Has anyone tried intermittent fasting / 5:2 Diet?

Sarauk2sf

i dont believe in fasting whatsoever. God created our bodies to be nourished and taken care off. not starved for 2 days straight. i have lost 4 stone and got my body fat down to 18% with not one day of fasting or eating any less than 1900.

Intermittent fasting is not fasting in the "I am on a VLCD diet' kind of way. The intent is that you eat a normal amount of calories as you would if you were not doing a form of IF - it is just eaten in a shorter window within the day/week.

Capt_Apollo

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

SugarBoomBoom

I find the idea of IF quite appealing. It makes you more mindful about the food you eat and it seems to help some people with weight loss. I saw the BBC programme about it last year. I know it would be difficult for me to do this for the following reasons:-
1) I need to have eat regularly throughout the day, or my blood sugar goes too low and I will start to get very evil indeed :devil:
2)My son, age 9 is a picky eater, and I am trying to get him to eat - so if I go for long periods not eating, I kind of lose that argument!
3) Being a vegan on a weight loss journey is already a pain, without adding more restrictions into the mix.

Personally I am trying to keep my carbs under 100g a day, so going as low carb as I can tolerate as a vegan (I am sure I could go lower, but why would I want to make my life and those around me a misery?). I keep my total calories under 1500, do not eat exercise cals, and have a treat day on Sundays. So far that works for me, but I would definitely try IF when I am closer to my goal weight.

Sarauk2sf

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

^^that is one version of IF (leangains style). ESE for example has you not eating for 24 hour periods.

If done properly, there is not an issue with either style - I do the 'skipping breakfast' one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

Capt_Apollo

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

^^that is one version of IF (leangains style). ESE for example has you not eating for 24 hour periods.

If done properly, there is not an issue with either style - I do the 'skipping breakfast' one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

i forgot about the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting. thanks.

there is some good information out there about it, but on looking, it seems that the people that have had bad experiences are the people that dive right in to it. with no prior experience, they simply stop eating for a day.

i actually did have one day a few months back where i tried a 24 hour fast. it was hard. but i don't think i could've done it without having done months of 16:8 fasting.

Sarauk2sf

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

^^that is one version of IF (leangains style). ESE for example has you not eating for 24 hour periods.

If done properly, there is not an issue with either style - I do the 'skipping breakfast' one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

i forgot about the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting. thanks.

there is some good information out there about it, but on looking, it seems that the people that have had bad experiences are the people that dive right in to it. with no prior experience, they simply stop eating for a day.

i actually did have one day a few months back where i tried a 24 hour fast. it was hard. but i don't think i could've done it without having done months of 16:8 fasting.

I totally agree that people jump in and just do it wrong a lot of the time. If someone is thinking about trying it they should do their homework. The group that Chris provided the link to is a good resource as a starting point.

I would not even consider the ESE or 5:2 one...I like my daily ice-cream too much for that.

celestialbadger

Your body needs what it needs. I'm not convinced that it matters when you eat it.

I was reading a book about Scottish families in the 20s and 30s. They said they barely ate at all during the day, maybe a chunk of bread or something on the way to school. Then they'd come home, help out with the farm and finally have dinner right before bed. They certainly didn't get fat from eating most of their calories late at night. Of course they were a lot more active than most people are now. Still, I found it interesting that they ate that way.

NeverGivesUp

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

yes, I also enjoy the feeling really full feeling and the empty feeling throughout the day. You understand what IF is all about . I love exercising fasted and then fueling my body afterwards. . I am so hungry in the evenings and I find that I am always ravenously hungry in the evenings regardless if I have eaten all day or not, the evening time is the toughest for me. So, now it isn't anymore and as long as I eat the right foods within my window I feel so full and satisfied . It is all about figuring out your weaknesses and figuring out healthy ways that you can stick with to compensate for them.

susannahsutton1

A colleague of mine is doing it and losing about 2 lb per week. However, he did fall asleep in a meeting on one of the fasting days...

Sarauk2sf

Your body needs what it needs. I'm not convinced that it matters when you eat it.

I was reading a book about Scottish families in the 20s and 30s. They said they barely ate at all during the day, maybe a chunk of bread or something on the way to school. Then they'd come home, help out with the farm and finally have dinner right before bed. They certainly didn't get fat from eating most of their calories late at night. Of course they were a lot more active than most people are now. Still, I found it interesting that they ate that way.

Yep. Breakfast in the 'eat in the morning' sense is a pretty modern concept.

sijomial

It's an appealing choice for many people who have tried either "diets" or just calorie counting and fallen off the wagon and slipped back into a calorie surplus and weight gain.
The claimed health benefits of the various forms of intermittent fasting (intra-day or alternate day) are extremely important - some would say more important than the weight loss aspect and also exceed the benefits of "normal" weight loss by calorie restricting for seven days a week.
As Sarauk2sf alludes to - the scientific studies are still in progress (or evidence based on rodents).
Well worth reading the Fast Diet book just out which has links and references to the various studies.

It's also not for everyone, if you are very lean already, children and those who may suffer from eating disorders.

By the way just hit my target weight today by following 5:2 regime.

NeverGivesUp

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

^^that is one version of IF (leangains style). ESE for example has you not eating for 24 hour periods.

If done properly, there is not an issue with either style - I do the 'skipping breakfast' one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

i forgot about the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting. thanks.

there is some good information out there about it, but on looking, it seems that the people that have had bad experiences are the people that dive right in to it. with no prior experience, they simply stop eating for a day.

i actually did have one day a few months back where i tried a 24 hour fast. it was hard. but i don't think i could've done it without having done months of 16:8 fasting.

I totally agree that people jump in and just do it wrong a lot of the time. If someone is thinking about trying it they should do their homework. The group that Chris provided the link to is a good resource as a starting point.

I would not even consider the ESE or 5:2 one...I like my daily ice-cream too much for that.

you still can have your daily ice cream with doing all types of IF except the 24 hour one of course. That is the beauty of IF, and you make your own rules at least I make my own rules lol. There are no hard fast rules. The people that fail are the ones that don't stick to it or try different ways of doing it, or maybe it just isn't for them and that is ok too. Some people do better with small meals throughout the day, some people are volume eaters and like to feel really full when they have eaten. I have a tendency to eat too much, I eat really healthy most of the time, but portions have always been a problem for me. I acknowledge that and instead of fighting it for the rest of my life, IF has allowed me to eat bigger quantities in one go so I can feel satisfied with my eating. It was an important find for me specifically. I know a lot of people that eat much smaller amounts than me and are satisfied with that or some that can't wake up without having a huge breakfast. We are all individuals in this respect.

beccarockslife

I tried it for a while. I lost significant muscle mass in the time I was doing it and stopped.

Sarauk2sf

apparently, a lot of people have the wrong idea of what intermittent fasting is.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/08/intermittent-fasting/

http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

intermittent fasting does not mean to not eat for 24 hours straight, or for two days straight. it is not an excuse to go over your daily calories because the next day you starve yourself.

simply, intermittent fasting is skipping breakfast.

at night you eat a large dinner. the next morning you wake up and you go about your day. the first time you eat should be about sixteen hours after you ate dinner. you have your lunch to break the fast. you eat all your daily calories in the next eight hours.

you start off slow by first just putting off breakfast once a week, then twice. little by little you get used to not eating so early. (coffee and water are allowed).

I find that my energy level is still high, and that i can work out in the morning very comfortably. I also like intermittent fasting because i can have larger meals, which i enjoy as opposed to small single servings.

^^that is one version of IF (leangains style). ESE for example has you not eating for 24 hour periods.

If done properly, there is not an issue with either style - I do the 'skipping breakfast' one for exactly the same reasons you mentioned.

i forgot about the Eat Stop Eat method of fasting. thanks.

there is some good information out there about it, but on looking, it seems that the people that have had bad experiences are the people that dive right in to it. with no prior experience, they simply stop eating for a day.

i actually did have one day a few months back where i tried a 24 hour fast. it was hard. but i don't think i could've done it without having done months of 16:8 fasting.

I totally agree that people jump in and just do it wrong a lot of the time. If someone is thinking about trying it they should do their homework. The group that Chris provided the link to is a good resource as a starting point.

I would not even consider the ESE or 5:2 one...I like my daily ice-cream too much for that.

you still can have your daily ice cream with doing all types of IF except the 24 hour one of course. That is the beauty of IF, and you make your own rules at least I make my own rules lol. There are no hard fast rules. The people that fail are the ones that don't stick to it or try different ways of doing it, or maybe it just isn't for them and that is ok too. Some people do better with small meals throughout the day, some people are volume eaters and like to feel really full when they have eaten. I have a tendency to eat too much, I eat really healthy most of the time, but portions have always been a problem for me. I acknowledge that and instead of fighting it for the rest of my life, IF has allowed me to eat bigger quantities in one go so I can feel satisfied with my eating. It was an important find for me specifically. I know a lot of people that eat much smaller amounts than me and are satisfied with that or some that can't wake up without having a huge breakfast. We are all individuals in this respect.

I already do an informal leangains style IF (you must have missed an earlier post where I said I did). That way I can eat my ice-cream in bed.

Sarauk2sf

I tried it for a while. I lost significant muscle mass in the time I was doing it and stopped.

Then you cannot have been doing it right.

chrisdavey

I tried it for a while. I lost significant muscle mass in the time I was doing it and stopped.

Blame that on the macros/exercise not the meal frequency

craignev

Well worth reading the Fast Diet book just out which has links and references to the various studies.

Also, well worth a read is 'The Alternate-Day Diet', by James B Johnson MD. There are a few human studies in there (in particular Asthma sufferers). He has followed an IF diet for many years and puts many of his own patients on it with great success.

chervil6

I personally like the 5:2 fasting , i dont see it as a diet , just a way of life

Jojo42

I'm doing the alternate day fasting , 500 cals on fast days and the next day eating normally. ( it seems to be 1200-1800 cals on the up days)
I started after watching the Horizon programme , reading and seeing the results of a good friend who followed this. She lost a lot of weight after struggling all her adult life on every other type of diet you can think of.
Essentially there is some evidence on other health benefits but the weightloss side is simple maths. Over a week your calorie intake is bound to be lower.
It allows me to still socialise and eat out. My fast days stop my bloating and actually give me a feeling that my body is having a rest. I've had one bad day fasting, I think that was more to do with boredom than hunger!
Psychologically this diet works! When you fast you have the knowledge that tomorrow you can eat what you want. Guess what? The next day you are NEVER as hungry as you think and I want healthy food not the snack food.
I've tried all sorts but this feels less of a diet and more of a way of life , horses for courses as they say

lostbuthappy

I have done this but not following a particular diet. I made it up myself and call it the ETH or Embrace the Hunger diet. Basically I do 900 calories 3-4 times a week followed by 1200-1500 calories. Sometimes I do 2 or 3 days of 800-900 and bounce up to 1200. Or if I know I am going to be going out a lot on the weekend and eating and drinking with friends, I eat 900 all week and enjoy my weekend.

Good luck!

I have lost 30lbs this way.