What I Learned From Intermittent Fasting (IF)

          I briefly want to share my conclusion with the LeanGains IF protocol I had been following and catch you up on what I am currently doing.  So what is my conclusion?

          I am not following the IF protocol strictly anymore. I found that it was too challenging to stick with on weekends because I wanted to have more flexibility to eat when I wanted and I hated not having any carbs on Saturdays or Sundays when in the past my husband and I would enjoy our free meal together on one of these two days with a date night.  Working out everyday at 12 was hard with my work schedule.  So now I periodically fast on days that are difficult to prep food such as early mornings when I have to run out of the door, traveling, and on the following day that I ate above and beyond my daily requirements.

          I am back to eating small meals throughout the day including breakfast.  I have been successful in losing weight by simply tightening up around the edges with my food intake throughout the day.

          The greatest lesson that I learned from IF was that its OKAY to go without food for a few hours.  Your body will not eat up all of that hard earned muscle.  I know with confidence that I can function just fine without eating first thing in the morning and now I don't have to stress out so much while traveling.  I would rather fast than eat crappy food when I have limited choices and know that my body will not suffer dramatically from this decision.

          I still train on an empty stomach.  I try to eat about 2-3 hours before I lift or do cardio.  I simply enjoy my workouts more, feel stronger or  run faster and look forward to a yummy post workout meal.

 Here is an example of food I take in on an average day.  I consume about 1850 calories daily.

6 am Wake Up
630 Breakfast- 4 eggs/ 2 full 2 white, 1/4 cup of oatmeal with cinnamon and 1/2 banana, 1 cup of green tea with a dash of agave nectar or honey

8am cardio- 45- 60 minutes
9am post workout- 1 scoop whey protein and 1 apple sliced with cinnamon

12 Lunch- 4oz Chicken in 1/3 cup brown rice, 1/3 cup kidney beans, and 2 cups of steamed veggies and either a handful of nuts or 1 tbsp of almond butter

3pm Lift- 1 scoop of Xtend -BCAA with workout
Post workout snack- 3/4 cup of cottage cheese and 1 peach

7pm dinner- 4 oz lean red meat and TONS of veggies and 1 tbsp of almond butter

Bedtime- 1/2 scoop of whey and 1/2 casein (I am sensitive to casein protein so I have to split my serving)


XOXO,

Abby

What to learn more about my IF experiment?  Be sure to check out:

"Have You Ever Asked Yourself  'What IF?' -Experiments With Intermittent Fasting "

"Update #1 on IF Progress"

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