# Eat stop eat, leangains, intermitten fasting



## beeazy (Jan 15, 2011)

What Your guys opinion on these type of eating styles? IM NO EXPERT but I  have used intermittent fasting to lose 35lbs, and I do have my doubts  about the benefits in eating every 2 hours and such. Im more of a  calories in vs calories out thinker, I also believe macros matter,  however I just don't believe the timing of when You eat matter.

Obviously every ones different and, some people NEED breakfast in the  morning to get going. What works for some people may not work for  others. I personally ( besides failed attempts at trying to DIET before)  rarely eat breakfast Id rather save those calories for later in the  day.

I do believe post work out meals are important as well.

Im going to start my first cycle soon (4wks dbol, 12 weeks test) and am  going to ditch this eating style for a more traditional one while ON (  basically just to make it easier to get in 4500-5000 cal a day.) However  when Im OFF I figure ill slowly bring cals down to 2500-3000 and most  likely wind up Back on a intermittent fasting style of eating. Splitting  my calories up into two large calorie meals and two or three snacks in  between to insure i get my 1.5-2g protein and enough cals. For me it  just allows more choices in enjoyable foods. I still will have to manage  my macros ( alot more closely then now I usually only get a little over  1g protein per pound)

Just wondering what others diets were and opinions on if this will work to maintain gains while of cycle.......


----------



## Snarff (Jan 15, 2011)

I use intermittent fasting Monday-Friday when cutting as I find it easier to control calories in by only eating the during 5pm to 11pm window, I train at 7/8 pm

Obviously Mon-Friday Im at work so its simple to do, I dont bring any food with me and I dont bring any cash to work (Saves me money also by not buying from the office cafeteria!). I only drink Black Coffee during work hours (2 Large mugs)

By eating all my calories in the evening (total 2500), I can eat 2 large meals (one before workout and one after) in addition to my protein shakes, nuts and fruits

Saturday & Sunday, I eat when I feel like it but still within my Limits although I tend to eat closer to 3000 cals each day as I do a lot of biking throughout the week

Dont think I could ever cut using the often suggested "small and often" approach, and I also dont believe that humans are meant for a "grazing approach" of eating throughout the day but never truly feeling full

Only problem with this approach I find is that I just dont quite have the energy id like for my workouts so this week and next im going to experiment with an additional cup of coffee 30mins before working out

I dont know fully the benefits of this approach vs others, but I do know its a lot easier to control calories in this way


----------



## Built (Jan 16, 2011)

Intermittent fasting ala leangains is a great way to eat - controlling intake is SO MUCH EASIER.


----------



## vortrit (Jan 16, 2011)

Built said:


> *Intermittent fasting *ala leangains is a great way to eat - controlling intake is SO MUCH EASIER.



This is not unhealthy, at all. I don't think I understand the whole concept of this type of diet, it just seems like it would be a bit unhealthy - not too sure though.


----------



## Built (Jan 16, 2011)

vortrit said:


> This is not unhealthy, at all. I don't think I understand the whole concept of this type of diet, *it just seems like it would be a bit unhealthy *- not too sure though.



vortrit, perhaps if you outlined your concerns, we could better assess their validity. What in particular makes it seem a bit unhealthy to you?


----------



## Life (Jan 16, 2011)

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that he is worried about the big gap between meals and assumes that the body will be in a catabolic state. In reality however it does not


----------



## Life (Jan 16, 2011)

Snarff said:


> Only problem with this approach I find is that I just dont quite have the energy id like for my workouts so this week and next im going to experiment with an additional cup of coffee 30mins before working out
> 
> I dont know fully the benefits of this approach vs others, but I do know its a lot easier to control calories in this way



How long is it from your first meal until you work out? If it is within two hours then I bet thats the reason. Generally you want 2-3 hours from a meal before you go to work out. I eat @ 12 then workout @ 5, eat 2-3 meals after working out and stop eating altogether @ 8.


----------



## Snarff (Jan 16, 2011)

My first meal of the day is at around 5pm then Im in the gym for 6:30 or 7pm. Ive also decided today that im gonna ditch the 2 or 3 apples I eat in the evening and instead through a cup of oats into pre w/o shake.

could the lethargy also be attributed to the routine of cycling 4 miles to work, 8 hr office shift with only coffee, 4 miles cycle home, first meal and shake then cycling 3 miles to the gym? should i be consuming more of my calories pre gym to ensure a good work out?


----------



## Built (Jan 16, 2011)

You'll just have to fiddle around with it until you find a setup that works for you. I'm finding 11AM, 4PM and 9PM feedings seem to work very well for me.


----------



## yeksetm (Jan 17, 2011)

Stupid Question and im embarrassed to ask it but!!! Does a protein shake count as a meal when doing intermitted fasting? When I'm doing a normal day shift I work out in the morning and have a protein shake then, my next meals aren't usually till 3pm & 8pm.


----------



## GMO (Jan 17, 2011)

beeazy said:


> Im going to start my first cycle soon (4wks dbol, 12 weeks test) and am  going to ditch this eating style for a more traditional one while ON (  basically just to make it easier to get in 4500-5000 cal a day.) However  when Im OFF I figure ill slowly bring cals down to 2500-3000 and most  likely wind up Back on a intermittent fasting style of eating.



Just be sure to keep your calories up during PCT and a few weeks after, or it will be harder to keep your gains.  Not sure how fasting will effect gains from a AAS cycle.  I know that when I come off cycle, everything changes. I have more LBM, hence more protein.  I weight more, hence more calories to maintain that weight.


----------



## beeazy (Jan 17, 2011)

GMO said:


> Just be sure to keep your calories up during PCT and a few weeks after, or it will be harder to keep your gains.  Not sure how fasting will effect gains from a AAS cycle.  I know that when I come off cycle, everything changes. I have more LBM, hence more protein.  I weight more, hence more calories to maintain that weight.



Yea I figure during pct ill go 3500-4000 and slowly drop it down to around 500 above maintenance.


----------



## ZamaMan (Jan 17, 2011)

Fasted training has numerous benefits. Bcaas are used after if you have a few hours till it's time to break the fast. 

This lifestyle is not unhealthy by any means. 

Yes a protein shake counts as breaking the fast. Sometimes I'll add some creamer to coffee and not count it since the calories are so low. 

It can be hard for some to bulk on IF, which is unfortunate but just add as many meals as you need to in order to get your calories down. Maybe instead of an 16/8hr fast/feeding go with a 14/10hr schedule.


----------

