I was wondering if anyone is experienced in combining both muscle growth and fat loss in a weekly routine similar to this:
Working out in a four day body split (e.g., Jim Stoppani’s shortcut to size) on consecutive days first thing in the morning while being on a high-protein caloric surplus diet until the evening of the fourth day - then waterfasting the remaining three days of the week.
Looking forward to hearing about your experiences/thoughts.
I would definitely recommend lifting while fasting. I am on day 18 of a water fast now and have been lifting or doing jiu jitsu every day. My strength hasn’t dropped that much but my endurance has. It’s allowing me to burn through fat much faster than if I were just sitting around.
You can build muscle without increasing calories much at all, you just increase the ratio of protein you eat.
Honestly, I was going to try the same thing. 5 days of eating with 2 days fasting. I currently do ADF, alternate day fasting, but want to start lifting thru the week soon.
As long as you get in your protein within 24-48 hours of lifting, you’ll get your gains (the idea of a 30 minute window is outdated science). So, just make sure you get your protein in after your last lift before you start your fast.
Will it work better if you only cut or only bulk? Maybe. But I feel your like me - don’t want to stop fat loss just to gain muscle - don’t want to put off building muscle while still have weight to lose.
On your fasting days, your body is stillin the process of repairing and replacing damaged muscle fibers from your lifting days. It’s not an On/Off switch where the body says “oh, you just want to eat and cut on feasting days only.. .ok”.If you intend to maximize HGH and autophagy as your source of building than you’d have to wait days into your fast before lifting when they are at they’re peak.I’m no expert at all, but from what I’ve read you can’t bulk when extended fasting.
Planning on something similar myself soon, but probably only 1-2 days of fasting and some carb cycling. Like 1-4 days on carbs and lifting, then 1-4 days off carbs and lifting, then 1-2 days fasting without lifting.
Why do this though? If you need to lose fat, then cut while eating enough protein/training so you can maintain the muscle you have. Fasting can help here. Then when you want to build lean muscle, eat in an overall surplus with adequate protein.
Trying to build muscle and cut fat at the same time is a bit of a fools errand. Much easier to focus on one and then the other (but obviously when cutting you want to do it so you don’t lose muscle, and when bulking doing it so you dont put on heaps of fat).
Muscle protein synthesis occurs for 48-72 hours after lifting. I never fast within 48 hours of a heavy lifting session. If I do the damage to the muscles, I want to give them the proper fuel for recovery also.