Exercise and fasting

[Trebble]

I run 21-25km a week and do three 30 min weight workouts a week (at home). I do at least 10k steps every day.

I need to lose a stone! So I'm going to try intermittent fasting, 18:6, with my eating window 12-6pm.

Usually I do my exercise in the morning. Should I change when I exercise until the afternoon, after I've eaten?

I will up my steps to 20k a day and increase my weight workouts to an hour.

I train fasted not because of fasting I've just never eaten breakfast. I'd do what feels best for you.

Great, I'll give it a go this morning and see how I get on. I suppose my body will tell me!

I never eat before about 2:30pm and not after 8pm.

I exercise first thing and it’s often a very early ‘Sprint’ class at the gym (which is Tabatha style spinning). I always feel fine and full of energy exercising on an empty stomach.

*tabata

I read an article recently which I can’t link because it’s behind a paywall but it said fasted exercise was best for weight loss.

I was listening to a podcast which was saying that in some women (especially after peri menopause) fasted exercise can increase cortisol too much which leads to belly fat gain. Also if you have bone density issues it can lead to a loss of calcium in the bone.

I exercise fasted first thing but I only strength train and becuase I have osteopenia take a calcium supplement before.

Look up Dr Stacy Sims - she advises that the studies on fasted exercise are always done on men, and that fasted exercise isn't great for women.

Don't fast and double your exercise at the same time - it'll be miserable and unsustainable.

I am doing IF and also weight train. I work out sometimes mornings, sometimes evenings depending on whether I'm WFH or not. Both work fine, tbh and I don't see a noticeable difference in performance.

Also to loose weight I would really look at your diet rather than your exercise (especially as you already are doing loads).

I’m so used to training on an empty stomach that I think I’d feel sick if I had something to eat beforehand.

I IF 16:8.

I actively fuel for longer runs (15km and over) by ending my eating window early they might before and having a good breakfast that I can digest properly before the run (2 hours). But a 30 minute exercise class, weights or shorter run….no breakfast needed.

I eat big satisfying dinners before my eating window ends though.

I’ve never had an issue.

Many thanks for the replies. @JolteonBolt that's helpful to know. I rarely do runs longer than 10-12km anymore (ankle niggle) more often it's just 5-6km on the treadmill a few times a week.

I agree @Bubbles254 weight loss is 90% diet, my main diet is okay (loads of veggies, healthy fats, complex carbs, some lean meats) but my downfall is the evening when I'm dying for a gin and some crisps.

I don't buy it anymore so it's not in the house but DH does and he enjoys sharing with me ("Go on Trebble, just have a few with me") so then my resolve wavers. Of course I can't stop him eating what he wants but my willpower is only so strong! So hoping my new fasting rules will help; I'm good with rules.

Interesting about the info that it could be bad for you though - I'll research a bit more. Only hoping this will be temporary to loose the stone (stone and a bit). Maybe 8-12 weeks?

I prefer exercising in the morning before breakfast and if you eat enough the night before it's fine

I've done an hour exercise with my weights and felt fine! Now to get 20k steps in on the treadmill, which should take me up to 12noon and I can have a good lunch! Thinking 2 poached eggs with stir fry mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and peppers.

Then an afternoon of painting the hallway. Veggie 5 bean chilli with quinoa for tea.

I work out fasted every morning and then don’t eat until mid-afternoon at the earliest. Honestly I find it fine. Gin Stephens (who wrote Fast, Feast, Repeat) is quite sceptical of the hormones/ women have to fast differently/cortisol stuff. For me the point of If is that it’s easy and I’m not always second-guessing myself about food, so I stick to my schedule. If I’m really starving I’ll eat earlier, but very often make it to 4.

Thanks for your post!

With your routine, are you intending to maintain weight, or looking at fat loss?

Gin and crisps doesn’t need to be a downfall…

you can packet of crisps and a slimline g+t- no big deal. That’s less than 200 calories. Have a slightly smaller portion of your dinner to compensate. Might not be the best nutritional swap- but it’s a delicious one.

I IF so I can have treats like this on an evening before the eating window ends.

before IF I would force myself to eat a breakfast I didn’t really want and wasn’t great, only to kick off 11venses hunger and then that was it.

IF is great. Make everything within those 8 hours count. If it’s not nutritious or joyful- don’t bother.