Fasting one day a week

morethanlost
morethanlost Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
To the people who have done this ,what luck have you had?
I've heard intermittent fasting is good for you every once in a while and won't wreck your metabolism.
Plus you lose weight faster.
Experiences?
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Replies

  • Becwheels1
    Becwheels1 Posts: 1 Member
    I just read about this in a magazine where you actually fast 2 days a week, limiting to like 500 calories......... then the rest of the week you eat whatever you like. I thought it was interesting. So I can't wait to see what some say on here in response to your question.
  • EnviousDan
    EnviousDan Posts: 107 Member
    I used to do it with some success. I did notice that I lost more on a monthly basis when I took a day off and just drank water or a healthy juice.

    Now that I'm exercising 5-6 times a week I don't take days off. My body demands the nutrition for recovery too much. I tried to take a day off to fast on a rest day and I really paid for it that week. So I suppose it would depend on your diet and activity level.
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    There is an intermittent fasting group on this website that has all your answers!!

    Good luck with your goals!
  • morethanlost
    morethanlost Posts: 8 Member
    There is an intermittent fasting group on this website that has all your answers!!

    Good luck with your goals!
    Awesome!I'm going to look it up.
  • soysauce6626
    soysauce6626 Posts: 118 Member
    Intermittent fasting has show to increase Human growth hormone production and prolong life span. I've tried it and couldn't handle the fasting. My suggestion is have a bigger eating window when you first start out. If it fits your life style and can handle the fasting more power to you.
  • knitwit0704
    knitwit0704 Posts: 376
    I wouldn't do it. To me, it seems too disordered.
  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
    It has helped my appetite. The way I do it is that I don't eat breakfast unless I'm hungry for it. I still eat my calories for the day, it just means you have bigger lunches and dinners. Just don't use it as an excuse to eat less calories during the day, you're just extending the fast.
  • resistance_freak
    resistance_freak Posts: 899
    In what way have you heard that intermittent fasting is good for you? IMO this sounds like a gimmick that isn't needed if you eat the right amount of calories per day to achieve what your goals are.
  • jgkoutr
    jgkoutr Posts: 8,105 Member
    I did my first week recently and I lost 3 lbs. I only ate 800 cals instead of the 500 for 2 days b/c I workout and I didn't want my workouts to suffer.
  • katealbright
    katealbright Posts: 134 Member
    I just read about this in a magazine where you actually fast 2 days a week, limiting to like 500 calories......... then the rest of the week you eat whatever you like. I thought it was interesting. So I can't wait to see what some say on here in response to your question.

    I *sort of* do this. I wouldn't put it as "eating whatever I like" the rest of the week. I eat the same clean vegan food, just less on some days. So some days my net calories are very low and sometimes they're very high. Some weeks there isn't as big of a difference between low days and high days. Basically I just try to hit a different calorie goal every day (different by both net and gross). Some people call this Calorie Cycling. At the end of the week you still average out to your MFP goal.

    For me, especially now with so little to lose, when I do this is the only time I get consistent losses. I also feel like this is a safe way to keep low calories with a flexible lifestyle and without damage to metabolism.

    I don't think I would call this IF. I eat almost constantly -- I "graze" lol. To me IF always sounded a lot like skipping breakfast and going to bed hungry, neither of which I'm too fond of. But with that being said, lately I have been considering adding in one completely fasted day so I'm curious about this too.

    Here is what my last 30 days looks like:
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    6e3le9.png
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You lose weight on your fast day because you lower your glycogen stores and hence lose water weight. Then you eat on your non fast days and rebuild those stores regaining the water weight. Unless you take in less calories than you burn you won't lose fat so why not just eat right everyday?
  • tedrickp
    tedrickp Posts: 1,229 Member
    In what way have you heard that intermittent fasting is good for you? IMO this sounds like a gimmick that isn't needed if you eat the right amount of calories per day to achieve what your goals are.

    Intermittent fasting is simply one vehicle that people use to stay in a caloric deficit. I don't think there are any magic bullet like properties to IF, it is simply a schedule that works for some people.

    For example, I am doing 16-8 right now and it is perfect for my lifestyle and mindset. Im not doing it as a "gimmick", I don't believe it has magical properties...it just allows me to most comfortably stay in a caloric deficit.

    edit: saw above post - "eating right" and IF are not mutually exclusive. You can easily eat right while practicing IF.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Watch this then comment: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvdbtt_eat-fast-live-longer-hd_shortfilms#.UdwpTDu1HHw

    :)

    I used to do a 16/8 IF 3 times a week but felt I was losing too quickly.
  • PrimalGirl
    PrimalGirl Posts: 148 Member
    Hi

    This has been proven time and again to be incredibly beneficial. The most popular ones are the 16-8 fast and the 5-2 fast.

    16-8 is where you eat each day within an 8-hour window, so effectively fast for 16hrs. You can do this every day, including workout days. So when I do 16-8, I eat my evening meal at 7pm and then fast until 11am the next day. At 11am I eat a big breakfast and two hours later I'm ready to work out. Then lunch and dinner within the 8 hour window.

    5-2 is where you limit your calorie intake to 500cals on two days and eat what you like the rest of the time.

    Fasting increases the production of growth hormone and flips your body from 'replace' to 'repair' mode. This means that instead of eliminating damaged cells and replacing them with new, synthesised ones, it repairs them. Damaged cells can become free radicals in the body, leading to inflammation and illness, so repairing them is obviously better. It also takes less energy than creating new ones and a body that regularly repairs itself will heal quicker.

    NOTE: You can drink during your fast period. If you are worried your body won't wake up because it hasn't had any breakfast, a large glass of cold water will do the trick. And on the 16-8 diet, you're not missing out on breakfast, you're simply delaying it.

    PrimalGirl
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    there are two types of fasting that are the most common.

    The 5:2 is where women eat 2,000 calories five days a week, and 500 calories two days a week. the fast days do not need to be consecutive. if done correctly, i can see the benefit. but i see too many people abusing this type of diet, by justifying binge eating and unhealthy food, because "oh hey, tomorrow i'm fasting."


    the other way is the Intermittent fasting approach of fasting for 16 hours, and then having an 8 hour window to consume ALL OF YOUR DAILY CALORIES. so you have dinner at about 7pm. now you don't eat until about 11am the next day. the great thing about this is that you sleep away half the fast. a big dinner will help you get through the morning. coffee and water is allowed during the fast.

    if you are going the Intermittent fasting route, get used to it. don't just all of a sudden start a 16 hour fast. have a big dinner, and skip breakfast the next day, or just have your breakfast a little later than usual. i only IF about 3-5 days a week, depending on my work schedule. i work a lot of night shifts, so i can't always stick to it. when i do, i find that i have plenty of energy, and have no problem exercising in a fasted state (must have coffee though).
  • Microfiber
    Microfiber Posts: 956 Member
    I fast one day a week but mine is for spiritual reasons. The added bonus side to it though is that it does help with weight loss and looking younger :laugh:
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    In what way have you heard that intermittent fasting is good for you? IMO this sounds like a gimmick that isn't needed if you eat the right amount of calories per day to achieve what your goals are.

    First of all, it's not about weight loss. That's just a happy side effect.

    Google it, but you can start here:

    http://thefastdiet.co.uk/the-fast-diet-quickly/

    and see the full documentary here:

    https://player.vimeo.com/video/65953028
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    there are two types of fasting that are the most common.

    The 5:2 is where women eat 2,000 calories five days a week, and 500 calories two days a week. the fast days do not need to be consecutive. if done correctly, i can see the benefit. but i see too many people abusing this type of diet, by justifying binge eating and unhealthy food, because "oh hey, tomorrow i'm fasting."

    I fast, and I can tell you right now, it won't work if you binge eat unhealthy food. At least 5:2 won't.
    the other way is the Intermittent fasting approach of fasting for 16 hours, and then having an 8 hour window to consume ALL OF YOUR DAILY CALORIES. so you have dinner at about 7pm. now you don't eat until about 11am the next day. the great thing about this is that you sleep away half the fast. a big dinner will help you get through the morning. coffee and water is allowed during the fast.

    if you are going the Intermittent fasting route, get used to it. don't just all of a sudden start a 16 hour fast. have a big dinner, and skip breakfast the next day, or just have your breakfast a little later than usual. i only IF about 3-5 days a week, depending on my work schedule. i work a lot of night shifts, so i can't always stick to it. when i do, i find that i have plenty of energy, and have no problem exercising in a fasted state (must have coffee though).

    This I would agree with. It took me about 3 goes to successfully fast. I had to ease into it by eating 1000 calories or so on fast days and I still overshoot (I did yesterday).
  • futuresize8
    futuresize8 Posts: 476 Member
    I wonder about fasting sometimes. I eat my last meal of the day around 7 or 8 in the evening. When I get up to get ready for work, it's 5:30 a.m. and by the time I'm in my car at 7 a.m., I am so hungry that I'm nauseous! I don't think I could make it until 11 to eat my first meal of the day!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    To the OP, it's not luck. It's hard work, just like any other diet or eating programme.

    I've been 5:2ing since January. I love how it makes me feel, I'm down to my last few pounds, I've just run my first half-marathon and I'm saving money on grocery bills. I had my bloods tested back in January, and I'll have them re-done soon but my cholesterol etc weren't that high to start with. I don't find that I binge on non-fast days, but I don't feel guilty about what i eat either. My appetite is less, and I recognise and can handle the feelings of hunger.

    It's not for everyone - I'd encourage people to try it if they're interested (and are not in the groups of people who should NOT be fasting), but I also encourage people to find something different if they find this way of eating makes them miserable.
  • Leather_N_Lace
    Leather_N_Lace Posts: 518 Member
    I am on my 2nd "fast" day... I eat healthy for 5 days and then I have 2 back to back cellular cleanse days. (fast days)
    I take in about 550 calories on those two days and about 1500 on my 5 healthy days.
    I haven't been doing it to lose weight but rather cleanse my body of toxins that are stored in fat cells.
    I started this 5:2 process 53 days ago. Last week when I measured, I was down 36 cumulative inches in 46 days.
    Tomorrow is measure day for me... and I actually look forward to thes days now!
    I also lift weights and exercise 5 days a week.
    So I am not so worried about my pounds lost as I am about losing inches and toning up.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    To the people who have done this ,what luck have you had?
    I've heard intermittent fasting is good for you every once in a while and won't wreck your metabolism.
    Plus you lose weight faster.
    Experiences?

    Some people find that it works for them, but those that I know who have done it for awhile don't make claims that they lose weight faster on it.

    If you want more individualized info, there are fasting groups on MFP you can join.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've been 5:2 fasting for almost a year and I love it - really suits me so I don't feel deprived or restricted.

    However, if you are thinking of doing it for "fast weight loss" then your motives are all wrong and I'd actively discourage you from fasting.
  • jetlag
    jetlag Posts: 800 Member
    I wonder about fasting sometimes. I eat my last meal of the day around 7 or 8 in the evening. When I get up to get ready for work, it's 5:30 a.m. and by the time I'm in my car at 7 a.m., I am so hungry that I'm nauseous! I don't think I could make it until 11 to eat my first meal of the day!

    You don't have to. Michael Mosely eats at 7am and 7pm, just divides his calories between the two meals. If I got up at stupid o'clock, I wouldn't be able to fast all day either lol
  • lilcassers
    lilcassers Posts: 163
    I would not do it either. As long as I am eating clean 90% of the time and having one cheat meal a week, I hit my goals.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
    Different strokes for different folks. You may get numerous anecdotal responses to your question.

    I have been doing IF for more than half a year now and I love it. I am NOT doing it for the purpose of weight loss at all (I have been in maintenance since Aug last year). The original motivation was I got tired of planning and preparing 3-5 meals a day. I am still enjoying IF because the truth is I love eating two gigantic meals a day. It's so cool to see a spread of food in front of me. :laugh:
  • JHarr454
    JHarr454 Posts: 50 Member
    I used to fast a day a week, mostly for religious reasons, not to enhance weight loss.. I didn't notice it interfering or helping with my weight loss. I didn't consume any calories on those days.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Different strokes for different folks. You may get numerous anecdotal responses to your question.

    I have been doing IF for more than half a year now and I love it. I am NOT doing it for the purpose of weight loss at all (I have been in maintenance since Aug last year). The original motivation was I got tired of planning and preparing 3-5 meals a day. I am still enjoying IF because the truth is I love eating two gigantic meals a day. It's so cool to see a spread of food in front of me. :laugh:

    Haha. I've restricted myself to 4 meals a day and each one is like a feast. I used to eat constantly but it's harder to plan calories and macros well.
  • ashleywsm92
    ashleywsm92 Posts: 1
    Is good but if you can't resist the temptation of food, it is going to be worse as after you fast you will overeat . Short story : you must have great mind power. lol
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I just read about this in a magazine where you actually fast 2 days a week, limiting to like 500 calories......... then the rest of the week you eat whatever you like.

    Is that really fasting or just a VLCD 2 days a week? Fasting is abstaining from food for some period of time, not just eating less.........:huh:

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