Thoughts on Intermittent Fasting with Low Carb eating
Andrea7701
Posts: 40 Member
Just asking for thoughts and feedback on this. Have been hearing a lot more about intermittent fasting lately. I have never been able to follow a low carb diet so I do have concerns about that. Thanks.
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Replies
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Neither is necessary to lose weight.11
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Intermittent fasting is simply an eating schedule that helps some people regulate their calories, but not others.
Low carb is an eating style that helps some people regulate their calories, but not others.
The trick to successful dieting is to find something that makes dieting easier. Intermittent fasting with low carb eating is great for those who find intermittent fasting with low carb easier to follow than any other things they tried. If you've never been able to follow a low carb diet then maybe low carb is not for you. You could try intermittent fasting without low carb to see how you feel about your diet, maybe you'll enjoy having larger meals and will find it easier than your past attempts. If you find you don't like it, you can always try something else, it's not set in stone.
Weight loss comes down to calories regardless of your choice of diet or eating schedule. Intermittent fasting and low carb don't give you any special weight loss advantage over any other style of eating outside of personal preference. My personal preference is high carb, so that was the style of eating that gave me a weight loss advantage, not because it's better than other styles, but because I could sustain it long enough to lose all the weight I wanted to lose (I'm in maintenance right now). Find a way of eating you are more likely to sustain and stick with it for now.8 -
Thanks for the insight. I will definitely have to find what works for me.0
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I do IF and Keto. I've lost over 50lbs in the last 9 weeks. There are a large amount of studies out there by Stanford, Harvard, multiple neuroscientists and other doctors that talk about the many benefits there are to IF and Keto as well as when they're combined together. From my personal experience in recent times, it is worth it. From my personal experience a few years ago when I was in the Marine Corps and only doing IF, it was worth it. I'd be happy to send some of the articles and books your way if you have the time to read them. Benefits include things like insulin regulation, brain health, heart health, muscle retention during cutting, increased thermogenic effects on the body, extreme decrease in inflammation, improved immune system. A recent study conducted on lab rats indicated that a keto diet helps fight off influenza. There however have been no tests yet on if those same results will transfer over to humans.
I've noticed more and more people on the forums that try to strip credibility to lifestyles like keto and IF and say it's nothing more than calories in and calories out. Regardless of what their feelings are on the matter, the empirical data out there proves them wrong. I believe they do this in order to feel better about their own choices because they lack the self control, dedication and discipline to make extreme changes in their lives happen. You or anyone else going against their opinions on dieting makes them question their own and they fear that it invalidates their way of dieting. It's much easier for them to tell someone else that that person is wrong rather than have that same conversation with themselves.
All in all, dont listen to every person on the forums, even myself. Take everything you hear and go research it. Then come up with your own conclusion and do what's best for you, your body, your mind and your lifestyle.7 -
I do IF and Keto. I've lost over 50lbs in the last 9 weeks. There are a large amount of studies out there by Stanford, Harvard, multiple neuroscientists and other doctors that talk about the many benefits there are to IF and Keto as well as when they're combined together. From my personal experience in recent times, it is worth it. From my personal experience a few years ago when I was in the Marine Corps and only doing IF, it was worth it. I'd be happy to send some of the articles and books your way if you have the time to read them. Benefits include things like insulin regulation, brain health, heart health, muscle retention during cutting, increased thermogenic effects on the body, extreme decrease in inflammation, improved immune system. A recent study conducted on lab rats indicated that a keto diet helps fight off influenza. There however have been no tests yet on if those same results will transfer over to humans.
I've noticed more and more people on the forums that try to strip credibility to lifestyles like keto and IF and say it's nothing more than calories in and calories out. Regardless of what their feelings are on the matter, the empirical data out there proves them wrong. I believe they do this in order to feel better about their own choices because they lack the self control, dedication and discipline to make extreme changes in their lives happen. You or anyone else going against their opinions on dieting makes them question their own and they fear that it invalidates their way of dieting. It's much easier for them to tell someone else that that person is wrong rather than have that same conversation with themselves.
All in all, dont listen to every person on the forums, even myself. Take everything you hear and go research it. Then come up with your own conclusion and do what's best for you, your body, your mind and your lifestyle.
The only thing correct here.15 -
I do IF and very low carb (not strict keto) and it works very well for me personally but it’s probably not for everyone.
The first time I tried low carb I HATED it. It made my cravings worse and I felt cranky and tired all the time. I tried keto a few years later and after playing around with # of carbs I’ve realized that for me to personally see some of the benefits of low carb (reduced cravings, more energy etc) I needed to go lower on carbs. If I stay around 150 grams of carbs I have cravings and generally hate life, if I stay around 50 I feel great.
If you’re interested in trying low carb I’d suggest going quite low, wait a couple of weeks till you’re over any keto flu/sugar cravings and then slowly up your carbs till you find your comfort zone.
I have read lots of studies on added benefits from IF but honestly I just use it for calorie control, I like to eat more later in the day so if I skip breakfast it makes it easier for me to have a decent lunch, big supper and a snack.2 -
Also, as stated above you will often get a lot of discouragement on these boards for anything outside of CICO so I would definitely read what people say here but do some independent research for a less biased opinion.5
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Also, as stated above you will often get a lot of discouragement on these boards for anything outside of CICO so I would definitely read what people say here but do some independent research for a less biased opinion.
I don't think that's true.
I've been in these forums for 12 years and what I do find to be the case is measured and balanced advice.
There's no pushback against Keto or low carb or IF other than the rational reasonable caveat that, "No matter what you do, calories are King." Which is true. Both low carb and IF are simply methods of helping people adhere to a calorie deficit, and that is the entirety of the argument. So yeah, you'll see that.
The rigid belief that "dieting" has to fall into some Guidelines or Way of Eating and the woo factor surrounding that is what we speak out against.
There is a lot of bad "research" out there and that's the stuff you'll see disputed. As it should be.14 -
Also, as stated above you will often get a lot of discouragement on these boards for anything outside of CICO so I would definitely read what people say here but do some independent research for a less biased opinion.
There is no other way to lose weight outside of CICO, period. That is how weight is lost. By eating less calories than your body burns. You don't eat more calories than your body burns and lose weight.
You may be confusing CICO with calorie counting, which is a method of CICO. Many people here practice calorie counting, and are favorable towards it, as this is a calorie counting website. But nobody thinks it's the only way to achieve a calorie deficit.
Other successful ways to achieve a CICO deficit include low carb, keto, intermittent fasting, intuitive eating, and a whole host of other ways of eating. Nobody here is against anyone doing any of those. There are plenty of people who do them here successfully, sometimes in conjunction with calorie counting, sometimes not. That's not the the issue.
The issue is that keto, IF, and other trendy ways of eating are often pushed online as having some sort of weight loss super power that goes above and beyond helping some people regulate their calorie intake to create a calorie deficit. That is simply not true. Studies have consistently shown that long term, low carb is not any more effective than other forms of diet to lose weight. The issue is now that people think that they HAVE to do Keto or IF to lose weight, even if they are not well suited for it. In general, when someone starts a post about not finding low carb a good fit for them, then they probably are not best suited for it. Many people come here flat out shocked that it actually works to just eat what you want in moderated portions.
TLDR: No one way of eating is going to work universally for everyone. People should pick the one that makes controlling their intake the easiest. Weight loss is only accomplished by eating less calories than your body burns, and no diet has superpowers beyond that.13 -
I never said you can only lose weight doing keto or that calories don’t matter.... I suggested she do some independent research.
I have literally posted a statement like “I did keto for a few months and lost 40 lbs” and get a bunch of people disagreeing with me. I have personally seen a HUGE bias on these boards against it.
And while I wholeheartedly agree that keto, low carb, IF etc aren’t for everyone I do see people on here trying to discourage it a lot so I simply suggest anyone who’s interested should do independent research (and probably talk to a dr) as, like said above this is a calorie counting site so a lot of opinions on here are biased.6 -
I do IF somewhat accidentally due to my medication timing and all the things I must take "on an empty stomach," but also "never with that other thing you're taking." >_< I've found that it does reduce my insulin resistance in the few times in my life wherein that has been a problem.
I tried low carb once when they were checking me over for gluten intolerance and a couple other gastric issues. I really do not enjoy it and it seems to make me rather grumpy. FORTUNATELY, it is not at all necessary for me to lose weight, which is fantastic, because fatty foods have been giving me a stomach ache.
There are a ton of strategies and mnemonics out there for helping people get their calories IN lower than their calories OUT. They all work (or don't) because they're helping you eat less than you burn (maybe - if that style works for you), but in the end, it's whatever way of thinking works with your brain and appetite and any medical conditions you may have.
Low carb dieting was designed to help diabetes patients control their blood sugar. If you haven't any problems with insulin regulation, it won't necessarily help you any more than some other way of reducing your caloric intake.1 -
I never said you can only lose weight doing keto or that calories don’t matter.... I suggested she do some independent research.
I have literally posted a statement like “I did keto for a few months and lost 40 lbs” and get a bunch of people disagreeing with me. I have personally seen a HUGE bias on these boards against it.
And while I wholeheartedly agree that keto, low carb, IF etc aren’t for everyone I do see people on here trying to discourage it a lot so I simply suggest anyone who’s interested should do independent research (and probably talk to a dr) as, like said above this is a calorie counting site so a lot of opinions on here are biased.
I've never done Keto and I lost 80 pounds in 2007-08 and have kept it off.
Of course you can "say" you got a bunch of Disagree reactions to that but without the context of the thread you were in and your exact post, it's kind of a poor argument. Can you link to that post?4 -
I never said you can only lose weight doing keto or that calories don’t matter.... I suggested she do some independent research.
I have literally posted a statement like “I did keto for a few months and lost 40 lbs” and get a bunch of people disagreeing with me. I have personally seen a HUGE bias on these boards against it.
And while I wholeheartedly agree that keto, low carb, IF etc aren’t for everyone I do see people on here trying to discourage it a lot so I simply suggest anyone who’s interested should do independent research (and probably talk to a dr) as, like said above this is a calorie counting site so a lot of opinions on here are biased.
There is not a huge bias on this boards against it. "Independent research" is great, but there is a ton of misinformation out there on the internet, and there are lots of pro-IF and pro-Keto places that spin misinformation in favor of it. This site is not a perfect place and not everything here is correct, but these boards honestly tend to be more level headed and fact based than most places.
And "your doctor" sometimes can be the worst source for diet advice. Most doctors, unless they specialize in it, have very little nutrition and weight loss expertise. My dad's endocrinologist literally told him to lose weight "don't drink diet soda as your body doesn't know how to process it so it goes and gets stored directly in your gut". Many people here have taught their doctors about calorie counting and MFP and now their doctors recommend it to patients. So don't assume that someone being an MD makes them a weight loss expert.9 -
I do IF and Keto. I've lost over 50lbs in the last 9 weeks. There are a large amount of studies out there by Stanford, Harvard, multiple neuroscientists and other doctors that talk about the many benefits there are to IF and Keto as well as when they're combined together. From my personal experience in recent times, it is worth it. From my personal experience a few years ago when I was in the Marine Corps and only doing IF, it was worth it. I'd be happy to send some of the articles and books your way if you have the time to read them. Benefits include things like insulin regulation, brain health, heart health, muscle retention during cutting, increased thermogenic effects on the body, extreme decrease in inflammation, improved immune system. A recent study conducted on lab rats indicated that a keto diet helps fight off influenza. There however have been no tests yet on if those same results will transfer over to humans.
I've noticed more and more people on the forums that try to strip credibility to lifestyles like keto and IF and say it's nothing more than calories in and calories out. Regardless of what their feelings are on the matter, the empirical data out there proves them wrong. I believe they do this in order to feel better about their own choices because they lack the self control, dedication and discipline to make extreme changes in their lives happen. You or anyone else going against their opinions on dieting makes them question their own and they fear that it invalidates their way of dieting. It's much easier for them to tell someone else that that person is wrong rather than have that same conversation with themselves.
All in all, dont listen to every person on the forums, even myself. Take everything you hear and go research it. Then come up with your own conclusion and do what's best for you, your body, your mind and your lifestyle.
We are not rodents. All human studies outside of the benefit of improved insulin resistance for those that need it have failed to reproduce any additional benefits in humans so far.
Weight loss improves health all by itself. If the easiest way for a person to lose weight is eating high carb 6 times a day then that is what the person needs to do. Choosing a harder path because of some rodent study that fails will not be beneficial. This is why it always boils down to calories in vs calories out here. The unverified stuff may pan out at some point but even if it does weight loss would still be the highest priority.7 -
CICO nothing else matters, period, end of story.2
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I guess I don't fully understand the thought process of restricting yourself to only eating between a certain time or only eating certain foods and not other foods (unless you have a medical condition).... Weight loss is hard enough as it is, why make it even harder with more restrictions? I feel like people over complicate things...3
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Go_Deskercise wrote: »I guess I don't fully understand the thought process of restricting yourself to only eating between a certain time or only eating certain foods and not other foods (unless you have a medical condition).... Weight loss is hard enough as it is, why make it even harder with more restrictions? I feel like people over complicate things...
because there is a perception that it needs to be painful in order to be successful - you can't have foods you enjoy because losing weight is akin to a punishment mentality
or you need to eat clean to lose weight etc - i was on another forum last night and someone commented about not going out to eat with friends because the inability to find a "clean" option on a chinese menu and its like - sustainable choices that will help in the long term is better than short-term non-sustainable changes
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Go_Deskercise wrote: »I guess I don't fully understand the thought process of restricting yourself to only eating between a certain time or only eating certain foods and not other foods (unless you have a medical condition).... Weight loss is hard enough as it is, why make it even harder with more restrictions? I feel like people over complicate things...
I think it really depends on the person. For some people, following certain restrictions make it easier for them. I am in a weight loss group where a number of the people there have had success with and swear by IF. They buy into a lot of the woo-science around it (I've heard Jason Fung mentioned more than once), but I do think they find it easier as a method of controlling what they eat. They say that they feel they are allowed to eat what they want in their window, and they don't feel as hungry anymore so it is easy to control. In this way, it is effective for them as a restriction tool, because they naturally eat less calories during this time. The same thing with Keto. If you tell someone "hey, you can eat what you want as long as you don't have carbs", some people might find that pretty easy to follow and that they are naturally fuller eating fats and proteins than they were eating carbs, so they can maintain a deficit easier.
Obviously on keto, IF, whatever, you can't eat "whatever" you want, as if you eat a calorie surplus during your window or of keto foods, you will gain weight. But for those who find success on these ways of eating, they are able to eat at a deficit easier and without feeling they restrict themselves as much. If someone tries Keto or IF and it is hard to follow and makes them miserable, then there is no benefit to it. They are better off eating a balanced diet without restrictions.
I personally have found that not restricting when or what I eat, but how much I eat, has been the most effective tool for my weight loss. I have been able to successfully lose weight and maintain the loss without IF, keto, or anything else. But different strokes for different folks.5 -
Since March I've lost 95lbs and over 100 since last December (before I really started tracking anything and progress was slim). I started in the spring on a fairly strict Keto diet for a couple months before reintroducing variety in a much more controlled fashion, and continue to do my own little arbitrary system of IF.
I refuse to jump on the bandwagon of hating on Keto and IF, because they are valuable tools when applied with skepticism and acceptance for what they are. My family has a history of diabetes and I was going down that path, I consistently monitored blood glucose for a while (but thankfully at my current weight and health plan it hasn't been a problem!!) but Keto and IF can definitely help with stabilizing that if that's a problem for you.
I'm not 100% on the science behind water weight and losing weight but I feel like Keto in the beginning keeping off my water weight really helped jump start actual weight loss. I believe the science behind that is glycogen that is what is normally stored with all that water weight is the first thing the body taps for energy, so if you thin out of the available glycogen from carbs you're body turns to other things to burn which in turn also keeps the water weight down. Don't quote me on that though since I didn't do tons of research on it, but I will vouch Keto did give me a solid jump start.
I found and STILL find IF a useful tool in helping force me find filling calories of value. When you know you won't be eating for whatever period of time you stick to you really think about making sure you have some fill for that period of time.
To be honest the single biggest influencer for me personally was strength training. Maybe because at the point I really threw in strength training I was already down a notable amount of weight, but it definitely made the biggest aesthetic and "inches" difference than pure weight loss. I'm pushing fairly hard at this point dropping around 4lbs a week against all recommendations (eating for a 2-2.5lb weight loss but not eating back in workout/exercise calories). I know the science says that I shouldn't be seeing any progress strength training at this kind of deficit but I am making mild gains, i'm sure at maintenance they'll jump drastically for a noob at strength training.4 -
Also, as stated above you will often get a lot of discouragement on these boards for anything outside of CICO so I would definitely read what people say here but do some independent research for a less biased opinion.
There is no other way to lose weight outside of CICO, period. That is how weight is lost. By eating less calories than your body burns. You don't eat more calories than your body burns and lose weight.
You may be confusing CICO with calorie counting, which is a method of CICO. Many people here practice calorie counting, and are favorable towards it, as this is a calorie counting website. But nobody thinks it's the only way to achieve a calorie deficit.
Other successful ways to achieve a CICO deficit include low carb, keto, intermittent fasting, intuitive eating, and a whole host of other ways of eating. Nobody here is against anyone doing any of those. There are plenty of people who do them here successfully, sometimes in conjunction with calorie counting, sometimes not. That's not the the issue.
The issue is that keto, IF, and other trendy ways of eating are often pushed online as having some sort of weight loss super power that goes above and beyond helping some people regulate their calorie intake to create a calorie deficit. That is simply not true. Studies have consistently shown that long term, low carb is not any more effective than other forms of diet to lose weight. The issue is now that people think that they HAVE to do Keto or IF to lose weight, even if they are not well suited for it. In general, when someone starts a post about not finding low carb a good fit for them, then they probably are not best suited for it. Many people come here flat out shocked that it actually works to just eat what you want in moderated portions.
TLDR: No one way of eating is going to work universally for everyone. People should pick the one that makes controlling their intake the easiest. Weight loss is only accomplished by eating less calories than your body burns, and no diet has superpowers beyond that.
Very well said. Do what works best for you! Thanks!1
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