Those who are bodybuilding, intermittent fasting could prove to be a powerful addition to your lifestyle. It works wonders when it comes to losing unwanted fat. It’s great if you are looking forward to trimming down and achieve a lean look. Let’s look into the details and see how it can help. First things first, intermittent fasting is about losing weight. If your focus is to gain mass, then you should skip this routine. On the other hand, if you are doing it for fat loss, this could be a life-changing experience. Bodybuilders ask this question quite a lot. How long should I fast? The answer depends on your goals. Generally, you would want a wider fasting window and some control on your appetite so that you can shred your hunger, stress and fatigue at the same time. If you think that intermittent fasting is for losing weight only, then you are wrong, my friend. By fasting on alternative days, you can become lean and keep the muscle mass. Continue to eat like you normally do on your training days to get all the carbs and calories. Then, on the days when you are fasting, go easy on the food. You can also fast for 16 hours on the fasting days and fast for 8 hours, like normal on the training days. This will help you maximize your post-workout nutritional needs. However, it may be tough to overdo the calorie surplus on the fasting days. See Also: Anabolic Steroids: What Are Their Types, Uses, And Effects What Are The Bad And Good Effects Of Steroids? Also known as OMAD, this is excellent for bodybuilders who want to go on a cutting diet. It will help you reduce 16 to 18 per cent of your overall body fat. You will be eating one huge meal a day. While following this model, drink plenty of sparkling water, coffee and tea to manage your appetite. You might have to make extra effort in getting enough. Drink a large protein shake after your main meal immediately. This one of the most popular version of intermittent fasting. It is also the easiest to follow. So basically, you are fasting for 16 hours and eating for 8 hours. The eating window can be any timeframe, but most people prefer from 12 pm to 8 pm. this suits everyone’s schedule. It is also the easiest when you are starting out. You are pushing your breakfast by 2 hours for the 1st week and then pushing it back by another 2 hours in the following week. After your fasting begins, it’s recommended to drink black coffee. This would keep you satisfied and improve your metabolism rate at the same time. These are some of the other benefits you are likely to experience: Your appetite will reduce Insulin levels will go down Protein synthesis will increase On this journey, you would be losing up to 10 per cent of the body fat. This is where you will be looking at your best as a bodybuilder. You will be glad to achieve results. There are no set in stone rules for food choices when it comes IF, but these are the general food items you should focus on: When it comes to breaking the fast, people have a lot of questions. If you want advice, choose low carb food when breaking your fast. If you break your fast with a high carb meal, this will spike the low insulin levels since you didn’t eat anything from hours. If you do so, you will be experiencing a severe energy crash. Wondering what to eat that is low in carb? Eggs, veggies, fish and red meat would do the work. These foods will make your cutting diet a lot easier. The evening is the time when you should be consuming most of the carbs. This won’t mess up with the energy levels. Even if you feel tired, that’s not a problem because you will be going to sleep. This meal will serve as the post-workout meal that will help you recover and even improve your sleep. Fish, steak, turkey, chicken, rice and potatoes are the best foods to eat. Feel free to adjust the quantity of serving according to your goals. Keep in mind this evening meal will make your intermittent fasting journey sustainable. Make sure you get 70 per cent of your daily calories through this one meal. The answer is both yes and no. You can work out while fasting especially if you have gained weight and have tons of energy stored. Once you start losing weight, and in week 2 of your fast, it’s not recommended to fast. You will be in a calorie deficit, and your body will need pre-workout carbs to last the workout session. If you must work out, then you can do it after you break your fast. Make sure you eat eggs or salmon. Wait for a couple of hours before you start your workout session, which should last for 30 minutes max. To fuel your training, have a banana. Once you are done with the session, you will need a protein shake. You can also have a second meal. You can build muscles if you are fasting, but the results depend on several factors. The most important of all is the calorie surplus. Without this, you would be able to bulk up. The calorie surplus is like oxygen for humans. On this fasting regimen, you are allowed to eat anything. However, you have to be careful about balancing the carbs and proteins. It’s best to eat food rich in protein and low in sugar to optimize your fat loss. This will help maintain your figure for a long time. This journey of intermittent fasting can be challenging while you are bodybuilding. To stay motivated, measure your success from the start until the end of the journey. It would be great if you can start this regimen with a friend to stay on track. See Also: Steroids 101: All Questions AnsweredHow Long To Fast?
One Meal A Day
16/8 Fasting For Bodybuilding
What Foods to Eat During IF?
Breaking the Fast
Evening Meal
Can You Work Out With Intermittent Fasting?
Summing Up