macgyver
TID Board Of Directors
- Nov 24, 2011
- 1,997
- 1,672
Thanks Bro, I appreciate the compliment and overall tone of your post.
My stricter discipline has evolved because of a desire for health and longevity rather than such a heavy emphasis on aesthetics.
In previous years, I was far more loose with macros / specific choice of foods. I have many years experience with a looser diet while training compared to my way of eating now where I place emphasis on macro ratios, feed timing, frequency of eating and abstaining (with both IT and extended fasting), avoidance of specific foods all together (other than a well earned cheat meal occasionally).
In fact even over my past few years of this transition, my cheats have switched from donuts and haagen dazs to a 10oz serving of mixed fresh fruit and/or a fast food spicy chicken sandwich.
The results differ radically most noticeably in composition and systemic inflammation. Along with other differences like water balance and recovery.
I can and do consume a larger overall weekly caloric total than the previous loose style way of eating, and have much better composition results. Running on fat (predominantly saturated fat) for fuel rather than glucose, or a combo of glucose and fat (a fat storage combo), the difference couldn’t be more pronounced.
All the above is sharing of an emphasis on the evident physical results — and for me to delve into the differences on cardiovascular / cholesterol, inflammatory factors, digestion, general metabolic and so forth benefits for health, would turn this thread a more technical in-depth direction.
Just also wanted to say I appreciate the exchange. You and I are in similar places and walked similar paths. I am approaching 50 and for me quality of life takes precedent over being the biggest or strongest.
You would be a great dude to enjoy a few beers with as I can tell you have arrived at that place you are with some thought and real experiences.
I wanted to share something that I kinda discovered (not on purpose). Even if you had asked me as recently as 3 years ago, I probably would not have felt exactly as I do now. AND part of this may be a 'bigger picture' as you allude to which brings additional complexities to the conversation. But I will share my anecdotal experience.
About 3 years ago, I was in probably the best shape of my life. I very much practiced IIFYM (or flexible dieting). I got rear ended coming into my driveway and got my spine fractured and ended up with 2-bulging and one displaced disk. It kind of was a set back for me. I was depressed and not feeling well. Truth is, I have never recovered my back. Anyway, during this time I practiced IF. But as time went on, I got to where on any given day it was a 50/50 shot if I could even get out of bed. It took me a few years to get back to where I could 'go through the motions' (which is how I describe my workouts now). I made myself feel better at times by eating like sh!t. No excuses. I was kind of depressed and eating icecream somehow makes your back not hurt as much. My diet started to get extreme. I was still roughly tracking protein, but at the end of the day, I just managed my weight with cals.
As my back got better, I never changed the way I ate, but I got to where my workouts were getting more productive. THEN came time for my physical. What is amazing to me is that eating so poorly had no impact on my blood work. In fact it improved some. Fast forward another year (still doing IF) and eating even worse, and again, my blood work was the best it has ever been. (lipid profiles...etc).
So I am a firm believer that IF really changes things about one's metabolism. I believe it has made my body much better at processing high sugar or 'junk' foods. I cant prove it of course, and I can only compare it to 10-12 years of previous blood work (many following much more 'healthy' lifestyles).
Lots of complex things going on, and I dont truly believe that a calorie is a calorie...>BUT, for most people it might as well be. I can see when lean enough, the impact of carbs. I can feel (and see) how my body reacts to large intakes of simple sugars, vs complex...etc. But for most people, it does not matter at all.
@testboner you are definitely a guy who I can tell MANY things will make large differences and I fully believe that you can manipulate effects depending on intake. But dont forget....very few people are where you are, and most will never be. So when giving advice, I do so with my audience in mind. Unfortunately @gunslinger is taking your results and thinking they would be similar to him in a very overweight state. You are in the 1% and he is the 'everyday joe'. Totally different rules apply and that is part of the 'hard' part of this thread.
Thanks for dragging my a$$ out of the shadows a little and the dialogue is great. Some great guys on here and fantastic knowledge base.