Who's doing IF? (Intermittent fasting)
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As someone who had to be admitted for treatment for anorexia, it boggles my mind the people that do 24+ hour fasts and claim, "I'm not going into starvation mode." Yes. You are. I specifically used to go 1-3 days fasting then eat small meals on the off days. This, I was told (you know, by doctors and nutritionists) was incredibly dangerous. You feel great past a certain point because your ADRENAL glands are kicking in. This IF with the 8 hour window seems fine, but the people going longer and claiming, "I'm not going into starvation mode"? Just because you feel "fine" or "great" doesn't mean your body's not paying!
A few clarifications.
You will go into starvation mode if you are chronically not getting your average necessary caloric intake on say...a weekly basis...for weeks on end. Your body takes as many as 72hrs to even begin to negatively respond to a lack of food. Prior to that, some claim there is a metabolic increase. This may or may not be true, but there IS proof that it takes 72hrs for a metabolic decrease.
However!
IF you fast for greater than 24hrs (not recommended by ANY intermittent fasting protocol I'm aware of), AND you don't make up for the calories you missed during that fasting period (meaning to get within a reasonable dficit), you can...and eventually certainly WILL harm your body.
What specifically made YOUR circumstance dangerous, was the small meals on off days. You very simply were not getting enough calories to support your body. Not eating for a period of time, then overeating for a period of time...is actually a natural thing for our bodies. Not eating for a period of time, then undereating for a period of time...isn't.
:flowerforyou:
ETA - The adrenal response is RIGHT ON TARGET. This is one of the things that makes IF so powerful for body recomposition and fat loss. It's up to the user to fast responsibly.0 -
As someone who had to be admitted for treatment for anorexia, it boggles my mind the people that do 24+ hour fasts and claim, "I'm not going into starvation mode." Yes. You are. I specifically used to go 1-3 days fasting then eat small meals on the off days. This, I was told (you know, by doctors and nutritionists) was incredibly dangerous. You feel great past a certain point because your ADRENAL glands are kicking in. This IF with the 8 hour window seems fine, but the people going longer and claiming, "I'm not going into starvation mode"? Just because you feel "fine" or "great" doesn't mean your body's not paying!
A few clarifications.
You will go into starvation mode if you are chronically not getting your average necessary caloric intake on say...a weekly basis...for weeks on end. Your body takes as many as 72hrs to even begin to negatively respond to a lack of food. Prior to that, some claim there is a metabolic increase. This may or may not be true, but there IS proof that it takes 72hrs for a metabolic decrease.
However!
IF you fast for greater than 24hrs (not recommended by ANY intermittent fasting protocol I'm aware of), AND you don't make up for the calories you missed during that fasting period (meaning to get within a reasonable dficit), you can...and eventually certainly WILL harm your body.
What specifically made YOUR circumstance dangerous, was the small meals on off days. You very simply were not getting enough calories to support your body. Not eating for a period of time, then overeating for a period of time...is actually a natural thing for our bodies. Not eating for a period of time, then undereating for a period of time...isn't.
:flowerforyou:
ETA - The adrenal response is RIGHT ON TARGET. This is one of the things that makes IF so powerful for body recomposition and fat loss. It's up to the user to fast responsibly.
What he said. I was going to respond, but he said is very well. Eat Stop Eat is one or two 24 hour fasts a week. If you eat normally, that is at maintenance the other days that gives a reasonable deficit. No one that I have read called that pattern of eating you mentioned Intermittent Fasting.
Having said that, for a person who has had an eating disorder, IF is not for you. It would be much too easy to go back to disordered eating.
To the OP, I have been doing ESE for more than 1.5 years with some stretches where I don't do it. It seems to work well for me and allows for freedom I would not have with other eating patterns.0 -
I've lost a majority of my weight by IF, I incorporate it and 16/8 or fast 2x a week for 24 hours. I've had no adverse effects. There's nothing like eating coming off a fast, everything tastes sensational! I'm convinced this will be a way of life for me.0
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Glad there's so many people on a style of IF.
To people who have had eating disorders, as has already been mentioned, maybe this isn't for you.
When I break my fast I just inhale food! As Jamochadive said "everything tastes sensational!"
& what Crisanderson2 said was spot on "What specifically made YOUR circumstance dangerous, was the small meals on off days. You very simply were not getting enough calories to support your body. Not eating for a period of time, then overeating for a period of time...is actually a natural thing for our bodies", I can assure anybody who is worried about my 36 hour fast, I have a reasonable deficit & making gains, as well as cutting body fat.0 -
I'm aiming to do two 24 hour fasts. Do i need to eat at my TDEE on non fast days to prevent a larger deficit?0
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I'm aiming to do two 24 hour fasts. Do i need to eat at my TDEE on non fast days to prevent a larger deficit?0
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That is up to you.I'm aiming to do two 24 hour fasts. Do i need to eat at my TDEE on non fast days to prevent a larger deficit?0 -
Ok thanks. Maybe I need to put this question another way. Would eating less than my TDEE have negative effects!?0
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Ok thanks. Maybe I need to put this question another way. Would eating less than my TDEE have negative effects!?
It would probably make sense to look at your deficit over an entire week and adjust your intake based on that.0 -
Ok thanks. Maybe I need to put this question another way. Would eating less than my TDEE have negative effects!?
It would probably make sense to look at your deficit over an entire week and adjust your intake based on that.
This.
When I used to do ESE (what you're doing), I did three fasted days. My assumed TDEE was roughly 2800cal (this was actually not accurate...substantially low...but that's not the relevant part). What I did, was took the daily number, multiplied it by 7 (days of the week) for 19600cal, and then subtracted 20% (my preferred overall deficit) or 3920cal. This gave me an overall target caloric intake of 15680cal. As I said, I was fasting for three days a week, rather than two. So I made a determination of what would consititute a reasonable, filling dinner for my fasted days (roughly 1000cal was my choice), multiplied it by 3 (number of fasting days), then subtracted that from my target intake of 15680cal, for a total of 12680cal remaining. I then divided that total by the remaining days of the week (4), for a total daily target of 3170cal on my non fasted days.
Now, you can break that up however you like. 2 fasted days, more food on your fasted days (which creates a lesser balance of food on your non fasting days)...etc. The idea is, find your TDEE in total calories for the week, then apply a healthy, reasonable deficit...and finally divide those calories up as you see fit.
Hope that helps!0 -
As someone who had to be admitted for treatment for anorexia, it boggles my mind the people that do 24+ hour fasts and claim, "I'm not going into starvation mode." Yes. You are. I specifically used to go 1-3 days fasting then eat small meals on the off days. This, I was told (you know, by doctors and nutritionists) was incredibly dangerous. You feel great past a certain point because your ADRENAL glands are kicking in. This IF with the 8 hour window seems fine, but the people going longer and claiming, "I'm not going into starvation mode"? Just because you feel "fine" or "great" doesn't mean your body's not paying!
No, I am not going into starvation mode. And now that my bf levels are getting lower I don't even do weekly 24 hr fasts. One 24 hr fast a week, never consecutively.
I feel great..
BTw..I also found that alot of my dental issues( I have some JACKED Up TEETH )were RESOLVED after doing IF. Just a great side benefit I experienced!0 -
Ok so I'm confused about something here...so the Leangains 16/8 is basically just skipping breakfast correct? Because I'm not sure I see how this would benefit over a regular meal schedule?0
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I suggest you look up the IF group and check out the FAQ if you are interested.Ok so I'm confused about something here...so the Leangains 16/8 is basically just skipping breakfast correct? Because I'm not sure I see how this would benefit over a regular meal schedule?0 -
I suggest you look up the IF group and check out the FAQ if you are interested.Ok so I'm confused about something here...so the Leangains 16/8 is basically just skipping breakfast correct? Because I'm not sure I see how this would benefit over a regular meal schedule?
What he said...but the short answer is...no, not at all.0 -
didn't know that IF was a thing.
For most of my life this was the lifestyle I led.
But over the years people around me changed my schedule such that I started eating breakfast in the morning- surprise surprise I gained weight.
Going to go on this on purpose to try it out. Not going to try any specific nutrition plan but I generally do low fat and low carb and no unnatural sources of sugar anyhow.
Curious, what would calorie restriction would anybody recommend for generally a sedentary person with a BMR of 1200?
The gym for me is seasonal with my work. This is low season for the gym and high season for work, unfort...0 -
Internationalmf I've looked at your stats & worked out that your BMR is 1411 then times this by 1.375 = 1940 - 500 = 1440.
1440 calories a day & that is with a 500 calorie deficit included, so your maintenance calories is about 1940.
I looked on your profile & you said you wanted to build lean muscle, so I would advise eating at maintenance or 200-500 above & eating back exercise calories to help build lean mass while burning fat.
Not sure what exercises you are doing but I would advise some weight training (compound exercises like dead-lifts & weighted squats & pull ups, great fat burners & all round toners).
Personally, I would advise you to workout in a fasted state when possible & make your eating window between 4-6 hours if possible.0 -
@shiftysheep- WOW! thank you!!
yes, i am doing 30-60 min of running a day- for no particular distance and no particular speed- i just run until i get to runner's high and then some.
And weight training every other day.
I'm thinking of a 40/40/20 diet but it's actually REALLY difficult to get that because I like to eat a few pieces of fruit a day!0
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