The Lean Gains / IF learning and Discussion Log

[Milas]

Lunch (fast break at 12PM)

10-12 oz grilled chicken breast
3 cups lettuce/spinach mix (salad)
1/2 cup soy nuts (salad)
1 cup brocolli (salad)
1/2 cup carrots (salad)
2 tbsp Newmans Fat Free Low Cal Dressing
2 tbsp bacon bits (salad)
1 medium apple
4 tbsp Naturally More Peanut Butter
1 slice Layne Norton Cheesecake
1 scoop Macro Greens
1L water


Snack (4PM)
3 hard boiled eggs, whole
3 egg whites
Cholula hot sauce
1L water

Dinner (6PM)
6-10 oz chicken/fish/beef
1 cup green beans (or other veggie)
1 slice Layne Norton Cheesecake
1L water

Dessert (tastes like a Shamrock Shake!) (just before 8PM)
1 scoop myofusion
1 scoop oximega greens
1L water

 

[acwingfoot]

thanks Milas!.. and when do you train .. early AM im guessing?

 

[RickRock13]

Not a bad idea at all, but it would hit you in the wallet pretty hard.

Assuming 8 awake hours of fasting and 10g BCAA per serving, that's at least 50g each day (10g at 0:2:4:6:8 hour mark after waking) without adding any extra surrounding cardio or intraWO.

1000g BCAA = MIN $40 (Bulk NP) = 20 days MAX (@50g per day)

So at that rate, 1 month = ~$60 spent on BCAA. It would be sweet, but pretty expensive.

BCAAs can get expensive depending on how much you are taking in. I take in usually 30g a day. 10g pre workout, 10g post and 10g 2 hours later which is 2 hours before breaking the fast.

 

[Milas]

thanks Milas!.. and when do you train .. early AM im guessing?

Yep, in the gym by 6AM. 1-1.5 hrs weights, 10-30 minutes cardio, BCAA intra. Head to the office, and get a liter of water with more BCAA.

 

[Milas]

BCAAs can get expensive depending on how much you are taking in. I take in usually 30g a day. 10g pre workout, 10g post and 10g 2 hours later which is 2 hours before breaking the fast.

Or you could buy bulk BCAA for $20 a kilo, but you'd have to be smart about your powders. That or give your muscles a feast.

Personally though, I like Xtend, BC+EAA and Purple Wraath. At some point maybe I'll do bulk and crystal light, but I've got a stash to burn through first.

 

[Frank Reynolds]

Or you could buy bulk BCAA for $20 a kilo, but you'd have to be smart about your powders. That or give your muscles a feast.

Personally though, I like Xtend, BC+EAA and Purple Wraath. At some point maybe I'll do bulk and crystal light, but I've got a stash to burn through first.

Ive been using modern bcaa, or other bcaa product around workouts(with additional bulk), and bulk/crystal light the rest of the day.

 

[mich29]

great thread idea here

 

[RickRock13]

Or you could buy bulk BCAA for $20 a kilo, but you'd have to be smart about your powders. That or give your muscles a feast.

Personally though, I like Xtend, BC+EAA and Purple Wraath. At some point maybe I'll do bulk and crystal light, but I've got a stash to burn through first.

I have thought about going the bulk and crystal light route, as its definitely cheaper. But I love the taste and convenience of xtend so that's what I am using at least for now. Purple wraath is something I want to try too, but is more expensive than xtend

 

[JohnRock]

Bulk is the way to go. I get my BCAA and creatine in bulk form that way I can get exactly the amount I want. I mix a scoop of BCAA into my pre-workout drink, and a scoop of each in some 0 calorie sports drink for during my workouts.

 

[Sik]

That's totally fine and they are damn expensive, although I feel like there have been studies that indicate amino acids prior to weight training is superior in promoting protein synthesis and glycogen uptake in muscle cells post-workout.

Leucine is not so expensive... As already referred here about Datbtrue, please check there some studies!

Why don't take only leucine intraworkout? You still can take advantages of that increase in glycogen uptake and protein synthesis with only leucine intra WO.

 

[Red Dog]

Leucine is not so expensive... As already referred here about Datbtrue, please check there some studies!

Why don't take only leucine intraworkout? You still can take advantages of that increase in glycogen uptake and protein synthesis with only leucine intra WO.

Oh I understand the usefulness of leucine; I have quite a bit of bulk leucine to use actually!

In my post I was just responding to your comment about BCAA being a "waste of money" by showing that there are documented benefits of consuming amino acids before a workout -- that's all.

But yes, I hear that leucine also works well by itself and is considerably cheaper.

 

[Sik]

The question is that IMO, not works well itself, WORKS Better!!

Just my opinion, maybe some don't agree. Nevertheless, there are a lot of different options nowadays! Bulk rules

 

[JudoJosh]

Wow this thread has really exploded since I subbed! Great to see so much interest and open-mindedness with this diet.

I have to go back and read to catch up but looks like a great discussion going on here about amino consumption

This is my fasting mix and I usually have 3 of them before breaking my fast

7g EAA
7g BCAA
6g Glutamine
2g Taurine​

 

[houstontexas]

Today is the my first day on IF. I actually got more sleep than I normally do last night, but I still feel very out of it in this fasted state. I feel like I am not thinking as clearly or as quickly as I usually am plus I just have that overwhelmingly tired feeling. I know I read somewhere that you may experience more energy etc in the fasted state so I am curious as to why I feel so tired. Does my body just have to adjust first since it is used to having food by now? Something like switching to a CKD diet or something. Initial lethargy followed by my body adapting to its new routine. Thanks.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Wow this thread has really exploded since I subbed! Great to see so much interest and open-mindedness with this diet.

I have to go back and read to catch up but looks like a great discussion going on here about amino consumption

This is my fasting mix and I usually have 3 of them before breaking my fast

7g EAA
7g BCAA
6g Glutamine
2g Taurine​

Mine is the same ingredients but 50% BCAA 25% EAA's, 15 Gluatamine and 10 Taurine... I got this off of Kabuki when he was doing his modified warrior diet... Chris has an intereting sounding mixture, can't remember what it is...

 

[DreamWeaver]

Today is the my first day on IF. I actually got more sleep than I normally do last night, but I still feel very out of it in this fasted state. I feel like I am not thinking as clearly or as quickly as I usually am plus I just have that overwhelmingly tired feeling. I know I read somewhere that you may experience more energy etc in the fasted state so I am curious as to why I feel so tired. Does my body just have to adjust first since it is used to having food by now? Something like switching to a CKD diet or something. Initial lethargy followed by my body adapting to its new routine. Thanks.

There is an adjustment period just stick with it...

 

[Milas]

Today is the my first day on IF. I actually got more sleep than I normally do last night, but I still feel very out of it in this fasted state. I feel like I am not thinking as clearly or as quickly as I usually am plus I just have that overwhelmingly tired feeling. I know I read somewhere that you may experience more energy etc in the fasted state so I am curious as to why I feel so tired. Does my body just have to adjust first since it is used to having food by now? Something like switching to a CKD diet or something. Initial lethargy followed by my body adapting to its new routine. Thanks.

There is an adjustment period just stick with it...

Yeah, I agree that it takes some bodies a bit to switch over. The nice side is that if you take stimulants, they're even more effective/potent!

 

[DreamWeaver]

Yeah, I agree that it takes some bodies a bit to switch over. The nice side is that if you take stimulants, they're even more effective/potent!

I'm pretty energiized on this regime.. It's a good opportunity to give my adrenals a rest. Now when i do take stims they will work like they used to.

 

[EasyEJL]

I'm f@#$@# well dying here watching the clock waiting for noon.

 

[Milas]

I'm f@#$@# well dying here watching the clock waiting for noon.

I'm with you! I took a Dexaprine to help curb appetite, and just had to eat a fiber cracker (only 12 calories, 5g fiber). Nearly puked on the first swallow!

 

[EasyEJL]

I hate clock watching well other than at work.

 

[Torobestia]

I'm not even fasting, and I'm dying here in between my every 2ish hours meal!

 

[Sik]

Search on google for grehlin.

It will take same time for your body adapt for your new eating schedule. Since it is adapted, it is very normal you will only feel hungry near the normal hour you eat.

Since when you are fasted there is more catecholamines, any type of stim will be a lot more potent.

Normally i start my day with a big cup of coffee. Then i have 4-5 hours of work without any hungry, but near 12 i became with the feeling i have to so, this is my window starting.

Make sure to not UNDEReat doing intermittent fasting lyfestyle. I easily come to undereating and then the results sucks! So keep an eye on your calories/macros.

cheers

 

[EasyEJL]

Yeah, when I attempted paleo I underate the first few days and ended up where I started eating close to half a jar of peanut or almond butter a day just to make calories

 

[Sik]

There are very good choices for fasting! Even if you can start with higher calories, dependent by person.

A big lunch that is full of veggies and a lot of fat and protein.

the thing becomes someone who have to eat a 2k dinner:

- 400g ~1lb of lean meat/fish (around 100g protein ~400kcal)
- 250g of brown rice (around 200g of carbs ~800kcal)

And after looking this huge dish and we think? "it is still missing more then 500kcal to fill the budget lol"

So it is easy to undereat, even on feeding window!!

 

[Milas]

I have no problem meeting (and exceeding) my caloric requirements. Power Butter at 4-6 TBSP on top of 8-12oz meat, plus a slice of layne norton cheesecake. 2K calories, easy.

 

[MrKleen73]

Bulk is the way to go. I get my BCAA and creatine in bulk form that way I can get exactly the amount I want. I mix a scoop of BCAA into my pre-workout drink, and a scoop of each in some 0 calorie sports drink for during my workouts.

Bulk is definitely the way to go on aminos!!!!

I have no problem meeting (and exceeding) my caloric requirements. Power Butter at 4-6 TBSP on top of 8-12oz meat, plus a slice of layne norton cheesecake. 2K calories, easy.

Wow Power Butter on meats. Huh, HMMM would be good for Mole' anyway.

 

[Milas]

Not together, separately! I eat a spoonful with every bite of apple, tastes soooo good to me!

 

[MrKleen73]

Not together, separately! I eat a spoonful with every bite of apple, tastes soooo good to me!

LMAO! I had a feeling but I bet some power butter mole' would be good. A little chocolate some power butter some spicy seasoning and WHALLAH healthy Mole'

 

[Milas]

LMAO! I had a feeling but I bet some power butter mole' would be good. A little chocolate some power butter some spicy seasoning and WHALLAH healthy Mole'

That does sound good! I already tear through Power Butter, I already ate 16oz from Monday to Thursday! I can't imagine if I ate more!!!

 

[MrKleen73]

That does sound good! I already tear through Power Butter, I already ate 16oz from Monday to Thursday! I can't imagine if I ate more!!!

Yeah it doesn't take long and with the better protein bars it makes the ratios so much better. Love me some power butter. Oufinny found some place that sells the big jars of it too, like the big quart size or something.

 

[EasyEJL]

I just buy naturally more pb at Walmart. Made by the same company, almost identical but only 2.75 for a 1 lb jar

 

[JohnRock]

4600 calories today with another 21 minutes left in my feed. I keep going higher and higher and nothing so far has caused me to keep any weight that I don't lose just as fast on my rest days with lower calories. It sure would be nice to put on a few pounds...

 

[MrKleen73]

4600 calories today with another 21 minutes left in my feed. I keep going higher and higher and nothing so far has caused me to keep any weight that I don't lose just as fast on my rest days with lower calories. It sure would be nice to put on a few pounds...

When trying to build you should definitely eat more on your rest days. The 50% on non training days is to burn fat while possibly still building muscle. If already lean then you need to increase your rest day calories a little. I think that will make more of a difference than adding a few hundred cals to the feeding window on training days.

 

[JohnRock]

When trying to build you should definitely eat more on your rest days. The 50% on non training days is to burn fat while possibly still building muscle. If already lean then you need to increase your rest day calories a little. I think that will make more of a difference than adding a few hundred cals to the feeding window on training days.

That's kind of what I've been thinking as well. The annoying thing is that my "rest" days have me so busy and away from the house that to get in more calories, I have to forget about the quality.

 

[RickRock13]

When trying to build you should definitely eat more on your rest days. The 50% on non training days is to burn fat while possibly still building muscle. If already lean then you need to increase your rest day calories a little. I think that will make more of a difference than adding a few hundred cals to the feeding window on training days.

That makes a lot of sense. Whenever I get to the point where I am happy with how lean I am, I will switch gears and add calories to both lifting days and rest days.

 

[SouthernLord]

In!!!!!!!!!111

I've been IFing since the first of the year. I love it

This is a great thread you guys have going here

 

[SouthernLord]

Are you guys getting creative and using protein pudding and fluffs to hit your daily macros? It's tough for me to eat 300+ grams of protein daily from whole foods alone. I take in ~100g of protein a day from protein pudding, fluffs, and protein ice cream. It's an easy and delicious way to keep the pro high when I don't want to consume a ton of meat.

Btw,,, If you're a fan of ice cream you should go to target and pick up an ice cream maker for $40. best investment ever lol

2 scoops of protein, ~10oz of unsweetened almond milk, and 2tbsp of sugar free chocolate or caramel syrup makes an amazing guilt free high protein desert.

 

[MrKleen73]

That's kind of what I've been thinking as well. The annoying thing is that my "rest" days have me so busy and away from the house that to get in more calories, I have to forget about the quality.

Well not necessarily. You can add in high quality fats from almonds, plenty of fiber, a little extra protein and they don't need anything but a ziploc bag to keep em fresh for a few days if your running about that is an easy way to increase cals. Also Better protein bars made with power butter are a great nutrient dense food if not low carb dieter. They have honey in them as natural sweetener so obviously decent carbs but a good source nonetheless.

That makes a lot of sense. Whenever I get to the point where I am happy with how lean I am, I will switch gears and add calories to both lifting days and rest days.

Yeah, that is probably a god idea or add to only the rest days at first then when the gap closes a bit more start adding to both. I really haven't read too much into using it for weight gain just yet. I know he has some outlandish practices he employs though. Cheesecake mastery, steak/meat mastery all times when you just gorge yourself on these foods at one long sitting. Martin has eaten a 5 lb cheesecake before I think. That and some ridiculous amount of beef, not at the same sitting but still.

 

[MrKleen73]

Are you guys getting creative and using protein pudding and fluffs to hit your daily macros? It's tough for me to eat 300+ grams of protein daily from whole foods alone. I take in ~100g of protein a day from protein pudding, fluffs, and protein ice cream. It's an easy and delicious way to keep the pro high when I don't want to consume a ton of meat.

Btw,,, If you're a fan of ice cream you should go to target and pick up an ice cream maker for $40. best investment ever lol

2 scoops of protein, ~10oz of unsweetened almond milk, and 2tbsp of sugar free chocolate or caramel syrup makes an amazing guilt free high protein desert.

I haven't made the fluff yet and that ice cream type desert sounds great! I do have some protein shakes though. Especially when I have a bad meal and need to bring protein up and other cals down. All a part of adjusting but yeah I have mine. Speaking of I need to go ahead and eat.

 

[Red Dog]

That makes a lot of sense. Whenever I get to the point where I am happy with how lean I am, I will switch gears and add calories to both lifting days and rest days.

I'm in the same boat as you man.

Are you guys getting creative and using protein pudding and fluffs to hit your daily macros? It's tough for me to eat 300+ grams of protein daily from whole foods alone. I take in ~100g of protein a day from protein pudding, fluffs, and protein ice cream. It's an easy and delicious way to keep the pro high when I don't want to consume a ton of meat.

Btw,,, If you're a fan of ice cream you should go to target and pick up an ice cream maker for $40. best investment ever lol

I'm all over that fluff -- I probably get 60g roughly out of it each day! It's so good, takes forever to eat, and way more satiating than you would initially think.

An ice cream maker sounds awesome for $40 -- the closest I've ever come is mixing in light vanilla ice cream with fluff and then letting it freeze. Maybe I'll pick one up for my birthday later this month!

 

[MrKleen73]

I am going to keep on cutting for a while then start trying to add more LBM slowly.

 

[xigotmailx]

I've gained some weight and i'm looking to cut down and get lean again, last year I was sub 8%, this year over 20%. I was reading through his articles here and when I got to the part about skipping breakfast it all snapped for me. Last year was no breakfast. Since then, I've been eating 4-6 meals a day. I'm going to get down on IF for sure. Tired of the lower belly fat I have right now. For someone 180 what should my calories be? I'm eating right now about 2k and I haven't lost or gained a pound but losing fat, so probably should stay right there I suppose and drop it down some on rest days, yes?

 

[RickRock13]

Are you guys getting creative and using protein pudding and fluffs to hit your daily macros? It's tough for me to eat 300+ grams of protein daily from whole foods alone. I take in ~100g of protein a day from protein pudding, fluffs, and protein ice cream. It's an easy and delicious way to keep the pro high when I don't want to consume a ton of meat.

Btw,,, If you're a fan of ice cream you should go to target and pick up an ice cream maker for $40. best investment ever lol

2 scoops of protein, ~10oz of unsweetened almond milk, and 2tbsp of sugar free chocolate or caramel syrup makes an amazing guilt free high protein desert.

I havent tried that yet but I plan to. I do take in a couple shakes per day to get my total protein usually. And every now and then I make some protein pancakes (usually weekends). I will have to give the fluff and protein ice cream a go sometime and try it out though.

I am going to keep on cutting for a while then start trying to add more LBM slowly.

You and me both bro...:yup:

 

[Milas]

I've gained some weight and i'm looking to cut down and get lean again, last year I was sub 8%, this year over 20%. I was reading through his articles here and when I got to the part about skipping breakfast it all snapped for me. Last year was no breakfast. Since then, I've been eating 4-6 meals a day. I'm going to get down on IF for sure. Tired of the lower belly fat I have right now. For someone 180 what should my calories be? I'm eating right now about 2k and I haven't lost or gained a pound but losing fat, so probably should stay right there I suppose and drop it down some on rest days, yes?

That's quite a swing from <8% (which is really lean) to over 20% (quite fat). What happened?

First of all it seems like you don't track your caloric intake/output. I would start logging everything you eat on something like fitday.com. That will give you a baseline number of calories for your output, and also track what you're putting in.

Once you have an ACCURATE baseline, then you can adjust accurately to find a good level for fat burning. I would recommend a daily deficit of 500 calories, half from calories, half from extra cardio.

The basics of weight loss won't change, you gotta know what you put in and what goes out if you want to control it (otherwise you're just guessing).

 

[xigotmailx]

That's quite a swing from <8% (which is really lean) to over 20% (quite fat). What happened?

First of all it seems like you don't track your caloric intake/output. I would start logging everything you eat on something like fitday.com. That will give you a baseline number of calories for your output, and also track what you're putting in.

Once you have an ACCURATE baseline, then you can adjust accurately to find a good level for fat burning. I would recommend a daily deficit of 500 calories, half from calories, half from extra cardio.

The basics of weight loss won't change, you gotta know what you put in and what goes out if you want to control it (otherwise you're just guessing).

I'll explain this for you. I figured for some dumb reason since I was having trouble gaining weight that I was just going to stop working out and eat my ass off. It worked. And now i'm a chubster. Complete idiotic move, but i'm down to 18% within 2 months and a lot of it was also due to GOMAD during the first month. So I'd probably say that 5% loss was this month solely. I take in 2k a day or less, weights 4 times a week, 2 days cardio, but I do some cardio during lifting days too sometimes.

Lesson learned and moral of story, woman make you fat unless your chasing them, which is aerobic, therefore makes you look better

 

[Milas]

Do you track your calories to know you're at 2K, or do you guesstimate? If you track, what did you eat today?

 

[freezito]

Subbed, I'm in it to win it

 

[morry]

Subbed.

 

[MrKleen73]

That's quite a swing from <8% (which is really lean) to over 20% (quite fat). What happened?

First of all it seems like you don't track your caloric intake/output. I would start logging everything you eat on something like fitday.com. That will give you a baseline number of calories for your output, and also track what you're putting in.

Once you have an ACCURATE baseline, then you can adjust accurately to find a good level for fat burning. I would recommend a daily deficit of 500 calories, half from calories, half from extra cardio.

The basics of weight loss won't change, you gotta know what you put in and what goes out if you want to control it (otherwise you're just guessing).

Milas, he can easily lose weight by guestimating IF HE HAS SOME IDEA ALREADY OFWHAT HE TAKES IN A DAY. Not yelling at you there, more stressing to others reading this that is the only way estimation works successfully. I can estimate my calories with pretty good success by keeping a basic tally in my head of grams of protein and what not. However I have been doing it long enough to know what a serving of this, or a serving of that contains and looks like. I can go over or under but the overall trend works just fine for leaning up without any obsession over accurate intakes. It is definitely what is required for continual success once in the lower levels of body fat and when trying to gain LBM without adding fat once already lean. However in the general weight loss / recomp situation for most people the estimations if based off of true familiarity with the nutrients in the food eaten is going to yeild great results.

Xigot, If you are taking in 2000 a day as a starting point I would try 1250 and 2500 for a starting point give it 2 weeks and see what adjustments you think you need.