So I stoped eating 3 hours before bed and 3 hours after I just have black coffee in the morning and then lift weights before work and then have 3 large meals between 10am and 8pm. Iv been doing this for 2 weeks and it seems like iv been getting leaner while still making strength gains while training.
I initially started doing intermittent fasting to help with sleep after watching Andrew Huberman talk about it on a podcast. And even though I haven’t really noticed any increase in sleep quality, I’m still really pleased with the body recomposition.
Anyone else experience something similar?
Sleep is a large part of why I started IF too. I try finish my evening meal by 7:30 and then I go for a walk afterwards, regardless of the weather. I have an intense job so this helps me mentally shift from that into winding down. I do two miles. I use this time to plan out my next day so I can go to sleep knowing what I’m going to do rather then stressing about it. I leave my phone at home for this.
Changes like this aren’t like taking a pill, they take time and you have to play around with what works best for you. For me the biggest switch to my sleep was my morning routine. I noticed I was sleeping a lot better during lockdown when I was forcing myself outside when the sun came up so I could get some exercise and “fresh air” before anyone else was up. I live in a major city and we locked down hard. I stopped doing this when things opened back up. It took me a while to figure out that this was a big missing piece of my routine. Since adding it back I’ve noticed a big improvement in sleep quality. It’s a killer for your social life though.
I don’t drink alcohol. That was another lockdown change that had only had a positive impact on my sleep.
As far as getting leaner on a surplus I don’t track calories too closely. My meals are larger but I cut out snacking. I also pay more attention to the foods I eat. I focus on fiber and then protein. I eat to hit those goals. I’m leaner than at any other time in my life. I’ve worked out harder in the past. My next goal it to have more structure around my workouts. I recently did a 5 day fast and my abs looked amazing. I want that look with food 🤣