Is intermittent fasting unhealthy? It feels counter intuitive?

bloomblythe5
bloomblythe5 Posts: 24 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey all,

I started intermittent fasting about a week ago and it isn’t my first time doing it, but it is the first time I’m doing it and now feeling a little confused about it. I definitely think it’s working so far in just a week, I’ve seen a little bit of slimming, I feel less bloated, I’m eating less not even on purpose, my cravings for sugar are barely there. Lots of plus sides so far but I can’t help but be a little nervous about my calorie intake and how many times I’m eating a day.

I have a pretty rocky history with eating disorder stuff so constricting calories by too much now always freaks me out. My calorie defect amount I use to slowly lose weight without feeling restricted is about 1900 calories. With intermittent fasting I have my first meal at 12 and my last meal at 7ish and I don’t feel restricted or very starving and some days I even end up with a total calorie count of like 1600 and still feel very satiated at the end of the day.

I just want validation or confirmation that only eating twice a day and sometimes only 1600 is safe because it feels quite counter intuitive after I refrained myself that breakfast is important and eating 3 times a day is too, or 5 small meals a day. And that anything from 1200-1500 calories is not a relaistic amount of food.


(PS: a side not just to paint a better picture, I got my 1900 daily calories bc I am quite active and my resting TDEE is about 2300 before working out, I work out 3-5 days a week)

Replies

  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    Fasting itself in various forms has a number of benefits, both mental and physical. I would say that the main benefit for those that adhere to it, is being able to maintain a consistent calorie intake. Now, how many calories is the key. A consistent deficit or surplus, over a long period is not good. So, I would look at how your weight is trending over a month or 6 weeks. If you want to lose weight then your weight should drop by no more than 2lbs on average per week. If you need to gain weight then a similar amount is ok. But you should take a break around 6-8 weeks and go back to maintenance calories for a couple of weeks. Or, you can have re-feed day once a week where you eat maintenance calories.
    I have fasted for religious reasons but never for diet/calorie intake because, I prefer to just have 3x meals. So, if it's working for you then that's great!
    I'm not sure if 1600 is too low for you, but you could increase by around 200/250 cals for a few of weeks and see what the effect is. My advice, eat as many cals as you can while still losing a max 2lbs a week on average.
    Good luck!
  • Buff_Man
    Buff_Man Posts: 623 Member
    Fasting itself in various forms has a number of benefits, both mental and physical. I would say that the main benefit for those that adhere to it, is being able to maintain a consistent calorie intake. Now, how many calories is the key. A consistent deficit or surplus, over a long period is not good. So, I would look at how your weight is trending over a month or 6 weeks. If you want to lose weight then your weight should drop by no more than 2lbs on average per week. If you need to gain weight then a similar amount is ok. But you should take a break around 6-8 weeks and go back to maintenance calories for a couple of weeks. Or, you can have re-feed day once a week where you eat maintenance calories.
    I have fasted for religious reasons but never for diet/calorie intake because, I prefer to just have 3x meals. So, if it's working for you then that's great!
    I'm not sure if 1600 is too low for you, but you could increase by around 200/250 cals for a few of weeks and see what the effect is. My advice, eat as many cals as you can while still losing a max 2lbs a week on average.
    Good luck!
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    I was doing IF before I even knew it had a name. I started combining small meals and snacks and ate 2 - 3 bigger meals. Also I starting to eat once I got hungry not because it was "breakfast" time and I closed the kitchen after dinner.

    This was of eating so much better for me. I was fuller, satisfied, it helped me to stop my after dinner snacking and I just developed a more healthier relationship with food. Plus I feel powerful having control over my eating.

    Overall calories matter not so much the timing IMO. My calories are still the same. I just eat them in a tighter window opposed to eating all day. Some days I eat more calories, other days a little less. But my calories all balance out at the end of the week and I continue to maintain my weight (or lose when I was losing weight).

    Also you don't have to refrain from eating breakfast. Currently I eat my first meal in the mid morning and stop eating in the late afternoon. Earlier only I would eat around noon and stop eating in the evening.

    From my research it is recommended that those that have or had eating disorders don't IF so be careful. You can still lose weight without IF.

    Good luck to you!

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