Well, I’m back to work this week which means I have a little less control over the timing of my meals. I broke my fast this morning at 6 a.m. and went for a 3-mile run followed by 30 minutes of weightlifting. The run was pretty sub par. I felt super tired, and energy deprived. I was almost 1/2 minute off normal pace. Probably again, this was a result of fasting for 14 hours the day before but also because I really didn’t consume very many calories.
My intent today, was to end my eating window at around 4:00 but I realized that would be difficult due to the fact that I was still at work. So, I settled for 5:00 which gave me a 11-hour eating window. I tried to keep supper fairly satisfying but simple: 2 eggs with avocado Ezekiel bread muffins. I definitely want to avoid the trap of eating a too large meal, too late in the evening. On the other hand, I want to have enough food the night before to have energy for a good run the next day.
(My other food for today was: breakfast – quality clean protein bar, lunch -mediterranean salad with chickpeas and 4 oz of salmon, snack – clean protein bar)
What I’ve learned, pros and cons so far:
Pros: My digestive system is a lot less bloated and gassy.
Cons: I haven’t quite figured out the balance for fasting and quality exercise. I haven’t lost any significant weight. I lost 3 pounds in the first 4 days but after the long run Saturday, I was back up 2 pounds. So, the total weight loss for the week was only 1 pound.
My hypothesis #1: I think that a serious exercise regimen is going to demand a longer eating window. Quite possibly a 11–12-hour window.
My hypothesis #2: I think that huge digestive gains can be made by making the last meal small and light and then not eating after 6:00 p.m. If nothing else is gained from this challenge other than building a “no eating after dinner” rule than it will be worth it.
Deep Roots Wellness 