Hey guys, I'd just like to preface by saying I'm extremely retarded, but what do u guys think of muscle retention with long term calorie restriction as opposed to something like 3 day fasts and refeeding windows? I'm trying to lose around 30lbs and I'm wondering which might be better for maintaining my gainz.

You don't lose muscle while fasting as long as you're eating enough protein during your refeeds and doing some form of cardio, but lifting during fasts is terrible so you'll be restricted to refeeding days only, and you still need to make sure you don't go over maintenance intake on refeeds.
CICO on the other hand is foolproof and tested but harder to follow through since you have to be an autist and count all of your calories while dealing with nonstop hunger.

>3 day fasts
far easier said than done, good luck if you decide to go through with it

>>76481426 (OP)
I have done both and haven't experienced significant muscle loss with either, so just do whatever works for you. Personally I find longer fasts mess with my sleep a bit but it can be worked around with melatonin and such. In general I prefer fasting just because counting calories all the time is annoying.
>>76481518
I haven't found lifting while fasting to be much worse, just my endurance is a bit worse so I cut the number of sets back a bit.

>>76481426 (OP)
No, eat your protein

>>76481426 (OP)
PSMF

bump

>>76481426 (OP)
PSMF preserves more muscle while burning the same amount of fat as a straight fast, it’s objectively better, but my appetite goes to shit and all suitable PSMF foods taste like shit to me so I find straight fasting with just snake juice to be more adherable.

Rolling 48’s,72’s, or keto for a week at maintenance into extended fasts is the easiest for me.

>>76485722
Ok I don’t know if it burns the same amount of fat but on a PSMF you basically lose no to practically no muscle while burning pure fat.

>>76481518
Huh wow pretty good first post actually.
Basically anon: Muscle building and fasting are a terrible combination. You won't have the fuel to push yourself to the limit where you tear muscle fibers because you're going to hella gas out.
Your body retains muscles pretty good though with enough protein like this anon says. It's like after a week or two that during fasting you've run out glycogen and protein in the body that it then starts to break down muscle tissue for glycogen.
That's basically it.
3 day fasts won't hurt your muscles.
If you absolutely must lose 30lbs fast, sure go ahead.
But just eating at a deficit and giving your body the protein it needs is a better move. Just slower.