IF & Strength Training? 🤔

New to IF and trying to understand how I can effectively reach my fitness goals. I workout at least 4 days at week (sometimes up to 6 days). My regiment includes 4 days on Tonal and I try to get 2 days on the Peloton for cardio. Since using the Tonal, I‘ve noticed I’m a bit hungrier, especially after workouts. I know there are a lot of experts on here with a lot more experience and I need your help. * **Strength training and IF, good idea?** * **Skipping a meal, good idea?** * **How long did it take your body to adapt to new norm?** * **Shift workers, was it hard to adapt IF around your changing schedule?** * **Any Tonal users doing strength training programs and IF together, did you see good results?** * **Peloton Power Zone riders, did you IF while training** Any information you have to answer a question would be greatly appreciated. I’m focused on making appropriate changes but I don’t want something to derail me and then I’ll have to circle the wagons and try something different. I’ve always found it better to get real life experience from those who’ve gone through it rather than trying to find articles supporting this approach. Thanks in advance.

Answer

Im by no means an expert so only speaking from experience but I’ve found strength training and IF to work great. Generally I’ll try and do my workout right before I’m going to break a fast, it took some time to get to use to the fasted workouts but feels ‘normal’ now.

I’ve also read that fasted workouts potentially burn more fat so there’s definitely benefits to doing them with IF.

Answer

I do two 36 hour fasts a week and I workout fasted and other than sometimes not being able to lift at my maximum potential I haven’t experienced any issues. Today is a first for me in the sense that I worked out fasted last night and due to my schedule today Im about to go to the gym and I still haven’t broken the fast so that means two work outs in a space of 12 hours while fasted, we’ll see how it goes.

Answer

Hi! I exercise mostly everyday while doing IF. Im a runner and also a peloton power zone cyclist with strength training a few times per week. I fast 16:8 with an evening eating window. I always exercise first thing in the am which means quite a few hours before I break my fast after exercise. It took me a couple weeks to adjust when I first started 2 yrs ago but now I don’t even think about it! The body is an incredible machine and it will adapt to your routine.

Answer

I’m this is very common. I’d do a nutrition audit. Both macro and micros. If this is true hunger ur body is telling u it needs something. Could be something as simple as not getting enough net protein to support the strength training or as obscure as a vitamin A deficiency. Address those things and the hunger will subside. Best of luck.