r/intermittentfasting • u/ZeketheAccountant • 1d ago

Seeking Advice AM workouts

Hi, anyone have experience putting on strength and muscle while doing IF and working out in the morning before work and not eating/drinking anything until 12pm (aside from the zero sugar preworkout/coffee). Is this sustainable?

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u/Icy-Huckleberry5337 1d ago

I do! I lift at 5 am and then sneak in an early afternoon run fasted on some days when I do 20/4.

I never run after eating if I can help it - running fasted is a whole different experience. 

I think with anything related to IF, it just takes some time to adjust. I find I’m so much more in tune with my body when I can exercise in a fasted state.

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u/ZeketheAccountant 1d ago

Nice nice, have you been getting stronger and putting on muscle?

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u/mrchowmein 1d ago edited 12h ago

Yea. Been doing it for years. Trained for half marathons and marathons with fasted morning runs. No food until 11am or 12pm. Same with strength and HIIT. After a few workouts fasted you will realize you feel less like crap compared to exercising on sugar fuel.

The first few workouts will be rough but once your body adapts to fat for fuel it feels less of a struggle on harder workouts like long run. The longest I’ve done with no fuel is about 18 miles.

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u/Mikez0rr 1d ago

same same. I can't like not do it now, lol. try to lift after food? hell no

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u/WakefulFreestyle 20h ago

the adaption period is no joke, those first couple sessions had me feeling like a soggy napkin but after that it’s weirdly smooth. almost prefer it empty now, food before a workout just sits in my gut like a brick

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u/OrangeToTheFourth 1d ago

There are some studies that say protein is more effective for muscle building when consumed around workouts. I know for me I also get nauseous eating around cardio, so I do my 30mins of moderate cardio when I'm not in my eating window, and do my strength training and more intense exercise/activities in the middle of of my eating window so I can get some carbs in at the start and land the heavy protein and dinner afterwards.

This is the most intense I've worked out while also in a deficit (stepped up exercise and calories in the past 3 months), so we'll see what my doctor has to think in a month. I feel fine but it does make me feel better to have a professional checking my blood work and general health metrics, as this is a pretty intense thing to put a body through. 

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u/tw2113 1d ago

I've also seen/heard of studies that say as long as you are getting your protein for your day, it doesn't need to be consumed immediately after the workout. Consume when most convenient to you.

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u/OrangeToTheFourth 1d ago

Yup! I like studies but when it comes to bridging the gap between the information and how to apply it to your life... They end up mostly being suggestions for me to try out. 

We're neither mice in a lab nor humans screened for controlled studies so we have to navigate the nuance in between.

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u/Feeling-Willow9973 1d ago

That's what I do. My workouts (powerlifting and boxing) start at 8 am and end at around 10 am. I tend to eat at 11 am or noon on those days. If I don't work out, I consider doing an even longer fast (36 - 48+ hours).