Help! Eat to Lose or Intermittent Fasting???

Kandyhar

Help. I just started MFP and I can't figure out how to eat... Go figure. Haha. I was super excited to read about the Eat to Lose and reworking my calorie needs from the standard 1200 calories to lose 2 pounds/wk formula, but as I researched more I stumbled upon Intermittent Fasting boards as well and I went from having an "A-HA!" moment to a "What the...?" moment... I'm not sure how these two strategies work together or if they are completely conflicting points of view?

IF doesn't sound much different then binging after severely restricting calories (which according to some Eat to Lose boards was how a lot of women got into this weight gain in the first place). I'm really confused and open to anything...

Stats: I'm 29, 5'5", currently 175 lbs with 33% body fat and want to be 130 lbs and/or 22% body fat. I am aiming to work out about 4 times a week for 30-45 min, mix of cardio and weight training. I'm a size 12/14 and want to be a size 6/8.

Any help is appreciated. I've only been working out and watching what I eat for about 3 weeks and have found it really hard to stick to 1200 calories without feeling really hungry and then end up eating horribly for a day before I get back on track. Scale keeps going up but have hid it from sight for now. I just don't want to start down a path of eating 1700 calories and working out and end up getting BIGGER nor do I want to starve myself and then binge and eat way over my calories.

What have you tried that has had the most success when just starting off on this journey? Not for those losing the last 5-10 pounds or cutting, but those of you who had 40 pounds to lose?

Thank you in advance!

Kandyhar

Bump? (I don't know how to get replies on here!?)

StaceyL76

This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.

I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?

You will have to make a plan of action, follow it through for 3-4 weeks, see what happens and take the feedback you get and tweak your plan for the next 3-4 weeks.

I hope this helps.

Stacey

Kandyhar

Thank you Stacey! That does help and I think eating 1600-1700 calories a day sounds more sustainable than fasting 1 or 2 days a week (I imagine sitting at my desk and not snacking would be hell) but maybe it will work if I'm on R&R and able to sleep in. I appreciate the feedback and I'll continue tracking. Just want to make sure I have all the information, and the correct information... I would hate to find myself 8 pounds heavier a month from now :-(

Sidesteal

I'd suggest that you first do the following:

1) Come up with reasonable calorie intake and macro intake (protein/carbs/fats).
2) Come up with a general exercise program.


Intermittent Fasting is a good fit for some people (and not for others) but the core of it is just a different schedule for eating your calories. It's largely a personal preference item and I wouldn't spend much of your time worrying about it at this particular point. You should first focus on how much you're supposed to eat in a day and how to train.

nas24

But that being said i eat to loose, only way it ever come off for me. I think i plan to do this till i reach my last few, that are the hardest to get off, then try IF>

corrinnebrown

You need to try the 1200 calories first. Try it for 2 months and if there is not significant weight loss then go to zig zagging your calories. If that doesnt work then try the fasting. 1200 calories is enough you just need to learn what to eat. Lean proteins are the way to go to stay full. I have been on 1200 calories for the last 6 weeks, it was challenging at first but now is quite easy. I have breakfast, lunch, snack and then dinner. so 250 calories for breakfast, 400-lunch, 150-snack, and 400-dinner. Drink LOTS of water. When you get hungry chug a bottle of water, you will realize you may not have been hungry at all.

stfuriada

I don't like IF because it doesn't fit with my lifestyle.

Personally, it's all a matter of choice. If you're the type who goes out to dinner a lot, intermittent fasting might be for you as it pretty much gives you the calorie leeway you need for it. You don't restrict calories in IF, just the timing. If you go to the Lean Gains website, Martin Berkhan explains it well.

With IF you STILL have a daily calorie limit. But instead of dividing it to 6 meals over the course of your waking hours, it's how many big meals you can break your 1200 calories in 10 hours (women do 14 fast, 10 feed hours vs men's 16/8). Berkhan prescribes a 3 meal per feeding hours broken into 10%/10%/80% of your daily calories. The 80% after your workout.

People on IF claim it gives them more freedom to be social in the evenings as their eating isnt as restricted. It's a matter of pooling calories.

I don't personally IF consciously, but it works out that way sometimes.

BrettPGH

Yep. First ignore salespeople.

Second - do what ever Sidesteal says. That guy knows what's up.

Lleldiranne

You're going to get a lot of different (and passionate!) opinions here.

I am in the eat to lose camp (well, mostly). I must admit I've never tried IF (aside from the periodic religious fast, but that isn't to lose weight). But I have seen several people who seriously stalled out in their weight loss and when they started eating more the weight started coming off again.

You're afraid to bump it up to 1700 calories because you don't want to gain. But think if it this way - if 1200 is really what you "need" to lose 2 lbs per week (which isn't working, it sounds like) then 1700 calories would be the setting to lose 1 lb per week. This may be a better way to go, anyway. And if you are feeling really hungry on 1200 calories, that is a clear sign you aren't getting enough to eat. (Also, I strongly suggest eating back at least some of your exercise calories, but that is a whole other debate). Your body needs the calories - and the nutrients - to support daily activity. If it's not getting enough, it's going to slow the metabolism to compensate.

Another thought: if you struggle to eat only 1200 calories a day, won't IF be an extra struggle? (But this may depend on your eating habits)

shar140

Have you thought of trying both? It's possible. IF doesn't have to be an all day fast, there are some that do a 16/8 (or in some cases for women, 14/10), where you fast for 16 hours, and eat in the 8 hour window. Usually skipping breakfast, having lunch and dinner and any snacks in the 8 hours (or 10). You can still eat more than 1200 calories in that 8 hours.

UsedToBeHusky

IF is a controlled 'binge'. It is not at all the way you are thinking. Using IF is more about mind over matter. Most people do binge after a period of fasting, however, they don't really monitor the calories that they consume. They just eat whatever they want to fill their stomachs. People who practice IF eat healthy calories and are very careful not to exceed their allotted calories. Really it is just about finding the way that works best for you.

I have thought about using IF before, but I don't think I have the will power. I would like to do it and be successful at it just so I can take more power over my eating habits, but I'm just not sure I'm ready for that.

Hope this helped. Good luck!

GreenEyedLady1

I have lost slowly, but consistently, by eating.

in other words, i found out what my BMR was, and went from there. i eat about 1850 calories a day. i eat HEALTHIER foods. i find that when i eat healthy foods, i get to eat a LOT more food each day, helping me feel full and not craving anything. i also keep track of pretty much everything i eat.

just how it works for me.

Good luck!!

LoraF83

You need to try the 1200 calories first. Try it for 2 months and if there is not significant weight loss then go to zig zagging your calories. If that doesnt work then try the fasting. 1200 calories is enough you just need to learn what to eat. Lean proteins are the way to go to stay full. I have been on 1200 calories for the last 6 weeks, it was challenging at first but now is quite easy. I have breakfast, lunch, snack and then dinner. so 250 calories for breakfast, 400-lunch, 150-snack, and 400-dinner. Drink LOTS of water. When you get hungry chug a bottle of water, you will realize you may not have been hungry at all.

No, you don't have to do this. Please read the topics on here about BMR, TDEE, etc. Especially read "In Place of a Roadmap." It will explain why you need more than 1200 calories and why you will actually be more successful in the long run if you eat more.

tobnrn

Bump

SARgirl

Everyone is different so you need to find what works for you. I know I couldn't survive on 1200 calories a day, but it may work for you. My stats are very similar to yours. I'm 34, 5'5" and my starting weight was 158 size 10/12. The smallest amount of calories I ever had my ticker set at was 1370 (and that's because I agreed to let MFP change my goal after I had lost 10 pounds and they took 50 calories away!) and I have consistently lost. I'm to the point now where I'm being greedy and want to lose that last 1/2 pound to see 30 pounds lost and then I plan to go to maintenance. The biggest thing is whatever you decide to try, try it for 4-6 weeks so that you can see if it is really working or not. Good luck!!!

rharris86dc

I lost consistently by eating my allotted calories, plus most of my exercise calories. I was working out 4-5 days a week, alternating cardio and weight training.

When I hit plateaus, I would adjust my calorie intake to find the new "sweet spot," and would get back on track. I'm about your height, and when I was at 175 I think I was given 1300-1400 calories per day, so I would make sure to get those, and if I worked out, I would eat more (healthy food) to get back some of those calories.

I think it's mostly about what others have said - try a few different things for a couple weeks at a time and see what works for you, and what is sustainable in your lifestyle. Good luck!

psuLemon

Just an FYI, if you want to aim for 22% body fat, then you want to aim for 140, unless you want to lose 10 lbs of muscle. You can do ESE or IF if you want, but it's not necessary. Or you can start by figuring out your TDEE and cutting 20% and then getting into a good workout routine that incorporates strength training and cardio.

Kandyhar

Just an FYI, if you want to aim for 22% body fat, then you want to aim for 140, unless you want to lose 10 lbs of muscle. You can do ESE or IF if you want, but it's not necessary. Or you can start by figuring out your TDEE and cutting 20% and then getting into a good workout routine that incorporates strength training and cardio.

Thanks for pointing that out! Being fit and firm is more important to me than the number on the scale so that helps... I did the TDEE - 20% today and that would make my daily calorie goal about 1700 calories/day (when I set the activity level to moderate)

maryb2374

You and I have very similar stats. I am 5'5" and started the year at 175 pounds. I lost 10 pounds on my own but wasn't really looking at calorie intake and gained back 5 which is when I signed up here at MFP at the end of March. I was at 170 then and today weighed 151.2. My goal is 135.

I originally had my numbers set by MFP to be one pound lost a week. My calories were a little over 1400 and I ate back my exercise calories. I then found fat2fitradio and the Eat More to Lose group and have set my own macros. Now I have my calories set to 1800 and I don't eat back my exercise calories. I try to net at least 1400/day since that's my BMR.

Good luck! I personally like being able to eat a little more (I still count everything) and still lose weight.

Kandyhar

I lost consistently by eating my allotted calories, plus most of my exercise calories. I was working out 4-5 days a week, alternating cardio and weight training.

When I hit plateaus, I would adjust my calorie intake to find the new "sweet spot," and would get back on track. I'm about your height, and when I was at 175 I think I was given 1300-1400 calories per day, so I would make sure to get those, and if I worked out, I would eat more (healthy food) to get back some of those calories.

I think it's mostly about what others have said - try a few different things for a couple weeks at a time and see what works for you, and what is sustainable in your lifestyle. Good luck!

Thanks!

psuLemon

Just an FYI, if you want to aim for 22% body fat, then you want to aim for 140, unless you want to lose 10 lbs of muscle. You can do ESE or IF if you want, but it's not necessary. Or you can start by figuring out your TDEE and cutting 20% and then getting into a good workout routine that incorporates strength training and cardio.

Thanks for pointing that out! Being fit and firm is more important to me than the number on the scale so that helps... I did the TDEE - 20% today and that would make my daily calorie goal about 1700 calories/day (when I set the activity level to moderate)

Sounds about right. i would start with 1700 calories a day and do a mix of ST and Cardio. They will help things along. If you plateau, then add another 200 calories for a month to see if that helps.

Kandyhar

You and I have very similar stats. I am 5'5" and started the year at 175 pounds. I lost 10 pounds on my own but wasn't really looking at calorie intake and gained back 5 which is when I signed up here at MFP at the end of March. I was at 170 then and today weighed 151.2. My goal is 135.

I originally had my numbers set by MFP to be one pound lost a week. My calories were a little over 1400 and I ate back my exercise calories. I then found fat2fitradio and the Eat More to Lose group and have set my own macros. Now I have my calories set to 1800 and I don't eat back my exercise calories. I try to net at least 1400/day since that's my BMR.

Good luck! I personally like being able to eat a little more (I still count everything) and still lose weight.

Thank you so much! You have done excellent and hope to be able to have the same results in a couple months! I set my macros and calories today using the Eat More to Lose recommendations but have had a hard time finding people who were just starting their weight loss journey and success stories. Most I have seen are women who are already fairly fit with just a few pounds to lose or to break free from their plateau. It's nice to hear of someone using this at the beginning and it actually working... :-)

moe0303

I look at IF as sort of a way to train your body. I started out my recent weightloss with a month long dinner fast. The first few days were hard, but now, I feel like I could skip meals with no problem and still have the necessary restraint to stay within my limit. And that's really what it all boils down to, staying within your limit. Figure out what you burn, eat less than that, and you will lose weight. You can do that by eating to lose, IF, or just about any other method in which you stay within your limit. It's just a matter of how quickly you want to lose.

victoria4321

IF isn't a binging plan. You pretty much delay your first meal depends on whatever fasting protocol you're following then you eat the way you normally would. So for example lets say you do a 24 hours fast. Your last meal could be at dinner around 6pm then you won't eat until 6pm the next day giving you a 24 hour fasting period. The next day when you eat, you eat the amount of calories you would normally eat at dinner. You're not gonna gorge yourself to make up for lost time. The extra calories from your fasted days are then spread over the rest of the week.

You can do both together and I think it's more beneficial to do so. I started eating 800 calories two days a week at dinner then the other five day's I'm eating around 2200 calories. I'm pretty active too so my exercise is included in those calories.

Kandyhar

Just an FYI, if you want to aim for 22% body fat, then you want to aim for 140, unless you want to lose 10 lbs of muscle. You can do ESE or IF if you want, but it's not necessary. Or you can start by figuring out your TDEE and cutting 20% and then getting into a good workout routine that incorporates strength training and cardio.

Thanks for pointing that out! Being fit and firm is more important to me than the number on the scale so that helps... I did the TDEE - 20% today and that would make my daily calorie goal about 1700 calories/day (when I set the activity level to moderate)

Sounds about right. i would start with 1700 calories a day and do a mix of ST and Cardio. They will help things along. If you plateau, then add another 200 calories for a month to see if that helps.

Ok!! :-) Thank you... I feel like this is clearing things up for me and I'm excited to continue and see what happens. Going on vacation in 5 days so I'm worried about my workout plan, but will continue counting calories and try to hit the gym with my fiance. Vacations are always tough, but I am tired of having to spend the whole month afterward losing what I gained (I get an R&R every 3 months so in the past it's been a free for all of drinking and eating all my favorite foods. I can't do that any more! Love the comments and appreciate the feedback

britcurl

You need to try the 1200 calories first. Try it for 2 months and if there is not significant weight loss then go to zig zagging your calories. If that doesnt work then try the fasting. 1200 calories is enough you just need to learn what to eat. Lean proteins are the way to go to stay full. I have been on 1200 calories for the last 6 weeks, it was challenging at first but now is quite easy. I have breakfast, lunch, snack and then dinner. so 250 calories for breakfast, 400-lunch, 150-snack, and 400-dinner. Drink LOTS of water. When you get hungry chug a bottle of water, you will realize you may not have been hungry at all.

1200 calories is retarded. Do not do this. I started at this and did not lose a pound upped my cals and started losing. When you are active, your body needs fuel. Do some research on BMR and TDEE.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

This group explains it all very well. You need to eat NO LESS then your BMR. And I can almost guarantee your BMR is not 1200 calories!

ArroganceInStep

To add to what Sidesteal and UsedToBeHusky said, IF is just a method of scheduling your calories. There have been some studies that it can help a little bit (my understanding is the fasting increases growth hormone production or some such, but I don't know too much about it) but that's primarly geared at the already very lean.

Realistically speaking it comes down to what works best for you. Something that's easier to stick with is far better than something you won't be able to keep up with that's 0.00000005% more efficient. For me, it's a LOT easier to go for an extended period of time without eating and then eat a crapton of food all at once than to eat a bunch of small meals throughout the day. I feel fuller, and am less likely to break my diet that way. That doesn't mean I eat everything in sight, it just means if I have a 2000 calorie per day allotment, I'd eat 2 1,000 calorie meals instead of 5 400 calorie meals. It's not mutually exclusive from the 'eating to lose' paradigm. You can do both.

I would strongly suggest making small changes though, instead of jumping whole hog one way or the other. You were at 1200 and are contemplating going up to 1700. Try increasing by 100 calories a week and monitoring your progress (keeping your original eating style). Then once you find the sweet spot for you (maybe it's 1500 or 1750 rather than 1700) you can consider trying IF. For that, if you're eating 3 square meals and 2 snacks a day, try skipping breakfast and having a larger midmorning snack for two weeks and see how you feel (or skip dinner and have a larger mid-afternoon snack). Then skip the snack and split those calories between lunch and dinner and again gauge how you feel throughout the day.

Slow and steady wins the race.

And just to re-emphasize Sidesteal's comment, make sure you're getting adequate macronutrients as well.

Finally make sure that you have a decent resistance training program on top of any cardio you may be doing.

Good Luck.

Kandyhar

IF isn't a binging plan. You pretty much delay your first meal depends on whatever fasting protocol you're following then you eat the way you normally would. So for example lets say you do a 24 hours fast. Your last meal could be at dinner around 6pm then you won't eat until 6pm the next day giving you a 24 hour fasting period. The next day when you eat, you eat the amount of calories you would normally eat at dinner. You're not gonna gorge yourself to make up for lost time. The extra calories from your fasted days are then spread over the rest of the week.

You can do both together and I think it's more beneficial to do so. I started eating 800 calories two days a week at dinner then the other five day's I'm eating around 2200 calories. I'm pretty active too so my exercise is included in those calories.

Thank you! This is probably the most concise and clear description I have read so far and it's starting to click. I think something like that would work great when I'm not working and not on my regular schedule... maybe I'll try it when I'm on leave and see how it goes. It may work out better as I anticipate all the social events in the evening (dinner with friends, bbqs)... Kinda reminds me of not eating all day in anticipation of Thanksgiving, haha... but yes I know to count every calorie during those one-meal days.

Maybe it's just me, but it's hard to break the habit of thinking that if I don't eat all day and then eat 800-1000 calories that my body is going to "hold on to them"

maryb2374

You and I have very similar stats. I am 5'5" and started the year at 175 pounds. I lost 10 pounds on my own but wasn't really looking at calorie intake and gained back 5 which is when I signed up here at MFP at the end of March. I was at 170 then and today weighed 151.2. My goal is 135.

I originally had my numbers set by MFP to be one pound lost a week. My calories were a little over 1400 and I ate back my exercise calories. I then found fat2fitradio and the Eat More to Lose group and have set my own macros. Now I have my calories set to 1800 and I don't eat back my exercise calories. I try to net at least 1400/day since that's my BMR.

Good luck! I personally like being able to eat a little more (I still count everything) and still lose weight.

Thank you so much! You have done excellent and hope to be able to have the same results in a couple months! I set my macros and calories today using the Eat More to Lose recommendations but have had a hard time finding people who were just starting their weight loss journey and success stories. Most I have seen are women who are already fairly fit with just a few pounds to lose or to break free from their plateau. It's nice to hear of someone using this at the beginning and it actually working... :-)

Thanks for the kind words. I actually didn't change my numbers until about 3 weeks ago (May 14). One other thing I did to help me decide to increase my calories was that I got a Fitbit. I was able to see that I burn about 2300 calories/day on average. So 1800 is about 500 less than that. And those numbers matched the calculators from fat2fitradio and the eat more group's link. So I figured I'd try it out and it seems to be working well so far.

Kandyhar

To add to what Sidesteal and UsedToBeHusky said, IF is just a method of scheduling your calories. There have been some studies that it can help a little bit (my understanding is the fasting increases growth hormone production or some such, but I don't know too much about it) but that's primarly geared at the already very lean.

Realistically speaking it comes down to what works best for you. Something that's easier to stick with is far better than something you won't be able to keep up with that's 0.00000005% more efficient. For me, it's a LOT easier to go for an extended period of time without eating and then eat a crapton of food all at once than to eat a bunch of small meals throughout the day. I feel fuller, and am less likely to break my diet that way. That doesn't mean I eat everything in sight, it just means if I have a 2000 calorie per day allotment, I'd eat 2 1,000 calorie meals instead of 5 400 calorie meals. It's not mutually exclusive from the 'eating to lose' paradigm. You can do both.

I would strongly suggest making small changes though, instead of jumping whole hog one way or the other. You were at 1200 and are contemplating going up to 1700. Try increasing by 100 calories a week and monitoring your progress (keeping your original eating style). Then once you find the sweet spot for you (maybe it's 1500 or 1750 rather than 1700) you can consider trying IF. For that, if you're eating 3 square meals and 2 snacks a day, try skipping breakfast and having a larger midmorning snack for two weeks and see how you feel (or skip dinner and have a larger mid-afternoon snack). Then skip the snack and split those calories between lunch and dinner and again gauge how you feel throughout the day.

Slow and steady wins the race.

And just to re-emphasize Sidesteal's comment, make sure you're getting adequate macronutrients as well.

Finally make sure that you have a decent resistance training program on top of any cardio you may be doing.

Good Luck.

Excellent information! Thank you so much for the knowledge and insight!