IF/Juicing Fast

Ok, I am getting eager to get out of this 4 month plateau and I am willing to try something different. PLEASE ANYONE - give me any information you have on intermittent fasting / juice fasts. I am considering trying this to break the plateau for a short period of time. Let me know what you know!

1 - do i still count calories?
2 - will i just push my 1500-1800 calories to the next day after 24 hour fast
3 - what are the different fasts? I heard there is a 24 hour, a few hour one...a bunch of different ones?

Any other information would be helpful - as well as any success stories!

Replies

  • alwaysthefatguy
    alwaysthefatguy Posts: 14 Member
    Go to youtube and search fastingtwins that have a channel dedicated to IF
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    Yeah, I was not too sure if this was a fad diet or something that actually worked and was real "lifestyle" change...long term success? Perhaps not. I am just hearing a lot about this stuff and I have a co-worker who brought some juice to work today who will be juicing and it tasted really good, thought i would look into it.

    Anywho...so your saying IF is better? There is a 24 hour fast and not? AHHh I'm getting so confused with the IF.
  • LoseYouself
    LoseYouself Posts: 249 Member
    I agree with the comment on fastingtwins on youtube. It's a great channel all about intermittent fasting!

    My husband and I began this a few weeks ago and I lost 2 inches off of my waist within the first two weeks despite a plateau. My jeans fit better now even though the scale hasn't moved that much. I'd definitely recommend it! In fact, it seems fairly normal to not eat after dinner, then to have a late morning breakfast to fuel up post-workout. I've always preferred working out on an emoty stomach. I'm able to workout harder.. because eating before a workout (even an hour prior) always gives me discomfort.

    I usually stop eating after a large dinner at 6pm, then have my first meal AFTER my workout around 10am. Or if I feel like eating in the evening, I'll eat until 8pm, then fast until after my workout around 12pm! (So I fast 16 hours, eat for 8 hours). I LOVE it. I feel much more satisfied eating my calories in 3 meals rather than small meals and snacks throughout the day. It helps me stay on track better and helps me not to be thinking about food every 2 hours, craving my next snack.

    It's worth a try! I personally love it and benefit from it. It'll be different for everyone.
  • LoseYouself
    LoseYouself Posts: 249 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    Yeah, I was not too sure if this was a fad diet or something that actually worked and was real "lifestyle" change...long term success? Perhaps not. I am just hearing a lot about this stuff and I have a co-worker who brought some juice to work today who will be juicing and it tasted really good, thought i would look into it.

    Anywho...so your saying IF is better? There is a 24 hour fast and not? AHHh I'm getting so confused with the IF.

    If you're confused about IF there's a great youtube webinar done by Dr. Michael Lara here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZWOXhoFpo) He explains how it works, the health and weight loss benefits, as well as proper technique. There are different ways of doing intermittent fasting, such as a daily fast (like I do) where you fast 16 hours, eat for 8 hours. Or you can just do a 24 hour fast once per week, etc. There are different variations that a person can choose based on their lifestyle and preference. Just try some different techniques. I hate 24 hour fasts, but love the 16/8 style I do. I stop eating at 6pm or 8pm, then don't eat till after my workout at 10am-12 noon. I love it. My body composition has improved.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    Yeah, I was not too sure if this was a fad diet or something that actually worked and was real "lifestyle" change...long term success? Perhaps not. I am just hearing a lot about this stuff and I have a co-worker who brought some juice to work today who will be juicing and it tasted really good, thought i would look into it.

    Anywho...so your saying IF is better? There is a 24 hour fast and not? AHHh I'm getting so confused with the IF.

    If you're confused about IF there's a great youtube webinar done by Dr. Michael Lara here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZWOXhoFpo) He explains how it works, the health and weight loss benefits, as well as proper technique. There are different ways of doing intermittent fasting, such as a daily fast (like I do) where you fast 16 hours, eat for 8 hours. Or you can just do a 24 hour fast once per week, etc. There are different variations that a person can choose based on their lifestyle and preference. Just try some different techniques. I hate 24 hour fasts, but love the 16/8 style I do. I stop eating at 6pm or 8pm, then don't eat till after my workout at 10am-12 noon. I love it. My body composition has improved.

    PERFECT - THANK YOU! now...your still counting calories? During the 8 hours you eat...do you try to eat your entire daily caloric allowance in that amount of time??
    Ex - my allowance is 1300 calories/day....so in the 8 hour "eating" times...i would attempt to get 1300 calories in??? or no?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Check out this group - it gives you details of the main IF alternatives.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    It wasn't a fad for me, think before you speak and please do your research!!

    I just did a 30 day juice fast and it was fantastic. I have kept my weight off and continue to juice daily because it makes me feel fantastic. We are all on our own journeys and everyone gets to their ending point in different ways. It was not a fad for me and for so many other people and I felt fantastic doing it. It was the only thing that moved my weight after months and months of eating right and working my butt off. So do your research and find what works for you.

    I combine IF with juicing and it is perfect. My eating window is between 5pm and 10 pm daily and I have juice in the morning to get my day started perfectly.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    Yeah, I was not too sure if this was a fad diet or something that actually worked and was real "lifestyle" change...long term success? Perhaps not. I am just hearing a lot about this stuff and I have a co-worker who brought some juice to work today who will be juicing and it tasted really good, thought i would look into it.

    Anywho...so your saying IF is better? There is a 24 hour fast and not? AHHh I'm getting so confused with the IF.

    If you're confused about IF there's a great youtube webinar done by Dr. Michael Lara here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZWOXhoFpo) He explains how it works, the health and weight loss benefits, as well as proper technique. There are different ways of doing intermittent fasting, such as a daily fast (like I do) where you fast 16 hours, eat for 8 hours. Or you can just do a 24 hour fast once per week, etc. There are different variations that a person can choose based on their lifestyle and preference. Just try some different techniques. I hate 24 hour fasts, but love the 16/8 style I do. I stop eating at 6pm or 8pm, then don't eat till after my workout at 10am-12 noon. I love it. My body composition has improved.

    PERFECT - THANK YOU! now...your still counting calories? During the 8 hours you eat...do you try to eat your entire daily caloric allowance in that amount of time??
    Ex - my allowance is 1300 calories/day....so in the 8 hour "eating" times...i would attempt to get 1300 calories in??? or no?
    Yes you eat your daily caloric amount within your eating window.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,407 Member
    Soooo...which are you interested in? IF (which I would go to leangains.com to learn more) or juice fasts (which are dangerous fad diets that should never be attempted because they are ridiculous and make no sense)?

    Yeah, I was not too sure if this was a fad diet or something that actually worked and was real "lifestyle" change...long term success? Perhaps not. I am just hearing a lot about this stuff and I have a co-worker who brought some juice to work today who will be juicing and it tasted really good, thought i would look into it.

    Anywho...so your saying IF is better? There is a 24 hour fast and not? AHHh I'm getting so confused with the IF.

    If you're confused about IF there's a great youtube webinar done by Dr. Michael Lara here: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZWOXhoFpo) He explains how it works, the health and weight loss benefits, as well as proper technique. There are different ways of doing intermittent fasting, such as a daily fast (like I do) where you fast 16 hours, eat for 8 hours. Or you can just do a 24 hour fast once per week, etc. There are different variations that a person can choose based on their lifestyle and preference. Just try some different techniques. I hate 24 hour fasts, but love the 16/8 style I do. I stop eating at 6pm or 8pm, then don't eat till after my workout at 10am-12 noon. I love it. My body composition has improved.

    PERFECT - THANK YOU! now...your still counting calories? During the 8 hours you eat...do you try to eat your entire daily caloric allowance in that amount of time??
    Ex - my allowance is 1300 calories/day....so in the 8 hour "eating" times...i would attempt to get 1300 calories in??? or no?
    Yes you eat your daily caloric amount within your eating window.

    Now is this IF meant for long term? I really just want to break my plateau and if that works, ill keep doing it until i plateau again. Is the 16/8 the best way to break a plateau? I was thinking the 24 hour one would make more impact...any opinions?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member

    Now is this IF meant for long term? I really just want to break my plateau and if that works, ill keep doing it until i plateau again. Is the 16/8 the best way to break a plateau? I was thinking the 24 hour one would make more impact...any opinions?

    There is no 'magic weight loss' to IF. It is a way of eating your calories, but spaced out over the day/week that suits your personal preference.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    IF can be long term. It is for me. I eat only one meal a day and in the evening when I am most hungry. I never wake up hungry. You have to try things you can see yourself using as tools throughout your life because the process of taking care of our bodies is never ending.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member

    Now is this IF meant for long term? I really just want to break my plateau and if that works, ill keep doing it until i plateau again. Is the 16/8 the best way to break a plateau? I was thinking the 24 hour one would make more impact...any opinions?

    There is no 'magic weight loss' to IF. It is a way of eating your calories, but spaced out over the day/week that suits your personal preference.
    This point is overlooked by many. IF won't work unless it is tailored around the individual.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    IF can be long term. It is for me. I eat only one meal a day and in the evening when I am most hungry. I never wake up hungry. You have to try things you can see yourself using as tools throughout your life because the process of taking care of our bodies is never ending.
    I have heard of a few people only eating 1 meal. I can see that being for lower calorie meals <1000 not being too much of an issue. Then again that's just me.

    I am curious, how many calories are you consuming?
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
    It can be effective for some. You still need to keep track of your calories. Check out the IF group.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    IF can be long term. It is for me. I eat only one meal a day and in the evening when I am most hungry. I never wake up hungry. You have to try things you can see yourself using as tools throughout your life because the process of taking care of our bodies is never ending.
    I have heard of a few people only eating 1 meal. I can see that being for lower calorie meals <1000 not being too much of an issue. Then again that's just me.

    I am curious, how many calories are you consuming?

    I don't count my calories anymore but believe me, I get in way over 1200 for the one meal. I am a quantity eater with a big appetite. This is how I control how much I eat. There is no use eating all day just to be ravenous in the evening and not feel satisfied. I like feeling empty during the day as I am not hungry and then in the evening when hunger pangs come, I can eat till I am satisfied. I eat a very healthy and well balanced meal. The juice in the morning I am sure has a decent amount of calories in it too. My main source of nourishment are fruits and veggies. The rest is secondary.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I have nothing against IF but if you are at a stall you need to make a change that will effect energy balance.

    This doesn't mean you shouldn't do IF as it could help adherence but just changing meal timing likely isn't going to do anything for your plateau.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Try anything you like but why would eating the same number of calories per day just only eating them in one small window make a difference to weight loss? If you're eating 1300 calories over 24 hrs or you're eating 1300 calories once a day in an hour it's still 1300 calories a day.
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    Try anything you like but why would eating the same number of calories per day just only eating them in one small window make a difference to weight loss? If you're eating 1300 calories over 24 hrs or you're eating 1300 calories once a day in an hour it's still 1300 calories a day.

    I do it because I like to feel full when I eat. By saving my calories and eating them all at once, I can achieve that. I know myself really well and little meals throughout the day just leave me wanting more. I would rather not eat when I am not hungry and eat till I am full when I am. We all have different things that work for us. This I found through a lot of experimentation and it really works for me.
  • ArtGeek22
    ArtGeek22 Posts: 1,429 Member
    Ok, I am getting eager to get out of this 4 month plateau and I am willing to try something different. PLEASE ANYONE - give me any information you have on intermittent fasting / juice fasts. I am considering trying this to break the plateau for a short period of time. Let me know what you know!

    1 - do i still count calories?
    2 - will i just push my 1500-1800 calories to the next day after 24 hour fast
    3 - what are the different fasts? I heard there is a 24 hour, a few hour one...a bunch of different ones?

    Any other information would be helpful - as well as any success stories!


    1. What I did for my juice fast was that I created a food and named it "Juice - Fasting" and make each glass of juice roughly 200 calories. That is my rough guest but in reality, juice is free because it is packed with all the amazing stuff that is SOOO good for you. So I didn't worry about it too much.

    2. I actually weaned off my fast so I wouldn't shock my body. After my fast I went vegetarian for a week then started putting meat back into my diet.

    3. The fast I did was a classic juice fast. I went for about 10 days or so on nothing but beautiful veggie and fruit juice.


    If want more info, shoot me a message or friend request! I have some great juice recipes :happy:


    Hope I helped :flowerforyou:
  • I did the juice fast a few yrs ago before it had so much attention. My dad bought me books with recipes and all the health benefits etc. I did it for 16days, lost 15lbs, never gained any of the weight back. My skin looked clearer and tighter than ever. I've been meaning to do it again but its very strict and I'm horrible for motivation. My dad does it but for health not weight and he doesn't do all meals juice, he does breakfast juice and then healthy meals rest of the day. I also got my overweight brother to try it for a week and he lost 14lbs, he stopped but it was the kick he needed to motivate him to start watching hif food n getting somewhat active, he lost a lot more weight after on his own. A lot of people don't believe in it but I loved it when I did it, had so much more energy and felt better.
  • DragonflyF15
    DragonflyF15 Posts: 437 Member
    I IF about once or twice a week. IF does not mean you are starving yourself or not getting enough calories, you just go 12-18hrs (some more) between meals and during your window (4-8hrs) you eat your daily calories and yes, you would still log it like any other day. I do not recommend multiple day fastings if fastings to you mean you are eating nothing and not getting nutrients in. There are various ways of doing this, most people find the easiest is just doing it daily for 12hrs between meals and count sleeping as part of the fasting hours. I'm a believer that our bodies were not initially designed for mini meals through the day and in doing so we have trained our bodies to become addicted to the feedings...with the exception those who are training hard (bodybuilding, tri-athletes, and etc) On the other days, I just allow 12 hours from my last feeding till breakfast and 4-5hrs between meals. If I am going to have a high exertion day, I will add in a small 150calorie snack or protein shake after working out. Since doing so, I find that I have alot more energy, especially through the afternoon. Everyone is different.

    If you go the juicing route, it's great for getting lots of fruits, esp veggies in, but add some protein powder to help balance things out. Juice you buy at the grocery store isn't the same, it's highly concentrated and usually loaded with sugar, even if it is natural sugars which can upset the hormone levels in your body.

    Take the time to do the research and I know it's overwhelming cause everyone has an opinion of what works. For me it was combo of the above to jump start things. I replace one meal a day with a veggie/fruit/protein juice meal (no way I could eat that many salads through the day! Easier to drink it!) and the other key I found was adding more calories and protein sources to my diet.

    Everyone is unique, tweak with things until you find what works for you, but try to stay within moderation and not do anything harmful. Some will say a calorie is a calorie, but I think what you eat really does count not just for weight loss, but for a healthier you. Remember, food=energy. Find your balance :)
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I have done a good bit of IF. I find that keeping calories even on a juice fast is good because it's easy to turn a juice fast into a juice feast. Have a plan. You should come off a fast properly. Make sure you have good healthy fod on hand for breaking your fast even if your fast was only for 48 hrs. I often find that fasting is the only way I can regain control of my eating. It's like hitting the reset button for me
    This is the diary of a woman who did a 21 day fast. She gives good info.

    http://personalexcellence.co/blog/fasting/
  • efirkey
    efirkey Posts: 298 Member
    But it seems all the experts say that eating breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

    Does anyone do IF and choose their window to be in the morning? It seems everyone waits until the evening and then gorges.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    1. What I did for my juice fast was that I created a food and named it "Juice - Fasting" and make each glass of juice roughly 200 calories. That is my rough guest but in reality, juice is free because it is packed with all the amazing stuff that is SOOO good for you. So I didn't worry about it too much.

    If you mean juice is calorie free you're way off base. Juice has all the calories of whatever you put in it without the benefit of eating the fiber. Juicing fruits is a sugar dense drink and you can pack a lot of calories into one glass.
  • If you are thinking about juicing you def want to watch "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead." I personally don't think it is a fad diet. There are tons of benefits when juicing! I had really great success when I did it a few years ago (although it does get expensive). If you do decide to juice, make sure to be very careful when you stop so that you don't gain all the weight back. It can happen really easily since you go from just fruits and veggies to bringing carbs and meat into the picture.

    I just starting IF. Fasting for 16 with an 8 hr eating window. You can still count calories - it's up to you. Right now, I'm not. But I am watching what and how much I eat. There different IF ways you can do. Some people fast for 2 whole days a week (ex: Wed and Sat). It really boils down to what works best for you and your schedule.

    Good luck!
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    But it seems all the experts say that eating breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

    Depends on which "experts". There's some epidemiological research that suggests that people who eat breakfast tend to not overconsume calories as readily as people who skip breakfast. Statements about breakfast eating helping to reduce obesity stem from this idea. But when you look at studies that control calorie intake, meal partitioning/timing is of little to no importance.

    Tread carefully when interpreting this though. It is still caloric balance that determines change in weight, always has been and always will be. If skipping breakfast does NOT cause you to over-eat in total calories, there's really nothing inherently wrong with it.

    I think Lyle (expert being an understatement for him) says it best here, and while he's talking about Meal Frequency specifically, I would use identical statements for breakfast:


    If eating more frequently makes it easier to control/reduce calories, it will help you to lose weight/fat.
    If eating more frequently makes it harder to control/reduce calories, or makes you eat more, you will gain weight.
    If eating less frequently makes it harder for you to control/reduce calories (because you get hungry and binge), it will hurt your efforts to lose weight/fat.
    If eating less frequently makes it easier for you to control/reduce calories (for any number of reasons), then that will help your efforts to lose weight/fat
  • ArtGeek22
    ArtGeek22 Posts: 1,429 Member
    1. What I did for my juice fast was that I created a food and named it "Juice - Fasting" and make each glass of juice roughly 200 calories. That is my rough guest but in reality, juice is free because it is packed with all the amazing stuff that is SOOO good for you. So I didn't worry about it too much.

    If you mean juice is calorie free you're way off base. Juice has all the calories of whatever you put in it without the benefit of eating the fiber. Juicing fruits is a sugar dense drink and you can pack a lot of calories into one glass.

    That is not what I mean at all! I mean if you are juicing the right stuff (mine consist of lots of kale, some parsley, cilantro, beets, celery, radishes, couple apples, a kiwi, carrots, red chard, etc) the juice is high in nutrients that your body craves. Then you shouldn't worry about it. But I do agree with you. You don't want to pack to much fruit into one glass because then you can hit high calories. So it is a lot better to juice VEGGIES and fruit not FRUITs and veggies :tongue:.
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    But it seems all the experts say that eating breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

    Does anyone do IF and choose their window to be in the morning? It seems everyone waits until the evening and then gorges.

    I'd say those "experts" are using "common logic" and not science. Real studies on real people do not support that hypothesis.

    I'm a night eater, but I wouldn't say I gorge. I'm frankly just not hungry until after 2-3 pm, so I'll have a little something, then go home and have dinner around 6 then dinner around 9-10. So the vast majority of my calories come in that 7 hour window. And that works for me. I usually dint ready a single meal, our iud I do.it is a meal spaced over several hours.


    If you are super hungry in the morning, then logically having your window first thing may work well for you.
  • MegWilbe
    MegWilbe Posts: 56 Member
    you can check out jointhereboot.com for step by step info, did one last yr lost 50lbs