ontheedge said:
I’m seeing a lot of threads and comments on the importance of eating and meals etc. Just curious if anyone here has experimented with intermittent fasting and seen any improvements. I fasted prior to the fitness and aptitude test (which was in early afternoon) and not only was my performance good, it put we ahead of most of the other folks.
I’m wondering if guys have fasted all day during field training and then wolfed down large meals at night.
Hey, man.
Mariomike quoted me in what I posted, and the replies to it, but I gotta tell ya... It varies per person. I've had nothing but success with IE. Having said that, I am not in the military yet, so I can't comment on the field stuff.
What I can comment on, though, is the fact that it will improve your fitness. I had to do a lot of trial and error for this, but the results are much better than I expected. I would not believe the bullcrap that is behind the "Fasting is bad for you" nonsense. It has numerous benefits. I've seen positive and negative "reviews" about IE, just like there are in "Low Carb", which I stopped because I like my carby foods.
At the end of the day, you know your body best. That's where Trial and Error comes in. It varies per person. Some people don't like it, some people can't handle it, all kinds of different reasons. I've been fasting for years now, and I would never go back. My workout routine, which has been revised many times over the years, is pretty intense and there isn't any "performance loss" or any negative effects from doing them while fasted. I should also mention that I fast for 24 hours at a time, and eat once a day, but you should already know you don't have to do this, as there are different ways to do IE. I just prefer it this way.
It seems to be more of a mental thing than anything else. When you're in a fasted state, your body produces Ketones, which are a better source of "fuel" than carbs. Naturally, if you've been doing this for a while, and your body has already adapted to this "lifestyle", then you should be more than fine.
Either way, I'll let you know personally in, hopefully, a few months.