16:8 Fasting

[VJL1279]

Hey Fam,

So I want to give the 16:8 fast a go. However, I have a question about working out and using this method for weight loss. I know you are supposed to eat before working out and after, however my workouts are early in the morning and I would not break my fast till 10am. Any insight on this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Hwabyong]

You can do cardio fine when fasted. If you're lifting heavy weights, you should either work out at a different time or move your eating window so that you can get some protein after you're done lifting.

[Heybales]

You'll be majoring in the minors if you believe you have to eat before and after the workout.

Meaning there are so many things that come before that to provide best response from lifting.

Studies have shown the amount of improvement to eating some level of protein within so much time after a session is going to be for those with years of lifting experience and about perfect on all the other things that illicit a good response.

So don't worry about it afterwards.

Now before - that's purely personal preference as to what allows a good workout.

You could eat later at night, and confirm you aren't active after eating too much, to use up limited liver glycogen stores you might appreciate by the next morning. So noon to 8pm perhaps.

You could get used to it and get to point you don't need it - it is just lowered blood sugar possibly if you feel tired at workout. Your muscle glycogen stores can only be used by the muscles - so whatever got topped off there is still available in the morning.

You could slide your window to start before your workout and end earlier - this could mess up life with others though for like dinner.

You should make sure you are not taking too big a deficit - people eating too little even on eating all day schedule will have sucky workouts.

Here's my experience I was shocked at - because I came from believing I needed to eat frequently.

Lifting weights, and endurance cardio (triathlons) were my workouts, 5-6 days weekly.

I went to eating after the evening workouts, I knew from experience that for me refilling glycogen stores in muscles soon is what would allow a good workout the next day. Attempting to do so prior to workout at some point did not work, just made me tired (insulin response does send the carbs off to those stores, but my body over-reacted and lowered blood sugar too - so bad combo).

So for summer that meant coming home from work and doing 3-day split lifting routine for 45 min, and then going on 1-2 hr run, or 1-2.5 hr bike ride. Then cleanup, and 1st meal of day easily 9-10 pm start, get done by midnight or 1 am with snacks.

I was shocked this worked without issue. Only on rides reaching 2.5 hr on leg day would I start to get weak, under the 2 was fine, especially on upper body days.

So you can get used to it.

Eating by 10 am is just fine - there is no magical window unless you are doing endurance cardio and need another good workout tomorrow.

Several good references to a body builder Dr Helms and his research into the matter.

https://builtwithscience.com/intermittent-fasting-guide/