Intermittent fasting?

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Kylwalton
Kylwalton Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
Anybody tried this? I read an article touting health benefits. . . Our bodies apparently need "rest time" to burn fat. Sounds easy enough to follow, but I'm not clear on how long -- and when -- to fast. Any suggestions?

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  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
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    I do 20 hour fast, 4 hours fed.
  • gadenni34
    gadenni34 Posts: 294 Member
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    check out leangains for information on intermittent fasting.

    Personally I practice a 18/6 style, 18 hours fasting 6 hour feeding window. Works for me. Helps to keep calories lower, eating in such a short time frame, and i find that I am not fighting hunger all day long.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
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    I do 16:8, fasting:eating. I basically just do it out of preference because I'm never hungry in the morning so I don't eat breakfast. Meal timing and meal frequency is basically preferential, won't make a big difference either way
  • mrslynah
    mrslynah Posts: 39 Member
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    I have done it. Pushed me through my last plateau. I have recently had to remove gluten and dairy from my diet (medical, not weight loss reasons), so I took a break from IF to adjust. I found the 16/ 8 to be the easiest. I just would skip breakfast and eat a late lunch, since that comes naturally to me anyway. I also did an occasional 24 hour fast. The thing that IF did for me was really give me a mental discipline and help me remember that I am in control and how good that feels. It was easier for me to make good food choices after a fast, because I had exercised my discipline. I think it contributed to how easily I have been able to remove gluten and dairy from my diet without cheating or binges.
    I agree that leangains is a good site. Fasting has contributed to longevity for eons. It won't be popular on this site, but the science is there. Best of luck.
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
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    I have been doing 5:2 fasting since the beginning of May and it is working well for me. You eat close to TDEE for 5 days a week and "fast" while eating 500 cals on the other two days. I started it mainly because I was feeling guilty about going over my calories on weekends. This plan allows me to have more treats and still lose weight. My weight loss has taken off again after fighting a plateau for awhile. I also eat within a 8 -9 hour window every day since I am not usually hungry until noon. There is a great 5:2 group on MFP as well as an excellent Facebook group if you are interested.

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