INTERMITTENT FASTING

Can cyclists benefit from time-restricted eating?

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1 What is intermittent fasting, and how does it differ from simply eating fewer calories?

Intermittent fasting has become popular because of its simplicity - it is flexible, doesn't require you to eliminate certain types of food, and it allows you to avoid the time-consuming and challenging task of counting calories. Lots of different versions of intermittent fasting exist. The well-known '5:2 diet' involves eating a very low-calorie diet for two days each week and eating as normal on the other days. 'Alternate-day fasting' alternates daily between unrestricted eating and consuming a very low-calorie diet. 'Time-restricted eating' is perhaps the simplest for everyday life, involving completely fasting for long periods of around 16-20 hours and consuming all calories within a designated 'feeding window'.

2 Is intermittent fasting compatible with regular cycling training?

The short answer is yes, but it depends on your training intensity and fuelling strategy. Riding while fasted generally leads to poorer performance, particularly during high-intensity sessions or if the duration exceeds 60 minutes. Cyclists often find the same session or power output can feel harder when fasted. That being said, the flexibility of intermittent fasting means that you may be able to align your eating window with your key training sessions to support both performance and recovery.

3 How does fasting affect fat oxidation and energy availability during a ride?