Sure Fire Fat Loss
June 27, 2008
Today is a guest post from another Intermittent Fasting blogger by the name of Martin Berkhan. Martin has been getting great results with some of his clients using IF (especially those wanting to put on quality muscle while doing it). It’s my hope to bring together IF bloggers in the common goal of getting the truth and message out there to people about what can be done. This is just one example of a way that can get people results. Remember that IF is a lifestyle choice with such great potential for health and fitness benefits, and you can control how it works for your activity level, your goals and your healthy and happy lifestyle! Hope you enjoy.
Sure Fire Fat Loss
My name is Martin Berkhan and I work as a nutritional consultant, magazine writer and personal trainer. I also happen to be a proponent of intermittent fasting for health, fitness and fat loss. I have my own blog about fasting (www.leangains.com), but when Mike asked me if I’d like to make a guest post on his blog, I thought that’d be a great way to present my method in greater detail.
The Leangains protocol consists of two phases; 16 hours of fasting, followed by 8 hours of feeding. During this period, three meals are usually eaten. Depending on the day, the composition of those meals varies; on workout days, carbs are prioritized before fat, while on rest days fat intake is higher. Protein remains fairly high on all days. That’s a very basic and general description of the protocol I employ; of course, variables change depending on goals, gender, age, body fat and activity levels, but it would be hard to describe it in greater detail without drifting off too far.
Most of my clients are fitness enthusiasts, athletes and weight trainers, but the great majority of them have one thing in common – to look good naked. The ‘gain’ in Leangains can therefore be a bit misleading, as most of my clients wants to lose fat, while retaining as much muscle as possible in the process. While their diets might vary, it rests on some nutritional principles that I thought I’d present to the crowd reading this post. These principles will work for everyone, regardless of fitness level.
Here are a few guidelines that I consider success factors for performance, fat loss and excellent diet compliance.
- On workout days, break the fast with meat, veggies and a fruit. If you’re planning to train shortly after this meal, add a few carbs in the form of a starch source – potatoes or whole grain bread, for example. Make it a medium sized meal and don’t stuff yourself. Train within 3 hrs of having eaten this meal and have a much larger meal after your workout; in this meal, add more complex carbs – and you may even have one of your favourite treats as dessert, if it’s not too high in fat and if eaten in moderation. Good examples of what I refer to as ‘treats’: low fat ice cream, sorbet or JC’s cheesecake. Bad example: Chinese buffet or your son’s birthday cake. You get the point, keep it within moderation and don’t pig out.
- On rest days, eat less calories than on workout days - do this by cutting down on carb intake, and make meat, fibrous veggies and fruit the foundation of your diet for this day. The first meal of the day should be the largest, in contrast to workout days where the post-workout meal is the largest. Largest doesn’t necessarily mean largest in terms of volume; I suggest getting at least 40% of your calorie intake in this meal, and the dominant macronutrient should be protein. I’ll have some clients eating upwards to 100 g protein in this meal, so don’t be afraid to pile on the meat (or whichever protein source you prefer). Fattier meat and fish like ground beef and salmon are examples of some excellent protein sources that may be consumed on rest days.
- In the last meal of the day, include a slow digesting protein source; preferably egg protein, cottage cheese (or any other source of casein based protein). Meat or fish is also ok if you add veggies or supplement with fiber. This meal will keep you full during the fast and exert an anti-catabolic effect on muscle protein stores by ensuring that your body has an ample supply of amino acids until the next meal.
- Whole and unprocessed foods should always take priority over processed or liquid foods, unless circumstance demands a compromise. For example, you might find yourself in situations when there is little time to eat or prepare foods – in such a situation, having a protein shake or meal replacement bar is ok, where as solid, more satiating foods should be consumed whenever there is ample time to cook.
These are a few of the principles I’ve employed with great success; there’s a bit more to it, but this should get you started in the right direction.
Above Photo: Real Testimonail with IF from LeanGains.com
very informative! great post!
Interesting. How would you incoporate some of these principles if you are a vegetarian? For example you say to break your fast with meat. Are you doing this just because of the protien content, or should it be specifically meat? Can I use a meat substitute instead?
Thanks - Parth
Love this post it really supports the methods I have been employing and finding success with. Just recently stumbled across the light meal two hours before a work out and like it alot, it gives me a comftorble fed feel going in to a tough work out after having fasted through my active work day. I also still get to go into the work out in a calorie defficit and feeling not at all full. This allows for a feeling of receiving needed nutrition after the workout and allows me to put the majority of my calories in me during an increased metabolic/anibolic state.
Mike and Martin thank you both for allowing the information promoting this IF lifestyle to be so accesable.
Parth,
the primary reasons for breaking the fast with meat is due to both it’s protein content and satieting properties. Are you per chance a lacto-ovo vegetarian? If so, it wouldn’t be much of a problem getting the protein from eggs and dairy. If not, you’ll have to be a little more creative and focus on other complete protein sources such as soy, hempseed, chia seed, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa.
Liam,
thanks, it’s my pleasure.
I’m a recent fan of IF and now Leangains. I like the IF lifestyle only problem is I’m a hypoglycemic and I still get shaky and almost dizzy sometimes when I fast. Martin, would you have any suggestions for me? I have been experimenting with the 16 hour fast/8 hour eating window. Maybe I need to only do this a few times a week instead of nearly every day. I don’t know if you have any experience with hypoglycemic clients but I would appreciate your help. )I should also note that the old standby of 6 small meals didn’t help me either. My body simply didn’t have enough time to digest the last meal I ate.)
Patricia - What do you have during your fast? Coffee? How long have you been hypoglycemic? What kind of exercise do you get? What is your work schedule like? How are your stress levels? What time do you get to sleep and how long do you sleep? Have you ever had your fasting cortisol levels checked? Lots of lifestyle factors to consider especially when dealing with hypoglycemia besides the advantage of losing weight to help out as well.
Thanks Mike for your response. I’ll do my best to answer your questions. I usually just have water, herbal tea or supplements like fish oil (or sometimes coconut oil) during my fast. I only drink coffee a few times a month. I’ve been hypoglycemic most of my adult life (as I mentioned the ole 6 meals a day feeding routine made it worse). I’m also hypothyroid (but not overweight) and have adrenal fatigue. I lift weights twice a week (similar to most paleo programs) do a little interval cardio, a 12 minute pilates DVD almost every day and a lot of walking. I sit at a desk all day so I’m not that active. I do have a stressful life (but a good attitude;)). I’ve always struggled with getting enough sleep. I haven’t had my cortisol levels tested in a long time. I wouldn’t doubt it’s a factor.
Since experimenting with IF, I have enjoyed much improved digestion as well as positive physique changes but I don’t want to hurt my health in the quest for a perfect body but I still feel intuitively drawn to IF, perhaps I just need to figure out how it would work best for me. I appreciate any help offered.
What are the best carbs to ingest that will be stored as muscle glycogen? Complex carbs, high glycemic? Specific examples would help like yams or bananas or whole wheat bagels?
Patricia,
I use a 14 hr fast for women, due to reasons that will soon be explained in another interview on my site. Some general diet guidelines for women will also be outlined; perhaps you’ll find some answers there. For now, it seems that your hypoglycemia can largely be explained by hormonal/lifestyle factors.
Jack,
no need for high-GI carbs unless training frequency is very high (5-6x/week).
Sweet potatoes, oatmeal, whole grain and ‘white’ varieties of bread, pasta and rice - there’s numerous examples. These should be consumed as part of the pre/post-workout meals, but adding small/moderate amounts of sucrose/fructose in the form of ‘cheats’ (as per the post) shouldn’t be shunned (and may in fact have some benefits).
Patricia - As stated by Martin, looks like you have more serious lifestyle issues that are the main part of your hypoglycemia (which is not uncommon). Good news, is I like to think the body has the ability to repair and recover….bad news I can’t tell you how long that process is especially if you are already having issues. You need to get your adrenal fatigue managed first which means reducing stress (you just have to learn to manage and eliminate it…no I take that back, don’t eliminate it because stress can be found everywhere and may not be under our control, instead find ways to just let it go….stop letting things that really don’t matter stress you out…detach from the route of the stress, see todays post as I talked about that too), finding more down times to relax if necessary, getting quality sleep, eating healthy nutrients and essential fatty acids (esp omega 3s/fish oil). If you can’t get those under control then it won’t matter much what kind of diet you are on as the hormones are the biggest factors. I would bet your cortisol is pretty bottomed out (which is not a good thing esp in the AM). IF is not going to affect your adrenals unless you go into starvation…which means you are not eating enough and that doesn’t happen overnight. I would say start slowly….try IF couple times a week and then manage from there. Also focus more on your stress reduction and getting quality sleep at night (so get ready to get to bed earlier, wind down, eliminate late night TV and computer time, don’t eat 1-2 hours before going to bed….otherwise your hormonal cycle overnight will have a tough time producing the right hormones to begin the road back to healthy adrenal (and thyroid) function. Remember that IF has many variables and you can control what you do and what is working for you. It may be a slower road back than normal but as long as you are making progress that is all that matters.
Martin,
Thanks. I can probably get the protein from dairy. I do eat eggs, however they are not allowed in my house.
On a side note, I eat close to 2500 cals a day, and I’m almost always hungry. I’m still trying to cut fat, and the results are very slow.
Any ideas?
Thank you Martin and Mike, very good advice indeed.
Martin, I think a 14 hour fast would be very doable for me (and like Mike said I could just try it a few times a week and go slow). I’m looking forward to your interview regarding IF/training for women.
Mike, you are right on about not eating right before bed as that’s always been a disaster for me. If I fast I tend to do better with skipping dinner (or eating a light dinner). My digestion is so much better that way. I also just started taking an adrenal complex (with bovine adrenals) and I feel better already. I’ve learned to value my sleep more. I wouldn’t doubt that proper IF could be a very healing practice for me and I’m willing to go slow and take my time making progress.
Parth,
1) wrt hunger: I think the macrocomposition of your diet may be subpar, at least with regards to what you are trying to achieve. Ironically, I see this with a lot of vegetarians and their diets - no offense.
2) wrt slow fat loss: you are most likely overestimating your calorie needs.