<TMC Note> This is the 2nd article from Michael Cernovich on CR and IF.  We believe you should incorporate this type of approach for immediate fat loss and physique improvement results.

I.  Introduction to Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting

The science is clear: Calorie Restriction extends life and improves health.  A person following a CR way of eating will have a greater chance at avoiding cancer, diabetes, or heart disease.  A CR practitioner can also extend his life.  There are two problems with CR eating.

First, you will always be hungry.  A calorie-restricted diet means an obsession with hunger and eating.  CR subculture is thus bizarre and cloistered.  Second, you will lose muscle.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you already know what happens when muscle is lost for any reason.

How many those of us do not want to lose muscle or go through life hungry take advantage of Calorie Restriction?  The answer is Intermittent Fasting (IF).

During an IF diet, a person fasts for approximately 14-16 hours each day.  Often the fast begins at night.  You can eat your last meal at 7 or 8 p.m., and break your fast in the late morning or early afternoon.  (For example: A person at dinner at 7 p.m. and had breakfast – literally, breaking the fast – at noon would have had been in a fasted state for 17 hours.)

You want to break your fast with protein and fats, with perhaps a low-glycemic carbohydrate like blueberries. You do not want to spike blood sugar with your breakfast.  For life extension generally, you do not want to spike blood sugar.

II.  Putting IF Into Practice

My day’s eating changes based on whether I am training or not.  Let’s say that I’m going to train on Tuesday afternoon.  I would eat my last meal at 8 p.m.  I would break my fast at approximately noon.  My first meal would contain mostly protein.

Before my workout, I would consume carbohydrates and protein.  I personally use FiniBars and NO SyntheSize.  FiniBars have a combination of slow- and fast-release proteins.  SyntheSize contains a fast-digesting protein and leucine blend.   Experiment for yourself.  The carbohydrates will fuel your workout.  It’s simply too hard to train in a carb-depleted state.  After training, I’ll have one or more meals of lean meats, vegetables, and perhaps berries.

III.  Sample Day’s Eating

A.  Non-Training Days

• 8 a.m. – Black coffee; the Ultimate Fat Loss Stack.  (See the upcoming Muscle Couple Special Report for More Details.)
• 10 a.m.  – Resveratrol; indole-3-carbonal.
• 12 p.m. – 2 whole eggs, 3 low-fat chicken sausage; sun-dried tomatoes.
• 4 p.m. – lean chicken or steak, stir-fry vegetables.
• 8 p.m. – Lean meat, fish oil, Vitamin D, blueberries.

On a non-training day, I consume between 1800-2200 calories.  I don’t count calories, but instead listen to my body/auto-regulate.   Once you’ve eaten the IF way, you develop an instinct for eating.  Plus, if you’re only eating lean meat, vegetables, and berries, you won’t overeat.  How many people binge eat when their blood sugar/insulin stays level?

B.  Training Days

• 8 a.m. – Black coffee; the Ultimate Fat Loss Stack.  (See the Muscle Couple Special Report for More Details.)
• 10 a.m.  – Resveratrol; indole-3-carbonal.
• 12 p.m. – 2 whole eggs, 3 low-fat chicken sausage; sun-dried tomatoes.
• 4 p.m. – lean chicken or steak, stir-fry vegetables.
• 4 p.m. – 3 FiniBars.(More on these Meal Replacement Bars in a Future Blog)
• 4:30 p.m. – 2 servings NO-SyntheSize.
• 8 p.m. – Lean meat, fish oil, blueberries

On a training day, I consume closer to 3,000 calories.  The FiniBars and SyntheSize add about 1,200 calories around my training time.

My training is simple: 45 minutes of rest-pause, and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio – where I maintain a heart rate of 150 beats-per-minute.)

IV.  Conclusion

It is possible to train seriously with weights while incorporating Intermittent Fasting.  By stuffing myself with protein and carbs before and during training, I’m able to train at a high intensity.

Even if IF didn’t have incredible health and longevity benefits, it’s the only way for me to live.  I don’t have blood sugar swings throughout the day.  I don’t have mood swings.  I’m never tired after a meal.

People at work often start passing out after lunch.  This is due to the constant ups-and-downs of blood sugar.  If you’re following IF, you will never have these violent swings.

Once I get older, I’ll transitions fully into IF.  For now, this hybrid approach allows one to gain muscle and strength while also improving health and lifespan.  Practicing IF allow you to live longer, looking good.

MIHWCS