I highly recommend IF if you are looking to lean out

mbow1977
mbow1977 Posts: 213
in Health and Weight Loss
Guys/Gals,

I am no longer trying to lean out, I am now in the process of bulking up.

But I thought Id post this as I hear alot of BS and bad things about IF but after I lost the majority of my weight and just wanted to lose a little body fat I decided to try IF, and I cannot recommend it enough, I used to do 17:7 and after a month I was the leanest Ive ever been.

So if you have lost weight and are stuck, I would definitely give it a try.

Good luck :0)

Replies

  • tkbuc
    tkbuc Posts: 66 Member
    What is IF
  • drifitz
    drifitz Posts: 1
    What food plan were you following with IF? Anything special?
  • furniem
    furniem Posts: 145 Member
    Intermittant Fasting?
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
    What is IF


    Intermittent fasting; by 17:7 he means fasting for 17 hours and fitting all his daily meals into 7 hours (or the other way round? Not sure)
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    IMO:

    It's a different eating schedule that may increase dietary adherence in some people.

    Progress will still ultimately be determined by your ability to adhere to an energy deficit and you should choose whatever meal timing/meal frequency/feeding pattern that maximizes this. For some people IF is great for this. For others, not so much.
  • mbow1977
    mbow1977 Posts: 213
    Sorry guys, yeah Intermittent Fasting, I generally eat clean, Id eat from 12pm to 7 or 8pm depending on when I could fit my workout in and then fast again until 12pm the next day.

    At the time I was probably eating around 120-150g of carbs and 180g protein, but I was eating the same before IF and did not get anywhere the same result.

    The first couple of days youll feel hungry in the morning but you soon get used to it and I felt great.

    Id still be doing it now except Im trying to bulk up and trying to fit my 3000 calories into 7 hours would be abit of a push lol.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I use it for two or three weeks if I need to break a plateau. I used to do it full on, but it started messing with my hormones, so now I eat in the morning if I'm hungry, I don't if I'm not. But it does work, for sure!
  • mbow1977
    mbow1977 Posts: 213
    IMO:

    It's a different eating schedule that may increase dietary adherence in some people.

    Progress will still ultimately be determined by your ability to adhere to an energy deficit and you should choose whatever meal timing/meal frequency/feeding pattern that maximizes this. For some people IF is great for this. For others, not so much.

    Absolutely, I agree

    Im not saying this will work for everyone, I was sceptical prior to trying it but for me it was fantastic
  • Kazmerelda
    Kazmerelda Posts: 13 Member
    I tried the fasting plan, I was ok on the fasting day but it left me with a bad stomach for a few days after.

    I adjusted my eating and what foods I ate but nothing made a difference. Has anyone else had any reactions?
  • mbow1977
    mbow1977 Posts: 213
    I tried the fasting plan, I was ok on the fasting day but it left me with a bad stomach for a few days after.

    I adjusted my eating and what foods I ate but nothing made a difference. Has anyone else had any reactions?

    I was fine but I didnt have a specific fasting day, just 17 hours fasting and 7 hours eating every day
  • sara_jean_15
    sara_jean_15 Posts: 25 Member
    I use it for two or three weeks if I need to break a plateau. I used to do it full on, but it started messing with my hormones, so now I eat in the morning if I'm hungry, I don't if I'm not. But it does work, for sure!

    I did Alternate Day IF (three fasting days per week consisting of only 500 calories) for four months and lost 20 pounds. I recently switched back to 1200 net calories daily to try and lose my last 4 pounds and transition into maintenance but I am pretty much just maintaining. I was down a pound but now I am back up that pound. Its getting frustrating. Maybe I will try IF every day but do 16:8 to try to break through my plateau. The only thing I do not like about waiting until 1 pm to eat is that I work out in the morning and would not be able to have my protein shake right after my workouts. But maybe I will do like you and just do it for a couple weeks and see what happens. Who knows... maybe my body is at the weight it wants to be....
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    i have been doing IF for about 7 months now. it is great for controlling my eating. i had been eating 1700ish cals. but wasn't getting the results i wanted, less body fat. i upped my cals for a few weeks, two 1000-1200 cal meals a day. so right now trying to cut a little so doing two 800-900 cal meals also following IIFYM. i like it cause i get that full feeling after demolishing 1000 cals, and you don't have to feel bad about it. when i was eating "regular" all day i was constantly hungry. not so much anymore. a little in the morning but it passes. IF is a great tool.
  • nomorebingesgirl2014
    nomorebingesgirl2014 Posts: 378 Member
    Sounds good
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    I do follow intermittent fasting. I eat for 16 hours of the day, then fast for 8.


    It's called sleeping.
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member

    Id still be doing it now except Im trying to bulk up and trying to fit my 3000 calories into 7 hours would be abit of a push lol.

    You can't eat 3000 calories in 7 hours? Really? I read this and had to admit to myself yet again that I'm a real oinker when it comes to mealtimes. I can wipe out double that in a sitting and go back for more.

    I'm not exaggerating, either. Even as a vegan who eats mostly fruits and vegetables, I can't lose weight on any form of daily fasting, not even the one meal in the evening version. I have to do 5:2 to get anywhere. This week I've been such a pig I'm having to do alternate day fasting instead. I'm pretty sure I come from an especially long line of face stuffers who didn't know where their next meal was coming from.

    So it's great it works for you, but a lot of people fail at it because they think they can eat whatever during their feed window without worrying about calories. Some people can do that and still lose weight, but listen up, my fellow piggies: this won't end well for us. We still have to count calories and adjust accordingly!
  • Tigg_er
    Tigg_er Posts: 22,001 Member
    I do follow intermittent fasting. I eat for 16 hours of the day, then fast for 8.


    It's called sleeping.

    :drinker:
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member

    Id still be doing it now except Im trying to bulk up and trying to fit my 3000 calories into 7 hours would be abit of a push lol.

    You can't eat 3000 calories in 7 hours? Really? I read this and had to admit to myself yet again that I'm a real oinker when it comes to mealtimes. I can wipe out double that in a sitting and go back for more.

    I'm not exaggerating, either. Even as a vegan who eats mostly fruits and vegetables, I can't lose weight on any form of daily fasting, not even the one meal in the evening version. I have to do 5:2 to get anywhere. This week I've been such a pig I'm having to do alternate day fasting instead. I'm pretty sure I come from an especially long line of face stuffers who didn't know where their next meal was coming from.

    So it's great it works for you, but a lot of people fail at it because they think they can eat whatever during their feed window without worrying about calories. Some people can do that and still lose weight, but listen up, my fellow piggies: this won't end well for us. We still have to count calories and adjust accordingly!
    What do you eat in one sitting that comes up to 6,000 calories and has you going back for more?

    I'm dying to know! Especially since you're a vegan!
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member

    Id still be doing it now except Im trying to bulk up and trying to fit my 3000 calories into 7 hours would be abit of a push lol.

    You can't eat 3000 calories in 7 hours? Really? I read this and had to admit to myself yet again that I'm a real oinker when it comes to mealtimes. I can wipe out double that in a sitting and go back for more.

    I'm not exaggerating, either. Even as a vegan who eats mostly fruits and vegetables, I can't lose weight on any form of daily fasting, not even the one meal in the evening version. I have to do 5:2 to get anywhere. This week I've been such a pig I'm having to do alternate day fasting instead. I'm pretty sure I come from an especially long line of face stuffers who didn't know where their next meal was coming from.

    So it's great it works for you, but a lot of people fail at it because they think they can eat whatever during their feed window without worrying about calories. Some people can do that and still lose weight, but listen up, my fellow piggies: this won't end well for us. We still have to count calories and adjust accordingly!
    What do you eat in one sitting that comes up to 6,000 calories and has you going back for more?

    I'm dying to know! Especially since you're a vegan!

    I'm just recently vegan. I think my highest vegan pigout in one sitting was a little less than 4000. Still far too many calories to lose weight on with a daily eating window, though.

    When I was vegetarian with eggs and milk in my diet or the old burger eating me could and sadly often did put away over 6000 in a sitting.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Hello, 2013. "To lean" does not mean the same as "to make more lean". :happy:
  • mundaycarroll
    mundaycarroll Posts: 64 Member
    I've heard a lot about doing this recently.. I was wondering, did you feel like you were lacking energy during your workouts when doing IF?
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    I've heard a lot about doing this recently.. I was wondering, did you feel like you were lacking energy during your workouts when doing IF?

    I do IF. One day on & then one off. SO I only eat every 2nd day. You dont lack energy. In fact you have more energy. I get personal bests on fasting days. But I do total water fasts & I'm not doing it for weight loss/leaning out. The heath reasons outweigh all that
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member

    Id still be doing it now except Im trying to bulk up and trying to fit my 3000 calories into 7 hours would be abit of a push lol.

    You can't eat 3000 calories in 7 hours? Really? I read this and had to admit to myself yet again that I'm a real oinker when it comes to mealtimes. I can wipe out double that in a sitting and go back for more.

    I'm not exaggerating, either. Even as a vegan who eats mostly fruits and vegetables, I can't lose weight on any form of daily fasting, not even the one meal in the evening version. I have to do 5:2 to get anywhere. This week I've been such a pig I'm having to do alternate day fasting instead. I'm pretty sure I come from an especially long line of face stuffers who didn't know where their next meal was coming from.

    So it's great it works for you, but a lot of people fail at it because they think they can eat whatever during their feed window without worrying about calories. Some people can do that and still lose weight, but listen up, my fellow piggies: this won't end well for us. We still have to count calories and adjust accordingly!
    What do you eat in one sitting that comes up to 6,000 calories and has you going back for more?

    I'm dying to know! Especially since you're a vegan!

    Oh man, I could easily do a vegan pig out.. This vegan pizza I make is like 2000 calories, and typically my fiance and I split it. Plus vegan cakes, cupcakes, ice creams, fries.. oh man you name it. I would kill for a free eating day that didn't contribute to my calories lol
  • Lemongrab13
    Lemongrab13 Posts: 206 Member
    I don't understand why this works differently to not fasting yet eating the same calorie amount everyday?
    Is it just giving your body more of s chance to lose weight without interruption?
    I'm really uninformed lol. Obviously...
  • iwantniceabs
    iwantniceabs Posts: 357 Member
    any books/sites you recommend for learning more about IF?

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