The FastDay Forum

On of my fast days is Thursdays and I play badminton on a Thursday evening. Both times so far it has been great, I have felt lighter on my feet and the exercise seems to help alleviate the hunger pangs!

Recently there's been a lot of studies looking at the advantages of exercises whilst fasting. Have a look at http://www.mac-nutrition.com/train-low-compete-high/ One more reason to 5:2

I think it's the following day that you feel weaker during exercise, not during the fast day.

I exercise every week day totally irrespective of whether I am fasting.

Just a quick update on my fasting/exercise experiment (I'm about 8 weeks into the 5:2). My exercise and fasting schedules are independent of one another, so some fast days I exercise and some I don't, and the same for feed days. A couple of things I notice so far:

1. On fast days I skip breakfast and usually lunch as well. Exercise during my lunch hour suppresses my appetite for 2-3 hours and makes fasting a little easier for me as compared to fasting days where I don't exercise. My appetite doesn't start challenging me until just before dinner, and then from about an hour after dinner until I go to bed (that last couple hours of the day is the worst for me!).

2. Exercise seems easier to me on fast days than on feed days. Part of the reason is my ~lunchtime exercise does not include the tail end (ahem) of digesting breakfast, which is more of a convenience thing than anything else. What is surprising me, however, is that my energy levels seem higher on fast days than on feed days. Not hugely higher, but it's noticeable.

I wanted to add my tuppenceworth as well, I am fairly new to this way of eating (just completed fast 5) and yesterday had agreed to attend a box fit circuits style class which boasts people burning up to 1000 calories(!)
I was struggling to decide whether to move my fast day or to try training after a day of fasting - well as Monday is the easiest day for me to fast and I did really want to do the class I gave it a go.
I have to say I was so pleased I did - I managed fine (it was a struggle but I am unfit & hadn't been for over a year so I knew it would be). I don't think I did any worse than I would have done if I'd been on a feed day.
I ate about 250 cals at around 3pm (class was at 6), lentil soup & half a pitta bread so I wasn't completely on an empty stomach. Then a couple of eggs and some veggies for tea. I was really hungry afterwards but the eggs were just enough to keep me going.

I will try and get my heart rate calorie monitor set up for the next session and see how many cals I actually manage to burn! I'm pretty sure I was close to negative calories

So if anyone is wondering I would say just go for it. Worst case scenario you can always nip out for a sit down (I mean to the loo!)

I've been thinking about coinciding fasting with exercise classes, however they are at the end of the day (6pm ish) and usually I would save all my calories for dinner (after the classes finish). Is it ok to do it on a totally empty stomach, or should I have something (100-200 cals worth) before hand to keep me going?

Given how hungry I was afterwards I will be trying to save more of my calories for after exercising next time.

I will probably try an apple or something shortly before the class rather than soup & pitta, and will let you know how I get on next week

I would say to try both and work out what seems best for you. It's only one class if you do end up struggling, then you can try the other option the following time.

I've been thinking about coinciding fasting with exercise classes, however they are at the end of the day (6pm ish) and usually I would save all my calories for dinner (after the classes finish). Is it ok to do it on a totally empty stomach, or should I have something (100-200 cals worth) before hand to keep me going?

You'll probably be fine. Just make sure that you're well hydrated before you start - and perhaps take a banana or a small carton of choc milk with you just in case you feel that you need to eat before heading home. That's what I did before my first set of evening classes but didn't actually need it.

If you haven't been fasting long, then you might want to wait until a normal fast day is easy (i.e. your body switches energy source easily) before you start doing serious exercise on a fast day. But, as an example, I now cycle to work in the morning (6.5miles), cycle to the gym (1 mile), do 45 minutes Body Pump, 45 minutes of Body Combat, cycle home again (7 miles) and then have dinner. And still feel OK.

One other thing though, when I started exercising on fast days (other than my regular cycle) I did find that I needed to have two feed days between fasts rather than just one. Otherwise, the second fast day of the week became tougher.

Quick update - I have continued with the box fit class & have reduced my calories beforehand to save more for afterwards for the last 2 weeks.

I've been having an apple around 2pm, box fit class at 6, and it has been fine. It is a hard class, but I wouldn't expect to find it easy if I'd eaten throughout the day, I actually suspect it would be no worse.
Only thing I struggle with is I am hungry after I finish so I've tried to plan quick & easy food for afterwards rather than risking having to wait.
I'm certainly glad I gave it a go I was very naughty though and didn't tell my friend who runs the box fit as I thought I'd rather prove I can do it first before telling him. I did mention this way of eating to him after seeing the documentary and he didn't like the sound of it. Hoping to get him to check my body fat and then tell him what I've done differently (assuming it has improved

I cycle on my fast days, about 30 minutes in the morning (on the way to work as part of my commute, part is also on a bus) and 20 in the return journey home (there is a significant hill). Once my body adjusted to the diet I have had no problems with the exercise. I have yet to try to cycle all the way (20 miles) on a fast day and would probably end up very hungry afterwards!

I was very naughty though and didn't tell my friend who runs the box fit as I thought I'd rather prove I can do it first before telling him. I did mention this way of eating to him after seeing the documentary and he didn't like the sound of it.

Interesting although get him to watch the documentary before he judges for real. One of my gym instructors has said that so long as you're hydrated, it shouldn't be a problem. He also advises trying to hold off eating for another hour or so when you finish exercising to get most benefit.