Has anyone tried intermittant fasting?

charliek88
charliek88 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
I've recently been told about this by a friend.
The idea is that for 2 days out of the week you are limited to 500 calories for women and 600 for men. I stick to this by having fruit in the morning, some rice cakes at lunch and a low calorie soup for dinner. Plus lots and lots of water.
For the other 5 days you are just meant to stick to a normal diet....as in, if you are hungry - eat. And if you really want a chocolate bar, have it. The idea is that you should just try to listen to your body and not restrict yourself too much.
I have done this for the past week and a half, and actually it isn't too hard. Knowing that you are only restricted for one day is quite a good feeling. I used to get really down part way through 'dieting' as i just felt i could never have what i wanted, so i guess that is why this appeals to me.

I've done a bit of research and far from being bad for you, this kind of fasting helps lower all sorts of bad levels within your body, such as cholesterol and glucose.

On the plus side, since starting i have lost 6 pounds, and feel pretty good.

I just wondered if anyone else had tried / heard of using this method to aid weight loss. :)

Look forward to peoples opinions xx

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    My opinion is that you are required to create an energy deficit to lose weight and that the individual should find whatever method allows him or her to meet that deficit with the greatest amount of satisfaction. If that means eating 6 meals per day, do it. If that means using any of the various IF approaches, do that instead.

    I don't think any particular approach is substantially better than any other. Adherence should dictate method.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting
    join this group, there are some people doing 5:2
  • toxicsgrl
    toxicsgrl Posts: 12
    im doing it. its called JUDDD or johnsons up day down day diet. if you google it, it comes up with a calculator to work out how many cals to have on your up and down days.
    as i have so much to lose, i can have up to 3000 on an up day and around 1300 on a down day.
    but i have never gone up to 3000!

    on weekends i'll have 2 or 3 up days, having no more than my mfp cals (2240) and on monday tuesday and thursday i'll have my down days. i hover somewhere between 600-1200 cals on these days, and its working! and im happy with it!

    wednesdays i enjoy a mid week treat and thursdays i dont eat much, and no carbs, coz my weigh day is friday. i find it good, and it fits in well and its not hard at all :)
  • iluvco3
    iluvco3 Posts: 98 Member
    I started this last week, too. The main reason is that I am losing SO, SO slowly now that I knew I needed to mix things up a bit. Look...I'm not looking to lose much. I'll be happy with 1/4 lb./week at this point. I make sure that I meet my nutritional goals for 4 days and then one day I have a meal or dessert I wouldn't ordinarily have. I try to be sure that my calorie intake for the week is where it needs to be.

    I am so surprised at how easy it is. I like that I have the flexiibility to move my days if needed. I do feel hungry some on those days, but not nearly like I expected. I thought I would get headaches. I divide my points into 250 for lunch and 250 for dinner.

    BTW.....my loss last week was 1/2 lb. and I am THRILLED!!
  • LadyIvysMom
    LadyIvysMom Posts: 391 Member
    I’m with the person who said to do whatever works for you. The only thing that for sure works for everyone is the simple concept of taking in less that you burn off. However you do this is up to you. Everyone’s body is different.

    I personally do very low calorie intake and exercise a lot (including strength training). I eat under 1200 calories a day (between 700-1100) and after exercise, net on average of 400 calories a day. These are averages. Some days I go over. Some days I net in the negatives (due to exercise) but over the week it averages out to around 400 cals net a day.

    I’ve been losing a fairly steady one to two pounds per week since I’ve been doing this. I’m not tired, I’m not hungry, I don’t feel weak, and if I really want something “bad” like a cookie or a piece of candy, I have it (in moderation, of course) and don’t feel guilty.

    I don’t think I could straight up fast for two days. 500 calories a day isn’t fasting. That’s like, my every day calorie net. Fasting means not eating anything. I couldn’t do that. I move around too much. I walk like, 8 miles a day. If I were to not eat anything, then walk 8 miles, I’d probably fall over.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
    I'm thinking of trying one right now. I'm not going to go extreme though. I plan on doing a 12/12 and starting my eating window with fruits/veggies/protein then weening myself into fats/protein near the end (Not sure where my macros are going to sit yet). Because of the 12/12, I am effectively watching my deficient, forcing my body to burn fat stores near the end of the fast window, and I am also keeping a close eye on my appetite.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    To the OP, I fast 24 hours two times a week. I think that you are misunderstanding the 5:2. You don't eat your calories through the day, you eat them after a 24 hour fast period. I find the easiest way for me to do that is eat supper. Fast until 24 hours after supper. Then eat my 600 or so calories for that day in a normal meal. Often I run between 500-700 for that meal. That way I get the benefits of fasting, which by the way eating your 500 calories throughout the day does not give you, and I get my calorie deficit being able to eat a maintenance the other days.
  • pullipgirl
    pullipgirl Posts: 767 Member
    I eat maintenance or more 5 days a week and do 2 days of 500 calories or less after a 24 hour fast, I had no issues and I feel a lot better than when I ate 1200 calories or less a day.
  • R_is_for_Rachel
    R_is_for_Rachel Posts: 381 Member
    I eat maintenance or more 5 days a week and do 2 days of 500 calories or less after a 24 hour fast, I had no issues and I feel a lot better than when I ate 1200 calories or less a day.

    i've just started this type of fasting too, did my first fast yesterday and whilst i got a bit grumpy in the evening-overall it was fine. In fact i feel really positive about this actually working for me!
  • ciderness
    ciderness Posts: 3 Member
    Did my first day yesterday and all went okay - although when I woke up this morning I thought I could smell toast! Has anyone noticed a significant difference in weight loss since they started the intermittent fasting?
  • michaelauk
    michaelauk Posts: 1
    I'm doing a mix of the warrior diet and lean gains where I stop eating at 7pm and then can eat again at around 1/2pm the next day so I have a 18/6 day where I can eat in that window. I stick to healthy foods under 1000 cals and in 2 weeks have lost about 5lbs - I'm rarely hungry and my appetite has changed. Its very liberating. Also I find most days I can last later in the day and end up just having my main meal and nothing else.

    My hubby is doing the 5/2 and has had the same results - he sticks to under 600 cals on his 2 days.
  • Kikilicious84
    Kikilicious84 Posts: 312
    To the OP, I fast 24 hours two times a week. I think that you are misunderstanding the 5:2. You don't eat your calories through the day, you eat them after a 24 hour fast period. I find the easiest way for me to do that is eat supper. Fast until 24 hours after supper. Then eat my 600 or so calories for that day in a normal meal. Often I run between 500-700 for that meal. That way I get the benefits of fasting, which by the way eating your 500 calories throughout the day does not give you, and I get my calorie deficit being able to eat a maintenance the other days.

    This is what I do as well. It works better for me.

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