Intermittent fasting

Elitejammer

I’m down 9 pounds in 9 weeks with intermittent fasting. I’m fasting now 20 hours a day and eating within 4 hours. My workouts are done fasting to get the best results including more energy. My face is smoother and my sore knees feel better. I tried to do a 24 hour fast today but could only get to 22 hours. Still feel better.

wren176

Great job! I do low carb and intermittent fasting 1 or 2 days a week. Some days I’ll do a 24 hour fast. Eat breakfast then not eat again till the following day. It work great for me. I don’t have a schedule just choose to fast on the days I’m not feeling hungry.

Flybeetle

Congratulations, what great results!
I am on day 4 of fasting 20 hours / eating window 4 hours. I did 16/8 most of the time for the last 2 years but found I would struggle around food for those 8 hours during my eating window. Now I feel calm and 'normal' around food and can make rational decisions about what I want to put into my body. I hope I will keep feeling this great on 20/4 because this would work well as a permanent lifestyle for me.
I am glad to read from someone who has already made this work for a decent few weeks!

Elitejammer

Since I have been fasting, my stomach I feel has shrunk making it hard for me to eat large meals. This keeps me under 1200 calories per day. I also try to keep my carbs below 60; low carb. I tried to get down to 20; Keto, but found it hard to be consistent. It’s better to choose a plan that fits your lifestyle.
Thanks for your reply.

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rajeshvvcool

Elitejammer wrote: »

Since I have been fasting, my stomach I feel has shrunk making it hard for me to eat large meals. This keeps me under 1200 calories per day. I also try to keep my carbs below 60; low carb. I tried to get down to 20; Keto, but found it hard to be consistent. It’s better to choose a plan that fits your lifestyle.
Thanks for your reply.

IF is by far the best tool to cut down FAT.

AnvilHead

rajeshvvcool wrote: »

Elitejammer wrote: »

Since I have been fasting, my stomach I feel has shrunk making it hard for me to eat large meals. This keeps me under 1200 calories per day. I also try to keep my carbs below 60; low carb. I tried to get down to 20; Keto, but found it hard to be consistent. It’s better to choose a plan that fits your lifestyle.
Thanks for your reply.

IF Calorie deficit is by far the best tool to cut down FAT.

Fixed it for you.

If you're not in a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter what time or how often you eat - you won't lose weight/fat. If you are in a calorie deficit, it doesn't matter what time or how often you eat - you'll lose weight/fat.

IF is a very useful strategy (for some) to control their calorie intake. But it's the calorie deficit itself which causes fat loss, not the fact that the calories were eaten at a certain time/within a certain time window.

jrowden0711

I am in love with IF. I have successfully lost 75ish lbs and continue to lose/maintain. I usually do a 16/8 fast, but am a nurse so on days I work it may vary a bit depending on when I am able to sneak away to eat. IF has helped me realize food is not the most important thing in life and has given me my life back. I am so incredibly thankful for that. As of right now, I have zero intentions of ever stopping IF.

margaret_anne

I am also doing the 16/8 IF. I am wondering how many days a week to do it? I am just starting to experiment with the strategy...

Elitejammer

I IF everyday. Most of the week I can maintain 20/4. The weekends are easier because I am busy. Sometimes I can do OMAD. IF makes me feel in control of my appetite. If I am no hungry, I do not eat. I’ve lost ten now with 20 to go. It makes me feel good for someone to notice the difference!☺️

chaparra71

Not true AnvilHead.

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bpotts44

chaparra71 wrote: »

Not true AnvilHead.

What is not true about his post?

lowcarbmale

For everybody who is interested in some more background information, this is a pretty good summary about intermittent fasting and metabolism with 46 references to scientific papers. If anyone has better ones PLEASE post them.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-metabolism

lowcarbmale

Wooing won't make scientific research go away.

Elitejammer

Thank you all for your support. I am now down 11 lbs with 20/4 IF. I have also added Juicing which keeps me full. Let’s keep it going everyone!

RredSonja

margaret_anne wrote: »

I am also doing the 16/8 IF. I am wondering how many days a week to do it? I am just starting to experiment with the strategy...

Every day!!!

Elitejammer

I do it everyday also. It becomes natural after a month. Now on my 4th month,

GaleHawkins

lowcarbmale wrote: »

For everybody who is interested in some more background information, this is a pretty good summary about intermittent fasting and metabolism with 46 references to scientific papers. If anyone has better ones PLEASE post them.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-metabolism

Thanks for the link and it is something I am considering but I have been keto for 4 years and since it seems to have fixed my craving after the first month I do IF by accident because I skip meals because I am not hungry. Having gone 4 years without being hungry and maintaining a 50 pound weight loss for the last three years and health issues are resolving is awesome after 40 years of yo-yoing weight due to cutting calories which never fixed my cravings that seemed to have been the cause of my obesity.

"Conclusion
Although research has shown some promising findings, the effects of intermittent fasting on metabolism are still being investigated (3).

Early research suggests that short-term fasts boost metabolism as much as 14%, and several studies suggest that your muscle mass doesn't decrease much with intermittent fasting (6, 26, 45).

If this is true, then intermittent fasting has several important weight loss advantages over diets based on continuous calorie restriction.

At the end of the day, intermittent fasting can be a highly effective weight loss tool for many people."

CharlieBeansmomTracey

I have done IF 16:8(sometimes 18:6)for more than 3 decades,even before I knew what it was called or that I was fasting. I have gained weight doing IF from eating more than my body burned,I have lost weight eating less than I burned and I am now maintaining my weight doing IF. I do it every day and have since I was a kid. I never was a breakfast eater and dont normally eat until 1pm or later most days. It hasnt boosted my metabolism or made any improvements in anything else. if IF was so good for weight loss then I would have never became obese while doing it. it sure as heck hasnt improved my cholesterol either.

@lowcarbmale it says "BOTTOM LINE:
"Fasting for short periods can slightly boost your metabolism. However, fasting for long periods may have the opposite effect." it doesnt say what the short period of time is,the page also says "it COULD help with weight loss",this article also says starvation mode is real. so this is not really a scientific study,it also says "Although research has shown some promising findings, the effects of intermittent fasting on metabolism are still being investigated"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21410865

CharlieBeansmomTracey

lowcarbmale wrote: »

For everybody who is interested in some more background information, this is a pretty good summary about intermittent fasting and metabolism with 46 references to scientific papers. If anyone has better ones PLEASE post them.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/intermittent-fasting-metabolism

and those scientific papers state that timed IF needs more studies done and there are a lot of key words like "could"."may","possibly" etc. that doesnt mean it s set in stone. and many of the studies were done on rats,some on people but a lot of the studies are still inconclusive

GaleHawkins

The perfect diet that will work for everyone is not going to happen. Clearly IF works for posting and others post other WOE's that work for them. Recently Dr. Layne North quoted studies that 95% of all diets fail by the end of year three because only 5% have not had full or greater regains by that time.

Finding a Way Of Eating that works and that is used continually seems to be the key. Just cutting calories again and again he talks about sets one up that losing weight just gets harder and harder because the yo-yoing reduces our our metabolism more each time we just cut calories for a while then go back to our old WOE.

Since it has worked well for me for the past 4 years I am going to stick with ketones which is what IF gives one on IF days.

Hope everyone learns a WOE that self manages their weight over time.

anet32147

How have you found using the MFP app helps during IF. I’m interested in starting IF, but I still use the app for calculating micronutrients (I’m on LCHF)

reposadojo

anet32147 wrote: »

How have you found using the MFP app helps during IF. I’m interested in starting IF, but I still use the app for calculating micronutrients (I’m on LCHF)

I still count calories on if.. I find if quite easy though,, I never was a breakfast person any way.. So eating all my calories after work, works for me.. Although since I hit my goal I now sometimes have a bowl of weetabix cereal at midday.. You can still put weight on doing if. I have learnt a lot by tracking my food.

reposadojo

GaleHawkins wrote: »

The perfect diet that will work for everyone is not going to happen. Clearly IF works for posting and others post other WOE's that work for them. Recently Dr. Layne North quoted studies that 95% of all diets fail by the end of year three because only 5% have not had full or greater regains by that time.

Finding a Way Of Eating that works and that is used continually seems to be the key. Just cutting calories again and again he talks about sets one up that losing weight just gets harder and harder because the yo-yoing reduces our our metabolism more each time we just cut calories for a while then go back to our old WOE.

Since it has worked well for me for the past 4 years I am going to stick with ketones which is what IF gives one on IF days.

Hope everyone learns a WOE that self manages their weight over time.

I agree,, every one needs to find there own diet that works for them.. But needs to stick to it basically for life.. You can't just hit your goal and then go back to your old lifestyle...

leahcollett1

this is such an inspirational post - i have just started dong 16:8 and im so excited about it, i too have done all the diets under the sun

pierinifitness

leahcollett1 wrote: »

this is such an inspirational post - i have just started dong 16:8 and im so excited about it, i too have done all the diets under the sun

“Budget” 5-7 days to reprogram your gut and brain to IF, afterward, you’ll be fine, I promise.

Drink a big glass of water during your week moments and keep your mind and body occupied. Your hunger and weak moments will pass.

Good luck.

leahcollett1

its day 4 and today is the first time ive truly struggled to fast until 12. i have woken up at 6am absolutely starving. i think its worse that i cant have a coffee latte to see me through lol

pierinifitness

leahcollett1 wrote: »

its day 4 and today is the first time ive truly struggled to fast until 12. i have woken up at 6am absolutely starving. i think its worse that i cant have a coffee latte to see me through lol

What did you eat for your last meal yesterday and at what time? Are you drinking sufficient water? What was your sugar content?

Hunger will pass because it’s a habitual response. A strong cup of black coffee is a morning “friend” you should make.

Hang in there and don’t quit before the miracle arrives. I’m privately cheering for you.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

pierinifitness wrote: »

leahcollett1 wrote: »

this is such an inspirational post - i have just started dong 16:8 and im so excited about it, i too have done all the diets under the sun

“Budget” 5-7 days to reprogram your gut and brain to IF, afterward, you’ll be fine, I promise.

Drink a big glass of water during your week moments and keep your mind and body occupied. Your hunger and weak moments will pass.

Good luck.

you arent programming your gut and brain to do IF. some people cant do IF. some people have done it all their life. as for hunger passing it doesnt work that way for everyone.IF is just a window of time in which to eat your calories. Ive done it for more than 3 decades. I do better fasting because I am not a breakfast eater never really was. now if someone has insulin issues it may help with craving things or not being as hungry. but IF isnt for everyone.

musicfan68

chaparra71 wrote: »

Not true AnvilHead.

And what about what he said isn't true??? Hmmm? This may be your opinion, but calorie deficit is how you lose weight, period. No matter what your WOE is, you still have to be in calorie deficit to lose.