FrenchFit 

I said I’d write a one year review, and final review, of Intermittent Fasting / Warrior Diet, not that I’ve assumed anyone was waiting for it. I sorta expect it will be deleted by the moderator, it has substantive content. Essentially this “diet” is not eating during the day; my eating window is from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Instead of posting this is the Clyde sub-forum I thought it would be more interesting to the 50+, I’m 61 now. Late fifties I decided to get off the couch.

My objective was to acquire a more stable energy level at the office and become more of a hardbody, weight loss was a secondary consideration. I was suffering from peaks and valleys in my energy level, that 2pm malaise when I wanted to take a nap. My sense was this wasn’t healthy or natural and I didn’t see how my very American diet was going to support me in my 60s, 70s.

Improving my bike / hill climbing capability was important early on, but that happened faster than expected. I really don't need a compact crank for most hills, a 42t ring is just perfect. I sort of lost in this as a focus/objective. My hill climbing improved quickly, and I don’t fuel much when biking. Water consumption went down quickly, but I think there were less 90-100 degree days this last summer, staying hydrated was a lot easier. Sometimes I’ll take so diluted Cytomax. I’ll leave it at that.

So, it’s sort of re-made me; my work-outs have never been more aggressive and I’ve got all day energy to spare. Six months in I was having problem with lethargy headed to the gym during the day, but I added a banana, yogurt or apple during the day and that perked things right up. I’ve added an Oh Yeah bar after a tough work-out, a little muscle recovery there. So, my modified Warrior Diet is no food until nighttime, except an apple or banana during the day, and some recovery food after working out.. I think Ori Hofmekler, the WD author, would approve.

My work-outs now include a long run, then swimming, and boxing/rowing/spin/intense core work-outs for more a pop. These tend to be 2-4 hr work-outs a few times a week. In between days, I try to do a fast 5k runs. My coach is a young MMA guy, he’s pretty impressed with my energy level. Biking, hill climbing has improved but, honestly, I’ve sort of lost interest in biking…the intensity level is just lacking. So, biking has become just a casual outings; fun trips with the wife. I'm definitely going n-1 this year.

I’ve gone from a 40” waist to a comfortable 34” waist, clothing chest size has stayed 46” but I’ve lost a lot of fat from the shoulder and neck area. I’ve added serious muscles in the legs. My neck size has dropped an inch. My face has a lot more definition, I recognize myself as the same guy in the pictures when my adult kids were toddlers. Being able to recognize myself in the mirror is very gratifying experience, it is quite the motivator.

I did a full physical and labs months ago and have been monitoring since. I’m going in for more tests next month, but I think I’ll know the results. Resting HR has gone from 64 to 56, peak has gone from 215 to 175, I’ve been doing some hr recovery tests, I like what I’m seeing. I also quit smoking during this period; it just seemed to happen naturally. (Ironically, not smoking has done close to nothing in the way of improving my athletic performance, that was a pretty sour discovery. But, my wife is happy I’m a non-smoker, and I think I’m definitely breathing and sleeping better.)

Well, I don’t know what more to share. Pretty much everything is better, from sleeping to daily digestion. If you a looking for something that might be a real game changer for daily energy and fitness, I would say this is something worth considering. It’s easier than you might think, but all the white noise from friends telling you you’re crazy and going to medically injure yourself gets a little old the first few months. I actually had a friend call me yesterday and ask if I have “fallen off my diet” yet, … I guess it never ends.

Ursa Minor

Interesting. I've been on something similar. I don't eat after 12 noon. Eat just two small bowls of low carb food
and have lost 18 pounds since Jan2. My biking had to take a 2 week slow down in the beginning but once I got
acclimated I'm back to my usual 100-140 per week plenty of energy.

Charlie

CharlyAlfaRomeo

Kudos to you for what you've accomplished!

As far as the smoking goes you will probably never see much of a gain in fitness from stopping if you smoked for any length of time. The damage is at this point not likely reversible but take solace in the fact that they're pink again and your cancer risk will slowly decline over time.

Dudelsack 

Battles have been lost on the Warrior Diet:

Ursa Minor

Dang! Theres more to the warrior diet than I thought. Lol.

Charlie

scububa

Interesting. Sounds like tremendous results and flys in the face of conventional wisdom of several things. I hadn't heard that one. I'll have to read up. I did focus on losing weight since Father's Day when my kids gave me a new hi-tech scale. They said it was to go with the new bathroom I was finishing, but I knew it meant I was too big ;-) I did lose 15 lb and am focusing on some of the same energy gaining goals and %BF and flexibility over weight. But, I am not seeing anything near your results.
Kudos and thanks for sharing.

FrenchFit 

LOL, agreed. The crazy oaths of Kings, even anoited Kings, have caused some serious damage.

I'll go with Malory's romantic Knight's Oath, King Arthur (though nothing about diet):
[h=1]“This is the oath of a Knight of King Arther's Round Table and should be for all of us to take to heart. I will develop my life for the greater good. I will place character above riches, and concern for others above personal wealth, I will never boast, but cherish humility instead, I will speak the truth at all times, and forever keep my word, I will defend those who cannot defend themselves, I will honor and respect women, and refute sexism in all its guises, I will uphold justice by being fair to all, I will be faithful in love and loyal in friendship, I will abhor scandals and gossip-neither partake nor delight in them, I will be generous to the poor and to those who need help, I will forgive when asked, that my own mistakes will be forgiven, I will live my life with courtesy and honor from this day forward.” [/h]

FrenchFit 

Thanks all. When I started biking some years ago my heart rate would often get up around 175 on long rides and simply stay there, even when taking a water break it would kite for five minutes or so. I figured it was the smoking, even when I added more running I would often peak my HR well over 200 doing intervals. By the time I got used to doing sub-30 5ks several months into the WD that changed dramatically. but I was still smoking. By then I was looking for hills to climb, but I was still taking my tobacco with me in my jersey pocket. Smoking did not seem to interfere with all out efforts. It leads me to think that the debilitating nature of smoking has more to do with the combination of smoking, diet and alcohol. The unholy trinity so to speak - add these three bad habits together and you health is bomb ready to go off. With the exception of a good happy hour, not a temptation any more. I did hope for some big athletic dividend from smoking cessation, but breathing easy is enough of a reward. I really do wish I had found this diet in my 40s, it would have made runnin' with the youngins' alot more fun.

cccorlew

No breakfast? I'd never make it.
If I was going to do this, I guess I'd do the unwarrior diet. Breakfast and lunch, but no after dark eating.

But congrats to you! Carry on!

Jseis 

Kudos for giving up smoking. I prefer the hunter/gatherer diet.

jdon

This is a diet I know nothing about. What is the purpose of dining late in the day? Sounds much like bonk training. Is this a circadian rhythm diet or just a time limit on calories in?

Jseis 

FYI, the toughest warriors who fought for life....say gladiators..pretty much ate a lot of cooked grains. Maybe a very few of them got better but the average gladiator ate a pretty bland diet. For wanna be He-men desk jockeys bringing a Steelcase in for a 5 pm carrier landing...think again.

https://archive.archaeology.org/0811/...gladiator.html

FrenchFit 

Well, there's a book, website, and hundreds of articles about this diet and IFing studies- I can't encapsulate all the rationales, opinion, science. But for me, I'd saying not fueling the digestive system for 20 hours or so and eliminating the insulin spikes provide the big wins. I think you become a more natural fat burner, hence the endurance vs explosive power. The author says we humans are inherently nocturnal eaters and we've managed to screw that up by fueling morning and afternoon. I don't know about that, but I will say that eating very lightly / foods with a low GI / during the day does yield some nice results. I also think it's not for everyone: if I was high metabolism, low body fat, Mr. fast twitch, then I would have experienced a different result. Alas, that's never been my reality.

FrenchFit 

I think there is some confusion here between the concept of "warriors" and "exhibition fighters". Top ten lists of warrior cultures do not include roman gladiators, and perhaps not roman soldiers. In contrast, Spartan culture seems to be on everyone's top ten warrior culture list, and they embraced a meat, fish, dairy and local barley/veggies diet ,,,and they liked their wine. Everything in moderation. Spartans were reported to be hunters and big on institutionalized mandatory military and fight training.

Jseis 

Let's see...gladiators...captured men and typically captured soldiers, well trained as fighters, imprisoned and living within a very long running society that celebrates them killing each other in public displays. Believe what you want to believe but a warrior is a warrior and doesn't need a culture to tell him so.

dbg

Interesting. My simplistic approach has been "earn every calorie" --to which I usually add "protein after workouts" and "eat more green stuff."