Bulking

[Barry Anderberg]

I'm IF'ing and I eat from noon to seven pm. I have been in a bulking phase and eating 3600 kcal but now I'm ready to cut some fat so I've backed down to 3000 kcal. I find it difficult to eat this much in the given time window. I do it but I always feel so full I feel like I could puke. Eating six times a day like I used to made eating lots of food easy.

Do most people only IF to lose fat? It seems hard to imagine bulking up on IF.

[Craig Van De Walker]

My thoughts on the matter.

IFing is supposed to help control insulin and blood sugar.

If bulking it would seem you would want higher than baseline insulin levels as insulin is an anabolic hormone which not only helps shuttle sugar into cells but if I remember correctly amino acids and other things that make you grow.

Could you bulk on IF or an abbreviated feeding window, yes but it seems to me that you would bulk faster and with less discomfort with frequent feedings and a n extended window.

[Mike ODonnell]

Bulk...fat loss...it's still total calories. I can put down 3000 cal in 6 hours...mostly protein and fat. Adding too many carbs into the mix will make me want to puke. IF doesn't have to be every day....just what you can use to fit into your goals and schedule. That and a cleaner digestion will mean better utilitzation of the food you do eat....so you can gain muscle on less total calories...because you are getting more bang for your buck.

[Barry Anderberg]

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

Bulk...fat loss...it's still total calories. I can put down 3000 cal in 6 hours...mostly protein and fat. Adding too many carbs into the mix will make me want to puke. IF doesn't have to be every day....just what you can use to fit into your goals and schedule. That and a cleaner digestion will mean better utilitzation of the food you do eat....so you can gain muscle on less total calories...because you are getting more bang for your buck.

I suspected as much- that you could bulk on fewer calories. Metabolism slows some from IF right? That too should help bulking on fewer kcals.

[joe waguespack]

The whole "metabolism slows" thing kind of worries me. I always thought that was a bad thing. What happens if you IF for a while to shed excess fat and then return to "normal" eating schedules for whatever reason. Will you add fat easier since you return to a regular eating schedule with a slowed metabolism? Or once you up the calories does the metabolism adjust quickly. Also , does the slowed metabolism only occur due to caloric restriction or is it a result of the IF?

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by joe waguespack

The whole "metabolism slows" thing kind of worries me. I always thought that was a bad thing. What happens if you IF for a while to shed excess fat and then return to "normal" eating schedules for whatever reason. Will you add fat easier since you return to a regular eating schedule with a slowed metabolism? Or once you up the calories does the metabolism adjust quickly. Also , does the slowed metabolism only occur due to caloric restriction or is it a result of the IF?

Metabolism slows isn't necessarily a bad thing. It just makes it easier to gain weight or lose weight if you wanted. For example, back on a regular eating schedule you just have to eat a bit less than usual to maintain which is actually a good thing (use less money to buy food). Plus, it makes it easier to gain mass again if you need to as you don't have to cram as much food down as you can. Basically, makes life a lot easier in general.

It's more or less a caloric restriction thing.. and IF gets it from the long(er) windows without food where your body adjusts to become more efficient with it's nutrients and a bit slower metabolism (that's two different things btw).

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Barry Anderberg

Metabolism slows some from IF right?

That's a myth....mine is still plenty fast. Extended starvation slows down a metabolism...and that takes weeks.....IF with lots of calories may even speed up a metabolism (probably not enough to write home about though). Remember that since you are getting more bang for your buck with food, you better use what you have. Hence people can lose fat and gain some muscle at the same time. Why people can maintain muscle on less may be more towards the increased utilization....as many still continue to lean out as well. Everyone is different as the macronutrient ratios, type of training will also matter.

[Barry Anderberg]

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

That's a myth....mine is still plenty fast. Extended starvation slows down a metabolism...and that takes weeks.....IF with lots of calories may even speed up a metabolism (probably not enough to write home about though). Remember that since you are getting more bang for your buck with food, you better use what you have. Hence people can lose fat and gain some muscle at the same time. Why people can maintain muscle on less may be more towards the increased utilization....as many still continue to lean out as well. Everyone is different as the macronutrient ratios, type of training will also matter.

So do you IF 7 days a week??

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Barry Anderberg

So do you IF 7 days a week??

We all fast during sleep...so in a sense....well....yes.

Actually it's very rare I eat before 10am....but I also do not get up before 7-8am....often days I may even go without food till 12-1pm (but still have an Americano/Expresso)....but I usually will extend my eating window later as varied....sometimes 6pm....sometimes 8pm....sometimes on the weekend it's much much later. That and IF is supposed to be "intermittent".......so use it as neccessary as people can experience excess anxiety or nervousness depending on their lifestyle factors and other issues. Must learn to just listen to your body at that point as it will tell you what it needs.

[Dave Van Skike]

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

That's a myth....mine is still plenty fast. Extended starvation slows down a metabolism...and that takes weeks......

Thank you MOD.