- INTERMITTENT FASTING - Ever done it/heard of it?

iamdesiderata
iamdesiderata Posts: 95 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm thinking about intermittent fasting.
I have maintained my goal weight for about a year but would like the hormonal benefits that intermittent fasting promises, plus I would only be willing to lose about 5 to 10 more pounds maximum, and I heard, if done correctly, one won't lose too much weight if they are already at a healthy weight.
I was hoping to hear what you guys have heard or have anything to recommend me to read about intermittent fasting. Some things I would like to know:

- How do i transition from a regular 5 meals a day diet to intermittent fasting diet?
- What kinds of meals should I eat during the feeding time?
- What kind of macro nutrient profile should I consider? High protein? Low carb?
- Any negative aspects you or anyone you know has had with intermittent fasting?

Thanks guys!

Replies

  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    I would start off with an 8 hour eating window - something like 10am-6pm or whatever fits your lifestyle best. It's pretty much just like having a late breakfast and an early dinner that way.
    You can eat whatever meals you want, as long as you are getting the right amount of calories and macros for your goals, as well as micro nutrients. It can sometimes be hard to fit everything you need into your eating window, leaving you feeling stuffed and bloated for part of the day and then hungry for the other part.
    Macro nutrient profile depends on your goal and what you prefer. Higher protein is typically for those looking to put on more muscle or preserving what they've got if they are trying to lose weight, but can also help with appetite. Higher carbs will give you more energy if that's what you need. And making sure you're getting enough fat is important for general bodily health, and can also help with appetite.
    Intermittent fasting can be hard to get used to and fit around your lifestyle for some people. It can also be difficult if you are finding yourself getting hungry outside of your eating window, which can lead to generally feeling a bit crappy, and sometimes binge eating.
    I hope that helps, and feel free to ask anything else.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    I did alternate day intermittent fasting for weight loss (JUDDD), and now do 8/16 IF for maintenance. Love doing it and plan on doing some version of IF for the rest of my life :)
  • _John_
    _John_ Posts: 8,646 Member
    8 hours fasting 16 hours feed window every day here...
  • kvalhion
    kvalhion Posts: 16 Member
    Intermittent fasting is a great tool to help you get the calories you need each day in a condensed window. For me, it helps me feel full towards the evening hours when I would typically feel hungry and want to snack or eat crappy foods. Once I adjusted to not eating breakfast, I am no longer hungry in the morning. I simply fast each morning and have my eating window between 3pm and about 9pm. There's no "one right way" to do it. I'd say experiment and see what works best.

    I also work out fasted by doing crossfit 5x per week. Also, I tend to not eat a lot of carbohydrates during my eating window, eating primarily fresh vegetables, lean proteins, and some fats. It all depends on your goals and personal preferences, though. For me I am trying to lose the last 15 pounds or so. I am trying to maintain muscle while I drop my body fat. Too many carbs can be a trigger for me, so I tend to keep them low. Sometimes I will have a tablespoon of pure maple syrup 30 minutes before my workout to give me a boost. I burn it off easily, and then wait about two hours after my workout until I break my fast with a recovery shake.

    Again, that's just me, and there isn't a right or wrong way to do it. As long as you fast for at least 14 hours or so, you'll get some of the benefits from fasting. It isn't magic, and it isn't a free pass to eat whatever you want or how much you want. You still have to keep an eye on calories to make sure you arent too high and that you aren't too low.

    Good luck and let us know how you are doing!
  • AnthonyKolka
    AnthonyKolka Posts: 74 Member
    I started doing the 24 hour weekly long fast last weekend for the same reasons you are wanting to do it. My wife and I eat our last meal around 8 on Saturday night then have a small meal at the same time on sunday night. We eat nothing at all in between. Then we take the calories we would have ate on sunday and divide them up over the rest of the week. The energy levels I have on Monday morning are great. I believe it is very effective so far. Data will reveal the truth in time. We log everything meticulously.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    8 hours fasting 16 hours feed window every day here...

    I've found this works best for me
  • Rawfoodsho
    Rawfoodsho Posts: 181
    Isn't it supposed to be 16 fast 8 eating? Anyone can go 8 hours with out eating.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Isn't it supposed to be 16 fast 8 eating? Anyone can go 8 hours with out eating.

    Yeah, that's the point or better yet the pointlessness of IF.
  • Keiras_Mom
    Keiras_Mom Posts: 844 Member
    I do JUDDD, now for maintenance, but it's also how I lost nearly all of my weight. Love it!
  • Spaghetti_Bender
    Spaghetti_Bender Posts: 509 Member
    8 hours fasting 16 hours feed window every day here...

    I've found this works best for me


    Same here.
  • callie006
    callie006 Posts: 151 Member
    I did Eat, Stop Eat. Basically, I did 1-2 24 hr fasts per week (usually 1). I did it to give my intestines a rest, and it does seem to help with my IBS flares. I couldn't do it every day or train fasted, but I has good results as far as calming my GI symptoms, so I still do a periodic fast now and then. I'll probably do them regularly again when I hit maintenance.
  • Rawfoodsho
    Rawfoodsho Posts: 181
    Isn't it supposed to be 16 fast 8 eating? Anyone can go 8 hours with out eating.

    Yeah, that's the point or better yet the pointlessness of IF.

    Naww there is tons of evidence for it. Google is your friend.
  • Rawfoodsho
    Rawfoodsho Posts: 181
    Its not eating 18 hours and fasting 6 though. I mean lean gains would have a heart attack if he seen that. You people have your numbers mixed up...... You fast for 18 hours and eat for 6....Thats how it has always been.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    Its not eating 18 hours and fasting 6 though. I mean lean gains would have a heart attack if he seen that. You people have your numbers mixed up...... You fast for 18 hours and eat for 6....Thats how it has always been.

    my-reaction-after-getting-no-sleep-on-sunday-working-a-hour-night-shift-in-a-warehouse-then-hear-job-33395.gif
  • mournemaid
    mournemaid Posts: 29 Member
    I started the 5:2 fasting diet 3 weeks ago. I eat my tdee 5 days a week and only 500 calories on my fast days. I usually fast from 7pm to 7 pm with just water and herbal teas inbetween . You can split your calories up into 2 meals if you like . I have lost 5lbs so far .
  • Rawfoodsho
    Rawfoodsho Posts: 181
    Its not eating 18 hours and fasting 6 though. I mean lean gains would have a heart attack if he seen that. You people have your numbers mixed up...... You fast for 18 hours and eat for 6....Thats how it has always been.

    my-reaction-after-getting-no-sleep-on-sunday-working-a-hour-night-shift-in-a-warehouse-then-hear-job-33395.gif

    What?? How you gonna fast for 6 hours when people sleep 8? You know they got their numbers confused and its kinda funny. Clearly you fast for 10-18 hours not 6-8 hours, you need to fast longer. I typically fast until 12-2pm because I dont have an appetite when I first wake up anyways.

    Edit-Eh I meant 8-hours I am just loaded and its 5am
  • majica8
    majica8 Posts: 210 Member
    8 hours fast, 16 hours eat?

    You mean you fast the 8 hours a day that you sleep, and your eating window is the 16 hours you are awake?

    O_o That's not IF. I do that every single day. I've done that basically every single day I've been alive and in control of what/when I eat.

    Same with 6 hour fast and 18 hour eat, but that's even more pointless and obviously not IF.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    WHOOSH!
  • foodiscomplicated
    foodiscomplicated Posts: 85 Member
    This may help.

    http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx



    http://www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/html/how-to-do-the-diet.html
  • DymonNdaRgh40
    DymonNdaRgh40 Posts: 661 Member
    This may help.

    http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2013/06/28/intermittent-fasting-health-benefits.aspx



    http://www.johnsonupdaydowndaydiet.com/html/how-to-do-the-diet.html

    Thanks for the links! So helpful!:flowerforyou:
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    I just started Intermittent Fasting in September, this year. I watched lots of videos on youtube and purchased lots of books. I did my research on this. You have to find what works for you. There are variations on the 5:2 plan. I fast on Monday and Thursday. When I say fast, I mean only water. Then on the other 5 days, I only eat between 10AM and 6PM. I eat a clean diet. Lean protein, fresh fruits and veges. Hardly any bread and other white foods, just on occasion.
  • b7bbs
    b7bbs Posts: 158 Member
    Bump
  • WanderingCavalcade
    WanderingCavalcade Posts: 15 Member
    I didn't know what intermittent fasting was until a few months ago, but it' actually what I was doing already!

    I'm one of those people who gets nauseous if I eat early in the day, so my first meal is usually between 11 AM and 1 PM, and my last meal is usually between 4 and 5 pm. I eat a little outside of those times on the weekends when my sleeping pattern is different.

    I always get my calories and macros in and I'm really only ever hungry when I stay up too late (I get midnight munchies past 1 am, so I'm usually in bed by midnight). I've lost around 50 lbs in a year eating like this, so it's worked for me, even if I know it doesn't work for everybody.

    I'd suggest trying it out to see if it works.

    Good luck!
  • foodiscomplicated
    foodiscomplicated Posts: 85 Member
    You're welcome, Lindonesia37.

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