Fasting, but with Protein Shakes to Placate

(Chantay) #1

Hi all – I want to try a three or four day fast. I was going to try just water, but my husband is freaked out about it. I’ve told him to read up on fasting, sent him countless links to god knows how many of Dr. Fung’s YouTube videos, and it all comes down to protein.

We lift (heavy heavy heavy) four days a week. He’s convinced the protein is an issue. So, in an attempt to ease him into the idea that I can fast and be OK and not immediately crumple under the bar, I’m thinking two protein shakes a day (one right before, one right after when he eats dinner.) Ends up giving me 8F/9C/48P for the day.

It also gives me basically a 23/1 IF window, since a weight session takes about an hour.

Thoughts?

(VLC.MD) #2

What’s the goal ?

(Chris) #3

Seems like a waste of time if you’re going to introduce carbs during a fast. That’s just me though.

(Carpe salata!) #4

I think sure. Try it. It’s good to have stepping stones to a goal and fasting can take stepping stones for psychological and physiological reasons.

(Chris) #5

That’s what I don’t get, it’s not a “stepping stone”, it’s her using a supplement to make her husband happy. Big difference.

(Carpe salata!) #6

Yeah. Depending on what is the next step.

(Michelle) #7

Some of the great things about fasting is to repair and rebuild. If you introduce protein and carbs, you will not get the full effect. I would say if this is your first fast, then try it with fat (mct oil or butter). If you are fat adapted and your body runs on ketones now, then introducing carbs and protein will get you back to glucose burner. Not sure if that’s what you want.

(Tim W) #8

Others have asked the question, what is the goal here? Your protocol might change depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

If you are fasting for “general reasons” then:

Eat a little more protein the day before you start your fast. Then, during the fast, lift lighter weights but don’t skip the lifts. You’ll have some great workouts provided you warm up for about 30 minutes prior to the lift. When fasting, HGH is high and the body breaks down old proteins/amino acids/fat cells etc.

If you just HAVE to consume something to placate your spouse, I’d suggest some plain BCAs, not protein shakes, they might put you on the insulin response roller coaster which would increase hunger and make an attempted fast hell.

I understand your spouse’s concern, my wife was the same way when I started playing with IF, then longer fasts. Eventually she got onboard though and no out-does me on long fasts. It takes some time to de-program from the “you must eat every six hours” and "you need protein within six minutes after a workout and all that other BS.

Good luck!

#9

You might be better using fat and really making sure to get the electrolytes in. I have had problems with fasting and get nausea at a certain point which was getting earlier and earlier. I tried a fast last week but made sure to have a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil am and pm as well as plenty of water and electrolytes. It made a big difference and I found 48 hours easy enough. I pushed it through to 63 which was a tad long so I am going to cut back to around the 50 mark next time. You might find the addition of bone broth beneficial and I would say that would be preferable to protein shakes. I had a bowl of stock cube water (no broth in the house) with some butter in it and it was great - really saw me though.

Just some ideas that might help. Good luck.

(Chantay) #10

Goal is to try to shake things up and break a plateau (same weight for the last 9 weeks).

(Chantay) #11

He worries, and I’m trying to be considerate of that worry, since it comes from a good place. I could easily swap BCAAs for protein shake and maybe add a little coconut oil. I already add lite salt to my water for during workouts. I just know that he has a level of comfort with whey, so it’s familiar to him and might help him not view this as “weird” or “crazy.”

(Chris) #12

I can understand that sentiment, being a husband myself.

I don’t want to give out relationship advice where it isn’t wanted, or to try to stir up trouble whatsoever. But this is about trust. There’s a communication disconnect in the pipeline here, between the information leaving your mouth and entering his ears, or maybe where it goes after it gets past his ears.

I don’t want to dwell on that, so too keep it brief- use whatever you have to, BCAAs would be better than whey powder (which is usually loaded with sugars or soy or other undesirable stuff that real food doesn’t include). Or instead of supplement powders and pills, maybe make a nice hearty bone broth and use that as your “food”. Plenty of salt, fat and collagen that you could use in there.

Again, I don’t want to go assuming stuff about your relationship so I hope I didn’t come off as trying to, but I want to help with your problem as best I can.

(Tim W) #13

Great suggestion, the bone broth will provide a similar source of “key components” to muscle growth.

#14

Bone broth provides gelatin which doesn’t really support muscle growth

#15

I did zero carb protein shakes for 10 days and didn’t lose an ounce!

(VLC.MD) #16

For weight loss, too much protein ?
Try just fasting, broth fasting, or broth plus small Amount fat fasting. Try lifting less for two weeks and more fasting ?

(VLC.MD) #17

Exercise is good for you, not for weight loss.
Fasting is the best wight loss method … by a mile

#18

If you do that, your not fasting. Your body isn’t going to burn that protein as a fuel, so doing that to convince him you won’t ride the bar to the floor is pointless. If you’ve sent him Dr. Fungs stuff and he doesn’t want to see what the science actually says regarding fasting and how our bodies actually work when fasted then you’ve done what you can do. If you want to work out fasted, work out fasted. I typically only do 3 day fasts lately but used to do a week at a time and lift 4x week. No issues. At first I’d still slam a pre-workout on the way out the door but stopped doing that as well.

(Jason Fletcher) #19

Your husbands goals for you are different then what your goals are for you. If gaining strength is the goal then you will need to eat. Losing weight you will have to create a deficit. Fasting can help with insulin resistance. But not when you are eating small amounts of protein. This is not healthy and serves no benefit at all and will lead possibly to an eating disorder. If you are IF that is different and you still are not looking to lower your over all caloric needs. Then again if strength gain is your goal then this would not be the best approach. It looks like you are taking 4 different diet approaches and are trying to mix them all together.

(Ernest) #20

That won’t be fasting.
Why not use eggs instead of protein shakes? Real food is better than powder.
Plus shakes are highly insulinogenic.