I heard that one of the benefits of IF is that it helps to tighten loose skin as you cut. This would keep me from eating before bed when I usually eat some cottage cheese to keep my body from eating muscle when I sleep.

I want to speed up the tightening of loose skin but I dont wanna loose muscle in the process. Is there a good medium here???:bang:

I heard that one of the benefits of IF is that it helps to tighten loose skin as you cut.
:confused: Could you provide a link or the reasoning behind this?

:confused: Could you provide a link or the reasoning behind this?

Im looking for it. I do remember seeing it and the article spoke about the body using the stored fat while the fast hence tightening of the skin. Ill post the link when I find it.

One of the links was a search on these forums (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=43633&).
Since Doubleoqueso mentioned it, backed up with a pic of his six pack, I think its worth a try. After re-reading his post, I can see its not something he does every day. It does seem like something I can work into my diet once or twice a week without any muscle loss.

I heard that one of the benefits of IF is that it helps to tighten loose skin as you cut. This would keep me from eating before bed when I usually eat some cottage cheese to keep my body from eating muscle when I sleep.


You want to stave off catabolism by eating some cottage cheese prior to sleeping? You believe in IF, but you're worried that not eating right before bed will lead to muscle loss? Do you see the contradiction here?

Im looking for it. I do remember seeing it and the article spoke about the body using the stored fat while the fast hence tightening of the skin. Ill post the link when I find it.

I don't see how this would speed up skin tightening compared to losing fat on a more traditional diet.

I edited my earlier post with more info. I think Id like to use IF more as a tool than a lifestyle. I still need to read more to see if trying it once or twice a week would have any real benefit.

My original question was, reworded, Would IF do more damage than good to my muscle if I dont eat any protein before bed?

I edited my earlier post with more info. I think Id like to use IF more as a tool than a lifestyle. I still need to read more to see if trying it once or twice a week would have any real benefit.

My original question was, reworded, Would IF do more damage than good to my muscle if I dont eat any protein before bed?

If using IF protocols will help you eat less calories, then yes, I would say that there could be a real benefit if your goal was to cut or lose fat. I wouldn't stress too much over skipping your cottage cheese right before dinner. Spreading your meals out will not do much in terms of sparing lbm during your cut. What's important is the total sustained caloric deficit (or surplus) over a long period of time....along with various other factors, like your training, clean diet, sufficient protein, proper recovery, etc.

My original question was, reworded, Would IF do more damage than good to my muscle if I dont eat any protein before bed?
I don't think protein before bed is that important as long as your overall protein needs are met during the day.
That said, the stuff that doubleo seems to be talking about in that thread is just plain fasting, which I am not a fan of. That is the type of thing that will probably lead to catabolism, if anything.

Thanks for the input. If I take in enough calories with the right deficit then I shouldnt have to worry about losing any muscle.

I still think about it too much though. I wish there was a way to tell if Im losing any muscle or just fat as I lose weight.

I still think about it too much though. I wish there was a way to tell if Im losing any muscle or just fat as I lose weight.
Take measurements. If your waist is going down while your chest is holding steady and your arms are getting bigger, you're probably not losing muscle (at least in the upperbody).
Calipers can also give an accurate picture since you can use them to calculate your LBM (though this changes with water and glycogen levels).
Also judge based on your lifts. If you maintain or increase strength, it's a pretty good bet you're holding onto muscle.

You're not supposed to eat less calories when you do IF.

And I never eat anything 4 hours before I go to bed, and I've never lost muscle.

I heard that one of the benefits of IF is that it helps to tighten loose skin as you cut. This would keep me from eating before bed when I usually eat some cottage cheese to keep my body from eating muscle when I sleep.

I want to speed up the tightening of loose skin but I dont wanna loose muscle in the process. Is there a good medium here???:bang:
I follow pretty much an IF'ing lifestyle ever day. I fast for 18 hours and feed for 6 hours in the evenings after my workouts.

From reading and researching online. I've seen several articles that say muscle does not start to catabolize until roughly 72 hours of no food at all.

There was just a discussion about this a coupe days ago, see here:

http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=48518

Especially check out what Mastover had to say on page 2 :tucool:

Yeah, funny we are talking about IF again. I am going to give it a shot over the holiday weekend and see how I do. I am going to start eating at 2:30pm through 8:30 pm, give or take an hour, and then fast the rest of the time. Wish me luck!

You're not supposed to eat less calories when you do IF.

Well, that would depend on several factors including your goals and what form of IF you are doing. If you are doing an ESE style popularized by Pilon, then the goal would most likely be to eat less calories and lost weight.

If you're going to do it just about every day or EOD while maintaining the bulk of your calories post-workout (with a net surplus), then you'd be doing it for the purported superior nutrient partitioning benefits (p-ratio) that comes from fasting.

It all depends on the context in which one chooses to do IF.

I try to do a daily 15 hour fast.

Not eat anything after supper(6:30) till about 9:30 in the morning.

I just started a week ago, so the results aren't really evident yet.

So far, I doing ok on mine today. I ended up going till after 3pm before I ate my first meal. However, I got to eat twice as much as I usually do, so that was very satisfying. During the day I felt a little sluggish, but I am off today so it didn't matter. I will see how the rest of the weekend goes, and then back to work on Tuesday.

Another big question I had was about when to work out. Is it better to work out before you start to eat, during the eating period or after?

From what I understand from other reading, I should eat some protein and carbs before my workout and then eat at the proper intervals after the workout. With this info, it would be right to assume that I should workout soon after entering the eating period begins.

Does this sound right?

I am not sure. I started my IF two days ago, but on Sunday's my wife and I work out in the morning. So, I had a pre-workout shake and then ate breakfast shortly after working out. Tomorrow, I will go back to IF again. Not sure if I will keep at it long though. I really like to eat breakfast, especially eggs, and it would be difficult to have eggs at work around 2-3pm when I start feeding.

Another big question I had was about when to work out. Is it better to work out before you start to eat, during the eating period or after?

From what I understand from other reading, I should eat some protein and carbs before my workout and then eat at the proper intervals after the workout. With this info, it would be right to assume that I should workout soon after entering the eating period begins.

Does this sound right?
It's up to you when you want to start feeding. That's the huge advantage of IF'ing.

Me personally I've tried both.

I use to eat prior to lifting but I felt I would get tired and lose energy mid workout. Now I workout fasted and I have way more energy througout my workouts. Then as soon as I finish my last set I get a PWO Shake in and then stuff my face until I go to sleep.

It's up to you when you want to start feeding. That's the huge advantage of IF'ing.

Me personally I've tried both.

I use to eat prior to lifting but I felt I would get tired and lose energy mid workout. Now I workout fasted and I have way more energy througout my workouts. Then as soon as I finish my last set I get a PWO Shake in and then stuff my face until I go to sleep.


I didnt think we were suppose to workout fasted. I thought we needed at least a little protein and carbs right before.

I've worked out after not eating anything for 15 hours.

Its a bitch to get through, but very satisfying.

Normally though I make sure I have had at least something to eat.

I think not eating very many carbs has something to do with not having a problem with my energy levels, even after I haven't eating in a while.

I've worked out after not eating anything for 15 hours.

Its a bitch to get through, but very satisfying.

Normally though I make sure I have had at least something to eat.

I think not eating very many carbs has something to do with not having a problem with my energy levels, even after I haven't eating in a while.

I tend to have some of my best workouts fasted in the morning.

When I overeat carbs I tend to have bad workouts.

I tend to have some of my best workouts fasted in the morning.

When I overeat carbs I tend to have bad workouts.
This.

I workout in the afternoon after I get off work though. So I'm fasted all day including my sleep. A total of 18 hours.

Like I said before I used to start my feeding window before my workouts and it just slowed me down and I felt lathargic going into my workouts. Once I tried fasted workouts my strength gains kept going up each workout and I had had a lot of energy throughout the workout. Your muscles aren't going to just fall off if you don't eat something before a workout. I think post workout nutrition is the most important of all.

I have seen studies supporting both fasted and non fasted workouts. I do what works for ME. It's up to you to find out what works for YOU. Even Mastover has said some of his strongest workouts have been fasted. Trial and error, don't just go on what other people do. Everyone's body reacts differently. If you over think it you are just going to want to bash your head into the wall. Keep it simple get your calories in and bust your ass in the gym that's all there is to it.

Also stick with something for a while. Don't just try it for a week and give up. I think that's some of the biggest mistakes people make. If something magical doesn't happen within a couple days they say "screw it" and try something else. Give your body a while to adjust to something. Otherwise you just keep going in circles and accomplish nothing which is obviously frustrating. I tried eating 3 meals a day, 6 meals a day all with different macros for months and months before switching it up. IF'ing is the first thing I've actually enjoyed that has given me great results. This is something that doesn't feel like a diet it's easily a lifestyle for me.

OK. . . now what about taking something like NO-Xplode or Shotgun before the workout. I know they have some carbs. Would that ruin the fast?

OK. . . now what about taking something like NO-Xplode or Shotgun before the workout. I know they have some carbs. Would that ruin the fast?

dont over analzyze this dude ...as said above its a lot of trial and error..different people respond in different ways,,,just try it for a few weeks and see how your body responds ...ive been training after a fasted period(18 hours no food no water due to religious reasons) for the last 3 weeks ...all i do i takes xtend bcaas and a quick whey shake
prior to training ) and i have had good workouts.

OK. . . now what about taking something like NO-Xplode or Shotgun before the workout. I know they have some carbs. Would that ruin the fast?
No it will not ruin the fast. If you read the leangains FAQ. Martin addresses this. Even if you eat a peice of fruit it's not going to diminish the fast. I drink a low carb monster every morning except weekends. That has carbs and calories. It hasn't hindered my progress one bit. Like user786 said "don't over analyze it". Just stick to it and keep it simple.

No it will not ruin the fast.

Interesting. Is there something inherently beneficial about working out fasted? Is it just the added energy from the catecholamines and other hormones that have responded to the fasting cycle?

Interesting. Is there something inherently beneficial about working out fasted? Is it just the added energy from the catecholamines and other hormones that have responded to the fasting cycle?
Well as far as working out fasted I don't know if their are scientific benifits to it or not. I do know that Martin from leangains says to actually workout in the feeding window that way you have a so called pre-workout meal. But on the flipside Oli (writer of the warrior diet) says to workout fasted. I know WD and IF are different but they basically follow the same principles of fasting during the day.

For me personally I get tired once I start my feeding even if I just have a snack, so it slows down my workouts. When I lift fasted I'm full of energy and my strenght/lifts still go up. I just do what works for me and always eat around my workouts. For some they either can't get over the fact that working out fasted will make their muscles fall off or they simply have no energy if they don't eat. Everyone is different so find what works for you.