INTERMITTENT FASTING HAS WORKED MIRACLES

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  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 265 Member
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    LaurieKane1 wrote: »
    I am 70 years old and have lost 50 pounds since January. I was just counting calories for the first few months and when I suddenly stopped losing I found Intermittent Fasting and I will never go back to regular eating again.
    I too was morbidly obese and I could barely make it to the mailbox, I couldn’t breathe. I went to many different specialists and they couldn’t find a reason for me not being able to breathe. Well with the weight loss I am now breathing normally again, it was all because I was too fat. I feel good, like I have been given my life back.

    That's exactly what I'm talking about! I believe it will work for everyone but I suppose there could be an exception or two. I'm certain I've added years to my life by adopting an IF lifestyle but even better than that, I can finally live a full life again. I have tons of energy, am out and about and my much younger friends and family members can hardly keep up with me. I feel wonderful!

    Congratulations!

  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 265 Member
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    wlholmes2381 wrote: »
    Do you have any tips on eating. I am doing 16:8. I tried it in the past and never lost anything.

    You might want to extend your time to 17:7 and then to 18:6. I usually do 20:4.

    As far as eating, I eat high protein/low carb. I don't measure, weigh or count calories but avoid (as much as possible) processed foods, anything with flour, commercially fried foods, potatoes, rice, beans and peas, sugar and most fruits as they contain fructose which has to be digested by the liver and puts stress on it.

    I eat a lot of whole fresh foods: tomatoes, celery, carrots, bell peppers, different kinds of lettuce, artichokes, okra, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, avocados, hard boiled eggs, beets. I have cheeses, cottage cheese, cream cheese, butter, half-n-half, sour cream. I air fry, broil, boil, bake or pan fry my meat in olive oil and/or bacon drippings. I eat chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish and other seafood.

    I occasionally have a "no-no".... some little treat that I know isn't healthy but when I do, I eat it around my meal time so I don't get a sugar spike and my blood sugar is more stable.

    The really important thing is to completely rest your digestive system for at least 16 hours. I hope this helped!
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 265 Member
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    LaurieKane1 wrote: »
    I keep to 1200 calories a day using My Fitness Pal to log everything I eat. It really is easy to do once you do it for awhile. Occasionally I eat more if there is a special occasion but that only happens rarely. I am doing 18:6. I never could eat when I first get up so this is easy for me and stopping eating at 6 pm keeps me from snacking in the evening. Aside from losing weight I have much more energy. I was in stage 4 kidney disease and that has recently lowered to stage 3.
    I eat yogurt every day and lots of fruit and small portions at dinner. I have practically cut out all potatoes, bread, and pasta.

    Very good! 1200 calories might be a little too low though. In the long run, it might trigger your hunger hormone ghrelin and make managing hunger much more difficult.
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 265 Member
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    CrawfordBayNicola wrote: »
    @MomLarisa, it's a good question. I have a friend who would faint if she didn't eat throughout the day, and even eats just before bed so that she sleeps well. I, on the other hand, seem quite able to start eating later in the morning and stop by 7pm, with no issues, even though I stay up fairly late. I wouldn't be able to sustain 1200 calories a day in a 4 hour window, that's for sure. But, I seem to benefit from not eating in the evenings - fewer overall calories with little hunger and feel better the next morning, too.

    I suppose there are people that would not be able to forgo eating for an extended period of time, even though we know the body would kick in and provide energy from fat storage. I'm not sure how much is psychological versus physiological.

    Glad you have found success. I too couldn't maintain IF on 1200 calories a day.
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 265 Member
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    Making_Impossible_Possible wrote: »
    Hello!
    I've recently started IF (20:4). I'm 34 yo and I decided to give it a go because it sets "rules" / gives structure. 2 weeks I have been doing it and feel pretty good. I fast from 7pm to 3pm. I have found that for the first week around 12:30 I'd start to feel hungry, but I'd drink some water and that would hold me over until 3 when my eating window started. This week I've noticed that I'm getting that hungry feeling a little bit later at like 2 or so, but again I'll drink water and it'll tide me over until 3.

    Now, I have not done any research per se and do not intend to. I drink tea (black, earl grey, peppermint, green) with no sugar/sweeteners and water. I will have coffee mixed in with my protein drink during my eating window though. I am counting calories and eat anywhere between 1200 and 1500 depending on the day. Exercise has not happened yet, but I'll add 30min on the treadmill a couple times a week here soon.

    My only issue so far is that I have had intestinal issues (if you catch my drift) a few days a week since starting this and it always starts after I have eaten. Does not happen every day though. Has anyone else experienced this? I did have my gallbladder out 5 years ago, so that might be the culprit, but I don't know.

    The positive is I don't feel bloated any longer. Thats the biggest difference so far. I started IF at 200lbs at 5"2" and I've been at 196.8 for the last 2 days so I've lost 3.2lbs so far. I feel like this is something that I can stick with and get results.

    I had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for years with really bad diarrhea. Then when I started IF, it continued for a while. Now everything is normal and what a relief it is. Seems that my gut bacteria has improved and has made me regular. But I understand it's common to have a change in bowel habits in the beginning so hang in there. It should get better.

  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,596 Member
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    BarbMessimer wrote: »
    glassyo wrote: »
    *peeks in*

    Friendly reminder that IF is NOT a magic bullet, you still have to eat less than you burn, you can do IF and still need to log/pay attention to calories consumed, and no one method of losing weight will be good for everyone.

    And that Fung isn't all that highly respected around here. :)

    But glad you all are finding something that works FOR YOU because that's the important part.

    Hmmmm..... interesting comment. I believe in giving the body a rest from the digestive process so it can spend that energy and time on building new cells and repairing the old. I try to allow 16 hours of "rest" before eating again. Perhaps that reduces the number of calories I burn and that's all to the good.

    I don't believe we were designed (evolved) to eat multiple times a day or to eat calorie restricted diets. Hunter-Gatherers ate and then went without until the next "kill". I've been following that principle with great success and at 76, I am a bonafide lifelong dieter and this is the only way of eating that has worked for me. A younger person would probably do even better... but yes, a person needs to find what works for them.

    The only reason I got involved is because, in your enthusiasm, you were making blanket statements. You literally are telling people to limit fruit because...the fructose has to be digested? One of the generally accepted foods considered healthy. If it comes down to fructose vs the liver. I'm pretty sure the liver would win in a fight. You can't kill that internal organ off so easily.

    And the only way to lose weight is to restrict your calories (by however means is sustainable for the person). Otherwise you'd maintain or gain. Which are also valid weight goals. :)

    IF has definitely helped other people around here but so has just plain losing weight. IF and 3 meals a day and grazing all day and counting points and eating Subway two times a day (even tho Jared turned out to be a perv) or going on the Twinkie diet were just a means to that end.

    It's just concerning because, with your success, people are now coming to you for answers and they're....not the most well informed ones.

    Basically, eat your freaking fruit, people, unless you have a medical reason not to or just plain don't like it. :)

    (Sorry, there are just hills I will die on...CICO and carbs aren't the devil are two of them :))

  • LiveOnceBeHappy
    LiveOnceBeHappy Posts: 432 Member
    edited November 2022
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    "I don't believe we were designed (evolved) to eat multiple times a day or to eat calorie restricted diets. Hunter-Gatherers ate and then went without until the next "kill". "

    Mean life expectancy of the hunter-gatherers was 35 years old.

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