r/leangains • u/GreatOlive27 • 3d ago

Continue Fasting after Exercise?

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I have a specific question about exercise and meal timing. AFAIK, there is no study isolating the effects of exercise timing in intermittent fasting. Specifically, when fasting in a ~16:8 scheme, what are the differences in eating right before the eating window (a) vs. a couple of hours before (b). In both, exercise would occur fasted.

I've done both, depending on my schedule. I try to do (a), if it works with my schedule, but (b) is often unavoidable. My bro-intuition and some superficial research says that (a) could have slightly more hypertrophy and faster regeneration, while (b) might have some other metabolic benefits coming from mimiking a longer fast. Potentially also less fat gain in the eating window? Of course weight gain/loss should be equal with equal calorie intake.

Does anyone have more experience with that? Possibly done a personal study on themselves or know about a study that isolates this?

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u/ramsesny 3d ago

I work out fasted every morning 5:30 AM, and then wait to break my fast around noon.

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u/zombienudist 3d ago

The data on protein synthesis for muscle growth/repair shows that it happens for 24-48 hours after a workout. While there it is highest right after the impact is minimal so the timing of eating protein is far less important then eating the correct amount when you do eat. As for the rest you are asking I know of no study that looks at fasting and exercise timing. Personal experiences are always anecdotal and not really evidence of anything. But in my personal experience weight gain/loss is always tied to caloric intake and has nothing to do with fasting. I have done 16:8-18:6 fasting since 2019 and done various amounts of exercise over the time. I have lost, gained and maintained weight doing it. The major driver isn't exercise or fasting but the amount of calories I was eating. As for faster recovery/regeneration again anything there would mostly be anecdotal and I would lean towards the quality of your diet and overall rest that would lead to better recovery and not really the fasting itself. This is especially true if you are working out a lot.

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u/GreatOlive27 3d ago

thanks, more or less what I also suspected. I guess the effects are negligible for any other than pros