going for you?

I'm currently trying to drop some bodyfat and have been looking around at certain dieting strategies.
I stumbled across this method - http://www.leangains.com

The results this guy gets is absolutely crazy! If anyone here has been using it, has it helped you get to these sorts of body fat levels?

Here is a page on the site I found of what some people using this method are achieving! http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Client%20results

Any input appreciated!
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post #2 of 48
8/10/10 at 9:36am
I've been on the 16/8 hour fasting for a bit and I got down to a decent body fat %. Nothing below mid/low 10s without a lot of wrok, but I also didn't incorporate carb cycling, carb back-loading and other stuff that I think can be used in conjunction. I have also started doing fasted workouts on just 5-10 g of BCAA. Not sure of the effect just yet as I only started a few days ago. I mainly practice it cause I tend to overeat, and knowing that I have a permissible window to eat makes it a lot easier to keep things in check.
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post #3 of 48
8/10/10 at 11:59pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the reply.

Yeah it looks pretty good actually.

I did some more reading on it over the past few days! Seems as though you can diet and not feel like you are dieting which would perfectly relate to your comment on doing it because you tend to overeat.
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post #4 of 48
8/11/10 at 6:14am
Did IF before the summer, as I was trying to lean out a bit. Helped me hit 10% bf (hovering around that mark) without too much of a hassle.

The major upside of it was the lower meal frequency and the fact that you get to eat bigger, more satiating meals. I definitely liked that, as I've never been the type to enjoy those 5-6 small meals throughout the day. Works nicely, combined with the fact that my regular diet is quite low-carb (<100g per day) - gotta love those steak dinners while watching TV

What I also found was that after you've adapted to the fasting period, you seem to get a real energy boost - I could get a lot of things done because I'd not have to worry about eating.

As for fasted workouts, I've pretty much trained that way for the past year... sometimes I'll get a small protein + carb preworkout-meal in though, if the day calls for heavy DLs or squats...
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post #5 of 48
8/11/10 at 9:47am
I've been toying with the idea myself. I don't have any trouble staying around 10-12% right now, but looking to take it to the next level without doing a short term plan that's not geared towards long term maintenance. Which version of IF are you guys doing? I've been reading Martin Berkhan's interpretation which is the leangains link posted by the OP - it looks good for me.
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post #6 of 48
8/11/10 at 10:42am
He is credible and achieves excellent results, but the key to IF is adherence. If the diet/training protocol fits your lifestyle, you're good to go.

Hire the guy for a consultation, if you can swing it. You'll save yourself some time and grief.

lefty
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post #7 of 48
8/11/10 at 1:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrumhalf View Post
I've been toying with the idea myself. I don't have any trouble staying around 10-12% right now, but looking to take it to the next level without doing a short term plan that's not geared towards long term maintenance.

Well crap... I was going to suggest you look up Lyle McDonald's "Ultimate Diet 2.0" - but I guess long-term isn't the right term to describe that diet. Basically a cyclical diet + exercise regimen that promises to get folks as lean as possible (w/o chemical assistance...). Judging by the results I've seen floating around the interwebz, it's pretty effective if done right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrumhalf View Post
Which version of IF are you guys doing? I've been reading Martin Berkhan's interpretation which is the leangains link posted by the OP - it looks good for me.

I'd have the intervals set up as 18/6, which seemed to work fine for me.
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post #8 of 48
8/11/10 at 1:58pm
UD 2 is difficult to adhere to for most people.

lefty
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post #9 of 48
8/11/10 at 2:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrH View Post
Well crap... I was going to suggest you look up Lyle McDonald's "Ultimate Diet 2.0" - but I guess long-term isn't the right term to describe that diet. Basically a cyclical diet + exercise regimen that promises to get folks as lean as possible (w/o chemical assistance...). Judging by the results I've seen floating around the interwebz, it's pretty effective if done right. I'd have the intervals set up as 18/6, which seemed to work fine for me.
I am a veteran of UD2.0 - did 2 rounds about 1 year ago. Worked really well for me but as you say, it is not a long-term approach.
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post #10 of 48
8/11/10 at 7:08pm
IF works great for me. Dropping in BF%, almost maintaining weight and gaining in strength. I break fast at approx 4pm with a small meal of cottage cheese, avocado and crisp bread. Pre- and post- workout shake around 6pm. I eat the rest of the days intake in one or two meals within 2 hours of working out. You should try it
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post #11 of 48
8/12/10 at 7:45am
Thread Starter 
@chrla336 - cheers! I'm going to try it for sure. The clientele on the site have nothing but great things to say about it! @ Lefty - wouldn't mind hiring him too. Do you know anyone who has hired him? (that you have been in contact with I mean) @ TRH - Could you please provide some more information on your experiences with IF?
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post #12 of 48
8/12/10 at 9:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ineedstyle View Post

@ Lefty - wouldn't mind hiring him too. Do you know anyone who has hired him? (that you have been in contact with I mean)

One, years ago. Positive experience.

This comes down to your ability to stick to the program. If you pay for something and have to answer to someone, I believe you have incentive to stay on track. It all depends upon your experience with training and diet, and ability to interpret and apply what he's promoting. Some people are very good at following rules if they are set up by someone else.

I also think that the good guys who are putting out decent material should be paid for their work.

Any guy who maintains a sub 10% BF, has a 3X+ BW deadlift and eats a box of kids' cereal as a PW meal is a guy worth listening to.

Good luck,

lefty
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post #13 of 48
8/12/10 at 10:15am
To you guys who have done IF in the past or are currently on IF, do the hunger pangs get better with time? My body is so conditioned to having breakfast at around 8am that it protests strenuously anytime breakfast is delayed or skipped.
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post #14 of 48
8/12/10 at 10:31am
Thread Starter 
After reading damn near every article on there, it's basically a hormone called leptin that mainly controls hunger signals. After 3/4 days you get accustomed to the fasts and then hunger becomes a non-issue. It's advised to keep the same length of fasts every day when you can so that your regulation of leptin doesn't get all messed up. From what I gather though, the IF style is not strict per se. It's based around your lifestyle and if you have a lunch or breakfast to attend, you just do it as you normally would. It works around you. You just try to implement it whenever possible without being a weirdo about it and refusing say your mother's birthday breakfast. I'll start tomorrow.
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post #15 of 48
8/12/10 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ineedstyle View Post
@ TRH - Could you please provide some more information on your experiences with IF?

Basically followed what mr. Berkhan advises here:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

During my cut, I'd keep cals about 500 under my mantenance and my diet was low-carb, tetering on the ketogenic side sometimes (that's just me). I'd oftentimes train fasted, because of my schedule.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scrumhalf View Post
To you guys who have done IF in the past or are currently on IF, do the hunger pangs get better with time? My body is so conditioned to having breakfast at around 8am that it protests strenuously anytime breakfast is delayed or skipped.

I find they did after a couple of days. TBH though, I never was a big breakfast guy, so skipping everything basically until lunch wasn't that hard for me... but, then again, I'm a small dude
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