Intermittent Fasting (IF)?? Your Experience?

FP4HSharon
FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Am looking into Intermittent Fasting (IF) for general health (NOT just to lose weight), after watching BBC Horizons "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer." Would be very interested in the experiences of those who've tried it. How did you feel before you did it, while you were doing it, and after you were doing it? Any changes in your blood work numbers? Weight? Muscles? What kind of Intermittent Fasting did/do you do? Fast 4 days in a row every 1-2 months, then do a Calorie Restricted diet the rest of the days? Fast every other day, and eat what you want on the others? Fast 2 days (not in a row) every week? Do you eat junky food on your days off, or stay w/healthy foods (hopefully the latter)? On your "fast" days, do you eat a small amount or nothing?

It seems there's a lot more scientific evidence (results of numerous studies for several decades) for intermittent fasting vs the multiple small meals a day theory. In fact, the multiple research results are really astounding, from many different respected institutions.

PLEASE...do NOT post a lecture on why it's wrong, unless you can relate a bad personal experience OR can give me a link to an actual scientific study that indicated it was bad. I'm interested in experiences, NOT just opinions. Hope you understand.

Here's the link for the documentary if anyone hasn't seen it & is interested...

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvdbtt_eat-fast-live-longer-hd_shortfilms
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Replies

  • RATSMITH69
    RATSMITH69 Posts: 127 Member
    I just started last week. I'm not exactly following the "rules" but here is my sched - Mon, Wed, Fri = less than 500 cal. Tues, Thurs, Sat = 1200 cal. And Sundays are my free days. I am watching carbs some but only to the extent that I am trying really hard to stick with "whole" carbs. Basically, if it is white, I don't eat it!! Lots of water and exercise.

    I haven't been grouchy or starving. I eat A LOT on my down days, I'm just very careful that it is all low calorie high fiber and throw in small amounts of protein.

    I am chronically hypoglycemic but my sugar stayed between 65 and 110 all of last week. (I test four or five times a day)

    I lost 4 lbs last week....
  • horses7777
    horses7777 Posts: 165
    bump for later. Very interested in hearing more about people's experiences....
  • flex500
    flex500 Posts: 63
    I'll be honest I'm not familar with doing IF that way. The way I am familar with is you eat your calories everyday but after a 18 hour or so fast. For instance...

    9pm to 4pm or 5pm the next day (so for example at 9pm on monday you stop eating and don't eat until 4 or 5pm the next day)

    So then you have a 3-5 hour eating period. It allows for larger, more filling meals and people seem to find they feel pretty good during the fasted times. The idea is not to eat junk during the eating hours but eat a well rounded diet.


    As far as health and fitness boards that is the only way I have seen it done. They way you are speaking of of having days of fasted sounds horrendously painful. I highly doubt you will see any major health differences doing it that way verse just eating calories each day with a normal, well balanced approach with plenty of good vegetables and fruits etc. etc.

    from a physiological perspective I just don't see the evidence this is better than eating a "normal" diet. By normal i don't mean the normal american I mean "normal" for people into health and fitness.
  • RATSMITH69
    RATSMITH69 Posts: 127 Member
    it's called the JUDDD
  • Elizadolots
    Elizadolots Posts: 178
    I've done 2 weeks now. The second week was easier than the first, which in itself was not horrendous at all.

    I notice my cravings have gone down on my non fast days. You bet I still ate crappy food this weekend though. :blushing:
  • moluvmoe
    moluvmoe Posts: 5
    I've done it........ate from 9a-3p....every two hours........1200-1500 cals per day......lost 1lb a day......plenty of water.....keep the sodium down.....it's a beast.....IT WORKS!!
  • cc7315
    cc7315 Posts: 72 Member
    Hi-

    I just started the Leangains IF last week. I fast everyday for 16 hours, with an 8 hour eating window (10am- 6pm) I eat my TDEE less 20% on rest days and TDEE = 20% on my lifting days. I eat heaving on healty carbs on lifting days and heavy on healthy fats on rest days. I also try to eat my lean body weight in protein every day. And dont forget to get your sleep!!

    I think my body is getting adjusted this week, so I'm not looking for a lot of change this week. I have noticed that I am no longer hunger in the mornings or evenings like I used to be! And my nibbling had stopped.

    Good luck.
  • Bells89
    Bells89 Posts: 19
    I've been doing IF in accordance with Dr. Mosely's study and I love it. I, like you, am doing it mainly for the health benefits as I'm intending to keep doing this after I reach my GW as well but the weight loss is a nice effect.

    Me and my boyfriend eat 500 kcal (he eats 600) Mondays and Thursdays. In the beginning I was spreading my calories out throughout the day but now I save them all for night time. Trust me, the longer you do it the easier it gets. I usually drink coffee with almond milk in the morning (10 kcal) and then eat at night. I try to get as much protein in as possible on these days to make me feel full.

    When it comes to working out I make it simple. The days I feel like it I do it, and the days I feel to tired I don't. However, on days that I do exercise I actually feel as though I have lots of energy. I usually do 1 hour cardio (zumba or step class), or lift weights.

    When I started on January 22nd this year I was 196 lb. As of last Friday I am down to 179. So, I have lost 17 pounds in about 2 months. However, I do restrict my calories to about 1500 the other days except on Sundays when I let myself whatever I want. So those days I usually end up somewhere around 2500. This is probably not recommendable but I find it keeps me on track the other days. I have also started working out more than I did before so my weight loss may be in part thanks to that as well.
    However, my bf who eats fast food, chips and whatever else on the other days and does not work out has lost 12 pounds since we started. And let me tell you, he eats a LOT of junk. So, my conclusion is that it definetely works!! If you want relatively fast results (like mine), I would recommend working out and still keeping somewhat track the other days if you want results, but if you would be satisfied with about 5lbs/month I'd say you can eat whatever you want on "feast" days.

    So, I know this was long but it works. Maybe I would've gotten the results I have anyways due to restricting calories and working out, but only doing that or any other "diet" has never worked as well for me. Good luck and feel free to ask any questions!
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    I did come across a cautionary note for women. Apparently most of the benefits related to IF are in men, & while few women have been researched, those that have seem to have negative effects. Most of the articles I found referred back to an original post by a woman who had really done her research ON the research. So women might want to check this article out...it's made me reconsider doing it now. But I'm still interested in everyone's experinces, especially the women...

    http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

    ADDED NOTE: It does say it seems to have positive effects in obese women (30% or greater BMI/body fat percentage).
  • bfitnbfab
    bfitnbfab Posts: 79
    bump - I want to look into this a little more
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    For those who "bumped" it...here's the link to the original documentary that started the movement. Like I said, it looks AMAZING for men, but looks like (from the article at the other link in the comment above) it has negative effects in non-obese women.

    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvdbtt_eat-fast-live-longer-hd_shortfilms

    The video doesn't go into a lot of detail about how to implement, heard the book was the same. But here's a link to a guy, that writes for AskMen.com which is usually pretty reliable, that discusses different ways to do it.

    http://www.romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/intermittent-fasting-201/
  • gr8grl68
    gr8grl68 Posts: 417 Member
    I am in my 2nd week of IF and feel good. I find cravings are less and on fast days I can fill up on water, coffee and vitamin waters (and have my sugarless gum handy for chewing). I save my meal for dinner so I don't go to bed hungry. I am not familiar with Paleo (although I know the term, I don't know what the program consists of) and am strictly doing the program as mentioned in Michael Mosley's book (500 calories 2x a week on non-consecutive days). I lost 3.6 lbs my first week.

    So far I love the flexibility of the program and haven't had any wakefulness, headaches, etc. I feel with this flexibility the program is much more sustainable for me to stay on than simply staying within my calories each day (you don't have to watch them 5 days a week, but I always try to make healthy choices, it's not a junk-food-for-all-frenzy!) Next thing I'd like to get back to is going to the gym for some exercise . . .

    So far there's nothing negative for me. . . but I am only into week 2.
  • justicekenny
    justicekenny Posts: 80
    Been on it for 2 months now .. I've adopted a six hour feeding window .. works great, scheduling wise .. energy levels are steady eddy all day .. never feel cravings, etc .. first week sucks, but once you get passed it, and the body adjusts .. good to go
  • jalloggio
    jalloggio Posts: 141
    I've wondered myself about this method, i know many bodybuilders who do it and have great success, i have been on the "5 small meals a day" now for like almost 4 years and honestly if i go more than 4 hours without eating i feel like chit.
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
    There is an IF group on MFP and also groups for the various flavors of IF.

    I started this last week. I chose not to do the LeanGains style daily fast (18/6, 19/5, etc).

    I decided to go with the 5:2 approach for this month to see how it goes. To me, it's just another way to enable someone to reduce or maintain calories, with the potential benefits for cell repair/longevity that come with fasting.

    I fast on Mondays and Thursdays. I drink black coffee, tea, or water through the day and then eat a 500 cal dinner (or close to it). Then on the rest of the days I eat normally (which for me is mostly Paleo) and closer to my TDEE. I'm not used to eating that much, so it's been an adjustment to get used to adding 200-300 more calories a day.

    I'm only on week 2 and have completed 3 fast days. No weight change yet. I should have taken body measurements when I started but didn't. I only have 3 pounds to get to goal, and maybe 8 pounds to get to my "I doubt I'll ever get there" weight. So I don't expect to see big losses right away. My loss has been one slow pound at a time the whole way through.

    I am careful about the warnings of IF. It does seem that it's great for men, and maybe not so great for some women. It's not advised for women who are trying to get pregnant, pregnant, diabetic, or who are on medication without consulting with a doctor. It's also not advised for anyone who has a history or tendency of eating disorder. I can see how there would be a temptation to binge on the non-fast days, or fast more than you should. It's also dangerous for people to fast AND significantly reduce calories below TDEE on non-fast days.

    All that said, I've enjoyed it so far. It hasn't been hard at all, and in a lot of ways it's easier to fast 2 days and then have more freedom with calories the other days than to calorie restrict every day. I'm curious to see the results by the end of the month. Intuitively, it makes sense to me to fast every once in a while. As humans, we're built to handle that stress and the data seems to show that the stress is beneficial to our cells.
  • Mummyadams
    Mummyadams Posts: 1,125 Member
    bumpin
  • feisma
    feisma Posts: 213 Member
    bump
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    Fasting is extremely good for you. I used to fast every Wed and Fri as that was the practice of the early Christians. I want to get back to that, or something similar, again... It was really great, though. For spiritual health as well. Offer it as a prayer for your loved ones. It is a very powerful form of prayer. Offer it to God, united with the sufferings of Christ on the Cross!
  • RATSMITH69
    RATSMITH69 Posts: 127 Member
    Howdy! Came by to check in.
    So my first week was rough but I lost 3 lbs. I cheated A LOT with Easter and all.
    Last week I lost 2 lbs. Again, not sticking to it as I should but even with that a steady loss.
    Blood sugars are well under control. Maintaining 70 - 110 which is amazing for me.

    Hope everyone else is doing well.
  • DatMurse
    DatMurse Posts: 1,501 Member
    The main point of IF was to create an eating window so people would not eat outside of it.

    The end goal is overall caloric reduction.
    It was to help prove a point that meal frequency does not matter.

    You can follow the program but something else such as If it fits your macros is the ultimate rule.

    Either route is good and some people want those boundaries.

    I will say if you have an underlying condition such as diabetes you cannot do this
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    Bumping for more info...
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    I got hungry just reading about people going days without eating... Thanks a lot! Now I must have a snack. :wink:
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
    It's been very effective for me. I don't really do IF hardcore, I basically just eat breakfast around noon, lunch around three, dinner around six and then a snack (usually protein shake/smoothie) around nine or ten. Eat all my calories in a 10 hour stretch, then fast for 14. I do that every day, I don't do the 500 calorie fast days at all.

    When I lost 25 lbs in high school, this is what I did (although I had no idea there was a name for it then) and it's been working well for me so far now ten years later.

    I think the reason this works for me is that I like eating larger meals (200 calories isn't a meal, it's a bite :) and I don't mind feeling a little hungry in the morning. It's that empty feeling at 3pm that drives me nuts. Don't have to worry about that on this meal schedule.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Am looking into Intermittent Fasting (IF) for general health (NOT just to lose weight), after watching BBC Horizons "Eat, Fast, and Live Longer." Would be very interested in the experiences of those who've tried it. How did you feel before you did it, while you were doing it, and after you were doing it? Any changes in your blood work numbers? Weight? Muscles? What kind of Intermittent Fasting did/do you do? Fast 4 days in a row every 1-2 months, then do a Calorie Restricted diet the rest of the days? Fast every other day, and eat what you want on the others? Fast 2 days (not in a row) every week? Do you eat junky food on your days off, or stay w/healthy foods (hopefully the latter)? On your "fast" days, do you eat a small amount or nothing?

    Oh my god it's so wrong to do...... blaaarrrgggh....

    I kid.

    I guess you can say I IF. Every once in a while I decide to just not eat for a day or two. I do this because sometimes I just feel like it, and I've always felt aces while doing it. I go about my life as normal, and when I start eating again, it is pleasant.

    No known changes for bloodwork, weight or musculature. I tend to go about my life as normal, including lifting while in a fast. (I'm sure some CPT/Nutritionist's sphincter just tightened.)

    I don't do it for weight, I honestly do it to help me become more centered, more aggressive, and more competitive. See, I have this thing in my mind that keeps driving me to stop being so calm all the time. It's paying dividends in my working out, and in my personal life. I'm a lot more honest with people, and with work, I'm a lot more brutal with negotiations, which is good.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    ACK! I replied to a necro. hahaha.
  • carlytenney
    carlytenney Posts: 31 Member
    Hello! I am doing IF now. Nothing drastic or crazy but I eat my first meal at 12:00 pm and my last meal is finished before 6pm. I stick close enough to the 1200 calories. The difference is that I am not hungry in the morning. I used to eat breakfast and then I would be starving my 11:00. Now I just have coffee and no problem even waiting till 1:00 pm for lunch. I feel better and I'm not always hungry. Not sure of any of the health benefits yet. Good luck to you.
  • momzeeee
    momzeeee Posts: 475 Member
    I did alternate day IF, which does have a calorie restriction aspect built into the plan. Lost 40lbs doing this and after I transitioning into maintenance I started experimenting with 5:2 and now I'm doing 8/16. I've found that if I do 8/16 I can maintain without having to track calories. Loving it!
  • kaylingonzales
    kaylingonzales Posts: 37 Member
    Hi everyone! So first I'll give you all my stats. 22 years, 165lbs, 5ft 4
    I have been precticing IF Leangains style for about a year and a half now.
    I train with heavy weights while fasting in the morning and break my fast around 1pm everyday and finish it around 8-10pm at night (I'm a night owl.) I used IF originally to cut down from 200lbs right after my daughter was born, I only did IF at that point; no heavy lifting. I reached 130lbs and finally got the nerve to go into the weight area and started lifting, the reason I'm 160 now is that I've been working on gaining more muscle and I'm not super strict with clean bulking.
    Overal IF has really changed my realtionship with food. The way I was raised made me very emotionally attatched to food, IF has allowed me to view it as a feul source and not an emotional crutch. I will also add that it has helped my mental state in both clarity and stabilizing my moods (I have Bipolar Disorder.)

    Also as I was reading through the other posts I noticed people mentioning that they kept thier daily calorie intake at 1200. Even when with my initial weight loss I NEVER ate that low. Unless that is all your body needs (i.e. under 5ft, and sedentary.) For example when I was 135 and moderatly active (work in retail and did cardio 4 times a week) I ate at least 1400 calories on my rest days and 2100 calories on my workout days. I found that if I dropped below a certain number of calories I stalled and my body would hang on to all the fat I was trying to lose.
    I highly recomend this calculator to figure out what your body needs and deffinitely do more research on macronutrient needs and caloric needs.
    http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
    (MYFitnessPal, while useful really is quite aweful for calculating calorie and macro needs.)
    Also for you ladies out there interested in learning more about IF and possibly heavy lifting there is a woderful support group on Facebook called Fierce Fit Fearless full of women always willing to answer questions and give advice as well as some great professionals in the fitness and nutrition industry. It is a closed (private) group so you just have to request to be invited in but it is seriously amazing and has really helped my continuing journey for better health.

    I really hope I've been helpful and let me know if I can answer any more questions for you.
    Kaylin
  • justjenny
    justjenny Posts: 529 Member
    Hi everyone! So first I'll give you all my stats. 22 years, 165lbs, 5ft 4
    I have been precticing IF Leangains style for about a year and a half now.
    I train with heavy weights while fasting in the morning and break my fast around 1pm everyday and finish it around 8-10pm at night (I'm a night owl.) I used IF originally to cut down from 200lbs right after my daughter was born, I only did IF at that point; no heavy lifting. I reached 130lbs and finally got the nerve to go into the weight area and started lifting, the reason I'm 160 now is that I've been working on gaining more muscle and I'm not super strict with clean bulking.
    Overal IF has really changed my realtionship with food. The way I was raised made me very emotionally attatched to food, IF has allowed me to view it as a feul source and not an emotional crutch. I will also add that it has helped my mental state in both clarity and stabilizing my moods (I have Bipolar Disorder.)

    Also as I was reading through the other posts I noticed people mentioning that they kept thier daily calorie intake at 1200. Even when with my initial weight loss I NEVER ate that low. Unless that is all your body needs (i.e. under 5ft, and sedentary.) For example when I was 135 and moderatly active (work in retail and did cardio 4 times a week) I ate at least 1400 calories on my rest days and 2100 calories on my workout days. I found that if I dropped below a certain number of calories I stalled and my body would hang on to all the fat I was trying to lose.
    I highly recomend this calculator to figure out what your body needs and deffinitely do more research on macronutrient needs and caloric needs.
    http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/
    (MYFitnessPal, while useful really is quite aweful for calculating calorie and macro needs.)
    Also for you ladies out there interested in learning more about IF and possibly heavy lifting there is a woderful support group on Facebook called Fierce Fit Fearless full of women always willing to answer questions and give advice as well as some great professionals in the fitness and nutrition industry. It is a closed (private) group so you just have to request to be invited in but it is seriously amazing and has really helped my continuing journey for better health.

    I really hope I've been helpful and let me know if I can answer any more questions for you.
    Kaylin

    Thanks so much for posting. This info is very helpful! :smile:
  • calell83
    calell83 Posts: 43 Member
    just started(last weekend) doing IF. My schedule is that I don't eat for 16 hours and then can eat for 8 instead of having days with very low caloire intake. I am only restricting myself to the MFP calorie goal, although it seems that I can stay under that. My furrent goal is approximately 2000 calories to lose 1.5 ounds a week, but the last few days I have been able to easily be in the 1800 range. It isn't as hard as I thought it would be, though we will see how I feel in a few weeks.

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