A quick good news / not so good news post today about building muscle and fasting.
The Good news – Research shows (once again) that even 72 hours of fasting (way longer than I recommend) does not change whole body protein turnover or measures of protein oxidation (you’re not losing muscle). This is great since with the Eat Stop Eat style of Intermittent Fasting we never go more than around 24 hours without eating.
The not so good news news – The same research also shows that that massive doses of amino acids and insulin after a fast are no more anabolic then they are in the fed state. In other words fasting didn’t some how turn you into a muscle building monster. Now, there is some research to show that the muscle building machinery in your body are more ‘sensitive’ after a fast, but I’m pretty sure we’re looking at the minutia of muscle building – small things that won’t really change how much muscle you build over the course of a year or two.
Bottom line – Eat Stop Eat is supported by EVEN more research showing it’s a great way to lose fat without losing muscle! You’re not losing massive muscle when you are fasting and you are not building massive amounts of new muscle because you ate a high protein diet right after coming out of a fast (there’s no magic muscle building effects from the post-fast period).
This is an important part of the Eat Stop Eat philosophy.
Once you complete your 24 hour fast, simply pretend the fast never happened. Don’t do any special post-fast rituals, don’t over eat, don’t make some special amino acid/protein cocktail.
Just resume eating as you would have on any other normal day.
The point of Eat Stop Eat is to take a break from food, and then go back to doing what you were doing before you took your break.
As soon as you start coming up with special ways to eat and things to do at the end of your fast you’re complicating things and missing the point of the simplicity of Eat Stop Eat.
Finally, as always…it’s the way you workout that decides if you are building muscle, and the way you eat that decides if you are losing fat.
BP
(Gjedsted et al, 2009)
I’ve done a ton of experimenting with fasting since reading ESE.
The scale continues to creep up slowly (looking at averages) and the bodyfat is obviously still coming off. The mirror & unsolicited comments from others don’t lie.
Bottom line. Fasting isn’t eating my muscle. It’s pretty much the only state I work out in now. I feel incredible around hour 20!
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Brad,
I’ve noticed talk in various circles of the notion of “protein pulsing” (sometimes with 3-5 g of added leucine) as a way of increasing anabolism………..does the research you cited above essentially slam the door on those claiming that there is anything especially anabolic about the concept of protein pulsing?
You seem to get the camp that clings dearly to the steady tickle of AA’s all day long or those that use the pulsing idea to “debunk” the steady trickle crowd. But if coming off of a fast doesn’t enhance anabolism over AA’s and insulin in the fed state, then it would seem that the trickle versus pulsing factions are engaging in nothing more than mental masturbation.
Couldn’t agree more Brad.
My post today was in a similar tone: You eat or you don’t. No special hoopla before or after the fast. Just pick up and go.
Mike
Good stuff. No magic pills. No Fat Tuesday style dinners before the fast. No fancy after fast routines. Just eat properly. Take a break one or two days a week. Workout. Each does its thing in its own particular area. When combined you get great results. Thanks for the post.
Michael
Nutrition and Physical Regeneration
Man do I love that line there : “It’s the way you workout that decides if you are building muscle, and the way you eat that decides if you are losing fat”
Brad, I bought your book ESE and I am new to it. I have a question. Will eating normal food on non fast days while following ESE make me sharp while losing fat? Cos I think if we eat normal, we are also consuming Sodium(Salt) which helps in Water Retention, which in turn decides how sharp we are. I used to follow a Warrior Diet for the past few months and I was eating close to Paleo, so I had no salt in my diet, as you see. Just curious about the being sharp part.
I have seen, if I have to get really sharp for some event or ocassion I would eat hardcore Paleo for over say 2 weeks removing Salt, Sugar and all kinds of Processed Foods.
So I was just confused about the being sharp part while eating normal in ESE.
good post brad,
i followed ESE for 4 months, i still lean , and the best part is i enjoy my foods ,MY LIFE. when other people must eat no fat chicken breast (yeaakk..), raw greens,etc…….i still eat my popcorn, my brown coffee, n guess what? we have same sixpack LOL
thank you brad,
(sorry for my english)
What is the link for the study?
Bottom of the post, in parenthesis.
B
Hey brad,
Been following the intermittent fasting type of lifestyle for about a year now, including experimenting with ESE(bought the book). I do have some metabolic weakness though (low energy/bodytemp, bad digestion) and I am being told by some people that IF can exacerbate the situation (i.e., being hard on the adrenals). Have you any reason to concur with that? Do you have any experience with people using ESE that had health issues (“adrenal fatigue” or hypothyroidism)?
Josh,
Do you have a true adrenal disorder or hypothyroidism? If you do those are medical issues that need to be discussed with a doctor. If we are talking about the mysterious “adrenal fatigue” that is popular on line right now, I have no comment on it, as it’s simply to vague to discuss on line.
B
PS- Where did you find the term metabolic weakness?
Hello from Russia!
Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?
Of course.
“Finally, as always…it’s the way you workout that decides if you are building muscle, and the way you eat that decides if you are losing fat.”
So I don’t need excess calories to build muscle? Where does the energy come from then? The fat? What is the evidence that you have for this?
This is a good thing you are doing. If its true you have helped many people get over the protein bunk, and the fear of being in a calorie deficit.
Well,
It takes 5 extra calories per day to maintain an extra pound of muscle.
You build muscle EXTREMELY SLOWLY, so it is next to impossible to measure the caloric cost of the actual building process. In children undergoing catch up growth after months of malnourishment, kids putting on muscle faster than you and I EVER will, (sad but true) they measured the caloric cost being an extra 100 calories per day…but the kids were also gaining fat weight.
Bottom line, the ‘cost’ of building muscle can be accounted for in your RMR, so you have already covered that need in your daily eating.
B
Hi Brad;
!)
This isnt really about this post but I wanted to ask you some questions. I have just discovered Intermittent Fasting/Eat Stop Eat and have downloaded your Elimination Exercise thing but wanted some advice on what Compound Exercises are best?? Im not a fitness expert so can get a little confused about what everything means!! In your PDF, you didnt mention anything about compound Abs exercises, unless the abs are dealt with in one of the exercises you mention. Anwyay, some hints as to what compound exercises would work everything including Abs that would be great! (in lay man’s terms too if you can
Thanks
Lou
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If I complete a heavy workout, say Monday evening… can I assume I should continue with a normal diet for the next day and THEN fast on Wednesday? Then continue eating again on Thursday morning?