194: Fasted Workouts and Meal Timing with Melissa McAllister
One of the questions I am often asked is: Should I/Can I workout while I’m fasting?
In this week’s episode, fasting and fitness expert Melissa McAllister is joining me to discuss who is a good fit for fasted workouts PLUS how to best target meal timing.
EPISODE 194: Fasted Workouts and Meal Timing with Melissa McAllister
Show Notes
(0:00) Intro
Hello my friend, welcome back to the club, how are you today?
We’re talking about a hot topic and a question I get regularly and that is should I workout / is it ok to workout while I’m fasting. And I’ve got a guest on with us today whom I’m really honored to have on the podcast and really excited to have this discussion with. I’ve been following her for years - her name is Melissa McAllister - she’s a well known fitness professional, entrepreneur and also an NTP. Fasting and fitness is her wheelhouse and I’m pumped to get to dive in on this topic with her.
Welcome Melissa to the Christian Health Club podcast.
(2:30) Tell us more about your background, how you got into the health space and how that’s evolved for you.
Born with severe birth defects in feet
Became fascinated with how foot and lifestyle affect the body
NTA - Nutritional Therapy Association
(8:35) How long have you been doing intermittent fasting and how did you get into that?
Started teaching group classes at age 26
Felt bogged down having eaten vs. fasting before exercise
Chalene Johnson
Began researching intermittent fasting after intuitively using IF
(13:00) Can you speak to this question I get a lot, “Should I/Can I workout while I’m fasting?”
One problem is when we take things the extreme whether it be fasting, certain diets, etc.
There is nothing unhealthy about not eating a couple hours after waking, or not eating a couple hours before sleeping.
Our bodies are made to lose fat in the fasting window.
(19:35) Best kind of exercise to do in a fasted state? Easy or hard? Cardio or strength training? Does it matter?
We have sugar stores and reserved fat in our bodies to use for fuel.
(Personally) does do both cardio and strength training in a fasted state.
Muscle is built in the repair, not in the phase of working out.
You can build muscle, lose body fat, and exercise in a fasted state.
If someone IS going to eat before a workout in the morning - what's best food? Protein? Carb?
Fasting is a GOOD stressor, it makes your body stronger.
If you are a performance athlete feel like you are draining glycogen stores within that workout, that might be a different story, but for the average person that want to build muscle and lose fat, doing fasted workouts is best.
(29:58) Is there anything to timing protein or carbs in the post workout window?
As part of our circadian rhythm, we metabolize carbs and protein earlier in the day, and fats later in the day.
Technically 12 hours is fasting
Breaking fast: Bone broth, fermented yogurt, sauerkraut, low sugar kombucha
(35:55) Circadian Rhythms
Fasting is something that can seasonally change
It is natural to have a longer feeding window in the summer.
Eating with the sun
Digestive organs work better during the daylight hours
Protein synthesis is strongest by 10am
Protein Targets
Dr. Longo - Longevity expert
Dr. Shawn Baker - The Carnivore Diet
Consistency, not perfection
(46:50) Is there anyone who shouldn't workout fasted? (maybe someone who is already overly stressed?)
Choose your hormetic stressors
Thyroid conditions (controversial)
Don’t take fasting off the table
If you are growing or growing a baby inside of you
Disordered eating - seek professional guidance
Bioindividuality
(54:50) Anchor Questions:
11-7 Rule
Anchor Meal: Protein and veggies girl—
Getting a variety of colors on the plate
Salmon, grass-fed beef, chicken, seafood
Piece of dark chocolate
Anchor Verse:
Ephesians 4:2
(59:55) Where can people find/connect with you?
(1:01:09) Outro & Disclaimer
Thanks for listening! Have a healthy and blessed week!