What is the best approach?

(Jim) #1

Dear Forum,

After been experimenting alot with fasting I found that doing 18-20 hour daily fasting just gives me the best feeling and most clarity. My eating window is between 1PM - 7PM and I eat mostly 2 meals a day now. Here comes the “problem” that I have now that I am eating this way. I am a very active guy, doing 3-4 times yoga a week and alot of riding the bike and training in the gym. So I burn off alot of calories a day and if I calculated correctly on my training days I have to eat 2800-3200 calories a day what is quite alot. The thing is with fasting, that I become less hungry and dont want to eat so much. Especially eating 3000 calories in a 4 hour window is quite difficult to do.

I have been doing bodybuilding for quite some time now and Am very pleased with how I look. I don’t want the loose the muscles that I have build, but on the other hand this kind of eating makes me feel the best. Is there some kind of middle ground or solution to this? Any other came across this problem?

Many Thanks!
Jim

(Robin) #2

I think what you are describing is pretty common, especially if you have cut your carbs significantly. Carbs create cravings. And we interpret them as “appetite”. So, it’s a mental adjustment as much as a physical change. Some of us sit down to eat and don’t truly feel “hungry” until we begin. You may find that one meal a day will work for you. It’s common to end up there.
When I first began IF (18/6) I felt just like you are describing. Now I look forward to my one meal a day. Sounds like you are doing great. And your calories probably match your lifestyle. Sounds like you are doing great. You got this!

(Bob M) #3

I would say keep your eating window open as long as you can, and possibly experiment with adding another meal (even longer window) one or a few days per week.

#4

No, I rather have the opposite problem 6 hour eating window is probable overeating for me but my energy need is smaller.
But I had my undereating times too (very, very short ones). I relax my usual rules then. If I need 6 meals to get my calories, I eat 6 times, what else could I do? But it was a temporal solution, I usually like to solve my problems with changing my food choices. If I needed 3000 kcal OMAD meals, I would eat accordingly, using easy to eat fats and unsatiating fats, it depends which would I need to ensure my perfect satiation for the next 23 hours. But if it couldn’t work, I would eat twice. 3000 kcal is super low for 3 meals for me but I could eat 3-4 times in 6 hours too. If you can’t, a bigger eating window may be your thing. If you don’t get hungry, eat without hunger, I do it all the time, I rarely get properly hungry (I do feel the need to eat here and there, it’s just not exactly hunger and I know various kinds of hunger but I have other valid signs as well).
Normally you should get hungry if you eat too little but keto is tricky and many people automatically eats less than their needs, sometimes even without any fat to lose.

Maybe using different protein:fat ratios would help? Different protein or fat sources, maybe? I have satiating and not satiating fat and protein sources. But as I wrote, I can eat without any hunger. Without any appetite. I have a limit per meal even using non-satiating items but I always can add another meal. Sometimes you don’t feel desire to eat before a meal but after the first bite you realize your body welcomes the food… Experiment a bit!

Good luck!

#5

2800-3200 cals isn’t a lot for an active person that’s riding a lot and lifting. If you can’t get that in during your windows than dump the fasting. May want to tweak your diet to eating more throughout the day of easily digestible foods.

I lost a ton of muscle fasting, aside from watching the plates come off the bar, my RMR also slowed as a result. For those of us that train for real, and aren’t going going to the gym to screw off, I don’t think fasting is a good fit other than maybe skipping breakfast, but then to have a couple meals still throughout the day.

#6

Aside from personal preference the shorter feeding window the better.

This is not meant to be taken to the logical extreme where you have a 200g protein shake and a bottle of avocado oil ready and open with a timer as you slam them both in 5 mins and pat yourself on the back for #fastingwindowmaxxing.

I personally aim for 2 hours in 2 meals. This is flexible day to day and just what I aim for. I often have a 4 hour feeding window.

As far as “losing your body building muscle” you won’t due to time restricted feeding. I’ve been doing it for the better part of the last decade.