Intermittent fasting -periods??

alexandravictoria88

Hey guys,

Ive been recommended to do Intermittent Fasting. I will be eating 1450 calories. First week ill have a fasting period of 12hours, 2nd week 14hours and third week 16 hours and 4th week 18 hours. I want to implement this for a month only. Reading online though ive seen a lot of women that are suffering from loss of periods and have read that it could affect fertility. Studies shows it works very well with men rather than women. Have any of you girls experienced problems with your periods? Help would be fantastic!

heybales

I would ask in the group - get a more specific audience.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

And are you sure the effect you are reading about is from IF - and not from just a low eating level in general - which can cause similar issues?

I would not trust at all that someone commenting on it would realize the difference. Unless you are talking actual study research.

There are many, might I say a slight majority, that believe IF is a diet, rather than merely the eating schedule for what you happen to eat.

You can gain weight on IF, you can maintain on IF, you can lose weight on IF, you can be extreme and foolish on IF.
Just like any other eating schedule.

malibu927

Why just a month? What are you looking to gain from IF (most of that time not really qualifying as IF) in that time?

alexandravictoria88

heybales wrote: »

I would ask in the group - get a more specific audience.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

And are you sure the effect you are reading about is from IF - and not from just a low eating level in general - which can cause similar issues?

I would not trust at all that someone commenting on it would realize the difference. Unless you are talking actual study research.

There are many, might I say a slight majority, that believe IF is a diet, rather than merely the eating schedule for what you happen to eat.

You can gain weight on IF, you can maintain on IF, you can lose weight on IF, you can be extreme and foolish on IF.
Just like any other eating schedule.

Well it was articles on why IF is good for you and why IF is bad for you. But as i kept on reading more and more articles it is evident that women dont do as well as men on an IF diet

alexandravictoria88

malibu927 wrote: »

Why just a month? What are you looking to gain from IF (most of that time not really qualifying as IF) in that time?

I said id do it for a month and see how it goes, my PT reccomended this diet to me as id like to lose some weight and maintain that weight. I like to experiment but i dont want to do something that may be detrimental to my health

malibu927

alexandravictoria88 wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Why just a month? What are you looking to gain from IF (most of that time not really qualifying as IF) in that time?

I said id do it for a month and see how it goes, my PT reccomended this diet to me as id like to lose some weight and maintain that weight. I like to experiment but i dont want to do something that may be detrimental to my health

All it is is an eating schedule. I know many women on here who have succeeded eating that way with zero issues, even before they lost weight.

alexandravictoria88

malibu927 wrote: »

alexandravictoria88 wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Why just a month? What are you looking to gain from IF (most of that time not really qualifying as IF) in that time?

I said id do it for a month and see how it goes, my PT reccomended this diet to me as id like to lose some weight and maintain that weight. I like to experiment but i dont want to do something that may be detrimental to my health

All it is is an eating schedule. I know many women on here who have succeeded eating that way with zero issues, even before they lost weight.

I guess i just needed some reassurance, as id like to try for a baby soon ..well in the near future:)

kommodevaran

I have been eating all my meals in a 6-8 hours window, most days, for more than a year. There's nothing special about that, it's a perfectly ordinary meal schedule, so how could it affect fertility? I haven't experienced periods problems.

gogetemrogue

I have also read that IF can affect fertility but cannot back that up with anything anecdotal. I do 16:8 (some days more like 12:12) and haven't missed a period. What I read did say that OMAD (one meal every 24 hrs) and other, longer fasts can affect your hormones, though. It isn't recommended to do IF if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.

Muscleflex79

alexandravictoria88 wrote: »

malibu927 wrote: »

Why just a month? What are you looking to gain from IF (most of that time not really qualifying as IF) in that time?

I said id do it for a month and see how it goes, my PT reccomended this diet to me as id like to lose some weight and maintain that weight. I like to experiment but i dont want to do something that may be detrimental to my health

it is not really a "diet" though - it is merely an eating schedule. calorie deficit will determine weight loss.

TavistockToad

i heard that an 14:10 window was best for women, to reduce hormone disruption, but i have no sources for that.

as others have said, its an eating style that is supposed to help you stick to your calorie deficit, that's all.

toxikon

As others have said, it's mainly just a way of timing your meals. It's not a magic diet.

I've been skipping breakfast for years with no ill effects. If I didn't also count my calories, I could easily still eat at a surplus while intermittent fasting. It all boils down to calorie consumption.

GottaBurnEmAll

TavistockToad wrote: »

i heard that an 14:10 window was best for women, to reduce hormone disruption, but i have no sources for that.

as others have said, its an eating style that is supposed to help you stick to your calorie deficit, that's all.

Yeah, I think I remember hearing some rumblings about that too, from legit sources, but my memory is not the best.

I'm past menopause, so my small eating window is of no consequence in that regard. Sorry I can't shed more light on the subject.

Unfortunately, OP, a lot of what is out there on the web is a lot of nonsense and the reliable information is hard to find and zero in on if you're not discerning.

There aren't really HEAPS of benefits to IF that people would lead you to believe. The primary benefit for most people who practice it (this would include me) would be that it enables them to regulate their appetites better. In some cases it can either or also (this would also include me) allow them to distribute their calorie allowance in a way they find more satisfying.

I find it easier to stick to my calorie limits by greatly delaying my first meal and eating two very nicely sized meals and a good sized dessert. Other people prefer a different meal pattern.

In the end, you need to find what works best for you. At the end of the day, no matter what you read about "benefits", whatever makes it easiest for you to stick to your calorie limits is what's best. Adherence trumps *everything*. There's no point in trying any way of eating if it's not working for you and you can't stick to it.