is anyone doing IF (Intermittent Fasting) ?

2

Replies

  • suziecue66
    suziecue66 Posts: 1,312 Member
    I absolutely LOVE IF, specifically LeanGains, BUT please know it is not a miracle cure, a magic bullet or a quick fix. It is mostly just a different method of controlling your calories for the day/week. If you are a natural grazer and enjoy eating 3-7 meals a day within cals, there is not reason to force yourself to IF. That being said for many of us, the 6-small-meals-a-day dogma was totally unatural and feels like real deprivation. This method of eating just suits some people better.
    I agree with what you say but I do think people who eat those 6 small meals should give IF a try. A few weeks ago that was me. I feel that I was lied to in the past. I lived by 6 small meals for the longest time. However, after trying IF- how could I ever go back? I've been getting way more lean on IF and I'm eating the same. You can do 6 small meals and cut back carbs or you can keep your carbs, do IF and get greater results.
    You should only try it if it's fits your lifestyle. As others have noted above it's not magical like many of the cult like followers make it out to be. Hmm, it's interesting that many paleo and crossfitters, also IF.... Now, I am beside myself.

    Anyway, do it because you're life dictates, not because you think you will lose 10000000 pounds.

    Why is it interesting that paleo and crossfitters also IF?
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
    There is a group, Intermittent fasting. Join it!

    And to those spreading all this bs about fueling the body, starvation mode, etc, please do some research first.
  • marinweb
    marinweb Posts: 23 Member

    Why is it interesting that paleo and crossfitters also IF?

    He's saying some crossfitters treat it like dogma...so they'd obsesses over IF and paleo diet.
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
    And to those spreading all this bs about fueling the body, starvation mode, etc, please do some research first.

    Sock-It to 'Em!
  • CupcakeHarpy
    CupcakeHarpy Posts: 100 Member
    I absolutely LOVE IF, specifically LeanGains, BUT please know it is not a miracle cure, a magic bullet or a quick fix. It is mostly just a different method of controlling your calories for the day/week. If you are a natural grazer and enjoy eating 3-7 meals a day within cals, there is not reason to force yourself to IF. That being said for many of us, the 6-small-meals-a-day dogma was totally unatural and feels like real deprivation. This method of eating just suits some people better.

    I agree. I would like to try IF someday, but for now I do 3 meals and some snacks whenever I'm hungry (still count cals). But I am at a higher starting weight and can have about 1800 cals/day. that lets me have (3) 500 cal meals, and 300 cals for whatever. When my caloric intake needs to be lowered maybe to 1300/day to keep up any progress... I can see the draw in having one or two satisfying meals and just leave it at that. It would definitely make my life easier than always prepping/eating food all day.
  • Bighiker2
    Bighiker2 Posts: 100
    What is Intermittent Fasting? Thanks.
  • marinweb
    marinweb Posts: 23 Member
    What is Intermittent Fasting? Thanks.

    Just as it sounds. You fast for different periods and only eat during certain periods. You're getting the same calories, just different timing on when you eat.

    eg. You only eat between 12 pm and 6pm would give you and 18 hour fast with 6 hour eating "window"there are different ways to go about it, but that's essentially the basic concept.

    Here's a good link. http://www.precisionnutrition.com/intermittent-fasting
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    Insta starvation mode

    Hardly ANYONE in this country knows what starvation mode is.

    And as a child who grew up in the Appalachians...with a mom on foodstamps and a dad in jail.... I remember getting ONE Frakking meal a day of a slice of governmen cheese and some bread.

    sometimes for dinner we'd have bread with butter and sugar on top.

    I know what starvation mode is.. and what I do NOW is NOT THAT.

    Wow that escalated quickly
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    Insta starvation mode

    Hardly ANYONE in this country knows what starvation mode is.

    And as a child who grew up in the Appalachians...with a mom on foodstamps and a dad in jail.... I remember getting ONE Frakking meal a day of a slice of governmen cheese and some bread.

    sometimes for dinner we'd have bread with butter and sugar on top.

    I know what starvation mode is.. and what I do NOW is NOT THAT.

    Here.....have a cookie.....you deserve it.

    cookie.gif
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    I think after learning more about it I may try it. I tend to eat big meals rather than smaller ones.
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
    Insta starvation mode

    Hardly ANYONE in this country knows what starvation mode is.

    And as a child who grew up in the Appalachians...with a mom on foodstamps and a dad in jail.... I remember getting ONE Frakking meal a day of a slice of governmen cheese and some bread.

    sometimes for dinner we'd have bread with butter and sugar on top.

    I know what starvation mode is.. and what I do NOW is NOT THAT.

    Here.....have a cookie.....you deserve it.

    cookie.gif

    Do I have to log virtual calories?
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
    I didn't know this was an actual thing, I've been doing it lately and seen good results. I eat from 12-8, or 12:30 to 8:30. But I do drink low or no cal beverages all day long. I'm also trying to cut carbs. I feel good so far and this seems like the most natural way of eating for me...I eat when I'm hungry, and don't when I'm not.
  • What do you do if you eat all your cabs long before your eating window ends?
  • MurphysLawTD
    MurphysLawTD Posts: 310 Member
    I really want to, but I everytime I give it a go, I can't make it past that hump at work where I feel light-headed and dizzy. My hands even begin to get cold and the room gets brighter. I'm not being dramatic, here. I've honestly wanted to do it. Maybe I should try on a weekend or a day I don't need to focus so my body can get used to it. My boyfriend fasts on Thursdays and carb loads on Friday. It's worked very well for him, but I can't seem to get the knack :embarassed:
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    I really want to, but I everytime I give it a go, I can't make it past that hump at work where I feel light-headed and dizzy. My hands even begin to get cold and the room gets brighter. I'm not being dramatic, here. I've honestly wanted to do it. Maybe I should try on a weekend or a day I don't need to focus so my body can get used to it. My boyfriend fasts on Thursdays and carb loads on Friday. It's worked very well for him, but I can't seem to get the knack :embarassed:

    If those are your symptoms I simply would not recommend intermittent fasting for you. If your not able to make it even one day, everyday is not in your future. It sounds almost like your borderline having a seizure, which is crazy.

    I thought it could be your diet but I looked ar your diary and it seemed legit. You probably average about 1300 calories with food, give or take. What's your net goal? Your macros seem fine too. What time did you plan your fast and feed times?
  • gaylynn35
    gaylynn35 Posts: 854 Member
    I personally do not think that is good for your body. You need to eat to fuel your body.

    I personally don't think you know what intermittent fasting is. :bigsmile:

    You are eating the same amount of calories. I do lean gains 16x8 or anywhere from 20x4 IF and workout everyday. I got fuel baby. I also got striations. Making all sorts of rips. YEAH BUDDY


    Sorry, I guess I didn't understand what it was. :drinker:
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
    Yep - and LOVING it.
    Still on the same daily calorie intake, just squeezed into a smaller time frame. It ain't rocket science, nor is it depriving your body of 'fuel'.... -.-

    I do 6pm -11am fast (so 17/7) and that seems to work well. Sometimes I'll push the fast out to 19 hours and the feeding window to 5.
    So far, brilliant.
    Not missing breakfast in the slightest, still alert and energetic. And I have a bunch of links that I have compiled that I can email to anyone who's interested.
    Just stuff I've come across over the last few weeks...including Lean Gains (which I just keep loving the no-nonsense style more and more every time I sit and read....)

    Martin Berkhan is hella funny too! I love reading his articles...

    The Hodge Twins are hilarious too...

    I think maybe there is a connection?

    Intermittent fasting = a sense of humor?

    Instead of the 6 meal a day robots...who harp about how we are all in starvation mode.
  • holeshottdr
    holeshottdr Posts: 364 Member
    I was doing IF before I even knew what IF was. It suits my lifestyle and makes tracking calories and macros super easy.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I am not a fan of fasting. I don't like being in pain.
  • kaotik26
    kaotik26 Posts: 590 Member
    I kinda do it though not on purpose. It's just my eating habits. I stop eating at 7pm and dont eat again until 11 or 12 the next day. Sometimes earlier. I found that eating when my body is hungry and not force feeding myself when Im apparently 'supposed' to eat didn't work, and that 6 meals a day thing caused me to overeat badly.
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    I am not a fan of fasting. I don't like being in pain.

    308ulvt.gif
  • ColleenRoss50
    ColleenRoss50 Posts: 199 Member
    I am currently fasting one day a week and have been doing so since May. I decided to try it because I wanted more wiggle room in my diet and fasting one day a week allowed me to consume a few more calories on my eating days while maintaining the same weekly calorie deficit. I like it as a lifestyle and may even continue it when I start moving up to maintenance which will be very soon. I can't really say if it has helped with weight loss. I was losing consistently before I started the fasting and have continued to lose consistently at the same rate since, with no slowdown that many complain about as I approached my goal weight.

    I also followed the "Fast Five" or 19/5 (5 hour eating window) five days a week for many years starting during my later twenties and up until I got into my early forties. I don't think the "Fast Five" had even been invented yet and I had never heard about intermittent fasting, if the term even existed back then. For me it had nothing to do with health or weight loss and was strictly a lifestyle that I fell into for convenience sake. I was never hungry for breakfast and too lazy to make my own lunch to take to work so I usually went for a walk at lunch time instead and didn't eat till about 5:30 when I got home from work. Then I would eat a good supper and whatever I wanted till bedtime. On weekends I ate whenever I wanted (usually two meals a day and snacks).

    During that time I never had a weight problem and maintained a healthy weight without trying. My average weight during those years was about 125 lbs which was a perfect weight for my smaller frame and then 5'6" height. It wasn't until I got well into my forties and changed to a job where there was too easy access to cheap meals (staff cafeteria in the workplace) that the extra pounds started slowly creeping on.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    It's helpful when cutting calories.

    Id rather eat 1700 cals in 8 hours as opposed to splitting it up into 6 meals.

    I still fast now but its because I enjoy eating huge meals and I get a ton done in the mornings when i'm not fussing with grazing!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Insta starvation mode

    Hardly ANYONE in this country knows what starvation mode is.

    And as a child who grew up in the Appalachians...with a mom on foodstamps and a dad in jail.... I remember getting ONE Frakking meal a day of a slice of governmen cheese and some bread.

    sometimes for dinner we'd have bread with butter and sugar on top.

    I know what starvation mode is.. and what I do NOW is NOT THAT.

    Wow that escalated quickly

    ACG is kind of a wizard!
  • MaraDiaz
    MaraDiaz Posts: 4,604 Member
    Someone break this down for me, please. I'm reading different variations or definitions of it.

    I'm already inclined most days to only eat one big meal, once in awhile a piece of cheese or whatever for a snack, and sometimes not even that.

    Is that Intermittent Fasting? Or just one form of it? And how many different ways to do it are there?
  • whiskeycharged
    whiskeycharged Posts: 400 Member
    Someone break this down for me, please. I'm reading different variations or definitions of it.

    I'm already inclined most days to only eat one big meal, once in awhile a piece of cheese or whatever for a snack, and sometimes not even that.

    Is that Intermittent Fasting? Or just one form of it? And how many different ways to do it are there?
    Please see the IF/leangains group. They have a FAQ list for people who are interested.

    Short answer: Leangains is a 16 hour fast by 8 hour feed window. 0 calories should be consumed during your fast.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
    I am not a fan of fasting. I don't like being in pain.

    I guess you dont workout either since that can end up being pretty painful done correctly.
  • So if something comes up in our schedule, we can shorten or extend the fast or eating window? I always worry when I eat my allotted calories too early or late.
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
    So if something comes up in our schedule, we can shorten or extend the fast or eating window? I always worry when I eat my allotted calories too early or late.

    I do that several times a week. When I don't get home from tennis til 8:30, then shower and start cooking I can rearely finish by 10pm. There is no Fast-5 police force issuing citations for eating too late.:happy:

    You can download the booklet at www.fast-5.com, it is free.
  • avir8
    avir8 Posts: 671 Member
    Yeah there's a whole group on MFP who do this :noway: (search groups)