I’m looking to do some aggressive IF, as I’ve had success in the past doing OMAD, but I’ve had positive experienced doing 2-3 day fasts, and I’d like to thrive on that strategy a little bit.
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I would like to do a 2 days on, 2 days off kind of strategy. Spend 2 days eating 2-3000 calories, high protein intake, followed by a 48 hour fast.
Repeat.
I will continue to strength train on eating days, and cardio/HIIT on fasting days when possible.
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Is this a dangerous routine to fall in to? I have 4 months to maximize my IF. I am worried about lowering my BMA, but I figure a 48 hour fast period isn’t long enough to do that, and I don’t need to worry about refeeding too much, given the relatively short window.
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What do you guys think?
I’m wondering if it anaerobic training (HIIT) would be pretty difficult during the longer fasts. It’s definitely relying on glycogen and might not be as quality of a workout as doing them on your OMAD days.
I’m no expert, but I wonder if just doing lighter weights and cardio on the extended fasts and your heavier weights and HIIT when you’re a little more fuelled (as in from the previous days consumption).
>I am worried about lowering my BMA, but I figure a 48 hour fast period isn’t long enough to do that
My understanding is that an occasional longer fast will not have hugely negative effects, but muscle growth and maintenance is all about consistency over a long period.
So doing 48 hour fasts back to back for 4 months will almost certainly be worse than a daily cut that still hits protein goals every day.
I think a factor would be your ability to exercise. There was a test where someone fasted for 7 days and lost 12lbs of muscle. If weight is regained (which is a lot easier without that muscle) it goes back on as fat. The test was repeated where he exercised for 4 hours a day and lost no muscle but that sounds pretty hard to do.