Intermittent fasting

xzbnpzwkx6

Hi. I am toying with the idea of trying intermittent fasting but I am unsure of what the best food is to eat and do I stick to a calorie goal during the eating window? Has anyone tried it and does it work? Thanks

paperpudding

Lots of people on here have tried various variations of it.
Suits some people, not others
I am one of the others.

Works for what? - I presume you mean works for weight loss - if so, only if you eat in a calorie deficit same as if you don't do IF

so, yes., if your goal is weight loss you need to stick to a daily calorie deficit in the eating window.

Like all of us do - whether that window is 2 hours per day or 24 hours per day

sollyn23l2

It depends on what your goals are. What are you hoping to achieve? In general... just eat a generally healthy diet (mostly whole foods). If you're wanting to lose weight, yes, you'll still need to stick to a calorie deficit. If you're trying to gain weight, you'll need to eat more.

neanderthin

I've tried. Depending on the protocol, but they generally offer an alternative to calorie restriction for weight loss, or with calorie restriction if that's the plan. Studies are mixed of course, mostly on duration, power of the studies, and adherence. Some show no weight loss, others show comparable and others show it's better and without calorie restriction or any dietary intervention.

For me personally, I tried 2 protocols, one was an 16:8 with my window for feeding at 12:00 noon and finishing at 8:00 mostly because I can easily skip breakfast and I like the social aspect for the rest of the day but you have to absolutely stick to no eat anything at any other time, which is the confounder, most people lie, lol. Tried it for 2 months while in maintenance and I did appear on the scale to lose around 3lbs but that is really insignificant and I wouldn't or couldn't say it was because of IF, though I have a feeling it was because of IF just from knowing my own body so well, it was gradual and I felt better, more alert and slept better too, but again, hard to say.

The other was 5:2 five days of maintenance (2700ish) and the other 2 consuming 800 calories, which I staggered a Monday and a Thursday. Weekends are too unpredictable socially. I began this in a time where I wanted to lose around 12lbs. Also after 2 months and these were just for personal curiosity and data more than anything. Anyway, same protocal and this is a calorie restricted diet as well as IF with around a 4000 calorie a week deficit and at the end of 2 months I lost 11lbs, so again not that different from continuous calorie restriction. What it does have going for it is I wasn't hungry for those 5 days and the 2 days I volume ate with more low fat and this is for a guy that eats low carb, and I like fat. Normally these were my salad and seafood days and I was ok especially breaking the 800 into 2 meals, one in the early afternoon and the other around 9pm with a big breakfast the next day. What people may find advantageous is the fact that for 5 days your not calorie restricting at all and not going hungry which can be important for people that are and both protocols don't dictate any specific diet and you could consume a SAD diet and continue with that, not advisable, but you could. Cheers

Corina1143

Because I don't usually eat breakfast--not a morning person--, I've eaten close to 18:6 a lot of my life. Including when I was losing, gaining, and maintaining. My opinion is, it's a tool, use it if it helps you to achieve your goal more easily. The more important things are the other things you mentioned--what to eat and how much to eat.

AlexandraFindsHerself1971

I find it easier to not eat at all than to eat a little, especially in the evening. I have discovered that I personally don't do very well eating a little bit in the evenings; I eat all of it. It is much simpler to eat a large dinner and let that be that.

Especially in the heat of the summer, I find myself liking eating one meal a day because when it's hot and steamy I have no appetite. So I might as well roll with what my body wants to do in the season.

musicfan68

You can eat what you want, and you do still have to eat within your calorie allotment if you want to lose weight. I eat one meal a day and have for years. I'm never hungry in the morning, and too busy usually to eat lunch. I'm also a volume eater, so I like a big meal. I can easily eat within 1500 calories once a day.

ddsb1111

musicfan68 wrote: »

You can eat what you want, and you do still have to eat within your calorie allotment if you want to lose weight. I eat one meal a day and have for years. I'm never hungry in the morning, and too busy usually to eat lunch. I'm also a volume eater, so I like a big meal. I can easily eat within 1500 calories once a day.

Yes! Sorry, I’m excited but I don’t see many of us OMAD’s around. I get food comas like you wouldn’t believe and have tried every macro split you can imagine to prevent it to no avail. So, omad it is, and I have pretty much no problem with it unless I’m in a particular point in my cycle where I can get lower blood sugar levels.

Oh, and also a music fan 😊

tomcustombuilder

If you’re looking for a Backdoor access to losing fat that concept doesn’t exist. Your overall weekly calorie consumption determines whether you lose fat or not. If IF causes you to take in fewer calories overall and those calories are low enough to put you into a weekly calorie deficit CONSISTENTLY then yes it works.