Breakfast vs IF (intermittent fasting)

2

Replies

  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'm not a big fan of either. I'm usually not hungry in the mornings and I find planned meal timing tedious. I prefer to eat when I'm hungry. That works best for me.
  • Krizzle4Rizzle
    Krizzle4Rizzle Posts: 2,704 Member
    I can't at all see how this would be beneficial. If you are exercising, you need the calories and nutrition necessary to power your body through. I've seen far more studies that show small meals every couple of hours is far more effective than fasting. By fasting, you aren't doing anything at all to keep your metabolism running at a high level.

    Eating small meals every couple of hours is what made me gain weight in the first place

    Um..what?
  • mariababes27
    mariababes27 Posts: 6
    All this info is helpful!!
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    I can't at all see how this would be beneficial. If you are exercising, you need the calories and nutrition necessary to power your body through. I've seen far more studies that show small meals every couple of hours is far more effective than fasting. By fasting, you aren't doing anything at all to keep your metabolism running at a high level.

    I eat firewood to keep my metabolic fire stoked

    Don't forget drinking kerosene!
  • monty619
    monty619 Posts: 1,308 Member
    i would never do IF.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I can't at all see how this would be beneficial. If you are exercising, you need the calories and nutrition necessary to power your body through. I've seen far more studies that show small meals every couple of hours is far more effective than fasting. By fasting, you aren't doing anything at all to keep your metabolism running at a high level.

    Please cite these studies.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I am not hungry in the morning so do not eat until early afternoon as there is no benefit from a weight loss perspective to do so. I do have lattes in the morning though. I lift in the morning and as long as I eat enough the day before do not see any impact on my performance.

    Edited to fix typo
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
    *to each his own*



    I just started IF and I don't do breakfast. I love it....I drink a coffee in the morning (black) that is all and mad water. Then lunch dinner I load protein and carbs. Do what works for you. I used to do the small meals throughout the day but I wanted to change it up to see different progress and so far so good.

    See what works for you....
  • Mguilmot
    Mguilmot Posts: 232 Member
    IF helps me psychologically. I know when I can start to eat, and when to stop. I don't have the desire to eat after 6PM anymore. Honestly, I do not see a difference with the fat loss, but it's a great help anyway :-)
  • StevenHaley
    StevenHaley Posts: 76
    What is Intermittent Fasting? How do you set the times (when to fast and how long for etc.....) and how does it work?
  • tedsmama
    tedsmama Posts: 178 Member
    I feel tons better, I sleep better, have more energy and don't feel hungry, making it easier to stay with in my allowances. It comes down to everyone has to do what works for them but don't form an opinionn about anything until you understand how it works.

    This..I do 14:10. I have terrible insomnia and since I started IF I am sleeping through the night and have considerably more energy throughout the day. Any food before 11 am makes me sluggish and hungry all day. My morning workouts feel GREAT, I have so much more endurance.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    at this point in the thread, any and all useful information i have would be lost amongst the sea of meme's and dr.oz references.


    so me personally, i usually go work out early in the morning (7am) on nothing more than a cup or two of coffee, and usually don't eat until noon. it's usually about a 18 hour fast. i don't think i've gone longer then that, but i'd be willing to try a 24 hour fast.

    days that i rest or go to work, i usually eat breakfast, but it's a coupe of hours after i wake up.

    none of these studies that determine "eat breakfast for faster metabolism" ever clearly state things like 'how quickly do you eat from when you wake up?' or 'what kind of foods?' i mean, are you eating breakfast foods, or last nights leftovers? how long was the fast period? i know if i have a small and/or an early dinner, i'll wake up starving at 5am. but if i eat at 7ish and have a good sized meal, i can go without "breakfast" until noon.
  • xxshenanigansxx
    xxshenanigansxx Posts: 6
    I don't know I'm always really hungry in the am... I seem to have more energy when I have a good breakfast :)
  • FirefitMike
    FirefitMike Posts: 85 Member
    Read some info provided by "2 Meal Mike"...he discusses fasting and myths around eating times.

    Google it...I'm too lazy to find and it and link here.

    Do what works for you...there is not right or wrong. Like fasting? Fast.

    Like small meals? Eat small meals.

    Like Twinkies? Do the Twinkie diet.

    For ME, eating when I wake up makes me nauseated. I also enjoy fasted training.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
    at this point in the thread, any and all useful information i have would be lost amongst the sea of meme's and dr.oz references.


    so me personally, i usually go work out early in the morning (7am) on nothing more than a cup or two of coffee, and usually don't eat until noon. it's usually about a 18 hour fast. i don't think i've gone longer then that, but i'd be willing to try a 24 hour fast.

    days that i rest or go to work, i usually eat breakfast, but it's a coupe of hours after i wake up.

    none of these studies that determine "eat breakfast for faster metabolism" ever clearly state things like 'how quickly do you eat from when you wake up?' or 'what kind of foods?' i mean, are you eating breakfast foods, or last nights leftovers? how long was the fast period? i know if i have a small and/or an early dinner, i'll wake up starving at 5am. but if i eat at 7ish and have a good sized meal, i can go without "breakfast" until noon.

    I don't know, you're only on page 2 of the thread. I think we're still good!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Oh the metabolic slowdown. Funny the same people that will argue about meal timing "kick starting" metabolism are usually the same ones that have large calorie deficits from under eating or excessive cardio....which can actually lead to metabolic slowdown. :laugh:
  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,035 Member
    I eat dinner at 5:15pm and don't eat again until after my early morning workout- so 8am . . . . so at least a 14 hours fast- it hasn't effected my run times or distances (or weight loss) so all's good for me ;)
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    depends on what beliefs you have as far as weight loss goes.

    I skip breakfast and don't eat for a couple hours after waking. low carbs during the day. then eat my carbs after training.
    I lost about 7 pounds in a month, while maintaining my strength...
  • pullipgirl
    pullipgirl Posts: 767 Member
    I can't at all see how this would be beneficial. If you are exercising, you need the calories and nutrition necessary to power your body through. I've seen far more studies that show small meals every couple of hours is far more effective than fasting. By fasting, you aren't doing anything at all to keep your metabolism running at a high level.

    Eating small meals every couple of hours is what made me gain weight in the first place

    Um..what?

    Eating small meals every couple of hours just led to me overeating and caused weight gain I control calories better by having 2-3 larger meals a day rather than snacking all day long.
  • ocampocordova
    ocampocordova Posts: 9
    bump
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member

    Eating small meals every couple of hours just led to me overeating and caused weight gain I control calories better by having 2-3 larger meals a day rather than snacking all day long.

    I've actually learned that I'm the same way.

    I used to snack throughout the day when I was cutting weight.
    Now I have 2 small meals during the day, then eat a decently large one after training, and I'm dropping weight faster. I adjusted to waiting longer between meals fairly quickly. After a week or two I was fine.
  • StevenHaley
    StevenHaley Posts: 76
    I keep reading about "starvation mode". Wouldn't that kick in and be counter productive if it exists?
  • opus649
    opus649 Posts: 633 Member
    I keep reading about "starvation mode". Wouldn't that kick in and be counter productive if it exists?

    If you don't eat every 2 hours your body starts burning heart muscle and eventually you die. I read it on the google.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I keep reading about "starvation mode". Wouldn't that kick in and be counter productive if it exists?

    starvation mode is something that happens over a very prolonged period of time, and usually after a continuous caloric deficit.

    one 12-16 hour period a week of not eating will not send your body into starvation mode. your body will actually start to use it's own fat stores to fuel itself. also, you are actually supposed to eat your days worth of calories, you just have a smaller window to do it in.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    I keep reading about "starvation mode". Wouldn't that kick in and be counter productive if it exists?

    Not with IF because you are not starving at all. You are eating the same amount of calories everyday just in shorter time frame. Fasting does not start to effect metabolism until around 72 hours of not eating.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
    The first meal of the day that you eat is breakfast, which means "breaking the fast". It doesn't matter what time of day you eat or what food you eat. It's still breakfast.

    That's how I see it.
  • RunHardBeStrong
    RunHardBeStrong Posts: 33,069 Member
    I keep reading about "starvation mode". Wouldn't that kick in and be counter productive if it exists?

    Starvation mode doesn't exist in the way that it is thrown around on these boards. Your metabolism doesn't even start to slow down till around 72 hrs of NO food, even that isn't starvation mode, that's just your metabolism starting to conserve energy. It takes weeks or more than likely months of major undereating for "true starvation mode" to kick in and that is for someone that has virtually no body fat for reserves.

    ETA: in IF the most you fast is 24 hours, a few do 48 hours but still not long enough to negatively effect metabolism.
  • StevenHaley
    StevenHaley Posts: 76
    Thanks people, cleared that up for me. And also....

    This IF is only supposed to be done once or twice a week right? I wouldn't be skipping breakfast every day?

    What would happen if I don't eat the calories I missed at breakfast?

    Sorry if my questions are daft.
  • StevenHaley
    StevenHaley Posts: 76
    I will give this a try tomorrow. Thanks.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    Thanks people, cleared that up for me. And also....

    This IF is only supposed to be done once or twice a week right? I wouldn't be skipping breakfast every day?

    What happend if I don't eat the calories I missed at breakfast?

    Sorry if my questions are daft.

    You can do it everyday but you still want to get all of your daily calories in. If you have a deficit built into your calorie goal and then you skip a meal and dont make it up later you will have an even larger deficit and that can be bad over time.

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