Anyone combining 5:2 with 16:8?

Mom2annie

(Cross-posted on IF group)

Newbie here (4th week of IF). I tried EODD/ADF and it started getting difficult to maintain...particularly on weekends. As of yesterday, I switched to a hybrid of 16:8 and 5:2. So far so good... I'm happy that I only have to deal with two 500 calorie fast days a week (and avoid them on weekends). I'm sticking with a 16:8 window each day.

I'm curious if anyone else combines the different methods and how it is going (or went) for them. Is it a bad idea to combine them?

Also, where can I read about the physiological effects (explanations) of IF? I've seen lists but I'd like to really understand each effect. I have to use (or lose) an Audible book credit by tomorrow before canceIling my free trial, so if there is a one-stop book that you recommend, please let me know. Thanks!

CooCooPuff

I did it for a while but started eating around a small, around 100 calorie snack, usually pretzels sometime in the morning.

It just felt helpful for post fast days. I also seem to be able to hold off eating meals later, useful for my usual 1,000+ calorie meal on Friday.

Karen_can_do_this

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3946160/

This link I have found pretty informative on the physiological effects, if you can understand the scientific speech. I had a bit of trouble. I needed my nursing textbooks next to me to translate a couple of times lol.

Foamroller

"Eat, Stop, Eat" by Brad Pilon has the science but is understandable for laymen

This article sums up IF too:

https://authoritynutrition.com/intermittent-fasting-guide/

I stacked protocols with success. BUT, I highly recommend to not force too many things at the same time. It's easy to get overwhelmed by too many rules in the start.

Over time as prolonging non-eating hours reduced hunger, I've naturally drifted towards a OneMealADay (OMAD) lifestyle or 20:4. If someone told me 5 yrs ago, I wouldn't have believed them, cause at the time I had to eat every 4th hour or get low bloodsugar. I truly love great tasting food, but I also looove the freedom from feeding that fasting provides me.