Intermittent Fasting Question...

salserajen
salserajen Posts: 13 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi there. I am looking to lose some fat, and hope to lose ungodly cellulite (preferably before summer...). So, I am trying Intermittent Fasting, and doing a 7 hour feast and 17 hour fast. I've been doing it for 3 days now and feel ok. I feel a little sluggish, and when I break the fast, I feel like I am running straight to the bathroom. Like my body is screaming "Whoahhhhhhhh, what the heck is going on?" Has anyone experienced this? I really feel like I have less energy now, is that just my hormones adjusting? Thanks so much...

Replies

  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    Hi there. I am looking to lose some fat, and hope to lose ungodly cellulite (preferably before summer...). So, I am trying Intermittent Fasting, and doing a 7 hour feast and 17 hour fast. I've been doing it for 3 days now and feel ok. I feel a little sluggish, and when I break the fast, I feel like I am running straight to the bathroom. Like my body is screaming "Whoahhhhhhhh, what the heck is going on?" Has anyone experienced this? I really feel like I have less energy now, is that just my hormones adjusting? Thanks so much...

    What are you breaking your fast with?

    Has there been any improvements during these first 3 days with regard to your energy/hunger?

    It's definitely not for everyone, and if you find that you aren't adjusting after a few days it's probably not for you. It has been shown in some studies that there are health and fat loss benefits associated with IF, but I'm sure you also realize that it's not a magic formula for weight loss in and of itself, and that calories in vs out are still king.

    For those of us that do it, it seems that most of us adjusted fairly quickly. I had more energy/mental clarity/better workouts from DAY ONE. Thats not the case with everyone, but there isn't generally a long adjustment period from what I've seen of other's experiences.

    With regard to cellulite, thats something that you either have or don't. It's a matter of genetics. Getting very lean and building muscle can help to reduce the appearance of it for most people but IF isn't going to solve that issue for you.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i love to fast... there is a great group on here and there are a lot of us here that do it.
  • salserajen
    salserajen Posts: 13 Member
    Well, I thought that since cellulite was a type of fat, IF would help burn that off too. Yesterday I broke the fast with a salad and a piece of grilled chicken. I thought, after that that perhaps something more gentle, like cooked veggies and a protein source... thoughts? I have also read that it takes some people up to 2 weeks to adjust... I do agree that it is not for everyone though, which is why I am asking...
  • StaticEntropy
    StaticEntropy Posts: 224 Member
    Although you are not necessarily doing Leangains, your fasting/feeding window resembles this IF protocol. This method encourages women to begin with a 14 hour fast followed by a 10 hour feeding window.

    Excerpt from a Q&A taken from the Leangains site:
    Intermittent fasting and women

    Q: I'm a bit confused. Some people say I should do 16 hours of fasting, while others say that you now recommend 14 hours for women?

    A: Females do 14 hrs fasting by default. The fast typically lasts 16 hrs, and is usually initiated in the evening. So in practical terms you might have your last meal some time between 8 and 10 pm in the evening and break the fast around noon on the next day.

    But for women my default approach is to actually start off with 14 hrs and see how they do on that before eventually moving them to 16 hrs. When you look at the studies on gender and fasting, you tend to see that women may have slightly more adverse reactions to fasting than men, such as some degree of irritability and increased attention to food cues. 16 hrs is hardly prolonged fasting, but I like to play it safe, so that's why I have female clients fasting for a shorter time at the beginning.
  • salserajen
    salserajen Posts: 13 Member
    Although you are not necessarily doing Leangains, your fasting/feeding window resembles this IF protocol. This method encourages women to begin with a 14 hour fast followed by a 10 hour feeding window.

    Excerpt from a Q&A taken from the Leangains site:
    Intermittent fasting and women

    Q: I'm a bit confused. Some people say I should do 16 hours of fasting, while others say that you now recommend 14 hours for women?

    A: Females do 14 hrs fasting by default. The fast typically lasts 16 hrs, and is usually initiated in the evening. So in practical terms you might have your last meal some time between 8 and 10 pm in the evening and break the fast around noon on the next day.

    But for women my default approach is to actually start off with 14 hrs and see how they do on that before eventually moving them to 16 hrs. When you look at the studies on gender and fasting, you tend to see that women may have slightly more adverse reactions to fasting than men, such as some degree of irritability and increased attention to food cues. 16 hrs is hardly prolonged fasting, but I like to play it safe, so that's why I have female clients fasting for a shorter time at the beginning.

    Very interesting, and thanks for posting. So, I should fast for 14 hours and feast for 10 in the beginning, and the longest stretch that I should have for fasting is 16 hours... I'll give that a whirl. Stopping eating at 7pm was hard for me. I still felt hungry and it was hard to get all of my calories in such a small window. My stomach was not happy with me... Thanks so much for that info!
  • leighann881
    leighann881 Posts: 371
    Although you are not necessarily doing Leangains, your fasting/feeding window resembles this IF protocol. This method encourages women to begin with a 14 hour fast followed by a 10 hour feeding window.

    Excerpt from a Q&A taken from the Leangains site:
    Intermittent fasting and women

    Q: I'm a bit confused. Some people say I should do 16 hours of fasting, while others say that you now recommend 14 hours for women?

    A: Females do 14 hrs fasting by default. The fast typically lasts 16 hrs, and is usually initiated in the evening. So in practical terms you might have your last meal some time between 8 and 10 pm in the evening and break the fast around noon on the next day.

    But for women my default approach is to actually start off with 14 hrs and see how they do on that before eventually moving them to 16 hrs. When you look at the studies on gender and fasting, you tend to see that women may have slightly more adverse reactions to fasting than men, such as some degree of irritability and increased attention to food cues. 16 hrs is hardly prolonged fasting, but I like to play it safe, so that's why I have female clients fasting for a shorter time at the beginning.

    This. Try shortening your fast. I'm on an 18 hr. but it's taken me awhile to discover that this is what my body responds to
  • leighann881
    leighann881 Posts: 371
    Although you are not necessarily doing Leangains, your fasting/feeding window resembles this IF protocol. This method encourages women to begin with a 14 hour fast followed by a 10 hour feeding window.

    Excerpt from a Q&A taken from the Leangains site:
    Intermittent fasting and women

    Q: I'm a bit confused. Some people say I should do 16 hours of fasting, while others say that you now recommend 14 hours for women?

    A: Females do 14 hrs fasting by default. The fast typically lasts 16 hrs, and is usually initiated in the evening. So in practical terms you might have your last meal some time between 8 and 10 pm in the evening and break the fast around noon on the next day.

    But for women my default approach is to actually start off with 14 hrs and see how they do on that before eventually moving them to 16 hrs. When you look at the studies on gender and fasting, you tend to see that women may have slightly more adverse reactions to fasting than men, such as some degree of irritability and increased attention to food cues. 16 hrs is hardly prolonged fasting, but I like to play it safe, so that's why I have female clients fasting for a shorter time at the beginning.

    Very interesting, and thanks for posting. So, I should fast for 14 hours and feast for 10 in the beginning, and the longest stretch that I should have for fasting is 16 hours... I'll give that a whirl. Stopping eating at 7pm was hard for me. I still felt hungry and it was hard to get all of my calories in such a small window. My stomach was not happy with me... Thanks so much for that info!

    I fast from 2 pm to 10 am. If shortening doesn't help may change your times.
  • salserajen
    salserajen Posts: 13 Member
    Already feeling better with a shorter fast... Thanks everyone!:smile:

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