Intermittent Fasters

albinogorilla

So you're a doctor? I have seen people get ill and pass out from not eating. I have gotten sick from not eating in over an 8 hour time period. I mean so scary to me that I almost called an ambulance for myself because I found it difficult to drive my car and I was in an unfamiliar city.

And I made no assumptions about your habits.

The first time I lost weight I drop from 191.8 pounds to 160 eating around 1200 calories a day and not even working out. So if someone can loose weight and eat every day why would you want to go with out eating? It makes no sense.

you go 8 hours without eating everynight when you sleep.................so you wake up like that everyday??? If you have some sort of ill effect from not eating for 6-8 hours there is something medically wrong with you and you should see a dr.

gothicfires

"The first time I lost weight I drop from 191.8 pounds to 160 eating around 1200 calories a day and not even working out. So if someone can loose weight and eat every day why would you want to go with out eating? It makes no sense"

Please read more on IF Frameworks and Methodologies because you obviously still dont understand IF, Leangains or ESE.

You've used that before as a defense in this thread. Besides getting angry with someone simply said I don't understand why anyone would do it, you really haven't offered anything else. I did read up on it. And after reading up on it. I still don't understand why someone would do it.

I did discuss my instances with a doctor and he told me I was hypoglycemic and albin I never said it was everyday. Though if I woke up and didn't eat I wouldn't be thinking straight by lunch time.

None of you have stated why you would go with out food when eating food every day still results in weight loss.

RunnerInVT

Lots of times I dont eat before a run...my running partner would eat and get sluggish and I could go five miles or more without food. Depends on the day. I take the cue from my body on when I need to eat - not a clock or time of day. I dont think fasting a bit is bad for you if your body is doing okay. I always have a protein bar or gu with me if needed.

diggswood

I find this topic really interesting and it highlights one of the challenges to losing weight and restoring a healthy body: conflicting information from "experts."

The first "universal rule of weight loss" is breakfast is the most important meal of the day and people successful in weight loss, eat breakfast. Eating breakfast "jumps starts" your metabolism. People who are overweight don't eat breakfast. IF appears to recommend that you don't eat breakfast. I know that about 1.5 to 2 hours after I eat breakfast, I am in fact "hungry" and have to distract myself until noon. I don't have this challenge with lunch or dinner.

A second "universal rule" is that it is best to eat five to six small meals per day. This makes your body feel like food is available and it keeps your metabolism running strong. My problem is this - I have trouble explaining it - I guess my body has to consume a certain amount of calories (plus a certain mix of calories - fats, proteins carbs) to actually register that I ate something. I have to have that full feeling or I am back to distracting myself because I feel "hungry." Snacking does nothing for me.

I may try IF for a couple of weeks. My only hesitation is if this is a sustainable approach to weight loss? Or should I continue on my current progress - albeit very slow to losing these 20 pounds? I will have to answer that myself but I appreciate all the postings on this topic.

adamsilva

"The first time I lost weight I drop from 191.8 pounds to 160 eating around 1200 calories a day and not even working out. So if someone can loose weight and eat every day why would you want to go with out eating? It makes no sense"

Please read more on IF Frameworks and Methodologies because you obviously still dont understand IF, Leangains or ESE.

You've used that before as a defense in this thread. Besides getting angry with someone simply said I don't understand why anyone would do it, you really haven't offered anything else. I did read up on it. And after reading up on it. I still don't understand why someone would do it.

I did discuss my instances with a doctor and he told me I was hypoglycemic and albin I never said it was everyday. Though if I woke up and didn't eat I wouldn't be thinking straight by lunch time.

None of you have stated why you would go with out food when eating food every day still results in weight loss.

No ones getting angry here especially not about your redundant comments. I do IF so i can eat big meals and still hit macros and hit calorie deficits. That is why WE do it. Again IF and IF variations are dependant on frameworks and the individuals preferences and health needs.

IF you can eat 1200cals between 6am and 9pm - more power to ya, instead i think I'll wait a little longer in the day and eat 3 'decent' meals.

chrisdavey

I did discuss my instances with a doctor and he told me I was hypoglycemic and albin I never said it was everyday. Though if I woke up and didn't eat I wouldn't be thinking straight by lunch time.

Exactly. IF is not for people who are hypoglycemic. I would have thought that was pretty obvious.

The reason a lot of people utilise IF is because they like to eat larger higher calorie meals and hit their calorie and macronutrient goals. I can't imagine your "meals" would be overly filling if you were eating 1200cals evenly spaced out during the whole day.

Having said that, IF is not required and it isn't for everyone. If you like it, do it. If you don't, then you don't have to.

Awesome work not exercising too! :huh:

ChristineDiet

In the UK a lot of interest was triggered by a BBC program that looked at restricted calorie diets, alternate day fasting etc. The presenter advocated a less extreme version of alternate day fasting which is referred to as the 5:2 diet - five "normal" days and two (non-consecutive) 500/600 calorie days.
Link to program can be found in my profile if you are interested.
It's working for me and my wife.

I have been doing alternate day fasting for over 11 months now. I love it. It's how I've lost over 90 of my pounds. It's NOT unhealthy. There is so much science and research supporting just how healthy it is. I'm healthier than I've been in 15 years, and it's the only thing I've been able to stick with for more than 3 months.

With alternate day fasting, you do NOT consume an insane amount of calories on your non-fasting days. I get 1915 calories on my "up" days and stay below 500 calories on my "down" days. This is based on age, weight, gender, and height (I'm tall for a woman, so I get more calories--yippee!). I have had no plateaus, even losing when I took maintenance breaks with higher calories.

I exercise in a fasted state and don't really see any difference in my performance fasted v's non-fasted. I am not an avid exerciser though, and am just starting out, so that might be different for someone who does prolonged or intense exercise.

Of all the IF programs I've read/heard about, this is the one that works for ME, and that I can see myself doing for the rest of my life. I think they all have merit, and you just need to experiment to see what you're the most comfortable with, and can sustain.

Thanks for sharing - bumping later to read. I just started this 5/2 this week (Tuesday & Thursday) and hoping it will get me out of my 5 month plateau! thanks. x

clobercow

I like how I can not count calories and not worry about consumption. I like how on my fast days I do not feel hungry or the need to eat. This is a lifestyle, not a fad diet. I don't care to worry about calories vs calories out. Take away all of the gadgets. Take away all of the scales and calorie counters and let it just be you and food. How many of you can eat ever few hours and be confident that you're eating enough, while not eating to much or under eating. Traditional methods are flawed in this respect. Maintainability is what I'm after, and this is by far the easiest method I have ever used to lose weight. I see myself doing this for the rest of my life.

I came at this with an open mind and it has paid off in fat. Nearly 80lbs now.

ahemming1

I wish I could do the lean gains way, but I have to lift/exercise really early in the am. I work 12 hour days shifts. If I wait till lunch to eat that would be 4-5 post work out.

My CrossFit class is at 6:30am and I do an IF everyday from 8:30p - 12:30p the next day. If you read leangains, he recommends that you take a BCAA before and after your workout. It helps your performance but won't break your fast. I did the IF for about a month and stopped for a few weeks (personal reasons), but have been back on for 2 weeks now. I feel really good and my performance has not suffered at all. As a matter of fact, I feel better and am getting stronger. I am rarely hungry in the morning, and I never feel like I am starving.

I love the fast not only for performance, but for the 'mental' aspect of it. I am controlling myself and nourshing my body when I eat. I am not emotionally eating or eating for 'pleasure.' I control the food, it does not control me.

I am by no means a nutritionist or similar. I have tried to educate myself by reading and personal experience. leangains is the website that has guided me and helped me understand why and how this works. And, IF does works for me. I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. What more could I ask for?!

Thanks, BTW, I didn't know there was an IF group on here.

Bassgirl51

I wish I could do the lean gains way, but I have to lift/exercise really early in the am. I work 12 hour days shifts. If I wait till lunch to eat that would be 4-5 post work out.

My CrossFit class is at 6:30am and I do an IF everyday from 8:30p - 12:30p the next day. If you read leangains, he recommends that you take a BCAA before and after your workout. It helps your performance but won't break your fast. I did the IF for about a month and stopped for a few weeks (personal reasons), but have been back on for 2 weeks now. I feel really good and my performance has not suffered at all. As a matter of fact, I feel better and am getting stronger. I am rarely hungry in the morning, and I never feel like I am starving.

Thank you for that info!
I love the fast not only for performance, but for the 'mental' aspect of it. I am controlling myself and nourshing my body when I eat. I am not emotionally eating or eating for 'pleasure.' I control the food, it does not control me.

I am by no means a nutritionist or similar. I have tried to educate myself by reading and personal experience. leangains is the website that has guided me and helped me understand why and how this works. And, IF does works for me. I'm losing fat and gaining muscle. What more could I ask for?!

Thanks, BTW, I didn't know there was an IF group on here.

Thank you for that info!

janicemitchellcross

Bump

Nana920

I definitly want to research this.

Z3NN4

Thanks for all the input, people. I haven't found anyone that has had any major problems post yet. I guess this is a good sign! I've been extending my fasts a little longer since I posted this and I have to agree with those of you who swear by ESE, I feel even better on day 2 and the hunger I was concerned about was pretty much absent. I was also concerned about nausea but even with new meds I was fine.

Thanks again! Anyone with anything to add is welcome. It will be appreciated! (=

AKDonF

I am doing LeanGains and am interested in knowing as much as possible too. Would love to friend others doing IM or LeanGains.

chrisdavey

I like how I can not count calories and not worry about consumption. I like how on my fast days I do not feel hungry or the need to eat. This is a lifestyle, not a fad diet. I don't care to worry about calories vs calories out.

You can definitely gain weight IFing, it's just harder. Cals in vs out still matters.

NaturallyOlivia

just fasted for 51.5 hrs.

feelin' like a badass

JosephVitte

I have been using intermittent fasting for almost a month now with some pretty awesome changes. First off, I have so much more energy in the morning, which I would have never thought. Also, I am more committed to exercising after I break my fast, I seem to want to eat less and lastly I am more regular. I was wondering if anyone else with success or difficulty would share their experiences or expertise. I've read up on it but I would like to know more.

Thanks for your time! (=

I have a non MFP buddy tell me and show me results from his inter fasting, WOW. I've done fasting, never inter fasting, and I didn't exercise, it was for a different purpose, but I definitely plan a inter fast sometime. The only down side from what I saw/ was told, when you stop, the results do to. Just from what I've understood and seen. Still something I'd love to try. Good Job!

Bassgirl51

Well this is day two for me. I decided to give it a go.

I am doing 16/8 window. It ends up being more 6 hours tho.

I am hungry in the mornings but not famished. No blood sugar issues yet. I do have brain fog from about 7am until I eat. From everything I have read this should resolve in a few days.

My goal is not to lose weight but to decomposition more than the diet has done.

So far so good!

chrisdavey

The only down side from what I saw/ was told, when you stop, the results do to.

Not true. If you ate the same number of calories/macros in a 24hr feeding window as a 6hr window for example the results would be very similar.

If you ate the same as you normally do in your eating window and added a breakfast meal then obviously your cal intake will increase and you are more likely to maintain/gain weight.

samir316

Tried Warrior Diet, Berkhan Lean Gains and Chad Waterbury's spin on Warrior Diet. Gave each one 4 weeks.

Seriously could not tell the difference between that and my usual 6 moderate meals a day (on a good day).

Figured I'd go back to 6 small meals because it's a pain in the a-- to be hungry till lunch. Though I can see the practical benefits of IF, not hauling tupperwares around all day and what not, I just found it never made a difference in body comp / gains in the gym.

In the end it always comes back to : Calories in vs Calories out.

Z3NN4

just fasted for 51.5 hrs.

feelin' like a badass

Amazing. I bet you do feel good! I have yet to make it past 18.5 hours. 20 hours if you don't count alcohol. lol

Z3NN4

I have a non MFP buddy tell me and show me results from his inter fasting, WOW. I've done fasting, never inter fasting, and I didn't exercise, it was for a different purpose, but I definitely plan a inter fast sometime. The only down side from what I saw/ was told, when you stop, the results do to. Just from what I've understood and seen. Still something I'd love to try. Good Job!

Thank you. Try it out! I used to do it when I was in high school before I ever knew what IF was. It was not successful then since I was no good at nutrition or fitness in those days.

klindema

After a LOT of internet research, I've decided to give IF a try- I'm the type of person who just never feels full or satisfied unless I'm stuffed, and I have two small kids, so sometimes I don't even realize I've put a handful of goldfish/cereal/carby snack in my mouth... I had been drinking a protein shake for breakfast, but gave it up and stopped eating after 6:30. My lunch period is at 12:15, so it is pretty easy for me to maintain a lean gains-ish 18/6 window- I read the Juliette Morris kindle book and my biggest takeaway was that for women with a lot of belly fat over 16 hours is better (I think it was 16-18.)
The best part for me is that I'm not anxious about snacks and food all day. I didn't realize how preoccupied I was before, but I definitely have some issues and often ate when stressed or as a reward.
I am seriously not hungry. Not craving food is probably a better way to put it. I haven't had any negative effects like light headedness or anything, but I used to be AWFUL if I was a couple hours without a meal. You know- the hunger induced bad mood. But now it is gone- I think because I reframed how I thought about meals and hunger.
It's been less than a week, and I don't even have a weigh in to share, but I feel really positive so far, and the science is very encouraging.
Maybe it's because I kind of have an all or nothing personality, so a bunch of compromise meals weren't doing much for me... will follow up if I learn anything else interesting!!

slkehl

I haven't looked much into IF, so I checked out the leangains website. This schedule is almost exactly like what I do these days:

12-1 PM or around lunch/noon: Pre-workout meal. Approximately 20-25% of daily total calorie intake.
3-4 PM: Training should happen a few hours after the pre-workout meal.
4-5 PM: Post-workout meal (largest meal).
8-9 PM: Last meal before the fast.

I don't fast on purpose. I'm just extremely disorganized and never manage to have enough time to eat breakfast or put together a proper lunch for when I'm on campus. I just have a snack, hit the gym, and eat a lot at night. I've actually gotten used to it, and it works well for my schedule.