Intermittent fasting diet for fat loss, muscle gain and health

This actually makes me feel better. It is my first...

2012-02-18T11:09:52.468-08:00

This actually makes me feel better. It is my first week on leangains and I've ha da troubling feeling I am doomed to fail - being vegetarian and an endurance athlete. But this is reassuring, since I eat a variety of all those foods as well as eggs and dairy.

I have a complicated military schedule that may in...

2012-02-17T20:40:27.492-08:00

I have a complicated military schedule that may interfere with my hopes of IF. I was going to fast from 6pm to 12pm the next day, but I have physical training in the morning. Is that OK? or should I do the IF at a different time? I appreciate the help.

What are your thoughts on this routine? There are...

2012-02-15T19:37:55.989-08:00

What are your thoughts on this routine? There are some questions below if you get a chance!!
Thanks in advance!

TRAINING IN THE PM (NOT ENOUGH FOOD?)
6 PM: Training
7 PM: Post-workout meal, (Whey+High Protein+sweet pot and veggies)
10 PM: Last meal before fast, (eggs+Fat)

TRAINING MID DAY
12-1 PM: Training
1 PM: Post-workout meal, (Whey+High Protein+sweet pot and veggies)
4 PM: Second meal. (High Protein+Veg+Fat)
9 PM: Last meal before the fast. (eggs+Fat)

TRAINING IN THE AM
6-7 AM: Training
8 AM: 10 g BCAA
10 AM: 10 g BCAA
12PM: The "real" post-workout meal (largest meal of the day)
4 PM: Second meal. (High Protein+Veg+Fat)
8 PM: Last meal before the fast. (eggs+Fat)

REST DAYS
1 PM: First meal. (Whey+High Protein+Veg)
4 PM: Second meal. (High Protein+Veg+Fat)
9 PM: Last meal before the fast. (Eggs+Fat)

- Cheat Meals/Days?
- Amount of protein to take in?
- Caloric intake?
- Not enough meals on option 1?

Forgive me if this has already been addressed, as ...

2012-02-15T09:58:48.385-08:00

Forgive me if this has already been addressed, as I've not had time (just discovered this article while at work) but how could this be modified for women? I only began drinking 2 years ago and have more trouble with belly fat than in years of dedicated gym time. I've got amazing abs, but they lie beneath a little pudge of fat these days! NOT cool.

There is really not enough said about Vitamin D. T...

2012-02-15T04:17:14.634-08:00

There is really not enough said about Vitamin D. The optimal levels are like 80 nmol/L (32 ng/mL) for sports performance

it takes about 100 IU of vitamin D to raise your level by 1 ng/mL

if your current level is 12 ng/mL and you take 800 IU, yes it will probably boost you up to 20ng/mL, but the relationship is not linear, you'd probably have to take 2500IU to get to 32 ng/mL which is our goal

so I would just suggest getting the 5000IU pills and supplementing with those during winter and not taking them on days when you get lots of sun

Hi Thanks for all the info. Why exactly is it ok ...

2012-02-14T05:44:28.400-08:00

Hi

Thanks for all the info. Why exactly is it ok to sue no-cal sweeteners? From what I know those are terrible chemicals. But it would make it easier to have my coffee :) Just curious what your take is on them.

Thanks

hi martin i train at 6am what size meal would the...

2012-02-14T05:36:04.038-08:00

hi martin

i train at 6am what size meal would the post workout meal look like i would i have this at 12 and another two meals at 4 and 9 is this correct ? and i take 10 bcca at 5am 10 at 7 and 10g at 10 is this right ?

thanks andy

Today was my first day and I'm just curious if...

2012-02-13T14:20:49.956-08:00

Today was my first day and I'm just curious if it's really on to have 1500 calories post workout. I'm a crossfitter doing strength lifts, oly stuff and HIIT training. Male 5'10" 188lbs. I calculated my workout day calories at 3057 and non workout days 1800 and change.

Hi, First of all, Martin, thanks for sharing your ...

2012-02-13T11:58:25.550-08:00

Hi, First of all, Martin, thanks for sharing your knowledge on this subject of intermittent fasting and Lean gains. I've been following the Leangains IF protocol for a few weeks and it's wonderful. I'm seeing some progress already and it feels great. I'd suffered from accute 'fuckarounditis' up until then and 6 meals a day wasnt working. IF and abbreviated training are definately the way to go from now for me.

I thought it may be useful to share an experience I had with calcium supplements recently. Calcium can be useful, for some people, but beware of taking calcium supplements IF your diet contains sufficient calcium naturally without supplementation. I unknowingly overdosed on calcium earlier this year even though i was taking the prescribed dose from the manufacturers' instructions. The symptoms of this overdose were quite scary; restlessness, disturbed sleep patterns, heart arrhythmia/palputations and cloudy pee, the feeling that I was going to have a heart attack at any moment. It took a good four weeks or so before my body had purged the excess calcium from my system and the symptoms completely dissapeared.

I love this post. But I have a few questions. I...

2012-02-13T10:38:52.175-08:00

I love this post. But I have a few questions. I'm currently in training for the Army and my schedule is much different than most people. Here's a basic list of what I do and when I do it.
0400: wake up
0500: Physical Training
0630: eat
0800-1130: Classes(sitting down/ in a laboratory)
1130-1300: eat
1300-1630: more classes
1630-1730: Formation and briefings
1800: eat
2100: bedtime

How can I use Intermittent Fasting into my routine? I was thinking the fasting period would be from 6pm to lunch the next day, but I have physical training in the morning. Any suggestions would be great!!! :D

I've learned more from this article than the 1...

2012-02-12T23:55:02.485-08:00

I've learned more from this article than the 100+ other posts I have read everywhere else on the internet. Thanks.

Any alternatives to yohimbine or rauwolscine? I s...

2012-02-12T08:29:27.093-08:00

Any alternatives to yohimbine or rauwolscine? I see great benefits (appetite, energy, maybe fat loss) from products containing them, but I can't take them for very long - I seem to get nose bleeds. Usually within the first week, but occasionally it happens the first day of taking it. I wanted to cycle caffeine with them but like I said sometimes first day, first dose, I get a nose bleed. Perhaps I just need a much lower dosage then most fat burners use?

Dear MArtin, hi I know this is a newbie question b...

2012-02-11T17:42:34.329-08:00

Dear MArtin, hi I know this is a newbie question but how do I eat on non workout days....?
I read I have a big first meal?
Thanks

This is genius! I just started doing IF this week ...

2012-02-11T07:18:38.684-08:00

This is genius! I just started doing IF this week and I feel amazing! Thanks Martin for detailed debunking. I'm going to share this with all my buddies :)

Martin, Been following LG for a while now, even ...

2012-02-08T20:11:15.094-08:00

Martin,

Been following LG for a while now, even got a couple others onto it cause they kept asking me how I was doing what I was doing...

I still get email from my nutritional 'gurus' of times gone by. Wow it's amazing how much I've learned from your site, thanks man.

But... Looks like the fitness (marketing) experts have figured out that there could be something to this IF, and have formulated a few more products to sell the masses... Of this involves some back pedalling on their behalf, but that's what they do well, spin, spin and more spin.

Martin, when my inbox was slammed with 'intermittent fasting' info from a whole host of guys who don't even know what they are talking about, I just thought crap, Martin where is your freaking book...

These monkeys are going to have some fun...

Helped a lot, thanks brother..

2012-02-08T14:39:12.668-08:00

Helped a lot, thanks brother..

Martin, Can you use VPX Meltdown & Yohimbine...

2012-02-08T14:38:04.416-08:00

Martin,

Can you use VPX Meltdown & Yohimbine together safely? i know Meltdown has a similar substance to Yohimbine in it. Thanks

I'm wondering what is the "I have low blo...

2012-02-08T13:23:10.444-08:00

I'm wondering what is the "I have low blood sugar" people's real problem, you said Brad explains it later in his book. I am personally quite sick of so many people whining about it like if it was a fact. I find it very easy to fast, without being hungry, and back when I used to eat breakfast in the morning and something in every 3-4 hours I was hungry almost all the time but I still didn't have the imagination to make assumptions about my blood sugar :D.

Martin, I just wanted to thank you for all of the...

2012-02-08T07:20:33.279-08:00

Martin,

I just wanted to thank you for all of the information that you've made available. After reading "fuckarounditis", I did a little research on your routine and have since adopted it in its posted entirety.

In only 10 days, I'm seeing more gains in the gym that I've seen in the past 5 years of working out. Until now, it never really sunk in- too many sets, too little weight. The BCAAs have done wonders for my DOMS as well. I've wasted a LOT of time being afraid of deadlifts all of these years.

Also- the diet is so phenomenal in the ease of adapting it to everyday life. I see no reason to ever stop doing the leangains protocol. It's amazing to be able to get full at supper time and still drop fat.

Thank you so much for this site.

how many calories should i be targeting on weight ...

2012-02-07T19:40:22.640-08:00

how many calories should i be targeting on weight training days and rest days for fat loss? also, one i reach targeted 5-6% body fat, what about for lean muscle gain? workout is 3-4 days per week. i am 160lbs and ~ 8.5% body fat.

Great info.....how many calories should i be targe...

2012-02-07T19:37:57.686-08:00

Great info.....how many calories should i be targeting on workout days and rest days for fat loss? also what about muscle gain with minimal fat loss? I read the info regarding meals and carb/protein/fat ratios just not sure how many calories to target for my body weight - 160lbs and ~ 8.5% body fat. workout 3-4 days per week.

Holy shit, do you people even read the rest of wha...

2012-02-07T12:45:41.186-08:00

Holy shit, do you people even read the rest of what's on here? It's no wonder why he stopped replying.

Martin, Write the book already. Don't you se...

2012-02-07T07:19:32.867-08:00

Martin,

Write the book already. Don't you see we want to give you our money!

Hi Martin, Great job! Thanks a lot for Your guide...

2012-02-07T05:41:36.089-08:00

Hi Martin,

Great job! Thanks a lot for Your guide. I have a question: can I adopt Your diet to my workouts schedule and "early bird" lifestyle? I have 3 weight-lifting workouts on Mo-We-Fr: I wake up at 5:30, eat my breakfast at 6:00 and go to gym at 7:00. I finish my workout at 8:30.
Also I have 3 interval cardio-workouts (bicycle or stationary cycling) on Tu-Th-Sa: I wake up at 5:30 and cycle for about 1 hour before breakfast. Then I eat my breakfast at 7:00.

My bedtime is about 10PM, so, I don't like late dinner and I eat about 7PM.
I'm ok to use BCAA, could You give me a point about BCAA and meals in weight-lifting and cardio days?

Thanks a lot!

Hey Martin, I have used your method of IF with gr...

2012-02-07T04:24:55.504-08:00

Hey Martin,

I have used your method of IF with great results. About alcohol however, do you know of anyway it affects acne. I seems to see a positive correlation with me. And I have posted on acne message boards, and others have noticed improvements in their skin with alcohol consumption. If so what would be the best way to take it.

Thanks Martin, this is a great site, thanks for sharing your knowledge, helping us overcome supplement company propaganda.