Has anyone GAINED weight/fat doing intermittent fasting?

emmab0902

It sounds fascinating to me, but being the pessimist/analytical/doomsdayer I am I wondered if it has had negative results for anyone who has tried it - particulary the 16/8 leangains method.

PB67

It sounds fascinating to me, but being the pessimist/analytical/doomsdayer I am I wondered if it has had negative results for anyone who has tried it - particulary the 16/8 leangains method.

Depends on your appetite. Some may find it difficult to hit a surplus during the feeding window, but keeping fat low and upping carbs should help.

YMMV.

Hbartels

This is from the webMD page on fasting-
"When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.

Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time."

Lyadeia

I have never done this particular diet. But what I did do a few years ago was similar, even though it was a religious thing than a weight thing. I didn't gain weight, but I did gain fat. In other words, I was skinny fat. I lost pounds, but I also lost muscle, and I was still mushy. In fact, my middle was mushier than ever. The protocol of what I was doing was actually very close to this diet, even though back then (2004) I had never heard of the diet. Perhaps if I was weight training my results would have been different? IDK. But I won't do it again because what I am currently doing works...so why change it, lol?

Acg67

This is from the webMD page on fasting-
"When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.

Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time."

Resting energy expenditure in short-term starvation is increased as a result of an increase in serum norepinephrine.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292

CONCLUSIONS:
Resting energy expenditure increases in early starvation, accompanied by an increase in plasma norepinephrine

PB67

Credit goes to Alloranx for dropping the knowledge bomb:

Very true. Check out all the damage intermittent fasting has done to the muscles of these poor people:

http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Client results

Don't they just look so weak, sickly and unhealthy? Nasty, I'd never want to look like them. Practically anorexic:

http://www.chilloutpoint.com/images/2010/08/anorexic-models/anorexic-models-06.jpg
______________________________________________________
Fasting just destroys your muscles and puts you into starvation mode where you don't lose any fat:

http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/265/5/E801.short
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/50/1/96.short
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/94/11/4524.abstract
__________________________________________________________________
Fasting is so bad for your health, too! Scientific studies have shown that over and over again, like these:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300080
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17616757
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16529878
_______________________________________________
It wrecks blood sugar:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522614
_______________________________________________
And it ruins your metabolism!

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292
____________________________________________________________
Also, you can't work out while you're fasting! That would be stupid.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3622486
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17489012
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3292504
http://www.springerlink.com/content/w8712615714k8150/


Read a little before mouthing off about something you don't understand, and next time I won't have to science pwn you all this severely.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

Ebbykins

No, I haven't gained fat, I do the lean gains method, except I happen to incorporate more cardio than he prefers. But intermittent fasting hasn't made me fatter, it has however retrained my ability to decipher when I'm really hungry, as well, given me more will power, gained strength, made PR's on my compound lifts, and went from 19% bf to 15% in 6 months, even though my weight hasn't changed. In fact, I weigh more.

chrisdavey

Yep, but not enough. Gained about 2kg over 3months. That was eating like a demon on workout days. Is tough to put on weight doing LG. Or I'm just a wuss who can't eat enough?

PB67: got that on my saved list! Knowledge bomb alright!

Ebbykins

Yep, but not enough. Gained about 2kg over 3months. That was eating like a demon on workout days. Is tough to put on weight doing LG. Or I'm just a wuss who can't eat enough?

PB67: got that on my saved list! Knowledge bomb alright!

How much do you usually eat per day? I wish I were a wuss somedays. LOL, Seriously. That's why I love LG so much.

UsedToBeHusky

I read the leangains stuff too. The guy knows what he is talking about but you have to keep in mind that he is doing serious weight training in conjunction with his intermittent fasting. He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult. Intermittent fasting is really only for those doing hard core weight training. It is not for people who are just trying to lose fat. You probably shouldn't do any hardcore cardio while fasting.

chrisdavey

Ebbykins: Was at about 3200 on days and 2700 off for the majority.

swhitney2: so much wrong with what you just said. You do know what is required to lose fat as opposed to weight right?

You should probably have a read of PB67's post.

emmab0902

Eh? I hadn't realised it was for hard core weight trainers. Am sure that's not right.

neanderthin

I think you'll find that IF as it pertains to leangains is more about meal frequency. People find it easier to restrict calories and lose weight and I would have a hard time consuming 4000 calories with IF if i wanted to put on muscle.

LizC26

I've been doing lean-gains for the majority of my time here...It works really well for me. However, I take one week off every couple of months and go back to eating meals all day long--(nothing scientific--I'd just like to think it confuses my metabolism...HAHA)

Try it for a couple weeks---worst case, you don't like it/can't do it--you can try something else

chrisdavey

weight training should be a part of any fat loss plan.

TheBraveryLover

I read the leangains stuff too. The guy knows what he is talking about but you have to keep in mind that he is doing serious weight training in conjunction with his intermittent fasting. He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult. Intermittent fasting is really only for those doing hard core weight training. It is not for people who are just trying to lose fat. You probably shouldn't do any hardcore cardio while fasting.

Not true at all.

emmab0902

He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!

poisongirl6485

Fast-5.org.

My dad has been doing this for almost 2 years, lost over 60 lbs, and is still going strong.

Ebbykins

I've been doing lean-gains for the majority of my time here...It works really well for me. However, I take one week off every couple of months and go back to eating meals all day long--(nothing scientific--I'd just like to think it confuses my metabolism...HAHA)

Try it for a couple weeks---worst case, you don't like it/can't do it--you can try something else

Haha I do this too, especially while traveling. I can't pass by a cafe while I'm fasting and not try something new once in a while.

As for the other misinformation mentioned above, if you took the time to read more about IF, it's forms, not just lean gains, you would understand it fuller, it's not just for weight lifters, I have many non lifting IF friends, they walk and run though... and they do it fasted. Really if you haven't done it..... what's that saying?

@Chris I was eating 2500-3300 everyday while doing my LG bulk on workout days, non workout days 1700, refeed days 5000+ hehehe, those were fun days, so if you were lifting super heavy and hard, I would have made base calories a bit higher I think, seeing as my BMR is close to 2300 for my activity level, I would say 2700 for a man trying to put on mass is too low of a calorie intake.

Ebbykins

He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!

Actually he doesn't really knock fat whatsoever, at least in my readings, the only things he knocks are people drinking their calories and eating too many nuts. In fact, he told me that he puts peanutbutter and mayo (not at the same time) on his eggs, lol... and he is a hardcore lover of full fat mayo. Add him as a friend on Facebook, he's a cool guy, but he tells it like it is.

emmab0902

He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!

Actually he doesn't really knock fat whatsoever, at least in my readings, the only things he knocks are people drinking their calories and eating too many nuts. In fact, he told me that he puts peanutbutter and mayo (not at the same time) on his eggs, lol... and he is a hardcore lover of full fat mayo. Add him as a friend on Facebook, he's a cool guy, but he tells it like it is.

Add who? Martin Berkhan?

chrisdavey

@Chris I was eating 2500-3300 everyday while doing my LG bulk on workout days, non workout days 1700, refeed days 5000+ hehehe, those were fun days, so if you were lifting super heavy and hard, I would have made base calories a bit higher I think, seeing as my BMR is close to 2300 for my activity level, I would say 2700 for a man trying to put on mass is too low of a calorie intake.

Yep, found that out I was upping it by 100/cals every 2 weeks if I wasn't gaining enough but as a former fat boy it's still hard mentally sometimes. My body media fit has me at around 2700 maintenance so I was at maintenance off days and +500 on days. When I type that out I realise that that probably wasn't enough. Oh well, gained strength anyway. I had to put the bulk on hold for a bit while injured. I was definitely lifting heavy. Full body, big compound lifts, progressive overload.

I have seen some people do the big swing between on/off days but I can't seem to do it well. I have hit 4000cals once and that was a serious effort! The lower days are no fun though Body seems to handle it better being somewhat consistent.

emmab0902: there is an official leangains fb page now.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leangains/116211138487297

Be prepared to learn how to eat big if you check it out

UsedToBeHusky

Ebbykins: Was at about 3200 on days and 2700 off for the majority.

swhitney2: so much wrong with what you just said. You do know what is required to lose fat as opposed to weight right?

You should probably have a read of PB67's post.

This is only my opinion based on what I read from the Leangains website. But what I understoood was that this program was for weight training.

Ebbykins

Yeppers Martin Berkhan, I have him on my friends list and so excited about the new LG page. Good luck you Chris and I hope your injury heals nicely so you can do et! I actually have learned to love the swing in calories, mostly because I find it a great tool when retaining water weight from training heavy and hard days prior, I also use the rest days as my lower carb days, and that makes for happy. Cyclical eating and IF combined has really helped me.

FaithHopeBELIEVE

Finally a nice, knowledgeable thread. Love reading positive experiences!

Ebbykins

Ebbykins: Was at about 3200 on days and 2700 off for the majority.

swhitney2: so much wrong with what you just said. You do know what is required to lose fat as opposed to weight right?

You should probably have a read of PB67's post.

This is only my opinion based on what I read from the Leangains website. But what I understoood was that this program was for weight training.

IF is touted for weight loss, but is isn't just for weight loss, cutting or only lifting weight. IF comes in many forms, like "Fast 5 (you only eat 5 hours of the day)" "Lean Gains" "Eat stop Eat" etc. They are all slightly different, I actually use all of them depending on my routine. But I'm kind of a nutter for IF, I've delved into the depths of it and came back even more assured that it's great for other things rather than just for losing weight but also retraining your mind/body, learning how to focus yourself and how to work in a fasted state. There is some science in the LG sense which is why he advocates fasted heavy lifting, but you have to read it to understand it, as well as have some background on nutrition and metabolism to really see the benefits of it. I use it to manage my IBS-C (believe it or not, bigger meals are actually better for IBS-C dominate people, because it creates a bigger "bulk" to pass which might be TMI). But I used to eat like a figure competitor for many years, it was part of my job before I had babies, grazing all day long, my IBS was horrible, I was always kind of hungry and I really enjoyed big meals. I also noticed my skin has cleared up, which I believe is partly due to less stress with meal planning, cleaning, cooking, but also my body not working to digest food all the time, personally I believe your system deserves a nice long break everyday.

In essence, fasting, in itself (so many people think that it leads to bingeing, so not true, at least in the majority of cases with most people) in fact, IF and fasting, actually reteaches your body and mind into knowing TRUE hunger, will power and the ability to regulate your eating. Right now I have an 8 hour window, 11-7, and that suits me great, it's all adjustable for you, and the idea is you are never SO low in calories (if your responsible about your health) that you are in danger of harming yourself, because for the eating window of say 5, 8, or 4 hours, you still take in your maintenance for your activity level or weight loss goals, or having a seriously lazy rest day you can go 500 under your maintenance a bit without it affecting your goals.

UsedToBeHusky

IF is touted for weight loss, but is isn't just for weight loss, cutting or only lifting weight. IF comes in many forms, like "Fast 5 (you only eat 5 hours of the day)" "Lean Gains" "Eat stop Eat" etc. They are all slightly different, I actually use all of them depending on my routine. But I'm kind of a nutter for IF, I've delved into the depths of it and came back even more assured that it's great for other things rather than just for losing weight but also retraining your mind/body, learning how to focus yourself and how to work in a fasted state. There is some science in the LG sense which is why he advocates fasted heavy lifting, but you have to read it to understand it, as well as have some background on nutrition and metabolism to really see the benefits of it. I use it to manage my IBS-C (believe it or not, bigger meals are actually better for IBS-C dominate people, because it creates a bigger "bulk" to pass which might be TMI). But I used to eat like a figure competitor for many years, it was part of my job before I had babies, grazing all day long, my IBS was horrible, I was always kind of hungry and I really enjoyed big meals. I also noticed my skin has cleared up, which I believe is partly due to less stress with meal planning, cleaning, cooking, but also my body not working to digest food all the time, personally I believe your system deserves a nice long break everyday.

In essence, fasting, in itself (so many people think that it leads to bingeing, so not true, at least in the majority of cases with most people) in fact, IF and fasting, actually reteaches your body and mind into knowing TRUE hunger, will power and the ability to regulate your eating. Right now I have an 8 hour window, 11-7, and that suits me great, it's all adjustable for you, and the idea is you are never SO low in calories (if your responsible about your health) that you are in danger of harming yourself, because for the eating window of say 5, 8, or 4 hours, you still take in your maintenance for your activity level or weight loss goals, or having a seriously lazy rest day you can go 500 under your maintenance a bit without it affecting your goals.

Thanks. I'll admit I am only just learning about the subject. I have always had an interest in fasting. Not for losing weight but for religious reasons (hope that statement doesn't violate the rules). Anyway, I might not yet be mentally ready to explore this. I have been on the 6 meal a day regimen for awhile now. It's not that I think that it doesn't work. I just haven't found a program that seems appropriate for me. I'll look into the one you were suggesting.

Ebbykins

I'll admit some people probably won't enjoy the process in the beginning, the first 3 days of training myself to eat my first meal at 1 pm was hard, in the habit sense, not so much the caloric sense. I don't think you break the rules saying thats the reason it interests you, whatever you find peace in your life with and helps you meet your goals is a wonderful tool indeed, and beliefs, WOE's (way of eating) or exercise regimes are all part of it. Even if it is "Hush hush".

servilia

It worked great for me. I do cheat by having milk and sugar in my coffee during the day but I don't eat most days until after 6. And no I don't feel the need to eat everything in sight when I do get to dinner time..

UsedToBeHusky

I'll admit some people probably won't enjoy the process in the beginning, the first 3 days of training myself to eat my first meal at 1 pm was hard, in the habit sense, not so much the caloric sense. I don't think you break the rules saying thats the reason it interests you, whatever you find peace in your life with and helps you meet your goals is a wonderful tool indeed, and beliefs, WOE's (way of eating) or exercise regimes are all part of it. Even if it is "Hush hush".

LOL! I like you. I'm sending you an FR.

lisaisso

bump
i've been researching IF the past couple of days, and am currently trying the 16/8.
no problems so far, and i really like the fact that i am in a sense reteaching my body when i actually am hungry.