Intermittent fasting

briittanyxxoo

So I've decided to take my weightloss journey to the next level, and maybe help with my binge eatings... I've started the 16/8 fasting this morning, with a eating window of 11am to 7 pm... I broke my fast with 2 cups of cantaloupe, then an hour later a toasted tuna sandwich with lettuce and cucumber and drinking tons of water.

Any tips about fasting? Or how to make it more effective?

Also if you do 16/8 fasting what does a day of eating look like for you?

kimny72

When I was doing 16:8, I ate all the same foods I normally would, just started eating later. It helped me with appetite control. Until my appetite changed and I started eating in the AM again. Same foods, same calories, just spread out more.

What are you looking for it to do that there would be ways to make it more effective?

leasah

I do 16:8, 18:6 and an occasional OMAD depending how hungry I feel. Both the 8 hour and 6 hour eating window leaves me enough time for 2 meals. I have eliminated all snacking though, so as to have fewer insulin spikes. I also adopted a ketogenic diet before starting IF, which for me was huge. I'm not sure that I could have done the longer periods of time if I still was eating higher carbs. Many do it and are successful but for me personally when I gave up processed foods and added in more healthy fats my appetite diminished, IF just kind of happened naturally. Some great resources for me have been the books and videos of Dr. Jason Fung. There is a ton of info in his Youtube videos and his IDM site.

kimny72

There are lots of folks on this forum doing IF, keto, or both and being successful, and there are some interesting theories out there about IF, but Fung is not the best source for info.

Fatty_Nuff

Intermittent fasting threads pop up every five minutes on the board. Check them all out, they may have some useful information. As far as making IF 'more effective', it's not about what you eat or the length of your eating window. It still comes down to the number of calories you are consuming.

jjpptt2

FWIW, IF exacerbated my binge tendencies. For me, having a "reason" to eat more in 1 sitting just made things worse. Just FYI.

brujadelsol

jjpptt2 wrote: »

FWIW, IF exacerbated my binge tendencies. For me, having a "reason" to eat more in 1 sitting just made things worse. Just FYI.

See I'm kinda the opposite. I tend to want to eat a lot, once I eat a little. With fasting, I can eat until I feel like I'm gonna pop. And even then, I sometimes have trouble eating enough of my calories. After my big meal(s) of the day, I'm not hungry. Not until late morning the next day. And then, for a few hours before mealtime, I could eat my horse. (Luckily, I tend to be hyper-focused during that time, and use that focus to get stuff done before eating.)

To me, fasting is simply a nifty tool, to keep me within my calorie goal. It's definitely worth a week's try for anyone curious about it. It may be helpful to some, others not so much.

Also, there is an adjustment period. I've been tightening my eating window slowly, as the weeks go by. Working my way to near OMAD. I won't lie. My first week was hell. It's getting easier by the day.

kds10

Love IF. I just need that discipline of eating within a certain time period so for me it works. Today it is 5 5 hours eating window.

reddwarf63

Ive been doing OMAD for the last 6 weeks and i have dropped 8kg, as well as hitting the gym for cardio and weights 5 times a week, IF is brilliant

briittanyxxoo

leasah wrote: »

I do 16:8, 18:6 and an occasional OMAD depending how hungry I feel. Both the 8 hour and 6 hour eating window leaves me enough time for 2 meals. I have eliminated all snacking though, so as to have fewer insulin spikes. I also adopted a ketogenic diet before starting IF, which for me was huge. I'm not sure that I could have done the longer periods of time if I still was eating higher carbs. Many do it and are successful but for me personally when I gave up processed foods and added in more healthy fats my appetite diminished, IF just kind of happened naturally. Some great resources for me have been the books and videos of Dr. Jason Fung. There is a ton of info in his Youtube videos and his IDM site.

So I shouldn't be snacking? Just eat my 2 meals?
What about my calories?my goal is 1580 for weightloss, should I be eating that during my two meals?

RunnerGrl1982

briittanyxxoo wrote: »

leasah wrote: »

I do 16:8, 18:6 and an occasional OMAD depending how hungry I feel. Both the 8 hour and 6 hour eating window leaves me enough time for 2 meals. I have eliminated all snacking though, so as to have fewer insulin spikes. I also adopted a ketogenic diet before starting IF, which for me was huge. I'm not sure that I could have done the longer periods of time if I still was eating higher carbs. Many do it and are successful but for me personally when I gave up processed foods and added in more healthy fats my appetite diminished, IF just kind of happened naturally. Some great resources for me have been the books and videos of Dr. Jason Fung. There is a ton of info in his Youtube videos and his IDM site.

So I shouldn't be snacking? Just eat my 2 meals?
What about my calories?my goal is 1580 for weightloss, should I be eating that during my two meals?

You can eat whenever you like within your window and how many meals/snacks is completely up to you for what works best. You definitely should be eating the calories that MFP has provided to you during your window of eating.

LisaMelton1

It seems to me that IF is another form of an eating disorder. Instead of binging and purging you’re denying and binging. I’ve lost 50 lbs by old fashioned calorie counting. Heathy carbs and clean eating are the key for me.

lemurcat2

For most, IF is just basically skipping breakfast and maybe having a later lunch. Not binging (eating my calories in 2 meals or over a 6 or 8 hour (or even 4 hour) period of time would not = binging any more than eating them in 3 meals does. Not eating other than at specific times is not "purging." Calling it an eating disorder is way over the top. (IMO, calling it "fasting" causes a lot of this confusion, but IF is the trendy name du jour.)

I would agree that someone prone to binging might not be the best suited to it, and might want to be careful, especially with the OMAD or every other day type options. I'd also say that anyone with a real binging issue should be consulting with a professional, including about choices like IF.

lin_be

LisaMelton1 wrote: »

It seems to me that IF is another form of an eating disorder. Instead of binging and purging you’re denying and binging. I’ve lost 50 lbs by old fashioned calorie counting. Heathy carbs and clean eating are the key for me.

You could also see it as just skipping breakfast. I personally find that eating “clean” is pretty disordered. Food is just food, it’s not dirty or wrong. It’s just an object.

kds10

LisaMelton1 wrote: »

It seems to me that IF is another form of an eating disorder. Instead of binging and purging you’re denying and binging. I’ve lost 50 lbs by old fashioned calorie counting. Heathy carbs and clean eating are the key for me.

No I am "delaying not denying" Who says anything about denying and binging???? I do not deny myself and I do not binge, I just eat within an 8 or 6 hour eating window per day.

foxtrot1965

i honestly love it so much, and it has done wonders for my digestion. I do 16:8 mostly, but most of my calories are in a 20:4 period.