Interval Fasting + Eating. Anyone?

purpledream89

Hi all, I'm considering doing the interval fasting + eating thing.
Any one on here successful with this?

Im worried about getting started but I need pointers.

Im thinking about doing a 12pm-8pm scheduled eating. nothing outside of this window.
I am 205 lbs female aged 28.

Does this actually work?
Im just like trying to find a "fast way" to lose some weight due to a medical condition that I am experiencing. Is this "faster"? or about the same?

I will not be exercising - just isnt for me really. My idea is to do 1200-1500 cals btw 12pm-8pm. let me know your thoughts - experiences? any motivation / insights / tips are truely appreciated. Id love for anyone to share personal stories as well!

Many Blessings MFP thanks whoever takes the time to read

lynn_glenmont

The speed at which you lose weight is determined by the size of your energy (calorie/kilojoule) deficit, not by when you eat. Some people find it easier to maintain their deficit by narrowing the time window during which they eat.

If you need to lose weight because of a medical condition, you should consult a doctor to determine how fast it is advisable for you to lose the weight. A doctor would factor in the health risks of your medical condition and the health risks of rapid weight loss to determine the best rate for you to lose weight.

malibu927

Intermittent fasting, as it's commonly called, is one of the hottest fads right now. But if you're eating the same number of calories that you were with more traditional meal times, there will be no difference. Weight loss comes from your calorie intake.

JaydedMiss

calories are the only thing that matters for weight loss. When you eat your calories in your day/week/month doesnt matter. Day, Night, Early, Late.....more one day less another....doesnt matter. It all averages out. Calories are all you need to focus on. So no its not faster or slower. Its just another tool some people use to be more satiisfied on their calorie intake...Works for some, Doesnt for others. Try it and see but no theres no magic in intermittent fasting

TavistockToad

Instead of thinking 'fast weight loss' start thinking 'sustainable lifestyle changes'

AnvilHead

purpledream89 wrote: »

Does this actually work?

It works as well as the same number of calories eaten at any other time(s) of the day.

purpledream89 wrote: »

Im just like trying to find a "fast way" to lose some weight due to a medical condition that I am experiencing. Is this "faster"? or about the same?

Given equivalent calories, you'll lose weight at the same rate no matter what time of the day you eat those calories.

Intermittent fasting is a huge fad right now and there's a lot of BS out there about it. It helps some people feel more full and stick to their calorie goals better (and doesn't help for some people) - that's the only "magic" about it. It still all comes down to how many calories you eat, there are no shortcuts and no "fast way" (at least not one that is healthy).

Motorsheen

here ya' go.

take a look at this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29534545

there are more and more clinical trials happening on this very subject.

there might be some real benefits to intermittent feeding/eating that extend beyond CICO.

(might not too, the take-away on the subject is to approach it with an open mind.)

let science take the lead on this, although, granted... that might take some time.

Motorsheen

This study by Dr. Panda goes a little further into the subject and is a worthwhile read on the subject:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=29951594[PMID]

clover19832014

Hi! I have been doing intermittent fasting on and off. Like the others said calories are most important. But I do feel better when I’m doing it. There are scientific reasons (I don’t know how much are proven), but I do feel less bloated and also less cranky because this allows me to have bigger portions. When I’m actively losing weight I do better with eating 3 bigger meals then 5 small meals. For example I’ll have a big meal (M1-2) at 12 pm, then if I’m hungry eat again at 3 pm (M3) then dinner around 5 pm (M4) and if I’m still hungry (or depending when I work out) I’ll have a light snack between 7-8pm (M5). This has also keeps my cravings down and I’m not as hungry. Again like the others said this isn’t a diet, it’s just a way of eating (a schedule) Do what works for you though. If you don’t like eating breakfast and you like bigger portions, then you may love it. Do some research, try it out and see how you feel.

lynn_glenmont

Motorsheen wrote: »

here ya' go.

take a look at this: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29534545

there are more and more clinical trials happening on this very subject.

there might be some real benefits to intermittent feeding/eating that extend beyond CICO.

(might not too, the take-away on the subject is to approach it with an open mind.)

let science take the lead on this, although, granted... that might take some time.

This study had no individuals on a calorie restriction who weren't doing IF. In fact, it doesn't sound like calories were restricted at all, since the results say subjects doing IF had "less weight gain," not "more weight loss." It doesn't sound like calorie intake was monitored or measured at all.

Motorsheen wrote: »

This study by Dr. Panda goes a little further into the subject and is a worthwhile read on the subject:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=29951594[PMID]

This study looks at whether individuals can successfully achieve calorie deficits without counting calories by doing IF, not whether IF provides some additional health benefit over consuming the same number of calories without time restrictions.

purpledream89

Thanks every one who answered i eat well over 2000 cals on the reg and just in this week knocking it down to 1500 made me lose a couple lbs. I was wondering i guess of the IF helping to burn the blubber more so to speak.
I know there is no FAST way but im tierd of jiggling guys

Motorsheen

purpledream89 wrote: »

Thanks every one who answered i eat well over 2000 cals on the reg and just in this week knocking it down to 1500 made me lose a couple lbs. I was wondering i guess of the IF helping to burn the blubber more so to speak.
I know there is no FAST way but im tierd of jiggling guys

here is one more study for you:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371748/

also... take a look at both Dr. Rhonda Patrick and S. Panda's work and insight on the topic.

The jury is still out, and there is a lot of different opinions swirling around, but these two seem to be at the forefront of some good work on the subject.

lynn_glenmont

Motorsheen wrote: »

purpledream89 wrote: »

Thanks every one who answered i eat well over 2000 cals on the reg and just in this week knocking it down to 1500 made me lose a couple lbs. I was wondering i guess of the IF helping to burn the blubber more so to speak.
I know there is no FAST way but im tierd of jiggling guys

here is one more study for you:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5371748/

also... take a look at both Dr. Rhonda Patrick and S. Panda's work and insight on the topic.

The jury is still out, and there is a lot of different opinions swirling around, but these two seem to be at the forefront of some good work on the subject.

None of the studies in this literature survey were about the daily restricted-window IF that OP asked about. They all looked at two-day-a-week very-low-cal restrictions or two-day-a-week total fasts.

And the studies included in the literature study come out six to one that overall calorie deficit is what matters, not time. One study indicated that two-day-a-week fasts (or very-low-cal diets on two days) produced more fat loss than a similar overall calorie restriction spread across the week. A single study whose results are not replicated when many other researchers look at the same issue is most likely either a statistical outlier or the result of a poorly designed or executed study, or fudging of the numbers.

Motorsheen

'Cell Metabolism' (Cell.com) is another good reference for looking further into the subject:

https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(18)30253-5

nutmegoreo

purpledream89 wrote: »

Thanks every one who answered i eat well over 2000 cals on the reg and just in this week knocking it down to 1500 made me lose a couple lbs. I was wondering i guess of the IF helping to burn the blubber more so to speak.
I know there is no FAST way but im tierd of jiggling guys

Patience and time. If you're in too big of a hurry, those jiggly bits will become sagging jiggly bits.

Mini_Medic

Calories are what matters. Time of day doesn’t factor in weight loss. The timing is significant in that it helps some people regulate their hunger hormones and get control of their eating behaviors and patterns. I naturally do what you are talking about. I only eat 1 or 2 meals a day between 12-8pm. If it’s once, I eat all my allotted calories accounting for my daily deficit to lose. 2 meals I eat 2/3 of my calories at lunch and 1/3 at dinner or sometimes exactly half at each meal. Some people need to have a full belly to be satisfied and kick hunger. I don’t feel good eating “snacks” of 300 calories several times a day. So I simply don’t. I don’t enjoy eating in the morning because it makes me hungrier theoughout the rest of the day, so I don’t. You can still have eggs or waffles at 2pm!
The medical benefit which has not been proven scientifically is that your body will regulate Insulin more efficiently. Insulin is how your body metabolizes sugar and what causes weight gain. So the theoretical benefit is that if your not digesting all the time (in a semi fasted state) you don’t have the same spikes all day long that cause an insulin release.
Bear with me for the non technical terms...

In a normal weight person, with normal hormones in a state of homestasis (balance) they eat food, their body responds by releasing insulin, your body absorbs the calories and breaks them down and uses them for all functions of life and doesn’t store anything extra since you didn’t eat extra. Hence maintenance of weight.
In the rest of us who have chronically over eaten, our body has gotten too much calories and it can overactively release too much insulin and it triggers your body to breakdown food, use what it needs, but then the rest goes to fat storage. Theoretically, intermittent fasting causes a reset in your body by changing how much and how fast your insulin is released. If you eat constantly it’ll be releasing constantly and when insulin is present your body isn’t burning stored fat it is using what you just consumed. If you schedule meal times it’ll be timed appropriately to release only when needed. The fasted times are when your body is supposed to be using what you have stored for fuel.
This way of eating has helped me tremendously. It still comes down to calories in/calories out ultimately but try it if you like, and see how you feel. Maybe it will help you get control of your hunger like it did for me and countless others.

psuLemon

Mini_Medic wrote: »

Calories are what matters. Time of day doesn’t factor in weight loss. The timing is significant in that it helps some people regulate their hunger hormones and get control of their eating behaviors and patterns. I naturally do what you are talking about. I only eat 1 or 2 meals a day between 12-8pm. If it’s once, I eat all my allotted calories accounting for my daily deficit to lose. 2 meals I eat 2/3 of my calories at lunch and 1/3 at dinner or sometimes exactly half at each meal. Some people need to have a full belly to be satisfied and kick hunger. I don’t feel good eating “snacks” of 300 calories several times a day. So I simply don’t. I don’t enjoy eating in the morning because it makes me hungrier theoughout the rest of the day, so I don’t. You can still have eggs or waffles at 2pm!
The medical benefit which has not been proven scientifically is that your body will regulate Insulin more efficiently. Insulin is how your body metabolizes sugar and what causes weight gain. So the theoretical benefit is that if your not digesting all the time (in a semi fasted state) you don’t have the same spikes all day long that cause an insulin release.
Bear with me for the non technical terms...

In a normal weight person, with normal hormones in a state of homestasis (balance) they eat food, their body responds by releasing insulin, your body absorbs the calories and breaks them down and uses them for all functions of life and doesn’t store anything extra since you didn’t eat extra. Hence maintenance of weight.
In the rest of us who have chronically over eaten, our body has gotten too much calories and it can overactively release too much insulin and it triggers your body to breakdown food, use what it needs, but then the rest goes to fat storage. Theoretically, intermittent fasting causes a reset in your body by changing how much and how fast your insulin is released. If you eat constantly it’ll be releasing constantly and when insulin is present your body isn’t burning stored fat it is using what you just consumed. If you schedule meal times it’ll be timed appropriately to release only when needed. The fasted times are when your body is supposed to be using what you have stored for fuel.
This way of eating has helped me tremendously. It still comes down to calories in/calories out ultimately but try it if you like, and see how you feel. Maybe it will help you get control of your hunger like it did for me and countless others.

All things being equal (calories/macros), all you are doing is shifting your digestion window. Large amounts of food take longer to digest, and subsequently, smaller take shorter periods to digest. So eating 2000 calories all at once vs, spread out only shifts the window, will result in the same amount of energy created digestion (TEF). Additionally, your body has the innate ability to store all the nutrients... meaning, it will not waste calories that you consume, unless it's something that cannot be metabolized (i.e., fiber) or you have a malabsorption issue (whole other story).

OP, I tried 16:8 for several months and what I learned was this.. I hate starving myself until noon and I do much better with 3 large meals in a day. I didn't lose weight any faster but I did find myself binging more.