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I have lost around 33 pounds using intermittent fasting (skipping breakfast by substituting BCAAs). Since then, I have started lifting, first with Starting Strength and now with Texas Method, regaining about 11 pounds. I am over 40 and am only training twice a week (Monday and Friday).

On workout days when I lift in the morning, I skip my IF, have protein throughout the day and allow myself extra carbs. On the remaining days, I adhere to IF and go low carb (still trying to keep protein high). This seems to be working well.

My question is what to do on the day after a workout? I know protein is important the day of the workout. Will IF the day after workout adversely affect recovery? Looking for any recommendations from those folks both attempting to increase strength while staying lean on IF.

Thanks.

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I do 5x5 and IF and have no problem with recovery. If you are concerned with fatigue and CNS recovery than the answer really is it depends on how well your body recovers and how you feel. This will obviously be impacted by the type of workout you do also. So try it and see what happens. There is no right answer.

If you're feeling fine and you are just concerned with muscle synthesis , there are some studies that have been done by Layne Norton to show optimal muscles synthesis takes place every 4 hrs and there is benefit in consuming protein every 4 hrs or so. However this is just a few studies not hundreds of studies, it's not set in stone and even if the conclusions are true they only claim a slight benefit nothing more . you will still make gains without it. You need to weigh out the before of IF to you over the slight improvement in muscle synthesis. If IF is what's keeping you in your diet ,it's way more important than these minute benefits

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  • How do you achieve this? I can't imagine a day where I don't get my breakfast.
    – Just Do It
    Commented May 2, 2016 at 14:40
  • Most people use caffeine to stay their hunger like a black coffee, however if you can't imagine it than perhaps IF is not for you
    – YisraelU
    Commented May 2, 2016 at 14:46
  • I liked the approach and the principle of it, but I don't know how hard it would be for me at the beginning
    – Just Do It
    Commented May 2, 2016 at 15:05
  • @JustDoIt To start with it's tough, but it gets easier as your body adapts to it. As yisrael mentioned, coffee acts as an appetite suppressant, so can be used sparingly to handle the hunger pangs. Do some research (Brad Pilon's Eat Stop Eat is a good resource, and the Precision Nutrition Intermittent Fasting report is an interesting read)
    – Dark Hippo
    Commented May 3, 2016 at 11:24
  • Muscle synthesis was my main concern. Recovery from a CNS perspective has been fine (soreness is a different story). My worry was that I would lose out on gains by being in a catabolic state even with the BCAAs.
    – Saish
    Commented May 7, 2016 at 13:07

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