Pros and cons of intermittent fasting.

brittanyjeanxo

I have been reading a lot on the subject, and doing a lot of reading up on it. It seems like it's not a bad thing to try, but I'm still unsure. Please, only answer my questions if you have experimented or currently are doing IF. I don't care about what your friend's mom's sister said who took a semester of med school. I want opinions from people who actually have first hand experience. So, questions. What are the biggest pros and cons you can think of? Do you do it daily, once a week, or other? Do you do the 16/8 approach, or another way? If you have tried multiple ones, which worked best for you? Did you feel drained of energy at first? Did you do it with a doctor's supervision, or did you just jump into it? Thanks everyone.

kanonxbou47

I'm curious to know what intermittent fasting is...

brittanyjeanxo

I'm curious to know what intermittent fasting is...

(edited) you can Google it. There are a whole bunch of different ways and everything and I don't know enough to explain well, haha.

koosdel

I went on a three day fast one time. Not really on purpose, it was snowing and I couldn't don't my way out.. it was miserable. I don't know why anyone would want to do that to themselves?

hush7hush

I do 16/8 daily, and a 36 hour fast once weekly.

I don't feel like posting about it on the forums, because I hate the drama that follows, but if you would like more info about MY experiences, you can message me.

kelseyt17

I've been debating on doing this...

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

popupvideo

Interesting! I'm going to try the 16/8 fast tomorrow.
Do you generally go the first 16 or last 16 hour of the day fasting? It seems better to eat the first 8 hours then fast the rest..

brittanyjeanxo

I'm curious to know what intermittent fasting is...

(edited) you can Google it. There are a whole bunch of different ways and everything and I don't know enough to explain well, haha.

Seriously??? Did I not say that I was NOT trying to be mean?

wolfchild59

I did a once a week IF for a few weeks. I stopped eating by 3pm on Friday and resumed at 9-9:30am on Saturday morning. I didn't find it difficult to not eat for the evening, so that wasn't a problem. I did wake up the next morning feeling good, but it didn't seem to have any actual effect on me or my weight loss. Admittedly, I only did it for a few weeks, but it didn't really feel like it was worth sticking to at the time. I mostly stopped because I'd picked Friday since it was my day off from exercise so it seemed to fit. But then when my hubby was free Fridays again (he's an actor and director, so most of his nights are busy) it just got too difficult to maintain while wanting to spend the time with him and go out with friends and stuff. But, like I said, it also wasn't hard to give up because I didn't notice anything different the time that I was doing it.

popupvideo

I did a once a week IF for a few weeks. I stopped eating by 3pm on Friday and resumed at 9-9:30am on Saturday morning. I didn't find it difficult to not eat for the evening, so that wasn't a problem. I did wake up the next morning feeling good, but it didn't seem to have any actual effect on me or my weight loss. Admittedly, I only did it for a few weeks, but it didn't really feel like it was worth sticking to at the time. I mostly stopped because I'd picked Friday since it was my day off from exercise so it seemed to fit. But then when my hubby was free Fridays again (he's an actor and director, so most of his nights are busy) it just got too difficult to maintain while wanting to spend the time with him and go out with friends and stuff. But, like I said, it also wasn't hard to give up because I didn't notice anything different the time that I was doing it.

Thanks.

psychmz3

Leangains.com

Been doing it since I started my weightloss. 16/8. Eating window is from 1-9. Love my 2 big meals a day!

tami1024

My husband just finished a 48 hour fasting. His goal was to lose 10 lbs and he has already lost 7. He's is doing better than I am. I am totally on the protein, low carb, very low sugar and sodium diet and doing a boot camp and I've only lost a lb. I am considering fasting myself. I would just have to give up the boot camp while doing it.

ljb304

I fast for 20 hours during the week and eat in a 4 hour window. On the weekends I fast 19 hours with a 5 hour eating window. I have been doing it for 3 months. Have lost about 30 lbs. I love it. My window is 6:30-10:30 during the week and 5:30-10:30 on the weekends.

I don't get hungry at all during the day. My blood pressure has decreased, I have more energy, and my cravings are less intense. Before when I ate lunch I literally felt compelled to snack at about 2:30. Now if I have a craving during the day it passes in seconds and I don't think about it again.

I know a lot of people will say they can't go without eating breakfast or lunch, but most have never actually tried it. I would try it and give it two weeks. If you don't like it then it may not be for you. I loved it after only a few days.

Good luck and if you have any questions, feel free to message me.

mickie_on_my_way

I experimented with it last year. It messed with my sleep - I could NOT get to sleep at night - and with my cycle. Both of those are possible effects of IF for women, and for whatever reason I experienced both of them.

I abandoned the IF. It wasn't worth it to me.

sijomial

I've followed the 5:2 approach for almost two years - http://thefastdiet.co.uk/

Found it far easier for adherence compared to an every day calorie deficit when I was losing weight. Having 5 days a week eating normally and only 2 days a week with a large deficit was much easier for me. Maintaining on a 6:1 pattern and intend continuing indefinitely.

Pros:
Found it a good fit with social life.
It works very well to support a heavy weekly exercise routine.
Made me realise a lot of what I thought was hunger was really habit eating.
Suits people who are ultra determined short term but get bored with long term deprivation.
Eating normally 5 days a week.

Cons:
Hungry twice a week.
Some people think you are potty!

brisingr86

I tried 18:6 for a few weeks, but I wasn't really seeing results and found I was spending a lot of time thinking about food and worrying about when I got to eat next. To be fair, I was having trouble getting my calories in during my eating window so wasn't really doing it right. Anyway, wasn't really seeing results in the first few weeks which seemed to be when the biggest results happened for most people and didn't feel healthy with how much food became a constant distraction. It wasn't for me, but I've read lots of success. Good luck if it's something you decide to use.

Meerataila

I like 5:2 because it seems to improve my energy and curb my appetite all week. When I fast, I don't eat anything at all from the evening of the day before to fairly late in the day of the day after, so it's over 36 hours. I have no problem doing it.

I'm also keto adapted from spending a lot of the past two years in ketosis before going vegan, so even though my diet is now fairly high carb, I get into and out of ketosis easily, with no side-effects. I like the feeling of ketosis, so I suspect that is part of why I like 5:2.

But if for whatever reason I can't get in enough calories on the other days, I don't do it that week. The point is to have your calories average out over 7 days to a reasonable calorie deficit.

usmcmp

I enjoyed doing the 16:8 style of intermittent fasting and still do it about half the time. Really it's just meal timing and IF proves that you don't have to eat 6 meals a day to lose weight. There's science that supports all types of meal frequency. If skipping breakfast helps you stick to your calorie goals then do it. If eating breakfast helps you stick to your calorie goals then do it. It's just that simple.

For me:

Pros
-Wasn't hungry for breakfast
-More calories later in the day
-Larger meals (helped control binge eating)
-Less snacking during the day
-Slept better because I had a full stomach from a larger dinner

Cons
-None really. If I happen to be hungry in the morning I eat. It's not like it's an all or nothing thing.

leggup

Please, only answer my questions if you have experimented or currently are doing IF. I don't care about what your friend's mom's sister said who took a semester of med school. I want opinions from people who actually have first hand experience.

Wait, so you don't want scientific research, but do want anecdotal speculation?

What is your goal? Are you having trouble staying under your daily calorie goal? Meal timing has no affect on calories.

I don't eat between 5 pm - 8 am. Technically, that's 15 hrs of fasting. If I miss breakfast, I don't eat until 11. That's technically 18 hrs of fasting. I do this every weekday.

I did this when I heavy. I do this now that I am losing weight. I do not feel better or worse on days that I don't have this pattern.

juliafromrf

I generally do 18/6, but it depends really. The only thing I always stick to is that I don't eat in the mornings (very rare exception if I plan on doing a 12 hour hike or something along that line) and that my first meal is lunch. I've never been a morning person, I exercise in the evenings so it's not a problem for me. Not eating gives me a very clear head and as I know that I will not have anything before lunch, it takes my mind off of food completely. Keep in mind though that a lot of people would be very hangry following this concept as it doesn't suit their physical needs. Some kind of discipline is also needed.
The best thing is that you can enjoy relatively big meals. I would die on 6 small meals a day (not literally, you know what I mean) and it would set me up for binging.

What I want to tell you is that my period stopped half a year ago. I don't know if it's due to IF but I've heard that it can affect hormones in women. I've consulted a doc about it who has diagnosed me with something else though.

usmcmp

What I want to tell you is that my period stopped half a year ago. I don't know if it's due to IF but I've heard that it can affect hormones in women. I've consulted a doc about it who has diagnosed me with something else though.

Was your body fat particularly low? Was your calorie deficit extra low? Those also cause women to lose their periods.

I've lost mine a few times. One was eating 1200 calories a day while I was still almost 40% body fat. One was close to my first bodybuilding competition because of low body fat and low calories.

parkscs

As others have said, if you like to eat big meals or if you have problems with snacking throughout the day, IF can be very helpful. The downside is your eating schedule is more restrictive.

juliafromrf

What I want to tell you is that my period stopped half a year ago. I don't know if it's due to IF but I've heard that it can affect hormones in women. I've consulted a doc about it who has diagnosed me with something else though.

Was your body fat particularly low? Was your calorie deficit extra low? Those also cause women to lose their periods.

I've lost mine a few times. One was eating 1200 calories a day while I was still almost 40% body fat. One was close to my first bodybuilding competition because of low body fat and low calories.

I don't know about my BF percentage unfortunately, but I don't believe it was low. I ate quite low fat at the time my period stopped and I think that also played a role.
Now I eat around 1400 kcal a day, I'm considering upping my calories and I will soon go into maintenance anyway, so I hope with more calories comes the cure of my problem.

I just wanted to mention it as IF might have contributed too and it's maybe just something women new to IF should think about before starting.

TeachTheGirl

In the very beginning I felt a little weak/dizzy in the mornings, especially if I were to exercise straight away. As long as you listen to your body and eat if you need to (I ate an apple one morning and felt guilty because I broke my fast early and then realized how absolutely ridiculous I was being) then it can work very well.

I need to get back to IF, I was dropping body fat faster that way.

IIISpartacusIII

I've been debating on doing this...

http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/

That web site doesn't advocate intermittent fasting; instead it advocates a prolonged liquid fast. The major problem there is that it ignores simple human biology. You can't get essential fats and essential amino acids from the water and sugar that the fluid of liquefied vegetables provide. In fact, since you won't be eating the pulp; you won't get any fiber either.

Liquid diets are a gimmick that companies who manufacture juicers love to push and because it is extreme (extremely deficient) people will of course lose weight. The vitamins in the vegetables are not fuel nor is the small bit of sugar they provide, efficient or sufficient fuel. You can't rebuild skin, muscle, hair, etc. on vitamins; you need essential amino acids for that. Stay away from gimmick diet fads and buckle up for a slow yet steady, healthy caloric deficit with a more well balanced diet. Liquid diets are not sustainable and are unhealthy.

IIISpartacusIII

Pros and Cons of IF? Considering the idea is to eat within a certain time frame, i.e. 16/8 (16 hr fast and 8 eating hrs) then the issues are properly planning your eating windows for when you actually have time to eat and dealing with hunger during your fasting. If you don't do well with the feeling of hunger; if you kick your dog because you can't eat that cookie or punch your husband in the face because he damn well doesn't understand how hungry you are, then no... it's not for you. It's for people who are disciplined and more importantly, won't get emotional and crazy because they just need to have that cheeseburger or anything because they're HUNGRY!

I've been doing IF for over a year. It's easy for me since my life isn't about obsessing over my next meal. Also, keep in mind the time frame doesn't have to be 16/8, it can be 12/12 or 10/ 14 or whatever the hell you want to try. The IF police will not show up at your door to hand you an "inappropriate fasting time frame" fine to pay.

usmcmp

If you don't do well with the feeling of hunger; if you kick your dog because you can't eat that cookie or punch your husband in the face because he damn well doesn't understand how hungry you are, then no... it's not for you. It's for people who are disciplined and more importantly, won't get emotional and crazy because they just need to have that cheeseburger or anything because they're HUNGRY!

I've never experienced hunger doing IF (16/8) and I don't know many people who stick with it who get super hungry during the fasting period. I get that some people might get super hungry skipping breakfast or not eating from waking to sleep and I would say that it's probably not for them. Plus, just like you said there is no absolutes with it. If someone is doing intermittent fasting and needs some food during the fasting time it's not like they HAVE to suck it up and stay hungry. That's asinine.