I’m a reluctant poster, especially with some negativity towards this concept, but the article touches close to home. Just like to give my experience and hopefully get some constructive feedback.
When I was younger I carried a lot of extra weight (176cm (~5’8) / 85-90kg (~190lb). Then when I got addicted to training I leaned up a bit, but was bulky. I adopted the six-meals a day / low carb approach and yes I dropped to single digit bf%, but looking back, it was a period that I disliked intensely. From an Italian background, most meals were a feast (with lots of carbs) and following this approach I couldn’t, I stressed over food all the time, and not to mention the time to prepare foods, moods, etc. But then life reared its head and I was fighting to survive from an illness.
After pulling through, I started my recovery weighing a measly 44kg (~97lb-skin and bones). Just eat everyone would say, but the problem was I couldn’t, food caused great intestinal discomfort, mal-absorption, etc. The thought of eating made me ill. This is when I first read the Warrior Diet, and following it I fasted during the day, feasted at night and slept through the discomfort. I attribute the fast to allowing my body to recover and I loved the approach.
Over time, I started training again but couldn’t put on weight. I couldn’t go back to my old eating habits, so following the fast/feast strategy I added a whey protein workout shake during training, but still hovered around the 50kg mark (~110lb) for over 18 months. Following some readings, I switched to hydrolysed casein peri-workout and started making progress. When I added a pre-workout shake, a single protein pulse before training, along with coconut milk to my workout, I hit the jackpot. In the past 18 months I’ve added 25lbs, while maintaining body fat of ~8%.
Currently my strategy is: 5-12pm: Fast. 12pm: Protein pulse (leucine followed by hydrolysed casein), 1pm: WPI shake 1:45pm: Workout - Surge Workout Fuel, hydrolysed casein workout shake with coconut milk. (Looking for something extra, during workout I’m experimenting eating coconut with chocolate or fruit). 6-9pm: Feast. I love this approach, I’m mentally-on during the fast, feel great, it fits my personality, the morning fast flies by and then by the time I’ve recovered from my workout its time to feast for a few hours.
The main difference from the article is the missing additional morning pulse (along with the time-separation between pulses), and the addition of coconut milk (which I find very therapeutic) and eating food during workout.
Some queries: Am I missing a crucial element with only a single pulse, should my current pulse be moved to say 9-10am and does the consuming of coconut/chocolate/fruit have a negative effect on the reasoning for using hydrolysed casein?
And no I don’t use specific Anaconda/MAG-10 products (I’ve had expensive experiences trying to get casein/whey proteins through Australian Customs), but my self-blended workout shake does contain hydrolysed casein, citrulline malate, creatine and leucine. I also take Beta7.
Experiences/recommendations welcome; (I’ve got along way to go but will be stoked if I can reach a lean 70kg (~150lb) by year end). It may not be for everyone, but if you’re contemplating giving it a go, I agree with Christian, its simple and once you reprogram your body’s eating clock, easy and stress free to follow.