fasting??
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The Leangains approach to intermittent fasting helped me break through a rather lengthy, unyielding plateau, and has helped me rather significantly improve my body composition.
I, too, was a six meals-a-day practitioner for years. And it worked well for a time. But eventually, progress stalled. Last June, after considerable research, I decided to give intermittent fasting a test to see if it would get things moving again. Since following the protocol, I have seen the following changes:
Body fat (as measured by BIA and Jackson Pollock four site skin fold): Dropped from 14.9% to 10.8%
Lean body mass: Increased from 162.2 pounds to 167.4 pounds
Waist: Fell from 35.5 to 33.
While these may not seem earth shattering, they are significant for a 59 year-old who has been weight training consistently for the last 10 years. The muscle gain has been particularly surprising.
What's more, I find IF to be much easier to manage. Planning and tracking six feeds a day is cumbersome. Restricting my eating to a daily eight hour window is much easier for me.
I don't have uncontrollable cravings that lead me to overeat. In fact, I find IF really helps me manage my caloric intake. Indeed, it's not unusual to find myself having to eat some higher calorie foods to hit my goals. And I really enjoy the fact that if I want to eat big in the evening, I usually have plenty of caloric overhead to do so without blowing out my daily calorie ceiling. I have also discovered that eating breakfast now actually intensifies my hunger during the day rather than diminishing it.
I should also note that I'm not perfectly dogmatic about following the protocols. Occasionally, I eat breakfast if I wake up hungry. And I at times eat too many carbs and too little protein, but in no case do I obsess about it. I can see the steady progress and so long as I'm progressing, I won't worry about perfect adherence.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the results of IF. I find it a very easy, sustainable, and effective approach to weight management.0 -
I've considered doing the 5:2 fasting thing for this reason. Calorie counting takes up a lot of room in my brain. I don't like having a certain limit to meet every single day either, I'd rather just have to worry about two days of the week.I am in my second week of 5:2 fasting
i fast for 24hrs twice in a week period, I find it much easier to deal with than constant calorie counting.
I dont enjoy obsessing about food, i dont enjoy making a meal and inputting every aspect of it into a little machine to tell me how many calories it is, I dont think that is a sustainable solution for someone like me with a busy schedule and a love of cooking. Along with the health benefits of fasting, it has given me a new appreciation for food, i still improve my diet on my none fast days but it means i am not constantly worrying about food, which i was when calorie counting.0 -
Being 357 lbs, you will be able to "get away with" a larger calorie deficit for the time being, because you have larger fat stores. Long-term though, it's not a great idea, and not likely very sustainable.
Once my dissertation is handed in ill have more time to exercise and when I start that I figure i'll get hungry and eat a bit more since my body will require more. The issue is that i'm changing what I eat and cutting out the things that cause me problems (bread, chips, rice, pasta) im not sure where i'll get these extra calories to make up to this magic number of 1200.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?0
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The Leangains approach to intermittent fasting helped me break through a rather lengthy, unyielding plateau, and has helped me rather significantly improve my body composition.
I, too, was a six meals-a-day practitioner for years. And it worked well for a time. But eventually, progress stalled. Last June, after considerable research, I decided to give intermittent fasting a test to see if it would get things moving again. Since following the protocol, I have seen the following changes:
Body fat (as measured by BIA and Jackson Pollock four site skin fold): Dropped from 14.9% to 10.8%
Lean body mass: Increased from 162.2 pounds to 167.4 pounds
Waist: Fell from 35.5 to 33.
While these may not seem earth shattering, they are significant for a 59 year-old who has been weight training consistently for the last 10 years. The muscle gain has been particularly surprising.
What's more, I find IF to be much easier to manage. Planning and tracking six feeds a day is cumbersome. Restricting my eating to a daily eight hour window is much easier for me.
I don't have uncontrollable cravings that lead me to overeat. In fact, I find IF really helps me manage my caloric intake. Indeed, it's not unusual to find myself having to eat some higher calorie foods to hit my goals. And I really enjoy the fact that if I want to eat big in the evening, I usually have plenty of caloric overhead to do so without blowing out my daily calorie ceiling. I have also discovered that eating breakfast now actually intensifies my hunger during the day rather than diminishing it.
I should also note that I'm not perfectly dogmatic about following the protocols. Occasionally, I eat breakfast if I wake up hungry. And I at times eat too many carbs and too little protein, but in no case do I obsess about it. I can see the steady progress and so long as I'm progressing, I won't worry about perfect adherence.
All in all, I'm very pleased with the results of IF. I find it a very easy, sustainable, and effective approach to weight management.
This post reflects my experience since I started the Leangains protocol last April. I've never felt stronger nor recovered faster. Even nagging injuries (left shoulder, lower back) have been completely eliminated. Yet I still eat the same amount of calories I consumed before IF, just within an 8 hour window.0 -
There is no shortage of people who say it's bad and just as many who say it's good. There are also probably as many ways to do it as there are people who have opinions on it, so finding one answer is not going to happen!
I suggest you check out some of the more popular fasting protocols; Leangains, 5:2, Warrior Diet, etc. and come to your own conclusions. Read read read, look at peer reviewed medical studies, check out some info on youtube and just soak up as much info as you can.
At the end of the day it's going to be an individual choice and something you'll have to decide to try or to skip. Good luck!
*And on a personal note, I did the 6 small meals a day thing for YEARS and am now doing Intermittent Fasting and prefer it to the former. Will I do it for the rest of my life? I don't know... I'll take it a day at a time. What I do know is that my sleep, mood, hunger, meal satisfaction, social life, energy and skin have all improved doing Leangains. I used to think fasting was silly but the more I read on it the more interested I became. I have had zero issues adjusting from day one, and this feels very natural for me. I don't believe that would be the case for everyone but I do believe an open mind and some experimentation might be good for some people.
Pretty much this.
It works for some people . Some find it hard to adhere to. DO what works for you and allows you to stay within your calorie limits at the end of the day.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Would be cool if you read the thread you're replying on and the reasons that myself and others have already given which answer this question sufficiently.0 -
There is no shortage of people who say it's bad and just as many who say it's good. There are also probably as many ways to do it as there are people who have opinions on it, so finding one answer is not going to happen!
I suggest you check out some of the more popular fasting protocols; Leangains, 5:2, Warrior Diet, etc. and come to your own conclusions. Read read read, look at peer reviewed medical studies, check out some info on youtube and just soak up as much info as you can.
At the end of the day it's going to be an individual choice and something you'll have to decide to try or to skip. Good luck!
*And on a personal note, I did the 6 small meals a day thing for YEARS and am now doing Intermittent Fasting and prefer it to the former. Will I do it for the rest of my life? I don't know... I'll take it a day at a time. What I do know is that my sleep, mood, hunger, meal satisfaction, social life, energy and skin have all improved doing Leangains. I used to think fasting was silly but the more I read on it the more interested I became. I have had zero issues adjusting from day one, and this feels very natural for me. I don't believe that would be the case for everyone but I do believe an open mind and some experimentation might be good for some people.
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In my opinion, there's only a few occasions that I can think of when fasting is worth it:
- religious occasions
- preparing for a blood test at the doctor's office
- preparing to go in for a planned surgery0 -
For me personally, reading about intermittent fasting, and then stopping worrying that I "should" eat breakfast and that I "should" eat small meals all day, before I might get hungry and binge -- all that has been very helpful. Now I eat when I want to, which is pretty much from noon until 8-9 pm. And I am losing weight, happier.0
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Fasting is stupid and you'll just ruin your metabolism. You will lose weight even faster if you have a healthy calorie goal and excercise a lot
Seriously? Good lord read up on it before you spout lies and misconceptions about fasting. First of all there is no way it ruins your metabolism and it's not about losing faster it's about losing fat. Good grief why say such silly things. At least KNOW what your talking about before posting it.
Read Eat Stop Eat if you want to know about fasting. At least learn something about it before you post such crap as above.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Would be cool if you read the thread you're replying on and the reasons that myself and others have already given which answer this question sufficiently.
even after reading all the replies, it is still a valid question.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Because being able to be at a healthy body weight, AND regulary eat 1500+ calories in single meals makes this whole life style much easier and more sustainable for me. Also, I never feel starved ?0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
I understand it is not for everyone, however, it is in no way "starving yourself." The concept of intermittent fasting is more of a guideline of when to eat more than anything. For example, I follow the leangains approach. Fast for 16 hours, eat for 8 hours. If you look at that carefully, that looks something like this: Eat between 10am-6pm, don't eat between 6pm-10am. Those are pretty standard eating times, but still allows your body 16 hours in a fasted state during the evening/night. You also eat the SAME amount of calories as you would in 6 small meals throughout the day, just in a condensed time frame. So I'm just wondering, how is that "starving"? Yes, there are other fasting approaches that are more extreme and questionable but the topic at hand seems to be mainly intermittent fasting, which is not starvation, and is scientifically proven effective for improving insulin sensitivity, longevity, and overall health, as well as fat loss while maintaining lean mass.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about sporadic binging and fasting episodes.. or just simply not eating for long periods of time with ongoing long-term calorie restriction. That isn't healthy, but intermittent fasting when approached properly with some background knowledge is a great thing. It has helped me to break a year and a half long plateau! I'm losing fat and maintaining my lean mass, making strength gains while still eating 1800-2000 calories per day. I just eat those within an 8 hour window daily. I hardly think about it anymore. I love it.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Not trying to be rude but I suggest you do a little research then you will realise that it's not just about weight loss/weight control let alone "starving yourself". Here's some protocols you might find interesting: Eat-stop-eat, Leangains, 5:2.
I've been following the 5:2 routine since August and continue to do so even though I've been at goal weight and maintaining since January.
It's very noticable that the people who are negative about intermittent fasting are the ones that haven't tried it!!
It's certainly not something that suits everyone but it seems to work for me.0 -
I was taught to fast at church. I've gone on fast for one meal to 40 days (all liquid). Not everyone can do it and some people do it for the wrong reasons like starving themselves, which in the end will only hurt you. I like the effects of it cleaning out my system, and it's so very important that you stay hydrated but like I said earlier I fast but mine are based on spiritual aspects.
I'm sure someone will say something negative but in the end you have to do what works for you
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I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Because being able to be at a healthy body weight, AND regulary eat 1500+ calories in single meals makes this whole life style much easier and more sustainable for me. Also, I never feel starved ?
:noway: So you fast so you can enjoy a 1500 calorie meal? Lmao. I don't understand fasting when is not a religious reason, even after the explanations. Despite you saying you're not starving, if you don't eat the whole day that's called starving. What do you do when someone is eating a favorite craving of yours? I get it, you've got willpower.
I like calorie counting. It encourages mindful eating and i've learned more about food. I've been preparing my own meals more than ever upon realizing how much fat and calories are snuck into your food. Cheese cake factory is a grand example. A bunch of masochists we have here...0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Would be cool if you read the thread you're replying on and the reasons that myself and others have already given which answer this question sufficiently.
even after reading all the replies, it is still a valid question.
I disagree, it is a closed question. Plenty of people have given their experiences of fasting and why it works better for them, if you disagree with an aspect of that, then highlight it and lead on to discussion. When people have been open and had an open conversation, a closed question is pointless, it does not highlight any topic that the poser wishes to be discussed.0 -
I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Because being able to be at a healthy body weight, AND regulary eat 1500+ calories in single meals makes this whole life style much easier and more sustainable for me. Also, I never feel starved ?
:noway: So you fast so you can enjoy a 1500 calorie meal? Lmao. I don't understand fasting when is not a religious reason, even after the explanations. Despite you saying you're not starving, if you don't eat the whole day that's called starving. What do you do when someone is eating a favorite craving of yours? I get it, you've got willpower.
I like calorie counting. It encourages mindful eating and i've learned more about food. I've been preparing my own meals more than ever upon realizing how much fat and calories are snuck into your food. Cheese cake factory is a grand example. A bunch of masochists we have here...
Thats great, its great that you have found something that works for you, humans are different people, they have different things that work for them, I would never say that the thing that works for you is 'wrong' because it isn't, it works for you.
It doesnt work for me though, i often put 7 different vegetables into a meal along with a homemade reduced sauce, beans, pulses, seeds and nuts. To input it all into a caculator is a ball ache, for me. I enjoy fasting, i enjoy being able to refrain from eating food when there is a huge part of my emotional self that only wants to eat food. Its healthy for me and its incredibly therapeutic. I dont fast to punish myself, quite the opposite, i eat to punish myself, to keep myself in a permanent state of un-comfort. I have done it since i was a child.
Fasting is, for me a very clear way to take absolute responsibility for the person that i am and the food that i eat and the control it has over me. I am not scared of being hungry anymore, because of fasting. I am losing weight but i was anyway, it is the emotional benefits that help me.0 -
That's not the definition of starving.I fail to understand the point of fasting when you can lose all the weight you want by eating properly at a caloric deficit and exercising frequently. Why starve yourself unnecessarily?
Because being able to be at a healthy body weight, AND regulary eat 1500+ calories in single meals makes this whole life style much easier and more sustainable for me. Also, I never feel starved ?
:noway: So you fast so you can enjoy a 1500 calorie meal? Lmao. I don't understand fasting when is not a religious reason, even after the explanations. Despite you saying you're not starving, if you don't eat the whole day that's called starving. What do you do when someone is eating a favorite craving of yours? I get it, you've got willpower.
I like calorie counting. It encourages mindful eating and i've learned more about food. I've been preparing my own meals more than ever upon realizing how much fat and calories are snuck into your food. Cheese cake factory is a grand example. A bunch of masochists we have here...
Hey, if it doesn't work for you, then fine, but it does work for some people. A lot of people (myself included) find that they can go for a certain period of time withut eating, and it doesn't feel like torture. There is no masochism involved. Hunger comes, and then goes. It doesn't actually take that much willpower to postpone eating by a few hours. Strangely enough, I tend to think more about food and have more cravings on a day when I get up and eat a "normal" breakfast. I like calorie counting too, and eating mindfully, and cooking my own food. I also like intermittent fasting. You don't like it, then don't do it. :drinker:0
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