Eat Stop Eat..how it's worked for me.

FemininGuns

SO I wanted to look at the OP's diary to see what she ate before and after fasting - the user is not a user on MFP anymore... NEED MORE INFO ON THIS as far as diet goes. If anyone knows of a link or a book, please inbox me.

jb_sweet_99

Well I"m starting another fast tonight, hopefully by 7 maybe 7:30 depending on when I get home. Good luck to those that are fasting! :bigsmile:

SkierElle

Ah ok, so I should probably eat more on the non fasting days! except that, I have not been as hungry since starting this!! I'll just eat whatever I need to feel full and try not to go over about 1800 on the non-fasting.

Thanks for posting the research article!

What happens to me is I get pangs of hunger at certain times that go away. Usually at 11am, 3pm, and 6pm. If I drink some water or tea, get really concentrated on something, or even workout, they go away. Sometimes they just go away on their own.

I am fasting now and it will end at 7am tomorrow. I think I am going to workout before breakfast tomorrow since I am tired from training horses and walking around at work all day.

One thing that REALLY bugs me is smelling food when I've been fasting for awhile, I mean, sometimes it does make me hungry if it is good food, but mostly it just disgusts me!! It's like when you ride your bike or walk by a fast food joint.. ickk!! Does anyone feel the same way?

cutmd

SO I wanted to look at the OP's diary to see what she ate before and after fasting - the user is not a user on MFP anymore... NEED MORE INFO ON THIS as far as diet goes. If anyone knows of a link or a book, please inbox me.

Just so others can use it, the links are www.eatstopeat.com

There is also a nice figure athlete article on it
http://figureathlete.t-nation.com/free_online_article/diet_and_nutrition/hardcore_nutrition

keaki123

Good morning to you, this is my second day and i will surely give the fast a try, thanks so much.

April0815

bump

jb_sweet_99

Made it! And had a fantastic stir fry after!

Casi23

Well I made it. Two days this week and lasted the whole 24 hours each time!

I managed to squeeze in a good hard weightlifting work out and a 45-minute cardio session each day too. One thing I noticed is that it REALLY helps to knock your workout out at the END of your fast. It makes those last 2-3 hours fly by and you can eat right after to replenish your body.

My only concern is that I tend to eat A LOT at the end of my fast days. Usually like 1,000-1,200 calories between 5 pm and 10 pm. Is this OK? It's mostly healthy....veggie, protein, pasta, and maybe a little dessert...like a brownie or a cookie after dinner. Nothing too crazy...but it seems like A LOT of calories in a short period of time. On my non-fasting days I never eat that much at once. Is this OK?

SP0472

After a lot of research I decided to start this too. Today is the 1st fast. I decided to do it on Tuesdays and Thursdays becuase those are my lifting days.

I woke up hungry, but had some water and I'm okay now. I'm hoping the rest of the day will go smoothly. I haven't fasted in a long time and I normally only do it when I have to for medical reasons. This'll be a good test of will and strength for me too. I'm actually looking forward to the challenge

SP0472

My only concern is that I tend to eat A LOT at the end of my fast days. Usually like 1,000-1,200 calories between 5 pm and 10 pm. Is this OK? It's mostly healthy....veggie, protein, pasta, and maybe a little dessert...like a brownie or a cookie after dinner. Nothing too crazy...but it seems like A LOT of calories in a short period of time. On my non-fasting days I never eat that much at once. Is this OK?

From all the research I've done, that should be fine. I think the calories aren't as important as WHAT you're eating after the fast. Just be sure to eat high quality, unprocessed foods - and from what you've listed, it looks like you've done that. Remember that on the fast you've likely taken in 0 calories so having 1200 after the fast is fine.

SkierElle

Simone, great job on doing some research before you decided to start and i wish you luck today!! you can do it! and it gets easier

manda1284

My only concern is that I tend to eat A LOT at the end of my fast days. Usually like 1,000-1,200 calories between 5 pm and 10 pm. Is this OK? It's mostly healthy....veggie, protein, pasta, and maybe a little dessert...like a brownie or a cookie after dinner. Nothing too crazy...but it seems like A LOT of calories in a short period of time. On my non-fasting days I never eat that much at once. Is this OK?

I think it all depends on when you start and end your fast as well. For example, I start my fast around 8pm and end at 8pm the next day. I really don't have enough time to fit in 1,200 calories after my fast, because it's closer to when I go to bed. But I probably eat more the day my fast begins (rather than someone who starts it at 5pm), because mine doesn't start until later in the evening.

Overall, I think the whole point is to make sure you are getting a caloric deficit over the period of the week. It took me a while to really grasp this. I still track all of my calories, and try to be 3,500 down each week (to lose 1 lb. a week).

What I *personally* do is set MFP to "maintain current weight", which is 1850kcal. Most days, I have "calories remaining" (the green number) at the top of my MFP page. Obviously, on my fast days, I have a lot more calories remaining than on my non fast days. In general, on my non fast days, I try to have about 250 "calories remaining"..... At the end of the week, I add up all of my "calories remaining" for every day, and it usually hits 3,500.

Hope that makes sense

heathersmilez

I see that most people are doing (or trying) to eat normally during the week then on their fast day have about 1000 or so calories.

I've also noticed many people are trying this 1-day fast due to Halloween binging.

Soooo... my question is, if you attempt the fast just to get yourself refreshed from some poor choices does the fast HAVE TO be AFTER your naughty eating? Can it be before? I think I know the answer, that it doesn't matter because it’s all about a weekly deficit but wanted to double check.

My husband has technically fasted for years every Saturday but never called it that. He just does outdoor chores or washes the car (which takes 7-10 hours) and chooses to not eat at all during the day since Saturdays we often go out to a restaurant or order pizza it so it’s usually a 20+ hour fast.

I want to try that this Saturday, quit eating Friday at 6:30 and then have dinner Saturday at 6:30 (just a normal dinner and some fruit for dessert, I’d eat maybe 700 calories max)

My Sunday however I will try and be controlled but it’s going to be a lot more calories than my usual 1200 since we and the in-laws are going out to an Italian restaurant and we have gift certificates to use so there will be some appetizers involved as well. Could easily be a 1500 calorie meal so the day will probably be 2000+ hence my extra motivation to fast.

Thanks in advance!

SkierElle

Manda, that makes perfect sense. I set mine at 1lb of loss per week 2 days ago but I didn't meet the 1500 it suggested yesterday. I think I'll set mine at maintenance and will too add up the calories left over each day because it will be interesting to see what MFP says I should lose and what I actually do! My worry is eating way too much on the non-fasting days, that's why MFP seems to come in handy! Because if I did, then the fasting days would be a total waste!

I am going to play around with it and just eat enough so I am not too hungry. So far so good!

kargreen

I'm going to give this a go.... I have been stuck between 114 and 117 for over a year now. I run pretty much every day - anywhere between 3 and 5 miles. I have also been doing the 30 day shred and sit ups. I just can't lose the lower tummy pouch. With winter coming it will be harder. I have gotten used to running at lunch time. It's getting to cold out for that (I have to run near main roads while at work and it won't be safe in the winter). I might join a gym....

briteyes

k, i read through all the posts on this thread and am motivated to try this out.

I'm going to do it Sun - Mon and see how that goes, and if it works, I will do it again Thurs - Fri...

I'm excited that this might help me to lose weight just a tad bit faster....

Casi23

Well - the two days this week weren't as bad as I thought. One day was Sunday and the other one was Wednesday.

Wednesday was a bit more difficult because I started my workday 5 hours earlier...but I made it all 24 hours. I haven't seen any results yet. I'm maintaining a solid buck fifty...and about 25 % bodyfat...which I guess isn't bad. I'd like to see both of those numbers go down....but....I know I shouldn't expect results after one week.

What's nice is that my endurance and strength haven't suffered. My 4-mile run time acutally improved on Thursday afternoon and I added another 10 lbs to my bench press last night. I was afraid the fast would weaken me a little bit but it hasn't (yet). I think taking my supplements (calorie-free) and vitamins on my fasting days really helps.

What's nice about being able to fast for 24 hours is that during my NON-fasting days, I find that I can hold out longer if I start getting a little hungry. I have that mentality that: Yea...I'm a little hungry...but I can hold out another hour til lunch...if I can do it for 24 hours, what's another hour? Know what I mean? I also drink less coffee on Non-fast days. I realized that I "thought" I needed it in the mornings...but after the two fast days I realized I was good without it. It was all mental....as most things are when it comes to dieting.... : )

lulabellewoowoo

Today is my fast, starting at 6 p.m. last night. So I am 8.5 hours into it, already sipping my spicy hot cinnamon tea. Busy day ahead, so hopefully it will go quickly.

briteyes

so i decided to go ahead and do my first fast last night. started at 6:30.... my tummy is grumbling for some food right now - it wants breakfast - it gets water... i hope i can do this. i did not bring any food to work today...

lulabellewoowoo

I'm down to less than 5 hours. For some reason I am extremely nauseous today, so eating is going to be my problem I think. Perfect day to do a fast I guess.

briteyes

I've got about 6 hrs 45 minutes left. Still have a grumbling tummy, time to drink more water. Energy levels are normal - actually a lot less fuzzy headed than I normally am at work If it's not too hot outside (it was 102 yesterday) I am going to walk on my lunch break. The smells of food are starting to linger through the air here at work... UGH...

stephr2014

*Bump*

briteyes

mind over matter. that's what i'm learning today. just because i smell food, and it smells good because i have not eaten in 18 hours, and my tummy growls does not mean that i am hungry or that i need to eat or that i will starve to death if i do not cave... LOL...

drinking my water, drinking my water... have drank 11 cups of water so far today.

cutmd

mind over matter. that's what i'm learning today. just because i smell food, and it smells good because i have not eaten in 18 hours, and my tummy growls does not mean that i am hungry or that i need to eat or that i will starve to death if i do not cave... LOL...

drinking my water, drinking my water... have drank 11 cups of water so far today.

Lol, well said. It's definitely a practice in control. You are doing great!

I should get it together and do this till tomorrow instead of the feasts I planned for today, maybe it will help me with all my water retention. It's hard to get myself to commit to a fast, but once I do I am good.

briteyes

i made it!!!! 5 minutes left i'm heating up leftovers for everyone as I type.... can't wait to eat. surprisingly, i don't feel all that hungry, but i can definitely feel some effects of fasting... i'm getting shaky and a little air-headed...

jb_sweet_99

Congrats jenjabbour, you made it! It's not so hard once you get into it now is it

heathersmilez

On hour 23 of a 24 hour fast (and I’ve never fasted before) and it was surprisingly easy.

I cleaned my basement for 4 hours, walked at a moderate pace with a friend for 40 minutes (140 calories burned) did 30 day shred so that’s 26 minutes of circuit training (150 calories burned). Basement cleaning burned the most, 600+ calories as per MFP (I wasn’t wearing my heart rate monitor to confirm) which was a nice surprise.

I’ve had 13 glasses of water and one cup of coffee – and I don’t drink coffee.

For the day my net will be -282 AFTER I have a foot long ham Subway sub for dinner with lots of veggies, no cheese or sauce (hence the tone of water, I hit my max on sodium for the day even though all I will be eating is a sub)

This should make up for the 2800 calories I had yesterday. It WAS a super healthy day and I burned 300 cals exercising so I was at 900 net at 6:00 pm but then I got too excited with Halloween ½ price jube jubes and had some chips as well. What I learned is I can’t eat just one serving so I should just avoid all together since jube jubes are my weakness and the chips were more of a "well I already fu**ed up my day might as well go further" poor decision. Good thing I finished them, LOL!

Best of luck to everyone – this was fun!

Next Saturday I may use my time to do some reading (I've got courses for work). I’ll probably have to go to the library to avoid tempting food. I don’t keep junk in the house (other then the aforementioned jube jubes which are gone) but I can still go nuts on whole wheat bread and all bran if left to fend for myself

feisma

bump

Casi23

Grrr....only made it 20 hours yesterday. I stopped eating on Saturday night at 8 pm...and had to start again on Sunday at 4 pm....I don't know what it was.

I woke up, lifted for about 30 minutes, busted my butt on the spinning bike for about 45 minutes and then did an ab workout for another 20 minutes...by the time I showered and came into work it was 1 pm....and I was dizzy and my leg muscles were killing me. I was cramping up really easily and could not focus on my work at all. I finally broke down and had to have some Special K cereal and skim milk around 4. : /

What do you guys do when you don't make it a full day? Do you fast three times a week? I was still about 1,000 calories under my goal yesterday, but I still felt crappy for giving in so early! Any advice? Similar experiences...?

lulabellewoowoo

Fasting today, started 6 p.m. last night. Already planning out a yummy salad with shrimp, olives, and mozzarella...yummy. I'll be interested to see what the scale finally says this week.

Casi - I've read on this forum that 16 hours makes a decent fast and everything is extra. Sometimes I only do a 20 hour fast just due to circumstances and family arrangements. For me, it's learning self-control, resetting my body and mind, and accomplishment. 20 hours is a great amount. You succeeded. Give yourself a pat on the back. I personally couldn't do three times a week, although I know some that do. I like food too much. But one or two days a week of 20 hours is still a success.