So since I'm injured and don't expect to be doing any intensity any time soon I've decided to try out an experiment on myself. Intermittent fasting has been gaining some popularity on the fringes of the endurance community as a way to loose some of your fat reserves without having to starve yourself. So here is how it is supposed to work, as I understand it.
You eat dinner the night before as usual and then go to bed and sleep. Get up in the AM and before eating anything, do an aerobic workout in the fat burning zone for 30 minutes up to 2 hours. Then attempt to make it until it has been 12 hours since you last ate before eating breakfast. Do this 3 or 4 times a week. The idea is to teach your body to rely on fat as fuel and to lessen it's need for quick carbs.
My starting weight was 218.6 - and body fat % at 24.4 - quick note here, I am using a scale to measure body fat and while it gets close, it is by no means accurate. it is very susceptible to hydration and humidity, but is generally within a 3% range.
After one week my weight is at 214.2 and body fat % at 25.6. I suspect that this mornings lowering of weight and upping of body fat is due to me being dehydrated after yesterday's 40 mile bike / 3 hours of yard work. But I do believe I have lost some of that as real weight loss. Next week should be a better indicator as I won't be doing all the yard work and should be in a better hydrated state.
I did 3 workouts fasted the first week.
Monday - 30 min spin on the bike + 30 minutes of core and resistance
Wednesday - 45 min spin on the bike + 30 minutes of core and resistance
Friday - 5 minute walk on Treadmill + 30 minutes of core and resistance
I also took a 90 minute spin class Thursday night ( which explains the no spinning of friday), and did the aforementioned 40 mile bike + yardwork on Sunday.
I have modified my diet slightly as I am trying to eat more vegetables throughout the day and eat less for dinner, but I am not going hungry. I usually start off the workout hungry, but after about 15 minutes that goes away, at least until I am done with the workout.
My goal is to lose about 15 lbs of fat before Christmas, get my injuries healed up and be ready for next year.
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4 comments:
This really does work. I've been doing something similar all summer. Eat a light dinner. Next day, no breakfast. Then at *lunchtime* run aerobically for 1+ hours. Over the summer I lost about 10 pounds, all fat. Early summer I was around 155lbs. Now, I'm down to around 145lbs, some days as little as 140lbs. The other benefit is that I can run faster, aerobically for much longer distances now. Cool stuff...
Abdominal exercise machines can be used by people of all age groups for this reason. Ellipticals work for all skill levels, from the most advanced athletes down to beginning exercisers.
I'll watch your updates. This seems so very reverse about healthy eating habits. Skipping breakfast? I don't know...and I'm not saying it to dog it, I'm saying it cuz I literally "don't know". I like the idea of losing body fat...
@butcept, it's not skipping for me, just delaying. so instead of getting up at 5 to eat and workout at 6, I just get up at 5:30 and workout, then eat at 7:30 or 8. This seems to have another benefit in that I no longer need to eat a snack between 9 and 10 like I did before. the eating later allows me to make it until lunch before needed to eat.
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