What’s the ultimate way to break fast when bodybuilding?

About a month ago, I completed my first water fast, which was a week. I’d heard and read about the importance of easing your system back onto complex foods, but I also wanted to experiment with pushing how quickly I could rev my metabolism back up. First day back to food, I had a simple squash soup (SO GOOD), then banana, some orange to help my stomach with acidity, and some well-chewed nuts (I know nuts are pretty harsh). Then dinner was baked potatoes and broccoli, sautéed pepper, onion, and garlic, and lightly seared salmon and beef. I’ve been told repeatedly that this is a crazy dense, complex, and overly aggressive way to break fast, but I felt great after. (The second night I got cocky and ate a huge pile of Buffalo wings 😜 But was still shocked to not have any issues). I also drank coffee throughout to speed things along. I’m currently 6 days into a target 2-week fast, and starting to dream about how best to break it – been getting excited about beef liver, and other organ meats. If cost wasn’t a concern, what would your ideal first 48hrs of food be, if you’re trying to maximize your gut and metabolism for muscle gain?

Answer

Easing back into food is more of a requirement when doing longer fasts (10+ days)

Also, eating meat, veggies is generally a good thing.You should try to avoid carbs if possible when on longer fasts, so that your body doesn’t get shocked and also to avoid any refeeding syndrome.

Bodybuilding and fasting are not generally conducive.

Body building relies more on protein synthesis and is an anabolic process, meaning the process of building.

Fasting on its own is a catabolic process. There are certain mechanisms which you could call anabolic, such as rise in HGH. But overall it’s catabolic, meaning process of consuming.

Also, Body building relies on higher levels of insulin, fasting relies on keeping low levels of insulin.

Body building effeciently requires a good amount of carbs. With fasting you want to keep carbs as low as possible.

Answer

Honestly, whatever works for you. I know it’s a bit of a copout but my s/o also fasts and what I can eat, she can NOT without having problems. And some of the things she goes to? Oi. No thank you.

My wife breaks with fruit, juices, sometimes carb heavier things like potatoes but she doesn’t do well with basically any proteins. Watermelon is her favorite. When I tried the fruits approach a couple of times, I felt TERRIBLE! Protein, fiber, and fat all the way for me

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Last time I broke with scrambled eggs and broccoli with homemade mayo. Led into chili later that day. Next day was uhhh fruit, boiled eggs, almonds, pumpkin blueberry yogurt for breakfast, supper was actually leftover chili. It was so good! This fast is going to be a bone broth since I don’t plan on doing a hard “breaking workout” to take advantage of those boosted growth hormones but then I think I’ll spend the say just snacking on the boiled off turkey and some veggies. Then probably doing my usual “healthy nutrition” without much thought past the broth and turkey

Just to say, though, my reasons are chronic illness related sooo other than the idea of a “protein shot” to break about an hour after a “breaking workout”, your goals might not align by the sounds of it? But since you’re looking for muscle gain I HIGHLY recommend \~48 hour fasts that you “break” with an intense workout into a “protein shot” meal about 1-2 hours after. I’ve exercised almost my entire life and there is something completely different about the results I get from this

Answer

First 48 hours should only be lean protein or protein shakes spread out throughout the day, you do not want to spike your insulin response. Also for shorter fasting, workout at the end of ur fast and then eat lean protein and you will get increased muscle mass