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Want to lose weight? Fasted Training is your answer.
All year we tell you to eat, eat, and eat more during your training so you can push yourself to make fitness gains.
This is the one time of year that I will share how NOT to eat. I’ve followed my advice for the past month and have lost 11 lbs so far with this program.
If you want to lose some weight, now is the best time of year to do it when you aren’t also trying to make fitness gains.
For me, the secret is doing this as a team.
Here is the program:
Fasting is the secret, but keep it simple.
I recommend you keep the fasting part as simple as possible with 16:8 Intermittent Fasting. That means you eat in an 8-hour window (say 11 AM to 7 PM) and fast the rest of the time.
I don’t recommend pushing the fasting longer than 16 hours., even if you can. I see athletes do this, and after a few days, they abandon their routine altogether. In comparison, those that stay with the more straightforward 16:8 fasting routine remain more consistent and keep at it day after day.
Get a fasting app to track the time.
The best hack I have found is to get a fasting app. I used the Zero app, but there are many choices. The app kept me more disciplined, especially when starting the timer at night. It signaled to me, “no more snacking tonight.”
The other advantage of the app is it allows me to shift around my fasting window a bit. If I finished eating at 6 PM, my eating window opened again at 10 AM the next day.
Train first thing in the morning.
When you wake up, train while you are fasting. It keeps my metabolism up and teaches my body to burn fat.
My go-to hydration for these workouts is LMNT. It is zero sugar, so it doesn’t break the fast, and you will crave the salty taste when you train while fasting.
Here are my top 3 rules for the program:
Follow these rules, and this program will effectively lose weight relatively quickly (2 to 4 weeks for most).
The #1 rule is you are training to burn fat, not to perform. Don’t worry about watts, pace, or setting any P.R.s. That is not the goal. It is hard to hold yourself back, especially in the first two weeks of this routine. Remember to be slow and steady for 60 to 90-minute workouts.
After the first two weeks, add back in some HIT work. Meaning shorter workouts (under 45 minutes, even as short as 30 mins) but with 30-second to 60-second intervals.
The #2 rule is to set a very reasonable goal. Either commit to doing it for two weeks with no specific weight loss goal OR set an achievable weight goal of 5 lbs to 10 lbs (but not more). I would not step on the scale more than once a week.
Your gain (or losses, in this case) will fluctuate daily. What you care about is where you are at two weeks, then four weeks, etc…
The #3 rule is you can take one day off, I usually take off Saturdays, so I can eat breakfast and then head out for a longer workout or a more challenging workout than I would have if I were still fasting.
Here is the nutrition to use during your fast.
LMNT Salty Hydration
During your workout and after. SIS Go Electrolyte Tablets (if LMNT is too salty for you)
Get Science in Sport Go Electrolyte Tablets for your hydration during and after a workout.
Ascent Pre-Workout
I use Ascent Pre-Workout with only 2g of sugar to wake me up on early morning workouts. I’m not worried about the sugar breaking my fast. Two grams is nothing if you are about to do a 45-minute+ workout. Plus, the 150mg of caffeine is terrific for getting your motor going.
Kyoku Superfood Shake (to break your fast)
On the days I progressed the most in losing weight, I made the first meal after breaking my fast, the plant-based Kyoku breakfast shake. It is very satiating with 22g of protein and provides long-lasting energy.
Coffee (black)
As far as I’m concerned is always allowed. Get the Daily Grind.
Final word.
You are losing weight primarily due to the calorie deficit you are creating. Fasting helps, but also burning 500 to 600 calories during your workout really helps. So eat reasonably during your feeding window. I found I wanted to binge some days at the first meal. That is where I would use the Kyoku shake, which helped calm this craving.
You may be hungry at night, and while this has been challenging for me, I remind myself that this means the program is working. This isn’t forever, just for a few weeks to get you to your goal.
Happy Fasting, DRG
