I started back on the once-per-week about 5 weeks ago. I don't notice a huge difference in body composition but there's definitely some reduction in muscle mass, but that could also be because I've been dieting so it's hard to say. That's the problem with all this. Going by feeling and what you see in the mirror is probably not the best way to go about it. I wish I had a convenient way to measure body composition from week to week. I saw a scale online somewhere that scans your entire body every time you get on it. I think that's what I need but I can't remember the name of it.
Well, a 1,400-calorie diet for a guy your size is somewhat austere (by my standards), so that may have played a role. You could always keep track of a few key measurements like chest, arms and legs, which is what I do. It's quick-and-dirty, but it's better than nothing. Although my gym membership entitles me to 6 free InBody composition weighings/assessments per year, I've not had one since my last birthday in August. That is when I plan to go again. If you do get a home composition scale, let us know how it works, especially if you get a chance to compare its assessment(s) with a more "professional" one. If it's any good, I may look into getting one. As an aside, how does it feel doing only one workout a week? Wrong? Right?
Once a week feels pretty good as long as it's done in the Jones/Darden HIT style, which is what I've been doing. But I do feel that by the time that 6th day of not working out comes around, I'm feeling pretty weak and flat. Again, that could be because of this diet and also due to the fact that I've been busting my ass going up and down a ladder non-stop for 4 days fixing that ceiling. Twice a week full-body HIT would probably be ideal though, and I will likely try that this week. Oh, and the body scanner scale I saw was https://www.shapescale.com
Those kcals are wayyyy under maintenance for most people. I am 6’2” 240 so yeah, I will lose a ton of mass/LBM at 1,000 kcal under maintenance.
Setting aside the draconian calorie reduction for a moment, which may well have played a role, have any of your exercises otherwise suffered (reps/weight) since going to once a week? That looks pretty cutting edge. Please let us know how it goes if you decide to get it.
Although I've never experienced such a reduction in caloric intake, so I can't speak from experience, that would be my guess, too.
Massive decrease in TSH and thyroid output analogous to taking exogenous T3 with none of the benefits. 100% confirmation bias. It works due to what would be near starvation calories for someone of my size. The only benefit is the 16 hours fasting impact on longevity.
I was doing good for the first 4 weeks, strength was either the same or increasing slightly, but then last week I went into the workout knowing that I needed to, but not necessarily feeling like it... probably because I was already tired from the manual construction labor I was doing, and the results showed. I was weak as water. And I could tell on the first exercise, which was lat pulldown. On the prior workout, I was able to do 1 super-slow rep @ 160lbs on the 30-30-30 cadence, meaning you pull it down to your chest as the starting point, and then take 30 seconds to control the raise back up, 30 seconds to pull it down again, and then 30 seconds to let it back up once more. On this last work out, I pulled it down and then slowly let it rise for 30 seconds, but when I went to pull it down over a 30-second period back down to my chest, I couldn't even do it so I abandoned ship. From that point forward, I knew I was screwed so I immediately dropped all the weights on subsequent exercises by 20% just to make it through.
Here's the thing...none of us are living longer than 100 yrs of age. Most of us no longer than 90..I don't care how fit or muscular you are. Jack Lalanne died @96. Many not longer than mid 80's. Fitness dosen't lengthen lifespan, only prevents early death if at all. Caloric restriction is only way known to extend lifespan.
This YouTube video gives an interesting comparison of various measuring methods for body composition and their error margin: