What is Intermittent Fasting? Intermittent fasting is a kind of eating pattern where you stay in fasted state (not eating) for 16 to 24 hours and feast ( eat ) for 6-8 hours. The main aim of this diet to me is to let our body adapt to using fats as energy and resting our insulin.
This diet is suitable for people who is looking to gain lean mass and for people who wants to lose fats. There is 2 to do the diet.
1. This will help people who has problem losing weight, and if your problem is with overeating or are hungry all the time. ( for those who have problem controlling the amount of food they consume)
You will only have 8 hours of eating window, normally this short period of eating time will restrict the amount of calories one can eat by about 1/4.
2. For those who are trying to gain mass like me, but are unable to eat alot. This way of eating will increase your appetite, so even after you stop your fasting diet you will find that you are able to eat more than usual.
If you are trying to gain weight you will have to try your best to hit the calories needed for you to grow! If you need 2500 calories, which is about 4 plate of chicken rice, regardless what you do you need to finish that 4 plate within this 8 hours time frame!
During your fasted period, it will be good to throw in a fasted workout, one of the best way is to workout. In this way, your body is low on glycogen and they using more fats as energy. You might find that you feel weaker or even tired during your first few workout. But hey, you have been using carbohydrates as your main source of energy for the past 20 years or more, give your body so more time to adapt.
For lean people 10% bodyfat and below, this diet will work effectively for you but you need to be able to eat. Force feeding yourself for the first few time will be hard, you might want to consider adding mass gainer so you are able to hit the calories.
For people with higher body fat percentage i would suggestion taking at least 6 to 10 gram of fish oil and 2 grams of vitamin C a day, when high amount of fats is burn, toxic is release. You might experience fever or you might get flu easily. Take those to boost your immune system.
So here are some of the photos after fasting. I believe that we can maintain a low body fat percentage throughout the year and still stay strong and we are able to do long distance endurance run with speed!
So try it and let me know how you feel after fasting. Do email me regarding questions on intermittent fasting!
Cheers, Stronger, Leaner,Faster, Longer