anyone do intermittent fasting.. leangains, warrior diet etc....

[krustus]

i would think to be a freaky big bodybuilder you would need to eat a lot and very often, but for those just wanting to be in great shape and that have busy schedules (jobs, kids, etc..) fasting is a good approach.

i have been doing it for about a year and a half now and it is perfect for me and my goals. i am 44 and about 200lbs at around 10-12% bodyfat. my only goal at this moment is to get leaner and maintain my current strength and mass.

i don't have to worry about tupperware, protein drinks or even breakfast. i have to get the kids up and ready for school most mornings and then make my commute to work and no breakfast is just so easy. i have made great progress on this type of plan coming down from at least 20% bodyfat (maybe more?), and gaining strength.

i do it for the convenience mostly, as i have gotten great results in the past with the multiple meal a day approach. i was single then and my whole life revolved around me so it wasn't all that inconvenient. but now with kids, their ball practice, jobs, and all the things that come with family, intermittent fasting is my best bet to stay in shape and on track.

so if you aren't looking to be a competitive bodybuilder or a mass monster (by the way i respect the discipline and hard work that it takes to do either) and need a diet that is easier to stick with give it a go.

at my age i just want to look and feel good and a diet and exercise plan that you can stick to is the most important thing...

[bhcolex50x]

Interesting, when I'm trying to cut down ill do combat powder with water 3-4 times a day with a solid lunch and dinner. Fast basically from 8pm-8am then like 70% protein 20% carb 10% fats the other 12 hours

[jdb3]

Fasting=muscle loss....PERIOD.

[jdb3]

I still think, if you lift weights....aggressively, you should have multiple nutrition intakes throughout the day. I know what you mean about having a busy schedule, but if I ever feel myself get hungry, I know right then Im going catabolic, and catabolism is bad.

[krustus]

i used to do that too ... live off protein drinks mostly. with IF i probably only drink about 4 protein drinks a week. i only eat 2 times a day, sometimes only once, but then i eat big. with this plan i can eat a little looser with carbs and stuff so if the boys want to get ice cream we'll all go. right now i am dropping weight for the summer so i have to eat a little cleaner (still calories in vs. calories out) and am getting to around 10% or below right now, would love to get as low as i can (6-8%) without getting too insane with the diet and driving the whole house crazy.

i have never been huge , so i can't comment on this method vs regular bodybuilding multiple meals method for getting huge, but for the most convenient method for staying in good shape for a really busy person ... this is it.

[Racelife]

I've done a fast a year for 3 years now. Typically lasts 5-7 days. Conducted just before my competition diet phase. Mostly to purge my carb cravings and establish mind over matter mantality and gets my mindset ready for not allowing myself to consume carbs and bad fats, sugars. Works for me.

[krustus]

"Fasting=muscle loss....PERIOD." i don't know about that? i believed the same for years. but 6 meals just wasn't working for me anymore (couldn't stick with it)

there are studies showing that calories and macros are what matters most as far as gaining or losing and i have personally gotten stronger while slowly dropping weight with IF.

[jdb3]

HERES A SECRET: The more whole foods you get and less shakes, the harder and better you physique will be.
(whole foods are magical,lol)
Yes, Krustus this is possible. But , there are still more efficient ways. Tell you what, post your dailey schedule and times you eat, and if you want I will help you out with this. I DO COMMEND YOU for dropping so much bodyfat!!! Good work! I have a BUSY ASS scedule too, and I have found economomic friendly and convienant ways to still get adequate intake in .

I can help you if you would like

[krustus]

thanks jb... but i can't go back to eating 6 plus times.... this way is so much easier. and it does work. check out some of the info out there (leangains.com, warrior diet etc,,) maybe not for gettin huge.

if i get busy at work and don't eat lunch til 2 .. no big deal. if i have to attend ball practice and miss a meal ..No big deal, just when i do eat i can eat a lot and try to get protein and macros right and it's all good.

i do appreciate the offer though and i believe there are more ways to skin a cat.

[jdb3]

10-4 my man,

[bhcolex50x]

As for muscle loss... I'm 6' 240 and 13.8%bf, I can afford to loose some muscle to get down to my goal bf%. The shakes are to make the hunger go away, each has 25g protein with only 2 carbs and 1-2 fats. The 2-3 meals are for actual nutrition

[krustus]

i'm with you cole... you must be around 40yrs old .... mass at all cost isn't really worth it to me anymore.

[jdb3]

good point...we all have different goals. Once I got to heavyweight status, it became addicting. bigger...bigger...and then wanting to get even bigger. The eating is the hardest part of bodybuilding for me, also the most expensive, If I could have one sponsor it wouldnt be a lab or supplement company or even a gh supplier, it would be Publix supermarket.

I fell of a while back because my schedule got so busy (still is)...and I got discouraged due to less intake...:(

Some people dont require as much as me...It takes alot for me to gain, but the other side of the coin, I can shred down very easily with minimal cardio, diet alone...I can drop bf FAST. But it has its drawbacks.....a huge ass grocery bill and feeling somewhat bloated due to the mass amount of calories consumed.

It does get tiresome....I got to where on Sundays I will eat like a bird just to give me a break and my jaw muscles a break as well. A retired pro once told me...eating no longer is a pleasure, its a chore.

[krustus]

jbd... i do respect that.. people don't understand how bad you have to want it to even make it on an amateur level. no steroids or eating program or lifting program is gonna replace the hard work and determination required to be elite.. i always laugh when i hear people say a guy only looks like that because he's on the juice, like the only reason that THEY don't look like that is juice...lol.

juice without the diet discipline and workout ethic won't get you anywhere.

[jdb3]

I second that!

at COLEX: 240 @ 6'0 13%, bro you are fucking j-a-c-k-e-d

[RockShawn]

This will be my second year competeing and the food is really getting to me. I did however see how quickly you can get fat by eating bad after having sucha clean diet for so long. After this prep I'll be looking for any means neccesary to stay leaner. Competed at 205 in August and at the start of my cut in Jan 2013 I was 255 @6'1" guessing at 18-20%bf. All I do is eat anymore, my life revolves around getting food in every 3 hours. we plan family activities around whether or not I can take food, or get the right food. It's almost insane. I've actually relaxed this prep a lot, If I miss or timing is off, I don't sweat it, just get back on as soon as I can. Honestly i think those little fluctuations are helping this time. today i'm 245 at about 15% - got 8 weeks to go. I just pray I don't go bankrupt on groceries trying to get there.

[jdb3]

This will be my second year competeing and the food is really getting to me. I did however see how quickly you can get fat by eating bad after having sucha clean diet for so long. After this prep I'll be looking for any means neccesary to stay leaner. Competed at 205 in August and at the start of my cut in Jan 2013 I was 255 @6'1" guessing at 18-20%bf. All I do is eat anymore, my life revolves around getting food in every 3 hours. we plan family activities around whether or not I can take food, or get the right food. It's almost insane. I've actually relaxed this prep a lot, If I miss or timing is off, I don't sweat it, just get back on as soon as I can. Honestly i think those little fluctuations are helping this time. today i'm 245 at about 15% - got 8 weeks to go. I just pray I don't go bankrupt on groceries trying to get there.

dman bro I k now....the weekends I dont eat as much . ...saves a little. On family vactions I quit worrying about it....what happen to me is it quit becoming fun....so when I go on vaca, Im just like fuck it...Im gonna enjoy life. I eat only about 4 times a day but when I do I pack it in. Keep it fun my man.

[krustus]

All I do is eat anymore, my life revolves around getting food in every 3 hours. we plan family activities around whether or not I can take food, or get the right food. It's almost insane.

that is what got me looking into intermittent fasting... planning family around my eating was really starting to suck.

now i don't compete and am no where near the size of you guys, so i have no idea what kind of groceries and eating you guys deal with.

[Greenegorilla2]

Fasting=muscle loss....PERIOD.

there is articles that say using fasting helps use the nutrients better the day after a fast. So lets say on Sunday when Ur resting, fast, only intake is water and nutrients, Ur not gonna lose 10 pounds, so don't freak out. There is a guy I can't recall his name at this point but I will dig for it, he makes a powder just for these fasting days that gives you what you need. It's actually pretty clever idea.

[jdb3]

there is articles that say using fasting helps use the nutrients better the day after a fast. So lets say on Sunday when Ur resting, fast, only intake is water and nutrients, Ur not gonna lose 10 pounds, so don't freak out. There is a guy I can't recall his name at this point but I will dig for it, he makes a powder just for these fasting days that gives you what you need. It's actually pretty clever idea.


,......interesting

[RockShawn]

You could do humapro from arl industries (I think that's the name) its 0 cal and supposed to be whacko protein. I've got some at home just always forget about it.

I never wanna eat on Sundays anyways. All I want to do is sleep all day long, and play halo.

[jdb3]

You could do humapro from arl industries (I think that's the name) its 0 cal and supposed to be whacko protein. I've got some at home just always forget about it.

I never wanna eat on Sundays anyways. All I want to do is sleep all day long, and play halo.

A fellow video gamer! ...haha...I dont get to play much any more.

[krustus]

The myth of "metabolic stoking" through multiple meals every couple of hours has been firmly debunked by science. The research on the topic has grown over the years.

Bellisle et al. found that when measuring 24-hour energy expenditure, there was no difference between frequent small meals or infrequent large meals.

from a recent article on t-nation.... to loose fat it seems either meal approach will work as long as the calories are where they need to be. now to gain a lot of muscle i guess that would depend on if you could get all the calories in a very few meals... might be tough?

[jdb3]

That article deals with metabolic rate.....the purpose of frequent mealing is too keep in a anabolic state (or providing an environment that promotes tissue growth). Also, if you do consume mass meals at one time, it can promote a big "spill over" where you would consume too many at one time (depending on macros ate) and promote fat gains. So, the idea is to minimize catabolic time and keep in a steady growth environement.

I havent read the article, but I would challenge it. As a nutritionist, frequent small meals of high protien and low carb does help in dropping bodyfat. The first thing people notice when they do this, is that they get hungry more often.

Its kind of like a camel in the desert....why does he have that hump? Its because the body responds to inputs. He sees some water and sucks it up, and stores it. Now imagine that same camel in the jungle....what would eventually happen to the hump? It wouldnt be needed becasue he would have all the water he wanted.

Now if I eat 2-3 big ass meals a day consitently, I create a better environment for fat storage, my body responds to inputs. After a while its says "hey I dont know when this sob is gonna feed me again" so I better store some of this. Vice versa, after CONSISTENTLY smaller meals frequently, the body gets used to that. It readily expends more energy because it kniows it will be getting intake every so often (provided the right macros).

[Greenegorilla2]

Good info right here boys. We gotta some smart mods here Hahahaha jp

[krustus]

jb... i once thought that the multiple meals was the only way, but i have been doing some version of IF for almost 2 years now and the results have been great for my goals (stay lean and/or get leaner and not loose the muscle and strength i have)

but most people are beginning to realize that the frequent meals stoking the metabolism is a myth...and that total calories matter more than when or how many meals they are spread in. there are lots of studies on it.

i would think multiple meals would be the only way to get huge (6000-10,000 cals a day in 2-3 meals ouch) but to maintain a lean appearance and added convenience.. IF is the ticket. but i guess if you could consume that amount of cals in a small window it would still be a good mass gainer (but no experience to back that up)

but in reality what ever works for you (each individual) is the best method for you. same with training... the program that you will do and put tremendous effort and dedication into is probably the best for you as long as it covers the basic movements.

the real magic of any bodybuilding only comes through consistency. old time bodybuilders had great builds with less equipment and information because of hard work and dedication. any of us could know all the tips and tricks to nutrition and training and still get shamed by a guy that just trys harder with less knowledge.

[jdb3]

I agree to some extent krustus, notice I said, if the macros where right. Now for your goals and convenience (a big plus), it sounds that IF is a good route. The problem with most people, is they get the macro intake not in favor for them....it sounds to me that you have your macros in check for your body type...i mean the proof is in the pudding. Look at all the bf you dropped!

I COMPLETELY AGREE about the hard work...I remember telling myself when I first started.."Im always going to remember that its about my work ethic" It holds true.

Alot of different routes work, it really boils down to 1) Goals 2) Natural body type/Metabolic rate 3) ...how much gh you use ....HAHAHA joking on #3!

I will say this, I have had many success stories using the frequent intake methods for weight loss clients (usually only three real meals and low carb fillers in between...but like you said, if the work ethic isnt there, neither is the final product.


Now if I do IF and my 1 or 2 meals is HIGH in sat fat, sugary carbs ect....Im gonna say fat loss will be out of the picture, again...the macros must be in check.


I look at calories as what they really are...a unit of measurement, kind of like a "pound". Think about it....If I consume 5000 calories in two meals, but all the calories come from say....broiled tilapia, I obviously wouldnt have the inputs for any fat gain. Now, what if I eat say 1500 calories in two meals (one before bed) and its all from Dairy Queen birthday cake and honey buns, I obviously would gain some fat, or promote it. I am just trying to explain the importance of macros regardless of nutrition method.

Good thread going here.

Metabolic rate is a big factor....remember kids in high school that ate like shit and stayed skinny? or the guy you know who can just look at a french fry and gain 5lbs?

An important point...diets are best customized. I hate to go by a general guideline for a diet....700g carbs for me may may be different for someone else.

I love threads like this, intelligent convo. Good homework Krustus. ...damn I love BOP

(sorry for spelling errors)

[jdb3]

Good info right here boys. We gotta some smart mods here Hahahaha jp

??? Are you making fun of my camel metaphor? lol

[jdb3]

...One more thing, I know guys that compete and eat cheesecake, pizza, icecream, slushes from Sonic and stay relatively lean....I wonder what the secret is? hmmmmm.....

[krustus]

...One more thing, I know guys that compete and eat cheesecake, pizza, icecream, slushes from Sonic and stay relatively lean....I wonder what the secret is? hmmmmm.....

don't you hate those guys!

this has been a good discussion. and i have noticed with IF that i can eat a little dirtier and stay the same bodyfat and weight.. and to drop weight i have to be more careful about macros (as i could eat 12 donuts almost anytime but 12 chicken breast would be tough.) but i don't need to go low carb or no carb to loose.

[jdb3]

edited post. very good thread. good feedback!

[jdb3]

don't you hate those guys!

this has been a good discussion. and i have noticed with IF that i can eat a little dirtier and stay the same bodyfat and weight.. and to drop weight i have to be more careful about macros (as i could eat 12 donuts almost anytime but 12 chicken breast would be tough.) but i don't need to go low carb or no carb to loose.

AHHHHH..I see what your saying, based on calorie intake alone? next post

[jdb3]

don't you hate those guys!

this has been a good discussion. and i have noticed with IF that i can eat a little dirtier and stay the same bodyfat and weight.. and to drop weight i have to be more careful about macros (as i could eat 12 donuts almost anytime but 12 chicken breast would be tough.) but i don't need to go low carb or no carb to loose.

You knw what...I do remember some shit aboutthis...its been a while since I read it, about adipose thresholds or some shit.

[RockShawn]

A fellow video gamer! ...haha...I dont get to play much any more.

My 5 yo son loves to kick my ass at any game he can. On halo, Ill be in the back hiding trying to snipe targets and all of a sudden he's in my scope doing hand to hand and clearing the way. Pisses me off LOL.

[Greenegorilla2]

I'm more of a black ops 2 guy myself, but yea good info here fellas, and no I wasn't makin fun haha

[jdb3]

New section.....video game reviews! lol

[RockShawn]

this has really given me something to chew on ( no pun intended) I'm stuck right now and I'm wondering if IF for a week would create the confusion i need to get things rolling again. I think with AAS I'm not going to lose any if all mass in doing so, I know I'm prolly not going to gain though. Last prep we resorted to a torturous run with Keto and while it did work, rebound was horrible. Point being here, I actually gained some LMM while on keto and watched my strength explode as well and I'm fairly certain the AAS had a lot to do with that.

[krustus]

here are some quotes from an article on t nation (the latest i have read and easy for me to find) i am no scientist and haven't done anything but read articles and opinions on the subject, but the experience i have had with it has been great. i also read the warrior diet book and the leangains.com site. the warrior diet guy is pretty spiritual about it which kind of turns me off but the info is still pretty good. the leangains fellow has recently lost his mind over someone writing a book about his plan (the 8 hour diet) but leangains has some good articles and outlines about his fasting plan.

here is a link for a free ebook about fasting http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting (http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting)


Your body doesn't really keep a clock on calorie intake, as long as you're meeting your needs within the 24-hour period. Your muscles will not fall off with fewer meals, and neither will your metabolism take a nose-dive. Specific meal timing is a variable you can adjust to meet your goals.


For those trying to lose fat, intermittent fasting protocols where you eat more calories in a shorter timeframe, or alternate high and low calories days, can allow you to stay in a deficit easier.

The potential benefits also include higher satiety and reduced cravings. If you struggle with tiny portions every couple hours and can hold off better if you get to eat big, being flexible with your meal sizes and when you eat them may help you stick to the diet.




Eating six meals a day every two to three hours to "stoke the metabolism" and prevent a catabolic "starvation mode" is bullshit. Your metabolism doesn't work that way. Grouping your meals together or getting all your calories in smaller time frames to fit your schedule or make adherence easier won't negatively affect your muscle gains or fat loss.


At a physiological level your body can't really tell the difference between "types" of food. A carb is a carb. Protein is protein. Fat is fat. Your body won't reject a nutrient because it came in a different package on the shelf. This is where "if it fits your macros comes in."

The story is that IIFYM is not a "diet setup" or style – it came from bodybuilding threads where trainees were asking whether "macaroni could be eaten on my prep." The answer? "If it fits your macros bro, go for it."

[RockShawn]

I think the biggest prob I would have even trying this is shoving in 3400 cals in 3 or even 4 meals. I mean I will cut calories later in this prep, but 3400 is my maintenance. I just can't see me being able to eat a clean 1100 cal meal in one setting. None the less I'm going to read the link you posted and research a little more. I looked up leangains.com and that guy is, different, to say the least.

[jdb3]

At a physiological level your body can't really tell the difference between "types" of food. A carb is a carb. Protein is protein. Fat is fat. Your body won't reject a nutrient because it came in a different package on the shelf. This is where "if it fits your macros comes in."


Not true....not all protiens are created equal (ie incomplete amino profile...vegtable protiens), same for carbs...If I was to eat 200 gram of carb from oats at one time...ok then 200 from sugar, different effect...different feedback. Carbs have a GI for a reason...different GI carbs have different breakdown (fas/slow) and create different insulin reactions. Same for fats...fats are not just fats...if this was true, everything I learned in college is completely false. Everything I have learned from doctors and fellow nutritionist is false....and then every diet layout that I have obtained from reputable people in the industry is wrong. Everything in modern nutrition and sports nutrition would be wrong.


Unsat/Sat fats are too very different things....a few cases of high BP/cholest and this becomes a reality. Unsat fats are treated completely different than sat fats inside the body and have different uses
The only way what this article says is true is when talking about caloric value of carbs and protiens (4 cals per gram), fat 9 cal

[krustus]

yeah the leangains guy is a little crazy... but a lot of smart borderline genius people are (not saying he's a genius.. wouldn't know)

but yes sometimes getting the needed cals in those eating windows (i use 8 hrs) can be hard. that means i have to eat some more calorie dense foods (dirtier non bodybuilding foods)

[jdb3]

Highlighting the positive impact of increasing feeding frequency on metabolism and weight management.

Louis-Sylvestre J (http://www.brotherhoodofpain.com/pubmed?term=Louis-Sylvestre%20J%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=15806828), Lluch A (http://www.brotherhoodofpain.com/pubmed?term=Lluch%20A%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=15806828), Neant F (http://www.brotherhoodofpain.com/pubmed?term=Neant%20F%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=15806828), Blundell JE (http://www.brotherhoodofpain.com/pubmed?term=Blundell%20JE%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=15806828).
Source

Laboratoire de Physiologie du Comportement Alimentaire, UFR Léonard de Vinci, Bobigny, France. [email protected]

Abstract

Research on feeding frequency started more than 20 years ago and some studies have shown evidence of nutritional benefits, especially on metabolism and body weight management. Advice on feeding frequency could play an important role in public health policies by reducing levels of overweight and obesity, the prevalence of which has dangerously increased in most countries over the last few decades. The 17th International Congress of Nutrition brought to the forefront the benefits of increasing feeding frequency (i.e. keeping the same total daily energy intake but dividing it into more frequent meals than usual). Recent epidemiological studies, mostly carried out in France, have provided evidence on the beneficial effects of a fourth meal for those individuals who habitually choose this pattern. Supported by metabolic data, these findings have now been supported by experimental studies. The "goûter", commonly eaten in the afternoon in France by most children and many adults, has the biological characteristics of a meal because it is eaten in response to hunger. Suppressing the "goûter" in "habitual fourth meal eaters" soon leads to an increase in Body Mass Index (BMI). Further, people who are regular "goûter" eaters have a higher carbohydrate intake and better metabolic profile than other adults, even though their total energy intake is not greater. Increased feeding frequency leads to a reduction in the total secretion of insulin, an improvement in insulin resistance and a better blood glucose control, as well as an improvement in the blood lipid profile. The experts agreed that, as long as we do not consume more energy than we use up and we only eat when we are hungry, it may be useful to split our total energy intake into as many meals as our social pattern allows. However, the pattern of eating cannot be completely dissociated from the composition of foods consumed. Therefore within this energy intake, we must take care to consume not only a good balance of macronutrients with high carbohydrate and low fat levels, but also ensure that we get an adequate intake of essential micronutrients. "What you eat" and "When you eat it" are public health messages to communicate: frequent consumption of low energy dense high carbohydrate foods, rich in micronutrients, must be encouraged ensuring that energy intakes are not greater than energy expenditures and that eating episodes occur in a hunger state.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15806828

The articles that dispute this usually have no credintials behind them.

Most disputes try to disporve that frequency DIRECTLY affects metabolic rate...this is true, The pathway taken to increase metabolism is over a PERIOD OF TIME, is INDIRECT and frequency does not neccessarly affect MR directly, but rather indirectly in ACTIVE individuals.

This study deals with weight reduction,insulin sensitivity, ect not the anabolic state of hypertrophy. Which can be taken advatnage of by different macro ratios.

THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT, but to say that frequent feeding is useless in plain false.

Another problem with some studies is that they are done over a short period of time, consitencey over a duration of time is where changes in MR is noticed (up to 15% in active adults!).

[jdb3]

Again, it is totally do-able....NOT eating 5-6 plus meals a day to drop bf or even gain weight. But frequency does in fact have influence (indirectly) on MR.

Someone who has a high MR to begin with wouldnt benfit as much as someone who was obese...the context of what we are using (weight gain, muscle gain, bodyfat loss, ect) plays a big role as well as the individual.

I will be getting less meals here soon because of schedule, but I will have my macros in order, so I do respect your opinion in that.

Also keep in mind, we use anabolic steroids....we are more efficient and faster recovery (x given amount of nutrients) than the "subjects" in these studies. We do have an advantage....a rather large one :)

[jdb3]

which leads us back to the basics....more intake than expenditure=weight gain. vice versa.
Nutritional science can be very technical because of the endless numbers of variables and individuals.

If it works for you, go with it. Like I said, some people gain/lose very easily. There are factors outside of dietary intake that heavily influence this (MR, thyroid, body type, activity level, macro nutrient ratios consumed, amounts ect)

Hell I might even try a warrior diet sometime to give my pooper and jaws a break! lol

[RockShawn]

Again, it is totally do-able....NOT eating 5-6 plus meals a day to drop bf or even gain weight. But frequency does in fact have influence (indirectly) on MR.

Someone who has a high MR to begin with wouldnt benfit as much as someone who was obese...the context of what we are using (weight gain, muscle gain, bodyfat loss, ect) plays a big role as well as the individual.

I will be getting less meals here soon because of schedule, but I will have my macros in order, so I do respect your opinion in that.

Also keep in mind, we use anabolic steroids....we are more efficient and faster recovery (x given amount of nutrients) than the "subjects" in these studies. We do have an advantage....a rather large one :)

When you drop meals, which ones will drop? I guess I'm asking will you just space them out in the same amount of time during the day you do now or simply drop a meal or two all together and just wait the extra couple hours before the next one? hopefully that makes sense

[jdb3]

I would not drop the two most important...1st meal of day (bring out of catabolism) and post work out. What are your goals? weight reduction, maintaining current weight, or increasing weight?

[RockShawn]

I would not drop the two most important...1st meal of day (bring out of catabolism) and post work out. What are your goals? weight reduction, maintaining current weight, or increasing weight?

I'm prepping for a show in May, so fat loss and no muscle loss are my goals. however on maintenance cals I'm gaining LBM and staying stagnant at 242ish - definitely leaner. I should compete at about 212-215 so I'm starting to get worried I don't have enough time to drop 20+ lbs.

[krustus]

let me say upfront ... i have never prepped for a contest.

but i do intermittent fast to stay lean year round (around 10%).. i eat in a 8 hour feeding window usually from 11 am to 7pm and sometimes 12-8. i eat a decent lunch and supper in that 8 hrs and on a rare occasion i have a snack in between. sometimes i have a 75-100g of protein drink to get the protein macros in but still in that 8 hr window. on weekends i do the warrior type diet and eat 1 time in a 4hr window especially if we have an occasion or event to attend (most times i do bcaa's in a drink through out the day and have a protein drink (75- 100g) before we go.

i don't fret to much about where my carbs and fats come from (bread, pasta, even cake) as long as it fits my macros and within my calories.. i do try to get most of my protein from lean grilled meats but downing 5-6 chicken breast at one meal for me is impossible so i supplement protein with a shake now and then. right now i would like to get down in bodyfat a little more so i have been a little more selective about food sources. mostly because of how you can really eat a lot more of the bad foods (whole bag of donuts) but it's much tougher to over eat grilled chicken (i mean who's gonna down 12 of those at one time?)

there are many on a lot of forums following these types of principles getting ready for a contest and with great success, but i have never competed so i really can't comment on how it works from experience.

oh and no cardio.... i may add some later but i hope to not have to.

[RockShawn]

Krustus, your experience is what has my interest peaked for sure. I'm in no way negating your success with it. I think for us who have dieted down a certain way and know it works for us for a contest, its hard to go against your own grain. The main goal is to stay anabolic, which we all know is accomplished through the wonderful vitamins provided by out great sponsors, so I'm really teetering on this at least in a short term. I've got 8.5 weeks to first show and right now its gonna be insane if I make it. Ill prolly have to skip it and do the one two weeks after. Still monumental considering I got way too fat in the off season. I may PM you if that's ok and try to get more specifics of your protocol. Just trying to wrap my brain around getting the macros in in that time window. And I lift at 5:00pm.

[NickA]

I've been doing leangains the last six months. I was skeptical at first but decided to give it a go. So far I'm very pleased with my results. I'm cycling carbs so I have a higher intake on workout days vs. non-workout days.
Bodyfat has decreased and my strength is still increasing. I'm doing my first ever cycle soon and I'm looking to continue following the 8-hour feeding window.

[krustus]

hey nick... i was very skeptical at first too. but it works.. i lost bodyfat while getting stronger. i only did a 450mg a week test cycle right at the beginning of doing lean gains, but it did increase hunger a little if i remember right but not a big deal.

it's just so damn convenient and gets results i don't think i could ever go back.

on vacation last time they had a free buffet at the hotel every night so i didn't eat all day and threw down at the buffet every night.. i swear i came back looking better. i did take bcaa in a drink that i sipped on from about lunch on.

[NickA]

It is really convenient. I've always logged my training do every detail, and the last years also my diet, but getting all those meals every 2-3 hours apart became a challenge six months ago and that's when I found and started reading up on IF.

I do 3 meals on workout days (fasted training, but 10 g BCAA before workout) and 2 meals on rest days. I have my main carb intake in the first meal (post-workout) and taper down on the next two. I also limit my carb intake on rest days. I feel great doing this, even though I've always been a "breakfast person" in the past.

[krustus]

i can only do fasted training on weekends, but it is awesome most of the time unless i have been a little too strict over the week with cals.

so i do about 30% of daily cals at lunch, then train and get the rest of the cals after training ,but some days it don't work out exactly like that i may eat 50% of my cals at lunch. i try not to stress about that so much. but now that i want to get shredded for the summer i'm gonna start trying to get the majority of my cals post workout. and clean up the diet a little.

[gusgus]

Carb backloading is were its at IMO

[krustus]

i've got to read up on carb backloading... i've heard people say they get great results, i just don't really know what it is.? lol

[NickA]

I agree gusgus. As far as cutting bf and keeping as much muscle as possible, IF has so far worked best for me. Curious to find out how my gains will be when I start my first cycle.