Alternate Day Fasting... Have you done it?

ljgalligan

buglesalmoncatgirl wrote: »

This is great. I think I will try it. I'm going for the EOD version, but I will definitely track calories on both the diet day (500 cal) and the feast day (I'll cap that one at 2000 cal). Wish me luck!

In my experience, this diet is challenging for the first week or two and then just becomes routine. I lost about 2 pounds a week. One problem is that it can trigger binging in susceptible people so you may want to keep an eye out for that. There is a Facebook page for the every other day diet.

jenilla1

How do you guys do this? I would have to hibernate completely on low cal days if I tried this - like stay in bed the whole day. I would turn into a hangry beast and murder everyone in sight! If I go too long without food, first I get really cranky, then I get foggy-brained and confused, then I get low blood sugar and feel nauseous, anxious and sweaty. If I don't eat soon after that, I faint. Been like that since I was a little kid in school. I'm not diabetic or insulin resistant, either. Just always have had lower than normal blood sugar on screenings - fasted or not. I guess fasting isn't for everyone. IF does sound kinda cool if you can hack it, though.

ETA: It just occurred to me that I would be the first one to die in a famine. I'm already skinny, and I can't handle fasting. That's a crappy adaptation. I guess I'm an evolutionary failure.

HM2206

jenilla1 wrote: »

How do you guys do this? I would have to hibernate completely on low cal days if I tried this - like stay in bed the whole day. I would turn into a hangry beast and murder everyone in sight! If I go too long without food, first I get really cranky, then I get foggy-brained and confused, then I get low blood sugar and feel nauseous, anxious and sweaty. If I don't eat soon after that, I faint. Been like that since I was a little kid in school. I'm not diabetic or insulin resistant, either. Just always have had lower than normal blood sugar on screenings - fasted or not. I guess fasting isn't for everyone. IF does sound kinda cool if you can hack it, though.

ETA: It just occurred to me that I would be the first one to die in a famine. I'm already skinny, and I can't handle fasting. That's a crappy adaptation. I guess I'm an evolutionary failure.

I'm doing this today, and it's hard. I can tell I won't be able to stick to 500 cals.

But I ate waay too much last night, so at the very least I want to 'erase' some of that today.

One thing I'm trying is to have cups of tea in between, plus make things like hot soup that takes a while too eat.

buglesalmoncatgirl

I got through a successful fast day yesterday.
It was not nearly as hard for me as the previous attempt. I think what helped was meal planning and, for my unique preferences, getting in some fats! Clearly it's different for different folks. My fast day consisted of water, coffee (black or sweetened with Splenda and a little small measured amount of milk or almond breeze), tea (same as coffee), sugar free jello, rice cakes, peanut butter, and low calorie tortilla.

All added up to 590.

I'm aiming for 500-600 on fast days and, since I'm only doing two per week, the remaining days are not to go above my TDEE. I'm actually aiming for 1400-1500 on the remaining days.

You can do it!
Ultimately what the consensus seems to be amidst professionals is to find something that works for you, be it daily traditional reduced calorie diets or intermittent fasting, etc.

Once you find your sweet spot, your golden!

jelleigh

I did 5:2 for a bit and had some great success on it. Im just taking a break from it right now but I think it will be how I maintain the the future (on a 6:1 schedule)
I would always skip breakfast, wait as Kate as possible and have a can of tuna mixed with a tbsp of homemade salsa. I drink a lot of soda water (makes you feel fuller) . Then at dinner I would have chicken and a lot of veggies. I didn't find it too bad actually. But some days for down reason were easier than others. Don't get too discouraged if it takes a bit to get Into it.

buglesalmoncatgirl

amusedmonkey wrote: »

Only the first couple of weeks are hard, as you fast more fast days become much easier.

Thanks! Yes that's what I've been hearing. Feeling better about it now.

buglesalmoncatgirl

jelleigh wrote: »

I did 5:2 for a bit and had some great success on it. ... Don't get too discouraged if it takes a bit to get Into it.

ljgalligan wrote: »

In my experience, this diet is challenging for the first week or two and then just becomes routine. I lost about 2 pounds a week. One problem is that it can trigger binging in susceptible people so you may want to keep an eye out for that. There is a Facebook page for the every other day diet.

Thanks, you guys!

HM2206

buglesalmoncatgirl wrote: »

I got through a successful fast day yesterday.
It was not nearly as hard for me as the previous attempt. I think what helped was meal planning and, for my unique preferences, getting in some fats! Clearly it's different for different folks. My fast day consisted of water, coffee (black or sweetened with Splenda and a little small measured amount of milk or almond breeze), tea (same as coffee), sugar free jello, rice cakes, peanut butter, and low calorie tortilla.

All added up to 590.

I'm aiming for 500-600 on fast days and, since I'm only doing two per week, the remaining days are not to go above my TDEE. I'm actually aiming for 1400-1500 on the remaining days.

You can do it!
Ultimately what the consensus seems to be amidst professionals is to find something that works for you, be it daily traditional reduced calorie diets or intermittent fasting, etc.

Once you find your sweet spot, your golden!

I ended up at 800 calories total yesterday - not quite what I hoped for, but still a low calorie day.

The sugar free jello is a great idea, it's not common here but I'll try to make it.

Are you going to keep your fasting days to the weekend or do weekdays too? I think it'll be harder when you spend the day at work.

austinsneeze

bump, I've started ADF again. I actually have premium, so I'm able to track my calories per day without too much hassle.

austinsneeze

Is anyone still doing this? How are the results?

leo10021

I've tried this in the past and while I initially got great results, I wouldn't recommend it as a long term strategy. I was in a place at the time, primarily motivated by vanity, and didn't have my health as the #1 underlying reason for doing this.

I was doing the 5:2 diet, where on Mondays and Thursdays I would eat <~500 calories, and on remaining days of the week, would eat between 1500-2000 (normal). On the 500 days, I would eat 2 eggs with some goat cheese for breakfast, and some chicken and veggies for dinner, but I would get extremely hangry and unable to function at my highest level on those days. On the "regular" days, I would get in a pattern of bingeing and undoing any "progress" made from previous days. It's also worth noting that on the "fasting" days, there would many times be work lunches/dinners/events where it would be literally impossible to say no, or to try and explain why you are fasting and still be seen as a sane person.

I quit about 4 months in, after having lost 15lbs (on an already decently lean/athletic frame), when my cycle stopped coming. As a 29 year old female who hopes to have at least 1-2 biological children one day, any risk to future fertility wasn't one I was willing to take for a few vanity pounds, and the screwiness that it can have on your hormones.

There are indeed a number of studies out there that show a link between fasting and improved longevity (among other health metrics), but to my knowledge, all of the studies were done on middle aged men (as is too unfortunately common in the research industry), and not specifically women of childbearing age. We are different creatures.

Glad to chat privately more about my experience though if this is something you are considering.

Staci64

That's what I'm doing now, it works for me. On the days I stay under 500, I eat mostly eggs. I follow a low carb woe for 8 mos now and had hit a stall in weightloss. I started intermittent fasting mainly cause I'm not a breakfast person so it made it easy. So I still do it as well. I only eat from noon-8 pm everyday and every other day I stay under 500 and under 8 carb. On my "feast" days I still do low carb but don't care what calorie count is. I do stay under 30 net carb. I eat a ton of food in that 8 hour window on the feast day which ties me over pretty good on the fast day. My diary is always open if anyone wants to friend me and see what I eat.

felineart

Hello everyone. I'm interested in trying this diet. I just had one question. On your fasting day, do you still workout?

rhiawiz57

buglesalmoncatgirl wrote: »

*follow up note*

Eating 500 calories is totally hard! I did not make it through the day. (Fail.)
That said, I still want to try... I will try the 5:2 diet. Seems like it's less challenging than the EOD.

I think there is an active group in the community that follows it and I could use the inspiration.

the first week or so is hard but it gets easier i promise! i've been doing 4/3 (almost every other day), with 500 cal low days and 2000 high for 3.5 weeks and I've lost 10 lbs! I've even had calzones, fried chicken, quesadillas, beer on some of my days and I'm still losing. i love it!!!!!!!! don't dismiss something after only a day or two!

yes, i still work out on fasting day and so do a lot of people. no problems at all.

endlessfall16

felineart wrote: »

Hello everyone. I'm interested in trying this diet. I just had one question. On your fasting day, do you still workout?

I do but I keep an eye on my performance. Like today which is a light meal day for me I'm going to play an hr of competitive tennis with my friend. I've had only a coffee this morning but I had a decent size dinner last night. It's not possible to have any adverse effect.

I could perform physically much better if I was to load up on carbs prior but it's not necessary since my gym going friend is already having a hard time keeping up. I need this one hr workout to create a deficit.

Track your performance and eating over time and have some ideas.

lutzsher

Yes, I have tried it along with every other weight loss suggestion or gimmick out there. I have found that what works for me is eating consistently, eating a good balance of micro nutrients, and eating cleanly within my calories every day. Depriving leads to bingeing so I leave enough calories each day for my square of dark chocolate and never deprive myself. I eat 3 meals per day and sometimes a snack if im hungry. Eating less that 1200 calories in a day did not provide any better results, in fact it just made me grumpy and tired. Eating cleanly and consistently I lose weight consistently too.

rhiawiz57

here is the intermittent fasting group for whoever is interested. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

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trigden1991

filbo132 wrote: »

buglesalmoncatgirl wrote: »

Hello.

Have you heard of this style of eating? The book I read a few years ago is called "The Every Other Day Diet" (Krista Varady). There are other publications out there that teach the same concept: eat about 500 calories a few days a week (every other day per the book I read, but there are some methods that require only 2 days of this) while eating somewhat freely the rest of the time.

I know, I know. This sounds unconventional. However, I have found a fair bit of people claiming it works well for them. It's said to be highly effective for weight loss as well as improving general health, and many find it more achievable than traditional daily dieting.

Have you tried it? Are you doing it now? What version (5:2, EOD, UDDD...) What challenges did you encounter along the way?

Just curious!

It only works because they are in a caloric deficit. If that's something you would enjoy to do, go ahead....however, the trick to losing weight is to be under your maintenance calories which many still don't grasp that concept.

I have posted this elsewhere and I'll post it here again

This is golden!