Is my IF and workout schedule setting me back, or just slower than it could be?

Question

I've been on a particular intermittent fasting and gym schedule for 3 weeks.

I do intermittent fasting from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m.

I chose this window because, despite dinner being the easiest meal for me to skip, and breakfast being the hardest, I have a young family and it's important to me that we all sit down together for dinnertime each night.

But I hit the gym at 5 a.m., or 4:30 if I can swing it. My schedule does not allow for any other gym times--plus my gym is debilitatingly busy any time after 6 a.m. Since I finish, at the latest, by 5:45, it's still five hours and fifteen minutes until I eat again.

I've read things that suggest that this kind of schedule is working against me . . . or maybe those things only said I'm not getting the gains I could be getting? I'm not sure.

My goal is to lose fat, get stronger, and--let's be honest--toning up would be nice.

So if this schedule can take me there, despite taking longer than it could, I'm fine with that. After all this is all part of a lifestyle change, not a fast track for a photo shoot.

But if this schedule is actually setting me back, then I need to do some re-evaluations.

Thoughts? Comments from experience?

. · Answer

Muscle growth requires a calorie excess. Perhaps you should continue your IF and focus on mostly cardio workouts. Reach your fat loss goal, then change your eating schedule to something that allows you to fuel your body properly for muscle building. You need to be eating within an hour after a strength workout, to give your body the fuel to repair and rebuild the muscle tissue you 'tore' during your workout. If you can't find a way to move your workouts or your eating schedule at this time, then focus on just the fat loss for now, and build he strength later.

Trending News

Is my IF and workout schedule setting me back, or just slower than it could be?

1 Answer