Minimum meals to grow?

bell1986

bell1986

Well-known member
I hate eating during the day. I feel like eating makes me very tired and unmotivated. I have been doing OMAD for about 6 months. It's the best I've felt for years. I fast for 22-23 hours and then eat 3500-4000 calories in that hour. I know that will sound a disgusting amount of food in one sitting but you do eventually adjust to it. Especially after a 22-23 hour fast and a busy day. This for me is a surplus. The issue is.. I just don't grow. I love this eating style but if I'm not growing then it's just a waste.

Has anyone done a similar eating style and managed to add mass?

Would 2 meals be enough to grow? Fast for 16 hours and then have a protein rich meal and then a meal at the end of the night?

I've tried different meals and all seem to make me tired. High carb/High protein. High protein/High fat/Low carbs etc. All make me lethargic. I work a hard paced job and I can't afford to be sluggish. I don't mind eating so much at night as even if I do get tired I can just go to bed.

Would an EAA drink during the day be enough to stimulate MPS? I would prefer not to eat but I also hate not growing.

Thanks
 
I have tried every form of intermittent fasting on every diet form imaginable. Can you grow? Yes. Is it ideal? No. Is it close to ideal? Not at all. Every two hours. If there was a better way, every ifbb pro would be doing it.

If eating is an absolute awful thing for you, I would at least pound two protein shakes during the day with eaas in between
 
WickedWarlock said:
I have tried every form of intermittent fasting on every diet form imaginable. Can you grow? Yes. Is it ideal? No. Is it close to ideal? Not at all. Every two hours. If there was a better way, every ifbb pro would be doing it.

If eating is an absolute awful thing for you, I would at least pound two protein shakes during the day with eaas in between
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Very well said. If you aren’t growing, you need to take in more, no matter how extreme the eating is already.

Eating is an anabolic action. Releasing insulin, triggering protein synthesis, lowering cortisol, increasing nitrogen retention. Even a small meal will make a difference. Everyone can keep a tub of protein powder, shaker, and some peanut butter or bag of nuts in their vehicle, at their desk, in a break room, etc. Drinking 3 scoops of a protein blend and downing a fistful of nuts takes about 3 minutes - you can do that on a bathroom break.
 
Everything already said i would 200% agree with. I know of several ppl who spent years trying to get big with intermittent fasting and none were sucessfull. It is a good way to drop lbs, its a decent way to slowly recomp a bit, and its hard to grow. Unless your pretty new which your not
 
What’s your macros now? Whatever it is you need to increase it and if you’re dead set on eating 1x day, add some carb/protein drinks during the day. Amino drinks during the day won’t do anything for weight gain.
 
BBiceps said:
Amino drinks during the day won’t do anything for weight gain.
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^Just wanted to highlight this. Aminos aren’t significant enough calorically to make a damn difference if we are talking about growth, more of an anti-catabolic.

Size isn’t built from nothing; you need raw materials & energy surplus.
 
I would try throwing in something like (sipping) a full scoop (200 calories) of karbolyn during your workouts. Not only will your workouts change for the better, but it will spare muscle. I know this takes you out your fast, but I think you will get noticeable muscle sparing within a couple of weeks. Not to mention increase in strength, motivation and output. And it won’t make u sleepy if injested during a workout or taking more post workout (if the calories are required to put you into a surplus).
 
Look into clear whey. I keep a half gallon jug with 3 scoops with me all the time. That's 60+g of protein. Drink two and there's 120+. Whatever food you eat in that day could be enough. It's not filling like the milk shake stuff but has no bloat and is like drinking juice or gatorade. With your current eating routine that alone could make a difference.

Myprotein has great deals all the time and it can often be had for just over $20 a tub.

The harsher advice would be look at eating like your least favorite exercise you want to get good at and maybe even enjoy. You stick with it and never stop; you eventually reach a point you can't remember why you hated it as now you LOVE this movement.

That's how I approached legs. Guys said they hated legs or even skipped...well I must brainwash myself into liking it. Now it's prob the best workout I do and consists of two separate days.

Good luck, I hope you find something that works for you.
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If you're looking to gain mass while following an intermittent fasting approach like OMAD or 2 meals a day, the key is making sure that both meals are packed with enough nutrients to meet your calorie and protein needs.

In terms of protein, consider adding more calorie-dense, nutrient-rich options like whole milk powder, which is a great way to boost both your protein and calorie intake without having to eat a huge volume of food. Mixing it into shakes or smoothies can make it easier to hit your calorie goals without feeling overly stuffed.
 
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