After introducing fasting over the last month or 2 with a mix of OMAD and Extended Fasting for upto 72 hours, there’s one big thing I have noticed
My workout performance is much, much better when fasted! To the point where I want to always do OMAD just so I can train fasted from now on
I perform a mix of HIIT Circuits and Swimming. When fasted I have increased stamina and energy to completely blast either workout
When I train after eating, no matter if 2 hours or 6 hours ago, I just feel sluggish and tired and no energy.
After 48 hours of fasting I’m still able to smash a killer HIIT Workout or swim a mile while having bags of energy
I used to hit the gym hard on the 3rd fasting day when doing rolling 3:1. I had so much energy and felt amazing the entire time. Highly recommend it to anyone.
However, now that I’m doing an extended fast (on day 11 atm), my energy levels are about 80% of what they used to be. I went once on like day 3 or 4, and felt horribly hungry the next day, haha. So now I sort of have PTSD and am scared to go back, haha. But I’ve been meaning to and might actually go again today, we’ll see what happens. But I definitely don’t expect to perform at my peak, like when I did rolling 3:1, I was a beast back then. Energy for days!
I find it worse. It might be because I’ve been doing continued fasts after completion. It’s not too bad if I’m doing OMAD or ADP and I have an ample refeed, but with prolonged fasts (72hrs +) or many days of rolling fasts in a row my gym performance is pretty bad comparatively.
In The Obesity Code, FUNG MD explains that while fasting your body produces more adrenaline and growth hormones to maintain muscles mass. This book changed my life and I am down 30 pounds from 319 to 290 in the span of maybe two months.
For me it depends on what I’m hitting that day!If I’m doing a cardio workout (treadmill or elliptical) or lifting upper, then I find I do have energy while fasting.
But if I’m doing a leg day or kickboxing, I most definitely need something in my stomach otherwise I can’t lift heavy.
I had a hypoglycemic episode (and I’m not diabetic) after a cardio workout, with only a 12 hour fast. Though at the time I had also been doing calorie restriction with it. Now I try to exercise 2-3 hours after my last meal as I stress about experiencing those symptoms again.