Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves alternating fasting and eating periods within a specified time window.
It is an excellent way to shed excess kilos, improve body composition, and enhance overall fitness. (Source)
However, it is not easy to follow, especially if you have a habit of consuming frequent meals.
It requires you to control your hunger and adjust your social life to align with fasting windows.
Still, health-conscious people constantly follow it to enhance their overall health and fitness.
I’m also one of those who constantly follow intermittent fasting to stay in shape and healthy.
I’ll share my usual 7-day intermittent fasting diet and workout plan in this article.
This article includes my intermittent fasting pattern, what exercises I do, and how I spend my day.
This information will give you some insights into how you can combine intermittent fasting and workouts to improve your fitness.
My Intermittent Fasting Pattern
I follow a 16:8 intermittent fasting pattern. I have my first meal at noon at 12 PM, my second meal at 5 PM (pre-workout), and my third and last meal at 8 PM (after resistance training).
Besides 16/8, sometimes I also try to follow the following patterns:
- 14:10 (14 hours fasting and 10 hours eating window)
- 18/6 (18 hours fasting and 6 hours eating window)
- 5/2 (Five days of eating normally, followed by 2 days of intense fasting)
- Alternate days fasting (Eating as few calories as possible on one day while having a normal eating pattern on the other)
My Usual Routine During The Fasting Days
My day starts at 8 O’clock.
8:00 to 8:30: After waking at 8 a.m., I drink a glass of warm water mixed with lemon and salt. Then I go to the toilet, brush my teeth, and face wash. These things take half an hour.
8:30 to 9:00: I look toward the sun or sunlight for 10-15 minutes, depending on the intensity of the sunshine (Andrew Huberman Advice), then I do a 10-minute breathing exercise of Wim Hof.
9:00 to 10:30: On alternate days, I do stretch and cardio exercises for 30 minutes (I’ll outline those exercises later in this blog). After the exercise, I check my emails or work-related things, then take a shower. I usually take cold showers, as they help me feel active during the day.
10:30 to 11:00: I read books.
11:00 to 12 PM: Focused work.
12:00 to 12:30 PM: Brunch time. I’ll share my meal options below in this article.
12:30 to 4:00: Work on my site.
4:00 to 4:30 PM: Take a break and have my second meal of the day.
4:30 to 6 PM: Work on my site.
6 to 7:30 PM: I go to the gym for resistance training (4 times weekly) and evening walk (3 times per week).
8 to 8:30 PM: I have my third and last meal of the day.
9:00 to 11 PM: Work time
11:00 to 12 AM: Ready or Watch Something/Spend time with family, then go to bed at 12 a.m.
12:00 to 8 AM: Sleep
My Intermittent Fasting Diet
I eat three meals in an 8-hour window. My first meal is at 12 PM, my second is at 5 PM (pre-workout), and my third and last is at 8 PM (after resistance training).
Meal 1 Options – 12 PM (Brunch)
- Option 1: Oats cooked in milk mixed with dry fruits, chia seeds, peanut butter, and a medium-sized banana, followed by a glass of orange juice after 30 minutes.
- Option 2: Two Breads with Peanut Butter, chia seeds, two bananas, and black coffee. One Apple between 1 and 2 p.m.
- Option 3: Butter Cheese Omelet Sandwich (2 eggs + 2 whole wheat breads). I toast the bread with butter, then cook the omelet by mixing veggies like onion, capsicum, cabbage, and carrot, then I put the bread on the omelet and then cheese. It makes me full for 4-5 hours.
My Meal 2 Options – 5 PM (Pre-Workout)
- Option 1: Dry Fruits, Energy Bars, One Banana, and Black Coffee
- Option 1: Peanut Butter, Toast, & Yogurt
- Option 3: Chicken Cheese Sandwich and Diet Coke
My Meal 3 Options – 8 PM (Dinner)
- Option 1: Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables and rice.
- Option 2: Protein shakes, banana, Indian bread and chicken
- Option 3: Oatmeal with yogurt, almonds, and berries.
- Option 4: Egg omelet with avocado on whole grain toast.
My 7-Day Intermittent Fasting Workout Plan
I do cardio and stretching on alternate days in the morning (fasted state) and strength training four times weekly in the evening.
I keep the strength training between my second and third meals. This helps me train efficiently, and it provides my body with essential nutrients after the workout.
Day 1 – Cardio and Strength Training
Morning Cardio
- Ankle Hop: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Jumping Jack: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Burpees: 60-80 reps (perform as quickly as possible)
- Forearm Front Plank: 45 seconds x 3 sets
- Forearm Side Plank: 15 seconds on each side x 2 sets
Evening Workout: Legs and Chest (Superset)
- Dumbbell Squat + Seated Pec Deck Fly: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Incline Barbell Bench Press + Leg Extension: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Incline Cable Chest Fly + Leg Curl: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Decline Cable Fly + Calf Raises: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Day 2 – Stretching and Resistance Training
Morning Stretching
- Child’s Pose: 15-second hold
- Cobra Pose: 15-second hold
- Knees-to-chest Stretch: 15 seconds hold per side
- Spinal Twist: 15 seconds stretch on each side
- Shoulder Stretch: 15 seconds stretch per side
- Downward-Facing Dog: 15-second stretch
- Standing Forward Bend: 15-second stretch
- I repeated it three times.
Evening Workout: Back and Abs (Superset)
- Bodyweight Pull-ups: 4 sets x As many reps as possible
- Conventional Deadlift: 5 sets of 5 reps (increase weight after each set)
- Lat Pulldown: 4 sets of 10-12 reps
- Seated Cable Rowing + Reverse Crunches: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Barbell Biceps Curl + Decline Bench Crunches: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Cable Chop + Hanging Knee Raises: 3 sets of 12-15 reps
Day 3 – Cardio and Evening Walk
Morning Cardio
- Child Pose: 15-second x 2 sets
- Standing Forward Bend: 15-second x 2 sets
- Ankle Hop: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Jumping Jack: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Burpees: 75-100 reps (perform as quickly as possible)
- Forearm Front Plank: 45 seconds x 3 sets
- Forearm Side Plank: 15 seconds on each side x 2 sets
Evening Walk
- I go out and walk for an hour at a typical pace (neither slow nor fast).
Day 4 – Stretching and Resistance Training
Morning Stretching
- Cat-Cow Stretch: Hold for 10 seconds each during cat and cow poses.
- Seated Forward Bend: 15-second stretch
- Glute Bridge: 5 reps with a 5-second hold on each rep
- Warrior I Pose: Stretch for 15 seconds per side
- Supine Spinal Twist: Hold for 15 seconds per side
- Warrior II Pose: Hold for 15 seconds per side
- Repeat three to four times.
Evening Workout: Shoulder & Arms
- Resistance Band Shoulder Pass-Through: 2 sets of 10 reps
- Shoulder Adduction: 2 sets of 10 reps per arm
- Shoulder Abduction: 2 sets of 10 reps per arm
- Overhead Press: 5 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6, 4 reps
- Single-arm Cable Lateral Raises: 3 sets of 10 reps per side
- Reverse Pec Deck Fly: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Bar Dips + Pull-ups (superset): 3 sets till failure
- Press down + Hammer Curl: 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Day 5 – Cardio and Evening Walk
Morning Cardio
- Child Pose: 15-second x 2 sets
- Ankle Hop: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Jumping Jack: 15 seconds x 3 sets
- Mountain Climbing: 15 seconds x 5 sets
- Burpees: 50-75 reps (perform as quickly as possible)
- Jumping Lunges: 5 reps on each side x 3 sets
- Forearm Front Plank: 45 seconds x 3 sets
- Forearm Side Plank: 15 seconds on each side x 2 sets
Evening Walk
- I go out and walk for an hour at my usual pace (neither slow nor fast).
Day 6 – Stretching and Endurance Training
Morning Stretching
- Cat-Cow Stretch: Hold for 10 seconds each during cat and cow poses.
- Head-to-Knee Pose: Hold for 15 seconds on each side
- Reverse Warrior Pose: Spent 15 seconds per side
- Superman Pose: 15-second pause
- Pigeon Pose: Stretch for 15 seconds on each side
- Lunge with Spinal Twist: Hold for 15 seconds on each side
- Camel Pose: 15-second pause
- Repeat three to four times.
Evening Workout: Weighted Endurance Training
- 20 Kettlebell Swings
- 10 Barbell Hang Clean
- 10 Barbell Push Press
- 10 Dumbbell Squat Jacks
- 10 Bent-over Rows
- Perform four to six rounds.
Day 7 – No Exercise
No stretching, cardio, or weight training. I don’t follow my usual routine on this day.
Results After One Week
I don’t primarily do intermittent fasting to lose fat or exercise to gain muscle because I’m already in good shape. (My Instagram)
However, fasting helps me lose some pounds over time and improves my physical appearance.
Combining fasting and workouts also makes me feel strong and active and protects me from colds, fever, and migraine.
If you’re overweight, incorporating fasting and workouts can help you get lean and aesthetic over time and enhance your overall fitness.
However, fasting doesn’t suit everyone. Whether you should start fasting or not depends on your current health. That’s why you should consult a professional nutritionist before applying any of the information in this blog.
If you want to learn how to perform the exercises I’ve outlined in the workout plan, you can explore the following sources:
