Intermittent Fasting; Your Thoughts?

llama_sammich

So I found this: http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/28xO2x/:1eP-m80Ck:Pi0b$w0M/scienceblog.com/69788/fast-eat-repeat-diet-promises-fast-results/

In theory, I like the idea. And I could probably pull it off, too. The whole eat-whatever-you-want on non-fasting days though doesn't seem good to me. I'd still try to eat relatively healthy things. I do like how the article depicts both sides of the argument, something you don't often see in "fad diet" or really any kind of health-related articles.

Anyway, what do you think about this?

diannethegeek

I know there are a couple of Intermittent Fasting groups on here where you might find more answers. Personally, I'd be too hangry on the fast days, but if it works for you and you're keeping your weekly deficit to safe levels then more power to you.

twixlepennie

I did alternate day IF for weight loss (JUDDD), used 5:2IF as a transition from weight loss to maintenance and then I did 18:6IF for a bit while figuring maintenance out. I love IF and have had nothing but good experience with it Feel free to send me a message if you want more info/need help getting started!

ThickMcRunFast

Meh. All you need is a calorie deficit. If IF helps you create one, go for it, but its not a magic bullet.

ps92282345

I have a muscle builder cousin who has been doing it for over 40 years, and I have done it once a week (off and on) for 20 years, but NO eat whatever you want days. The other days I keep to my food program, which for me is low fat. I am a firm believer in fasting, and now have my son doing it as well.

ilmb87

Meh. All you need is a calorie deficit. If IF helps you create one, go for it, but its not a magic bullet.

^^^
THIS. If you eat over maintenance, regardless of whether you're doing IFor not, you're going to gain weight.

(I do 16:8, and yes, I still log everything I eat.)

llama_sammich

I'm actually really surprised at how many people do this... Tempted to try it out!

sarajstrong

The primary reason to do alternate day fasting is not the weight loss but the cancer-fighting benefits. My husband and I started this last spring, every other day. I lost five pounds immediately (in about 2 weeks) and kept it off for months. But this fall I noticed I was really losing control of my clean eating habits, eating like an insane person on my feeding days, and becoming more and more prone to cheating on my fasting days. I stopped the ADF and reacclimatized myself to my clean eating roots. I did not gain any weight transitioning back.

My husband on the other hand is still doing it. He's lost about 30 lbs and he loves this way of eating. I think there are some people for whom it's a nice fit, others who can't even imagine it, and people like me - I may try it again in the future. It wasn't that hard. But I'll need a strategy to keep me from eating nothing but pizza and nachos on my feed days.

Edited to add: There is actually some really good, solid research on this plan, but it's new, so there's not a lot of it yet. Again, it was not designed for weight loss. People are using it that way now because that seems to be a pleasant side effect for many, but it's primary goal has to do with cell turnover and cancer-fighting benefits. But there is no long-term research yet.

freddi11e

what's 18:6?

sijomial

I've done 5:2 for 18 months and love this way of eating.

Interestingly there's been a bit of a falling out between Dr Michael Mosley (5:2) and Prof. Krista Varady (Alternative Day Fasting).
Leangains, JUDDD, Eat-Stop-Eat are other intermittent fasting protocols.

Would urge anyone thinking of doing it to do some reading and research and have an open mind.

Omgpuppylol

When is the best time to start a fast? And for how long does one generally fast (I'm guessing sleeping hours count toward the fast)? Can you continue to exercise as usual while you're fasting?

Omgpuppylol

When is the best time to start a fast? And for how long does one generally fast (I'm guessing sleeping hours count toward the fast)? Can you continue to exercise as usual while you're fasting?

tedsmama

There are several different IF protocols to choose from. So you would really have to do some research to see what would be a good fit for you. I prefer the 16/8 as I am naturally a no breakfast person, and I find having a pretty considerable sized meal for dinner pretty much knocks out my bad late night snacking habit.

cwolfman13

It's great if it fits into the way you like to eat...it is not a magic bullet for weight-loss. If you're doing 5:2 or any other IF protocol, it doesn't matter...if you're not in an overall energy deficit at the end of the week then you're not going to lose weight.

anonymouscrab

I experimented with intermittent fasting last year, trying a 16/8 (details here: http://www.crankyfitness.com/2013/07/intermittent-fasting-shortcut-to.html). I actually liked a lot of things about it-- except that for me it didn't seem to help with weight loss.

I suspect some of the health benefits are more for the day-long fasts rather than the "easier" kind I was doing. But there's lots of intriguing research on this. My sense though is that it seems to work better for men than women.

chrisdavey

I started the IF group on here and have been doing LG (16/8ish) for about 3 years as it fits my schedule and I like to eat big meals. You can definitely gain weight if you eat enough so there is no ALCE days. IF doesn't change the laws of thermodynamics (despite what many die hard followers will tell you).

I've also tried Eat Stop Eat but didn't like it. (can eat too much on non fasting days if I let myself) ESE is basically 5/2 but before the BBC doco came out.

I'm personally skeptical on the "health benefits" of it (although I think increased insulin sensitivity is spot on) but as that is not my main reason for doing it I don't really care.

Also, "insulin fasting" seems pretty damn stupid to me. The premise is that if people only have fat intake it will keep insulin low therefore will burn fat. The downside is that you intake hundreds of cals of fats (normally coconut oil or butter) that you otherwise wouldn't. And as I said, IF doesn't beat the laws of thermodynamics.

I also don't recommend anyone try this if you have ED tendencies.

acpgee

I did 5:2 for a few months last year and had better success at weight loss than I do now at a more conventional calorie deficit. I did track my calories and eat at maintenance on my non fast days.

I tried 5:2 it because I thought, psychologically, extreme short term deprivation would be easier to handle than low level long term deprivation. Turns our I was wrong about that. But if the thought of being able to eat whatever you like tomorrow, within reason, allows you to stick to the 500 cals on a fast day then go for it.

If you can handle being hungry on fast days, I think it is a great protocol for building in a calorie deficit. You can turn it into a maintenance tool as well. My old GP (in another city) used to fast one day a week whenever he noticed his weight was creeping upwards.

Even though it wasn't right for me long term, I am glad I did this. I learned how to recognize the difference between cravings from actual physical hunger. I also learned that hunger, while unpleasant, wasn't something to fear and didn't prevent me from functioning in my job or working out.

Paindoesnthurt

intermittent fasting is a fad term. The studies done to show its results are mostly done on rats and there is NO clinical LONG TERM study to show it is a superior way of eating. At the end of the day calories in calories out along with eating good foods to help your hormones and body is the only way one can achieve results (of course exercise being the most important).

Having said that...Intermittent fasting, if you like this way of eating then go ahead. Intermittent fasting does teach you one thing, and that is to eat less food. After all, if you eat less food in the day you'll naturally lose more fat. Having bigger meals instead of smaller meals and less meals instead of more IS actually clinically proven to be more effective, to increase metabolism and even have better control of glucose.

My final verdict? Forget the term intermittent fasting. Don't go overboard with it either (if you don't eat after a certain period your IGF levels will drop and that means you wont gain muscle and you will start losing it), and by overboard I mean eating only one meal a day (and for those who want to bash that statement and quote the warrior diet. Warrior diet isn't just one meal a day, it teaches you to have things during the day like raw juices. But even then trust me when I say eating just one meal a day isn't healthy). Eat when it is convinient to you and have 3 big meals and never more than 3 if your goal is to lose weight.

in_the_stars

Personally, I've never done it. Not my thing. I eat when I'm hungry. But I've never needed to lose weight so if I wake up in the middle of the night I have some peanut butter toast and milk then go back to sleep. I'm more of a 4-5 small meal person. Whatever works for you though.

rybo

I'd suggest doing more research on it & then decide if its something you would like to try. Personally I love it. Been doing the 16:8 version. This coming from a person who constantly ate and would get very cranky when hungry. Now I almost never get hungry. The longer I'm on it the more the 16 creeps up to 17, 18 even 20 hours with no ill effects.

psych101

Before having my baby I did roughly 16/8 - loved it, mainly because I like to eat big meals and I wasn't really a morning eater back then