Anyone else doing intermittent fasting

jca1021

I started intermittent fasting at the beginning of April. I needed some structure to help prevent me from over eating in the evenings while watching TV. I started with 14:10 (fasting/eating window). I am now up to 16/8. I am down 12 lbs. I love the freedom intermittent fasting gives me. I don't feel like my life is tied to food all the time now. Plus since my eating window is so small I choose healthy meals, and I dont have time for snacking. I am also more active because staying busy keeps my mind off food.

Back story, I actually started my weight loss journey 3 years ago. I weighed 211 lbs and was starting to have health issues because of the weight. I lost 55 lbs in 6 months and kept it off for 2.5 years. I got off my BP meds, my stomach issues went way and i felt great. Then about 6 months ago I started getting carried away with evening snacking and put 14lbs back on. Hence the start of my intermediate fasting journey.

Would love some tips and tricks from others how have been doing intermittent fasting for a long time.

neriba4832

It’s super encouraging to hear how intermittent fasting helped you reset after slipping back into old habits (which, let’s be honest, happens to all of us). I’m doing 16:8 right now too, and I relate to what you said about the structure helping curb evening snacking — that’s a huge one for me. Your point about feeling free from constantly thinking about food really clicked. I was reading this article about IF the other day, and it talked about how it’s less about restriction and more about giving your body a break. That really helped shift my mindset. I especially liked the reminder that IF works best when you pair it with nutritious meals — sounds like you’re already doing that by being intentional with your eating window. Also totally agree on staying flexible. I’ve had to adjust my window around social stuff or feeling under the weather, and it was reassuring to see in that article that it doesn’t derail your progress — just part of the long game. One small trick I picked up that’s made fasting easier: drinking water first thing in the morning (like 16-20 oz) helps curb the urge to snack and makes the fast feel more manageable. Simple, but it works

lgfrie

I've been doing intermittent fasting intermittently for 6 years (pun intended). For me, when I do IF I lose weight and when I don't, I gain, it's that simple and nothing else I've tried works. I do combine it with rigorous calorie counting and getting on the scale every morning, the latter of which gives me a little more of a shove to actually not eat after 7 pm (my window is 11 am - 7 pm). The hope for a good number the next morning keeps me from doing the whole "Well, pepitas are healthy and I'm starving …" routine at 11 pm. So for me, the morning scale check-in reinforces the IF, and the IF is a way to hit the caloric target. I find IF tremendously beneficial in terms of not getting hunger pangs and signals; they are virtualy non-existent when I'm on IF - I don't wake up hungry, and I'm usually not hungry in the evening either, it's like magic for me. Exact opposite of when I'm not doing IF.

But anyway, there are no real tips and tricks to IF - its elegance is that it is truly as simple as it looks. But if I had to offer a tip, I would say, be gentle and tolerant with yourself about IF. If you're going out with friends, or some day comes and you're like "I have no excuse but it's 9 pm and I just want to have a chocolate chip cookie" then … just have a cookie. IF isn't going anywhere; you can re-start the next day. You don't "ruin" IF by not doing IF for a day, or for a day per week, or now and then; your body doesn't care. Being tolerant with yourself and the fact that you're a human and humans don't do things perfectly or the same way all the time, can help you stay with IF over the long term.

Actually, here's a tip/trick: Stay well hydrated. Drink plenty of water outside your eating window (and inside the window too, but particularly outside it) and especially first thing in the morning - 16 or 20 oz. Drink it even if you're not in the mood for it. And only water is water - Diet Coke, coffee, etc., aren't substitutes for a plain ole' glass of water. It's easy to get dehydrated on IF, so keep drinkin' that water!

jca1021

Thank you for responding. I am learning that there will be times that 16:8 doesn't work and I have improvise. I recently had pneumonia and had to take antibiotics every 12 hours, so I just switched to a 12:12 ratio. I still lost a pound that week. So far I am loving IF. I also track everything I eat because I want to make sure I am getting the proper nutrition.

CanadianRedhead

My doctor just started me on an IF journey. I am also doing 16:8 and it seems to be going well so far! I’m enjoying tracking and keeping an eye on what I eat. Have to get used to no snacking but I’m learning. Good luck!

ddsb1111

TBH, I don’t think I’d have any success without intermittent fasting. Sure, it’s not magic (as far as we know), but it’s an incredibly helpful tool if you’re trying to make your calorie allowance fit into your day and your goals, and that’s really the key for me.

It’s smart to start slow and train your hunger cues. Before you know it, you can go longer without eating and experience less food noise throughout the day. A nice bonus is getting to enjoy more calories in each meal, since your eating window is shorter. I find I’m way less likely to over indulge or go off track because I’ve had a hearty, satisfying meal.

I do OMAD, it’s been the easiest and most successful option for me so far. That said, I’ve also done 4/3 and 5/2 in the past and found both really helpful at different points in my life.

lgfrie

«<A nice bonus is getting to enjoy more calories in each meal, since your eating window is shorter. I find I’m way less likely to over indulge or go off track because I’ve had a hearty, satisfying meal.»>

Yup. Exactly. I'm doing 16:8 with 1700 calories. I allot 700 calories for lunch and a snack, and 1,000 calories for dinner and dessert. You can have a super-big dinner for 1,000 calories, especially if you're eating whole foods / lean protein / no junk. The only tradeoff is, when dinner's done, that's it for food until the next day, but that ain't so hard. Only takes a week or two to get used to it.

It's those mega 900+ calorie dinners that make IF work for me. No sense of deprivation at all. If anything, sometimes I'm scrambling around to find foods or snacks to add to the main course so as not to come in under 1700.

neanderthin

In the context for weight loss the more time blood glucose levels are maintained close to base line it helps regulates key hunger hormones one being ghrelin which stimulates hunger and leptin which signals fullness. it's the often consumed higher carb especially processed carbs that generate the surges in blood sugar and the subsequent crashes that negatively effect these hormones and lead to increased cravings and dysregulated appetite and overeating.

Basically insulin levels drop, allowing your body to shift from storing fat to burning it for energy. Over time, improved insulin sensitivity means your cells respond better to insulin, reducing the risk of insulin resistance, one of the key factors in metabolic health and weight management. The amount of time you design is up to the individual but the longer the better and why 16:8 seems to be the more effective. IF not only helps regulate hunger hormones, it also support autophagy (the body's natural cell cleanup process), which is important, and even improve energy levels. Personally my eating falls within these parameters, so I really don't assign any stringent guidelines and employ 5:2 which if I want to lose a little weight works like a charm.

leisfeld

Good morning all,

I was successful on Keto a few years ago, achieved my goal weight. Now after menopause and some stressful times I have regained. Going to do IF and Keto combined. Keeping calories at 1200/day. Anyone else had any luck doing both? Downfalls? I'm looking to lose 20lb.

neanderthin

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48645707#Comment_48645707

It's a good combo and good luck.

I've been keto for a long time and I've mostly done the 5:2 IF but lately forgoing any food for those 2 days where most people consume around the 500-800 calories and starting this weekend it'll be my third time doing a 72 hour fast, which I've really enjoyed as well.

Just make sure your getting enough water and electrolytes, it's helps with the "keto flu" and I would suggest that you work slower than faster reducing your overall carbs to achieve ketosis, so basically not overnight but over a 2 week period. Most it appears find the most success doing that which is probably associated with hormones that drive hunger from elevated insulin levels so slowly reducing that reduces those cravings that generally wash over many when trying to reduce carbs all at once.

leisfeld

Thanks for your feedback and suggestions. You noted getting electrolytes, how do you do this and maintain Keto? I'm thinking the Zero Gatorade?

Are you doing 16/8 and 5:2 IF? I don't think I can do a 72 hr fast. Will be difficult doing 48hrs. I cook for my husband and myself and it will be a struggle to not eat after cooking.

neanderthin

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48646823#Comment_48646823

Yeah, zero Gatorade works also there's products like LMNT and euLyte.

No I don't do any IF generally speaking and only use 5:2 if I need to lose a few lbs. Normally I'm close to 14 hours and do periodically go longer but not on a regular basis.

I did 24 and 48 hrs before I tried 72. The longer fasts I wouldn't even try until your fully adapted to keto first of all and I wouldn't advice a 72 hour fast for a 1st time fast and I also suggest you research first so you know what's going on and what to expect. 😊

tyork1994986

Good to hear you've had success! IF has been questioned if it is beneficial, I say it is! I've started my weight loss journey Jan 1 of this year, and Im down 56 pounds. I use Fasty as my IF timer, since it will hold me accountable and tell me when I can break that fast. I typically didn't eat breakfast, so its been more for accountability of not snacking after dinner. Keep going!

mizroxy13

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/48648990#Comment_48648990

can you adjust the goal fasting window in fasty?

aj00000

I fast between 24 and 36 hours a couple times per week. It really helps me stay on track weight wise and controlling my blood sugar