16:8 females

KateD0707

I was wondering people's thoughts/views/success with 16:8?
Does it work?
I'm keen to try it as I like the fact I am not going to bed on a full
Tummy and tried 5:2 before but found that to extreme so this sounds ideal.
Can I do it Monday - Friday only?

kommodevaran

There are no rules, you can eat 15:9 and only on Thursdays, if you like.

I usually fast for 14 - 17 hours per day anyway but don't call it anything.

What do you mean by work?

RoxieDawn

I already follow 16:8 IF method, been doing this for many years..

It is just an eating schedule that can help you with adherence, you still have to follow eating in a calorie deficit regardless of the timing of your eating window..

Do you lose weight faster, better, no. But it can help you with working with hunger cues, meal timing, etc that suit your weight loss.

crzycatlady1

16:8IF can help with calorie adherence but it's not a weight loss method in itself-you still need to eat at the appropriate calorie deficit for your weight loss goals.

GottaBurnEmAll

It's just an eating schedule. It's not a diet. You still have to restrict your calories.

I found I just naturally ate this way. I didn't know it was a "thing" until I joined MFP.

trigden1991

I am not female so can't give any advice.

walkdmc

There are no rules with how often one does IF (intermittent fasting). You do what's comfortable for you. The only thing I've seen recommended is to gradually ramp up to the longer duration (7-day+ ) fasts. If you plan on going that long, talk to your doctor. If you're a diabetic or take medications, talk to your doctor first.

Recently I did a combination of ketosis and 19:5 IF. During the eating window I ate 1200-1400 calories. I lost weight and felt great but it would've been much harder if I wasn't in ketosis. There are benefits to short fasts aside from weight loss. Did you research the benefits? Knowing them will help you stay focused when you want to cave.

It's funny to me we call the 16:8 a fast. In today's society it is indeed a fast but 30 years ago, that was how people ate. Dinner at 5-6pm then you're done until the next day, mid-morning.

There are amazingly helpful Reddit groups for IF, if you'd like more feedback. MFP has some IF people but it gets hairy because IF could be a 24-72+ hour fast during which you're not eating and that will contradict the MFP CICO tenant and break their rules.

laur357

IF doesn't cause weight loss unless you're in a calorie deficit. I do 16:8 because it helps me control my hunger throughout the day, and I believe it helps with insulin response (I have PCOS and am more likely to develop blood sugar issues and diabetes).
I also like eating 2 larger meals a day.
I've lost 65 pounds, but that was due to calorie restriction.

Flybeetle

I've been 16:8 for 3+ weeks now and I find it helps me in a big way to manage physical and especially "mental" hunger. I stretched my fasting window to 18:6 yesterday and my body went into overdrive at 12pm going "let's do this, eating time!!", but after 3 weeks I can simply notice this and have a cup of herbal tea and let it pass. When I have breakfast I "crave" food with a ridiculous urgency or need, yet when I fast (I do have coffee with a splash of milk) I don't have cravings, and only a few hunger pangs (after the first week).
I did find that, after a few weeks, my unreasonable cravings would come back in the afternoon, once I broke my fast. It's more a case of thinking "ooh, I have all these calories left, let's go nuts!!" then that my body wants anything in particular. That's why I've decreased my eating window, to make it easier to stay under my calories goals.
I think it's a matter of tweaking it to suit your schedule and body.

By the way, since this is a female thread... I did notice that 2 days after ovulating and 2 days pre-period i had difficulty adhering to fasting. Other than that I find it easy.

leejoyce31

I've been doing 16:8 IF for almost 5 weeks now. I must say that it's a bit harder for me now than it was at first. But I just power through because I think there are health benefits of fasting, and I have seen remarkable improvement in my food cravings.

I will say that now, I am a little "hangry" in the mornings, but it passes. I get really happy and perky when my feeding window opens.

I will try to continue with it because the improvement in my food cravings alone makes it worth it. Unfortunately, I don't try tea or coffee, only water. I think something nice and warm to drink may help.

angelamb1970

I do 16:8 in conjunction with Keto and less than 1400cals a day, it's pretty easy because I'm not all that hungry most days due to the keto. You still have to restrict your calories if you are going to lose weight, you can still cram a ton of food in an 8hr window so make good choices for your body! I find the days that I can fast I have better results with my keto, but some days I'm just really hungry and listen to my body. Would say on average I fast 4 days a week.

Intentional_Me

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

It's just an eating schedule. It's not a diet. You still have to restrict your calories.

I found I just naturally ate this way. I didn't know it was a "thing" until I joined MFP.

Same here. Although mines more like 15:9

KateD0707

Thank you everyone for he tips and advice. I am going to give it a go Monday - Friday next week as I think it will help me break my snacking habits and to have more control.

kommodevaran

KateD0707 wrote: »

Thank you everyone for he tips and advice. I am going to give it a go Monday - Friday next week as I think it will help me break my snacking habits and to have more control.

A good eating strucure is never wrong, and you can go by any pattern that suits you. People have eaten this thing called "meals" for centuries We need to exert more personal control now, as our current food environment and our eating culture are so out of whack. Personally, I believe snacking is a bad habit that is contributing to the obesity epidemic.

stormyview

I guess what I usually do is about 19:5, sometimes 20:4 or 18:6. I started doing it for weight loss because I'm not hungry in the mornings. When I first eat (at 2 or 3 in the afternoon), I usually have something light (230 calories is my typical lunch), and then I eat a normal-ish dinner (that I track when dieting, when I keep to 1200 total for the day).

This eating schedule made it easier for me, and it made my weight loss much easier for my husband since I usually could eat a normal meal each evening with him.

The biggest benefit from my perspective is that it really helps me with maintenance. I'm currently cutting again after three back to back trips messed up my eating schedule and hunger cues, plus of course all the good food available! However, I find that I can maintain easily, without tracking if I keep to my eating schedule of 1.5 meals a day (one very light, one normal).

leanjogreen18

I intermittently IF. My window of eating is 8am-5pm most days I eat 11am-5pm. I do it for several reasons.

1. I zig zag my calories so 1 Day a week I eat 1000 calories (to allow 1 day a week eating a maintenance) so only eating a brunch and early dinner allows for more calories per meal.
2. Sometimes I'm just not hungry in the morning.
3. Cutting off eating at 5pm seems to keep the late night snacks at bay and helps my reflux.

Having said all that, I'm flexible. Going out with friends I will eat after 5pm or movie night with the hubby I may have popcorn after 5pm.

No rigid rules or restrictions (except meat which is for other reasons).