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ASK: for a friend in plateau

The Ask: a friend and I are getting back into IF together. His SW is 312 and mine was 230. I’ve had the luxury of being on paternity leave with time to work out and keep a strict window. He is the exact opposite: Foot and Back problems limit his exercise, what he can do is low impact rides which aggravate his foot or back, works 8-hour day, and windows can slip with commitments. He’s keeping to a 2000 caloric intake.

Any advice or lived experience appreciated!

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Answer

His calorie intake should be his TDEE subtract 500. If it is 2000, that’s great. If not, he should adjust it.

The next thing would be macros. Is he eating according to any specific diet? Generally, 20 - 30% of protein should be enough, but if he could eat 35%, it would be more effective. The amount of fats and carbs would be next. That’s is too very individual and really depends on what he is eating and plans to eat. In TDEE calculator, he can find three examples of different ratio protein, fat, and cabs. He should choose something sustainable for him, something he could manage.

As for his exercise, he could just depend on his steps count during work and his normal everyday activities. If he was advised to do any rehabilitation on his leg and back, he most definitely should do it.

He could adjust his eating window to more manageable and include longer fasts in his schedule.

Plateau is not unusual and, unfortunately, can keep for a long time. Patience is a key component to continue IF. I hope he will break the plateau and be successful on IF!

Answer

I’m still recovering from an injury and resulting surgery, so I’ve been quite sedentary. With a SW of 312 a 2000 cal intake seems reasonable. Unfortunately, plateaus are common and really demoralizing. I find that mixing it up with timing can be very effective. Maybe extend the fasting window by a couple of hours for a few days, or possibly throw in a fast of 24, 36 or 48 hours, and then return to the normal schedule.

Best of luck to you and your friend. How great that you can do this together!

Answer

He would be best to lose weight first before really pushing the exercise or activities. He can stick to basic activities like walking, hiking, etc. If he can’t do that then he will likely need to be very strict with his calories and restriction to lose weight. So he needs to ensure that at 2000 calories that puts him at a deficit of about 500 calories a day or so Then it is just slow and steady to lose the weight. As the weight comes off the activities should become easier and you he can then add in more intense activities to increase his fitness.

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