Opinions on intermittent fasting?

BobOki

I have been doing the IF for about 3 months and I love it.
You skip breakfast, and despite what you hear from the idiots that say McDonalds is an ok food choice (why do we listen to these nutritionalists again?) breakfast is a completely worthless meal just like any other meal in the day. It neither 'jump starts your metabolism" nor will you in any way shape or form feel different from skipping it. Your cereal boxes may say otherwise, but don't forget they are out to sell something, cereal.

That said, here is what you really want to know. You WILL be STARVING the first 3-4 days in the morning! It takes a little bit for your body to adjust and it expects that huge nasty *kitten* morning meal. You can counter this with coffee or straight up caffeine. If you make the 3-4 days then the morning hunger pains disappear completely. No, it is more than that, once you adjust nearly all hunger pains disappear. You will still know when you are hungry, your stomach will growl and you will feel the "hungry" sensation, but no longer do you get the ravenous OMG MUST HAVE FOOD feeling. If IF has done anything else in my life to help me, this was it. With the STARVING feeling gone, I was able to cut my proportions down and easily meet my calorie goals everyday.

Results! You will get them! I was at a loss plateau with all loss stopped for about 3 months before I started, still clocking in a calorie deficit AND exercising! I switched to IF and by the first weak my loss started again and I dropped another 3 lbs. Look at my history and you will I have continued a steady loss since then, now at 30 lbs lost. I feel great, am not getting sick or anything with any more frequency (I actually think I feel healthier), am not starving all the time, and am feeling better and better.

The downs, and there are some. It is VERY hard to leave work at 5:00 (most of the time I am working OT anyways), do my 30 min drive home, cook and eat before 7:00. I VERY often blow that time, sometimes by 3 hours (depending on OT). 7-12 no eating sounds hard, and it is at the start, but later the hard becomes making the stupid 7! On the other spectrum, sometimes making the 12 is hard as my work we occasionally have lunch meetings, which they do at 11. It's really all the timing that is my complaint, in my world, IT, it is hard.

All in all, DO IT! If you last the week or two and are still hungry, something is not right. Give it at least 2 weeks, thats about how long it took for me to do the big losses again. Good luck and LOSE THAT FAT!

NNeal247

I looooved doing it, but my body reacted with insomnia. I didn't realize that was the reason until I did research. I am an amazing sleeper so that really threw me. But, I adjusted just fine to the fasting. Everyone is different.

geebusuk

When I'm fairly light weight and on a calorie deficit I get cold at night which stops me sleeping.
Normally just sleep in boxers (or nothing if it's my own house, but in a shared house at the moment), but go for pyjamas if I start to notice the cold.

As for the starving - not me. I don't tend to feel hungry until 11 at least anyway - only eat breakfast if it's either provided or I force myself.

kszerszen:
I believe it's been shown that having a drink with caffeine in will still leave you more hydrated than not having drunk it - the diuretic effect is actually pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things (I did used to believe differently.)

emills1970

I do intermittent fasting. I started out doing 16:8 and I now fast anywhere between 18 to 20 hours per day! I've lost 12 pounds since mid Jan. I also workout during my fasting period and I haven't had any problems with my energy level. I absolutely love it.

K_Serz

When I'm fairly light weight and on a calorie deficit I get cold at night which stops me sleeping.
Normally just sleep in boxers (or nothing if it's my own house, but in a shared house at the moment), but go for pyjamas if I start to notice the cold.

As for the starving - not me. I don't tend to feel hungry until 11 at least anyway - only eat breakfast if it's either provided or I force myself.

kszerszen:
I believe it's been shown that having a drink with caffeine in will still leave you more hydrated than not having drunk it - the diuretic effect is actually pretty minimal in the grand scheme of things (I did used to believe differently.)

Really? Thats interesting! I may have to give the coffee a try. Thanks for the info.

ninerbuff

For years I've been doing a form of IF.

I skip breakfast everyday, then after 12pm I'll eat 2-4 meals up until 11pm staying within my calorie limits and ensuring I get in all my correct macro/micronutrients.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

John2347

As with anything, it is going to be different for everyone... there are a ton of different ways for IF and for having caffeine being a diuretic and blah blah blah... so whatever you feels works for you do it... there isnt one set way for everyone... good luck and i hope you find your IF balance that works

nwg74

The current fasting diet is the 5/2 diet where it is normal diet for 5 days and fast for 2 each week. The days is up to the person but it is 500 calories for women and 600 for men on fasting days.

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/01January/Pages/Does-the-5-2-intermittent-fasting-diet-work.aspx

K_Serz

I just wanted to add one more thing. Although I do the IF for most of the week I am much more successful during the week while working and having a set schedule etc. As with any other eating habits that employs a caloric deficit I also allow myself 1 day a week where I purposely increase the caloric intake which most of the time leads me to eating past the normal IF window.

A "cheat day" if you will. I do this so the leptin levels arent constantly low to keep the metabolism on its toes. I also find that it also helps cravings for things. If theres something I want during the week, I just wait and see if I still want to have it on Sat or Sun and if I still do ill eat it and put it into MFP.

This means I still enjoy a burger from 5 guys from time to time, but at least when I put it into MFP I can see if I have had enough "cheating" or if I can have a little bit more.

BobOki

This means I still enjoy a burger from 5 guys from time to time, but at least when I put it into MFP I can see if I have had enough "cheating" or if I can have a little bit more.

This, very very much this.