I didn’t plan this. No fat loss goal. No “detox”. No deep dive into fasting protocols.
It was more just a break from constantly eating and digesting… and seeing what would happen.
What made it interesting was the timing.
The Set-Up
Monday was a big day:
- Morning: hard track session
- Later that day (~8 hours after): lower body gym session
So overall, a pretty high output day.
Nutrition-wise:
- Calories hit ✅
- Protein hit ✅
- Nothing extreme, just what I’d normally aim for on a heavy day
Then:
- Last meal: Monday ~9pm
- Next meal: Wednesday ~7:45am
So roughly a 36-hour fast.
During that time:
- ~2L water
- Creatine + vitamin D
- A full work day Tuesday (not just lying around recovering)
Why Do People Fast in the First Place?
Fasting isn’t new, and most people don’t do it for the same reason.
Common reasons include:
- Fat loss (reducing overall calorie intake)
- Simplicity (fewer meals to think about)
- Routine (structured eating windows like intermittent fasting)
- Health claims (often linked to things like “cell repair”)
Some of these have merit. Some are overhyped.
But in most cases, fasting is less about magic benefits and more about how it changes overall food intake and structure (Tinsley and La Bounty, 2015; Anton et al., 2018).
That’s worth keeping in mind before jumping to conclusions from a one-off experience like mine.
What I Expected
Honestly, I thought Wednesday would feel rough.
- Lingering soreness
- Poor session
- Low energy
Especially considering Tuesday (the fasting day), I was pretty sore from the double session.
So the assumption was simple:
No food = worse recovery
What Actually Happened
Wednesday morning came… and I felt pretty good.
- Soreness had dropped off a lot
- I didn’t feel run down
- Felt relatively “fresh”
That surprised me.
Then I trained upper body later that day:
- Early sets: felt strong
- As the session went on: fatigue crept in
- Last few reps were definitely harder than usual
So it wasn’t perfect, but it also wasn’t the drop-off I expected.
So… Why Didn’t My Recovery Feel Worse?
Before breaking this down, it’s worth saying:
Just because two things happen at the same time doesn’t mean one caused the other.
In this case, I fasted… and I felt better the next day.
But that doesn’t automatically mean the fast improved my recovery.
This is the classic correlation vs causation trap, and it’s easy to fall into with things like training and nutrition.
1. Recovery Was Already Underway
By the time I started fasting:
- I’d already trained
- I’d already eaten enough calories + protein
Which means the recovery process had already started.
Your body doesn’t wait for the next meal to begin repairing tissue, it’s already in motion.
2. Soreness Was Likely Going to Drop Anyway
Even though this wasn’t specifically about DOMS, it still plays a role.
Soreness typically:
- Peaks around 24-48 hours
- Then gradually subsides
So:
- Monday = training
- Tuesday = peak soreness
- Wednesday = naturally improving
That lines up pretty well regardless of the fast.
3. Feeling “Fresh” Isn’t the Same as Being Fully Recovered
I felt good, but that doesn’t necessarily mean recovery was enhanced.
A few things could explain that feeling:
- Less food volume → lighter, less sluggish
- More stable energy (no big meals/crashes)
- Slight increase in alertness during fasting
So, feeling better ≠ recovering better
4. Performance Told a Slightly Different Story
The biggest clue came in the session itself.
As it went on:
- Fatigue built up
- Last reps felt harder
That points more towards:
Lower glycogen availability
In simple terms:
- You can still perform
- But your ability to sustain effort drops
So while recovery didn’t feel worse, performance wasn’t quite at its best either.
What Does the Science Say?
While there’s limited direct research on short-term fasting immediately after training, broader evidence around recovery, protein intake, and performance can help explain what’s likely going on here.
Short-term fasting doesn’t destroy recovery
Missing food for a day doesn’t suddenly stop muscle repair, especially if energy and protein intake were sufficient beforehand.
Your body is still capable of maintaining key recovery processes in the short term.
But it’s not optimal either
From a physiology standpoint:
- Muscle protein synthesis is better supported by regular protein intake (Areta et al., 2013)
- Nutrient timing can play a role in recovery and adaptation (Tipton, 2011)
Position stands from organisations like the International Society of Sports Nutrition also highlight the importance of consistent nutrition for supporting training and recovery.
What about “cell regeneration”?
This is usually linked to:
- Autophagy
In simple terms, autophagy is your body’s way of:
- Breaking down old or damaged cells
- Recycling those components
- Supporting general cell health
It’s a normal process that’s happening all the time, but certain stressors can increase it, including fasting and exercise.
Yes, fasting can increase this process (Longo and Panda, 2016).
But:
- So can training
- And much of the stronger evidence comes from animal models or more extreme fasting conditions (Anton et al., 2018)
So it’s not quite the “secret weapon” it’s often made out to be.
What I’d Actually Recommend Instead
If there’s one thing I’d take from this, it’s not “Skipping food for a day is useful”
It’s more this:
Recovery and performance are better supported by consistent, structured nutrition.
If you like the idea of structure, a more practical approach is something like:
Intermittent fasting (done properly)
This might look like:
- Eating within an 8–10 hour window
- Still hitting your calories and protein
- Structuring meals around training
The key difference is you’re still fuelling performance and recovery, just within a set routine.
Research shows that when calories and protein are controlled, approaches like intermittent fasting can still support body composition and strength outcomes (Moro et al., 2016; Tinsley and La Bounty, 2015).
Why this makes more sense
Compared to a full-day fast:
- You maintain muscle protein synthesis across the day
- You can fuel training sessions properly
- You’re less likely to see a drop in performance
- It’s more sustainable long-term
Final Takeaway
This wasn’t a strategy, just an observation.
It’s easy to link how you feel to the last thing you did, but that doesn’t always mean it was the cause.
If anything, this showed me:
Recovery is probably more resilient than we think, but performance still relies on fuel.
Skipping food for a day didn’t break anything.
But it didn’t give me an edge either.
And in most cases:
Doing the basics well, consistently, will always beat one-off extremes.
References
Anton, S.D., et al. (2018) Obesity, 26(2), pp.254–268.
Areta, J.L., et al. (2013) The Journal of Physiology, 591(9), pp.2319–2331.
Longo, V.D. and Panda, S. (2016) Cell Metabolism, 23(6), pp.1048–1059.
Moro, T., et al. (2016) Journal of Translational Medicine, 14(1), p.290.
Tinsley, G.M. and La Bounty, P.M. (2015) Nutrition Reviews, 73(10), pp.661–674.
Tipton, K.D. (2011) Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 70(2), pp.205–214.
International Society of Sports Nutrition (2017) Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), p.33.
