Who needs a headshot when you have an abs shot?
In August, after doing some research, I decided to give intermittent fasting (IF) a try. I’m now two months in, which is where I figured I’d reassess the situation – I’ve decided to keep doing it. Here’s how I got started, and why I’m going to stick with it for the foreseeable future:
Determining Your Intermittent Fasting Goals
One of the main things that interested me about IF is its use for body composition. The most notable source about this is from a guy named Martin Berkhan who wrote Leangains: The Art Of Getting Ripped. This would be a great resource for anyone getting started with IF and wanting to build muscle and lose fat.
In the book, he basically turns the exercise and nutrition world on its head when he suggests that for building muscle, going to the gym every day and eating from sun up to sundown is the wrong approach – and two months into intermittent fasting, I’d say he’s right.
If you’ve been reading some of my blog posts, you’ll have seen that I discovered by going to the gym only two or three days per week produced some phenomenal results, as opposed to 4 or 5 days per week. This was counter to everything I thought was true about exercise. I wonder if perhaps I was wrong about eating, too. I’ve now gone from grazing all day long, and never exercising on an empty stomach to only eating between 11AM and 7pm, and regularly exercising on empty. And I feel great. I’ve gained several pounds of muscle in two months, lost some stubborn body fat at my love handles and stomach, and literally EVERY muscle group has gained between 5% and 15% in strength. My deadlifts are now over 50lbs heavier than they were prior to IF. In two months in. That’s insane.
Address Your Concerns
Right off the bat my thought was, “well, if I eat less, then surely I’ll lose weight. I don’t want that.” I’m naturally slim. I’m tall, with long limbs, and putting on muscle isn’t that easy for me. The more I looked into it, though, the more I found resources that reassured me. I started the routine hesitantly, basically shoveling food into my mouth in every eating window. I monitored my weight pretty carefully, and noticed weight gain in the first month. After that I’ve relaxed the intense eating. Sure enough, two months in and I’ve gained a little muscle and lost a little fat. Both are good things, and exactly the reason I wanted to give this a shot in the first place.
Create The Routine For You And Stick With It
Think about your day. Remove breakfast. Now, what are the best 8 hours for you to eat in? That’s basically how I worked it out. My work schedule shifts, and I wanted to be sure I’d be home for dinner, so I made my 8 hours between 11AM and 7PM.
Learn About The Other Benefits And Listen To Your Body
The Complete Guide To Fasting and The Obesity Code are two books by the authority on intermittent fasting for health benefits and weight loss, Dr. Jason Fung. The Toronto based doctor is one of the experts on fasting and all of the benefits that come along with it, including increased focus, better sleep, more energy and less inflamation throughout the body.
I’ve gained muscle and dropped body fat in two months with IF.
Two months in, and I’ve experienced ALL of the other positives. After my initial hunger pangs in the morning which I’ve been washing away with a glass of water (sometimes followed by a black coffee), my hunger basically disappears. By the time my eating window opens I feel great – energetic, strong and NOT HUNGRY. I’m literally having to remind myself to eat now. I’ve also noticed that I no longer have the midday burnout I’d experience sometimes where I felt like I needed a nap. Sometimes on my lunch break I would have a sleep, but I haven’t felt the need to do that once since I started. My energy levels remain high throughout the day and my general outlook on life has been more positive – less food seems to equal a better mood.
So I’m sticking with it. I’ll continue to post updates and rad shirtless pictures of myself every now and then.
What do you think? Are you considering IF? If you do it, what are your goals?
Feel free to hit me up with questions.
The Books I referenced are:
Leangains And The Art Of Getting Ripped – https://amzn.to/2CF0IxC
Intermittent Fasting: Burn Fat Incredibly Fast – https://amzn.to/2EO2EXh
The Complete Guide To Fasting – https://amzn.to/2EMgU2O
The Obesity Code – https://amzn.to/2EKhDRX
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor and I’m not and expert in IF. I’m just a regular guy who’s giving it a shot.
Also, all of the links I posted are affiliate links, which means that if you’re interested in the product, and click on the link from my blog to purchase the item, I’ll get a small commission with will help me continue to write blog posts. Thanks!
