In the world of health and fitness, it’s safe to say that getting a straight answer to a question is about as easy as building your calves. Basically, it’s extremely difficult. When it comes to building muscle, all bodybuilders are fixated on eating. Every three hours without fail, countless bodybuilders across the land are eating their high protein meals straight out of a Tupperware container so that they can fuel their bodies and feed their gains. Diet and nutrition are incredibly important for building muscle, but eating hundreds upon hundreds of calories every few hours isn’t necessarily the only way to get in shape. More and more bodybuilders are now adopting an intermittent fasting approach to their diets, and the results speak for themselves. Here’s a better look at intermittent fasting for bodybuilding and what makes it so beneficial.
What is Intermittent Fasting?
Intermittent fasting is sometimes abbreviated to IF. It is not a typical diet protocol at all. The basic principle behind IF is that you will alternate between periods of fasting and periods of eating. Whereas most diets focus on the foods you should and should not eat, and the quantities, IF instead focuses on when you eat them.
Types of Intermittent Fasting
There are several different types of IF for people to choose from. Some people will fast for 24 hours a day once or twice a week and eat relatively normally for the remaining 5 or 6 days. Another form of IF is known as 16:8. This means that for 16 hours a day, including when you’re sleeping, you fast, and for the remaining 8 hours you are permitted to eat. The 5:2 diet is another example. This is a way of eating in which, for 2 non-consecutive days, you will consume just 500 – 600 calories.
Bodybuilding benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Now we’ll look at some bodybuilding benefits of IF. These include, but are not limited to:
Fat loss – Many bodybuilders will alternate between periods of bulking and cutting. A bulk is designed to build muscle, whereas a cut is designed to burn fat and retain as much muscle as possible. Intermittent fasting is great for bodybuilders looking to burn fat to achieve that lean, shredded look that all bodybuilders strive for.
Muscle retention – Whilst the general consensus is that IF is generally not beneficial for people looking to build muscle, there have been many studies which have found evidence to suggest that it is very useful for bodybuilders looking to retain muscle. When cutting, the idea is to lose as much fat as possible whilst holding on to as much muscle as possible. IF looks as if it helps to persevere lean muscle tissue whilst assisting with fat loss.
Regulate blood sugar levels – IF helps to increase insulin sensitivity so we produce less insulin and can still enjoy heaps of energy from the insulin we do produce. Insulin is a fat storing hormone that helps to move sugar and nutrients out of your bloodstream and into your cells for fuel. The more energy we have, the more productive our workouts will be.
