It's so easy to get caught up in you have to eat a lot to grow. I always believed that but the bottom line for me was that I increased body fat. My thought and this is just me is that protein is all you need plus a big refeed to replenish glycogen stores and to kick start your leptin production to keep your body fat low.
Same results with me. Before I started this last cycle, I followed a loose form of intermittent fasting. I would train fasted, eat really good for about 4-6 hours after my workout, then not eat again until I repeated the next day.
My body weight settled in the low 190's and all my abs were showing. Maybe 12% as I tend to store bf pretty evenly throughout my entire body.
My strength in all my lifts stayed the same, and I did make progress in them over time even if it was minor.
Now that I'm "on", I eat my carbs after training for 1-2 meals, and then protein and fat meals the rest of the day.
Couple times a week I have a meal that I normally wouldn't eat. One is usually good but about 2x-3x normal portion size, and one that includes anything I want. I don't have a sweet tooth, so it's typically something spicy.
I weighed in at 211 lbs yesterday at my monthly health checkup at work. Waist is still the same size, but everything else is growing.
In the gym, every workout is a new personal record and I'm thinking I will finally hit a 4 plate bench in the next few months.
But I will say that I seem to function better on much lower calories than I would have thought possible. I feel better, have more energy, and save a ton of time and money with food prep.
And training in the morning just suits me best. I've mentioned on here before that I don't require a lot of sleep. 5 hours tops and I'm restless. Been like this my whole life. I usually go to bed around 11:00pm, and figured if I'm going to wake up ready to go around 4:00am, I should be productive with my time.
Plus it frees up my afternoon for my family.
Training first thing in the am isn't for everyone, what's important is just making sure you get in on a consistent basis.
This is getting long, but one more thing..... Don't be afraid to experiment with yourself with diet and training. Read what some of the vets on here are doing, and see if you can take anything from it.
I've gained a ton of knowledge from reading here, applied it, kept what worked and discarded what didn't.
I'm much healthier and in better shape for doing it.
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