Ok well not really mine but a conglomerate of data that I have collected and wrapped up for you in what I hope is a neat little package.
So as most of you know I eat Paleo, which has now been stripped down to:
1) lean meats (mainly fish and eggs+chicken sausage+chicken)
2) Veggie (Im talking boat load, big bowls)
3) Some fruit (Mainly applesauce, apples, lara-bars, berry medleys, blueberries)
4) Some starch (sweet potatoes)
5) Fat (coconut butter (Thanks for the addiction Wendy! :) and coconut milk)
But one thing I have added to the list and something I have tinkered with before is:
Intermittent Fasting.
I base my fasting off of an hybrid approach from Martin Berkan's Lean Gains style of IF. (Check out leangains.com for yourself).
First start with the teacher:
Martin is a nutritional consultant, magazine writer and personal trainer who has developed and uses a type of fasting and eating style that can cause some serious amazing and fantastic results. He also has a bachelor’s degree in Medical Sciences and Education with a major is in Public Health Sciences.
What is IF:
IF stands for Intermittent Fasting and basically what happens if you refrain from taking in anything with calories while fasting and then consume well balanced, usually larger meals during the feeding window. LG (Lean Gains) typically runs a 16/8 which means you fast for 16hr and feed for 8hr. I got the numbers confused and so I do 18/6. (Do not do that, that is not a recommendation it is just what I do.) It also should be noted that women should fast anywhere from 12-14hr based off of mood i.e. "bitchiness." Im not kidding. From what I have been told women who fast for to long develop short fuses and tend to become more irritable, no idea why but that's just the way it is. It is recommended that most women DO NOT exceed a 14 hr fast.
What differs LG from other types of fasting diets is a focus geared more towards overall healthy foods, as where some fasting diets allow you to go complete eat-whatever-I-damn-well-want feedings and there is a greater focus on Pre&Post workout nutrition and meal timing. Leangains is specifically tailored to fitness and strength training, and for those wanting to get as lean and strong as possible. There are also specific guidelines with regards to calorie cycling, macrocomposition and meal timing.
Also, LG balances carb and fat in take in this manner:
Workout Days: Higher carb & Lower Fat.
NonWorkout Days: Lower Carb & Moderate Fat.
These are 'general' recommendations since this depends on several factors such as priorities, training volume and activity, gender, body fat % and carb tolerance. Some people get good results from 25-30% carbs on 'high' days, going keto on low days, while others go moderate/high carb on training days and never below 100 g carbs on 'low' days.
The Science and Benefits:
So most people immediately go "well you will go into starvation mode" and "that doesnt sound healthy" and "no way."Well here is the science behind it:
1)'Starvation mode' is just one of the many persistent myths in the fitness/bodybuilding community. It only becomes a possible factor to consider in the most extreme scenarios: think anorexia, prolonged and severe dieting, 'stage ready' fitness/bodybuilding competitors (4-5% body fat for men, 8-9% for women). Your metabolism certainly wont down regulate within one day.
2) Obsessive meal eating and timing no longer really applies or is used.
3) No need to worry about dodging or be scared about social gatherings.
4)Is eating every second or third hour important in order to “stoke the metabolic fire”? No, there is no scientific support for that idea and studies on the subject were carefully controlled, showing no correlation at all between meal frequency and metabolism. Perhaps a high meal frequency was needed in order to provide the body with a regular stream of nutrients, making sure that you had a constant supply of amino acids in order to stave off muscle catabolism and promote muscle growth? No, looking at how the body processes and digests meals, this isn’t the case either. Digestion of a regular meal takes about 6-7 hours and during this time amino acids are being released into the bloodstream. 30 g’s of casein takes about 7 hours to get fully assimilated. Double that amount and you will have amino acids in the bloodstream most of your waking hours. Is a high meal frequency needed in order to keep hunger at bay and not overeat? This is the only point where a high meal frequency has some empirical backing – at least when you look at how inactive test subjects in lab settings rate hunger, on different meal patterns, while being fed a high carb diet compromised of calorie dense foods. Not really something that can be applied the physique conscious crowd, or the environment most people spend their waking hours in.
5) Feeding time revolves around the goal: fat loss, muscle gain, both, body comp, performance etc.
6) Post workout meal is the largest meal (upwards of 80% of caloric in take done Post Wod). Reasons behind this are due to protein absorption and synthesis, insulin spiking and proper shuttling,since liver glycogen is beneficial to hormones involved in anabolism,
7) Do your own damn research. More info found here leangains.com
8) For more on science and myths go: http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
How To:
Really you should check out this link and do all the reading you can, possibly several times and then post any questions to the comments section under this blog post. http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html
Who shouldnt:
As its been said those who should stay away from a LG/IF diet are those who still suffer from metabolic disorders or derangement, those with horrible food choices, those with horrible sleep and most of all those who have a combination of the above. I think this is important to find out who you are in this list. If you feel your metabolism is shot down or you suffer from other metabolic disorders (google peeps)then you want to correct your issues first before starting an approach like this. Im afraid most of you will use the rational that "oh I fasted for 12-18 hours and I worked out so my body can handle anything right now so I can eat what ever I want!!"
That is NOT true nor would I recommend any such thinking. If you are not completely settled within your own skin then I suggest grabbing reality and slamming it face first into desire and move forward in getting things under control until you are in your desired skin. If you have horrible cravings or make horrible food choices then you need to change that first. If you cant stick to strict paleo for at least two weeks then you shouldnt start an IF approach nor should you be talking to me.
What I do:
I have tried to create a schedule so I fast 18hr. I like it. I stop eating at 6 or 7pm and dont start eating until 1 or 2pm the following day. I usually eat 2 large meals or 3 spread out meals. I try to shift the fruit and starch towards post workout meal. I do train fasted and I really like it. I have hit an energy crash once only in the past 3 weeks but it was probably more mental than anything. I try to keep a high protein diet and right now mix that with a moderate fat and moderate to high fruit (for carbs). The reason for the fruit is because I bought a bunch of it on my last shopping trip. I will switch over to starch and little fruit when I move. The results? I feel great, Im getting more vascular, leaning and gaining at the same time. Will this happen to you? Hell no. It can, dont get me wrong, but it depends on you. This isnt a cookie cutter approach that would work for anyone who tries it. Some people need tweeks in different areas.
Please post any questions you have to the comments and I will try and quickly get back to you. Take care and I hope this helps. Train hard-eat smart.
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