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Getting Enough Calories with Time-Restricted-Plus Diet?

#1

Just finished reading TC Luoma’s article on Time-Restricted-Plus dieting. For the most part this is what I’ve been doing - having my first meal right around 8am, and not eating anything after 8pm. I’m assuming that I need to get all of my calories in this 12-hour window, but I honestly struggle with consuming 1800 - 2000 calories a day! On a good day I might be able to get 1200 (not subtracting ‘exercise’ calories), but on some days i’m only consuming 800 - 1000 while feeling ‘full’. Obviously I’m not getting nearly enough protein at this level (I’m about 200lbs, 5’10", so should be getting about 200 grams a day). How does everyone get enough calories/protein/etc. in a 12-hour window without just stuffing themselves?

TIA.

#2

What do you eat in a day? 800 calories could be breakfast for someone at your weight.

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#3

Breakfast at 8ish, lunch or snack around 1, workout shake around 4, dinner around 7. Not too far off from what I usually do.

3 eggs with 2 slices of toast is nearly 500 calories and that’s nothing to eat. Slap some butter or peanut butter on the toast and a simple glass of milk and you’re at 700+.

I genuinely have no idea how you can feel full on 800 calories per day unless it’s a one-off fluke situation when you were too busy to notice being hungry.

What? No. Don’t do that. The calories you eat are your calories. You don’t “subtract” anything.

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#4

I use to get 3000cals while eating 2 meals a day.

1500 calorie breakfast
1500 calorie dinner

It’s not that difficult depending on how many calories you need. But for 3000ish 2 meals worked just fine.

#5

I’m more than 40 pounds smaller than you and I eat 2.1k calories without ever reaching fullness. Satisfied sometimes. Do you cook in oil perhaps?

#6

Thanks for the replies. A typical day for me looks like this -

Breakfast - Protein shake, usually with a banana or blueberries - 220 - 240 calories
Lunch - 500 - 600 calories
Dinner - 700-ish calories
Snack (if I have one) - 200-ish protein bar

If I don’t account for the exercise calories ‘burned’ (which apparently I shouldn’t be doing), I can get around 1600 - 1800 calories. But I’m still not sure I’m getting enough protein, etc.

I workout first thing in the morning (5:45 - 7:15), so I’m technically ‘fasted’ at that point. Also, and I’m not sure it matters, but I’m 59 years old, and just don’t seem to metabolize food like I could when I was younger. Could that be a contributing factor?

I’ve been plateaued on my weight loss right at 200lbs for months, and no matter what I do, can’t seem to drop anymore. My doctor wants me to get to about 180lb, and it’s been a frustrating journey to say the least.

#7

Are you tracking your actually calories?

What are you eating in your meals?

What type of workouts do you do?

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#8

Yeah, I use an app called ‘LoseIt’ to track calories and macros. Seems to work really well actually.

For lunch, I usually have a meal from LeanKitchen - something from their Keto line or low carb. These are usually 500 - 600 calories, 30+ grams of protein, 5 - 10 grams of carbs.

For dinner, the wife and I get meals from a service (HomeChef), so they’re a bit more ‘carby’ than I like, but the food is good :smile:

In terms of workouts, I’d been using a 5 day ‘bro-split’, hitting one body part per day (Legs/Chest/Back/Shouders/Arms). I just recently switched over to Thib’s Volume program for natties. I also try to walk 2 - 3 miles a night at about 4mph for some cardio (doctor’s orders).

#9

I read this article about Time-Restricted-Plus diet. And while I am all into all kinds of IF (on a Warrior Diet as well), am I the only one who finds this concrete article as just one huge advertisement for the protein product?

#10

The only real science around time restricted eating, to my knowledge, involves consuming your macros in the early part of the day, e.g. 7am - 12. Its alleged success is built around circadian rhythms. Everything else is a bastardisation, i.e. someone says, “Yes, but lifters should do it this way…” You see it in other classic “fasting” diets, which include being able to chug coffee and butter, etc. I’m not knocking it, as longer periods between feeding do appear to boost insulin sensitivity, etc. But be aware this type of plan is totally contrived by authors putting their spin on things.

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#11

Unfortunately, a lot of the nutrition articles are slanted to using Biotest products, but I think if you can get past the blatant marketing, the article itself contains some decent information. I’ve always ate somewhat time-restricted just out of habit - generally a 12-hour window between 8am and 8pm. I guess my larger question was in how to consume enough calories - I’m supposed to be getting between 1600 and 1800 (depending on the calculator), and some days I struggle to get 1200.

#12

What are your activity levels like outside of going to the gym?

#13

Fairly sedentary. I work from home in front of a computer for 8 - 9 hours a day. I do try to get up and move every hour, up and down the stairs for lunch, etc. I also try to walk 2 - 3 miles a night at about 4mph.