Intermittent Fasting
becess96
Posts: 57 Member
Has anyone tried it ? Is it better than 6 meals/day ? I'm not trying to lose weight anymore but there's many YouTubers (Hodgetwins, Brandon Carter, Luimarco etc..) that say they had greater results with Intermittent Fasting and one of them suggested a study where your insulin levels were different (in a better way) during IF instead of 6 meals/day and actually Brandon Carter says he uses IF before doing a photoshoot (instead of 6 meals/day). Is there something so special about IF when you're cutting ?
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It really boils down to what works best for you and your lifestyle. You can easily lose the weight you want eating a couple meals a day as well as you could using IF; there really is nothing special about it. Blood Sugar can be controlled by eating more low glycemic carbs and exercise. My non-fasted blood sugar is better than the measurement for fasted blood sugar and I don't have any issues with blood sugar, I just consume a balanced diet. If IF works for you then do it, if not then don't. The best nutrition plan is the one you can stick to 90% of the time for life.0
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I am interested in ready more about the science behind it. Fasting of many durations have been practiced for thousands of year so there has to be something to it.0
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I'm trying to do it, trying to do the OMAD diet. Lately I've strayed from it but I plan to get back in track now. I did lose a good deal of weight the couple of weeks I managed to stick to it.0
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GaleHawkins wrote: »I am interested in ready more about the science behind it. Fasting of many durations have been practiced for thousands of year so there has to be something to it.
I read 3 studies related to something I believe was called "alternate day fasting" but I'm not sure about the efficacy of those studies. They test groups were on the ADF plan and the control group was either on a different ADF plan or just doing whatever they wanted. I did not see a study, not saying it doesn't exist, that took something like ADF and compared an ADF test group to a more standard weight loss diet plan in a controlled setting. What it boils down to is what one can do consistently in the long-term.
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Which version of IF?
Do you mean the Leangains 16:8 version or one of the many other versions of IF such as ADF or 5:2? Or JUDDD or Eat-Stop-Eat..... Worth doing your research before launching into things whichever version you choose.
If the 16:8 one I believe there's a group on here if you want to get people's experience. There's definitely groups for people following 5:2.
It's not magic and doesn't suit everyone. There's also people well advised not to follow IF - which is why I would reiterate, do your research thoroughly.
I followed the 5:2 version while losing weight and found it great in terms of ease of adherence to a weekly calorie goal and also in supporting a very heavy exercise routine.
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I do daily, when I sleep and in between meals.....
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I'm not trying to lose weight anymore
Hate to ask the obvious ? .. but given the above statement, there really is no point to this thread then. But .. the whole fasting thing, unless you are sleeping, it is so pointless to not eat on a fairly regular basis. If you do want to lose .. well even then, it is still not needed. A calorie deficit will do the trick.
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Which makes it more curious why people get their knickers in a twist about people fasting for 16 hours or 24 hours don't you think?herrspoons wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »I am interested in ready more about the science behind it. Fasting of many durations have been practiced for thousands of year so there has to be something to it.
Most people fast for at least 8 hours a day. True story.
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It all depends on the person, I do intermittent fasting because it's easier for me to stick to my calorie limit. I eat one meal a day at dinner, which isn't really a specific IF plan but it is considered IF0
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I eat all of my calories within a three hour window at around 5:30-8:00. Works great.0
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I read the IF guy's book and liked it, and try to fast at least one day a week by his guidelines (less than 500 cals a day).
IMO the insulin effects aren't a big deal, because of course your levels are going to be lower if you haven't ingested any carbs for a while. So for someone like me with sugar issues, I may fast and have 2 great days of low sugar averaged in and bringing my overall A1C down, but that doesn't mean I wasn't getting 160+ post prandial on the other days. Does that make sense? So anyway, I like IF and will continue to do it when I can, but I don't do it for the effect on my blood sugar nor do I think the lower numbers on IF days will effect me overall long-term. If you have issues with your blood sugar levels, you need to have them consistently low, not just on occasional days. I think they just threw that in to sell the book/diet.0 -
herrspoons wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »I am interested in ready more about the science behind it. Fasting of many durations have been practiced for thousands of year so there has to be something to it.
Most people fast for at least 8 hours a day. True story.
True story for sure.
I have heard of some who only eat for 8 hours and fast for 16 hours.
I find there is something to learn from all types of diets.0 -
I do intermittent fasting coupled with 16:8. The longer I can keep myself in a fasted state, the better, altho I rarely go over 19 hours. I've read multiple times that our bodies are in prime fat burning mode between 14-16 hours of fasting0
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The biggest help I found from IF was learning to accept, tolerate and understand hunger. It worked for a while, but I got stuck, even gaining a little - then decided I needed to monitor (not "eat normally"). Eating normally for me is too much.0
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Other than being able to eat larger quantities within a shorter time period, nothing is special about it. Some people (myself included) do it sometimes because it's easier to stick to. It still boils down to calories. A few studies do show a slight improvement in insulin sensitivity, but it's not substantial enough to warrant eating that way just for the effect. Now if you are choosing to eat that way for adherence, that's a different story and different people react differently.0
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Which version of IF?
Do you mean the Leangains 16:8 version or one of the many other versions of IF such as ADF or 5:2? Or JUDDD or Eat-Stop-Eat..... Worth doing your research before launching into things whichever version you choose.
If the 16:8 one I believe there's a group on here if you want to get people's experience. There's definitely groups for people following 5:2.
It's not magic and doesn't suit everyone. There's also people well advised not to follow IF - which is why I would reiterate, do your research thoroughly.
I followed the 5:2 version while losing weight and found it great in terms of ease of adherence to a weekly calorie goal and also in supporting a very heavy exercise routine.
this. there are a lot of intermittent fasting programs out there. but they all basically boil down to eating less.
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The biggest help I found from IF was learning to accept, tolerate and understand hunger. It worked for a while, but I got stuck, even gaining a little - then decided I needed to monitor (not "eat normally"). Eating normally for me is too much.
That is a good thought. I think my mind is programmed to eat by the clock because it is "time to eat". Good point.0 -
Unfortunately IF doesn't change this fact, it just changes when "time to eat" is and how often it occurs.GaleHawkins wrote: »The biggest help I found from IF was learning to accept, tolerate and understand hunger. It worked for a while, but I got stuck, even gaining a little - then decided I needed to monitor (not "eat normally"). Eating normally for me is too much.
That is a good thought. I think my mind is programmed to eat by the clock because it is "time to eat". Good point.
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There are people who use IF for maintenance and for other health reasons.Kevalicious99 wrote: »I'm not trying to lose weight anymore
Hate to ask the obvious ? .. but given the above statement, there really is no point to this thread then. But .. the whole fasting thing, unless you are sleeping, it is so pointless to not eat on a fairly regular basis. If you do want to lose .. well even then, it is still not needed. A calorie deficit will do the trick.
I don't care to debate whether there ARE other health reasons to do it, but many believe there are, including the authors of the popular books on IF.
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happieharpie wrote: »I eat all of my calories within a three hour window at around 5:30-8:00. Works great.
yeah, but you're 70 and you are eating like, 800 calories a day.0 -
I have been eating all my 1200 calories in a four hour window. It works for me because when that window closes, I know I am done for the day. I like it, but it is still about calorie counting. I like knowing what truly being hungry feels like.0
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I practise intermittent fasting (at least a 20:4) daily. It isn't a magic bullet for weight loss, and I'm not sure if there are any additional benefits in working out during the fasted state. But like many others, I practise IF, because it helps me stick to my allocated calories better. Planning one or two big meals a day helps me hit my macros as often as possible too. And because it's not a rigid diet fad/plan, I like how you can easily tweak hours for feasting/fasting for things out of the norm like social gatherings, or vacations. I find that I'm also more alert during fasting. Try an IF routine to see what works for you, if it works for you at all.0
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Following intermittent fasting works for me because of two things. It forces me not to late night snack and holds off my breakfast which keeps me from getting so hungry that I eat two breakfasts. So in that sense it helped reduce my overall calorie intake. Combined with of course exercise and proper nutrition it has been a lifestyle I have followed for quite some time now. I do a 8/16 day with the occasional 6/18 day and of course a few days here and there where I take a break. I've consistently lost weight during months where I practiced this regularly. Remember it's a lifestyle not a diet. Get your mind right and fit it into your schedule and it can work. I've done this with 12 hour overnight hospital schedules and a M-F 8-5.0
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I love IFing for a number of reasons. The whole 6 meals a day thing just doesn't fit me. Even when I was morbidly obese I didn't have a desire to eat anywhere near that often throughout the day. Fat, not fat, whatever, I just don't migrate toward throwing food down my gullet all day long.
On my fast days (true fast days, as in only water) I'm generally not hungry. I've been practicing fasting for so many years now that it's second nature. I've got plenty of energy most fast days, unless I'm coming off a very high sugar day.
It's just the perfect way for me to get a deficit in without having to concern myself with calorie counting, logging and weighing. It's also awesome for maintenance, allowing you some pretty hefty caloric allotments even if sedentary if you're on an IF schedule like 5:2.0 -
I have found IF to fit my lifestyle and physiology perfectly. I do 16:8 with sometimes going longer. I am not as hungry as when I eat many small meals. I don't need to lose weight, I have found no issues with regards to energy levels and exercise.
Give it some research and try for yourself. I'd recommend that strategy when approaching any subject. There are far too many close minded people that dismiss things before trying.0 -
I just recently started IF 16/8 and am liking it so far. It helps me keep my calories in control as I like to snack late night. Having that cut off point at 8 pm really helps!0
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always cut using IF I use a 6-8 hour feeding window, eating 6 tiny unsatisfying meals per day just makes me miserable, I ain't about that life0
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nosebag1212 wrote: »eating 6 tiny unsatisfying meals per day just makes me miserable, I ain't about that life
Same here. I like to eat big and then be done with eating. A much better experience than nibbling pellets all day long, IMO.
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I fell into that trap of eating little and often to keep the metabolism going blah blah I never lost an ounce!
But imo I think giving the body a break from constantly digesting food could only be a good thing. Which is a big reason I started intermittent fasting. And finally I'm losing weight!0
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