Is Intermittent Fasting OK for Women?

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  • theopenforum
    theopenforum Posts: 280 Member
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    I wouldn't call it special but autophagocytosis occurs naturally in your body. It is just triggered through fasting. It can also be triggered through working out as well :)

    Nice fasting regimen :)

    I would love to know how it works out for you

    Keep us posted,

    Tof
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
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    wait, hasn't this thread already happened? didn't it end in a flame war? I have deja vu....

    anyway

    1. gender doesn't change whether intermittent fasting is a good idea or not because men and women are not that different to each other (although I probably wouldn't be inclined to recommend it during pregnancy, but I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about for healthy, non-pregnant women)

    2. so long as you're getting a suitable amount of calories in your feeding window (i.e. the same amount of calories as are recommended for your exercise goals if you were eating regular meals) then it's safe

    3. some medical conditions may make intermittent fasting a bad idea, if that may apply to you check with your doctor

    Saying that gender doesn't matter may not be correct. Some studies have shown that men and women may respond differently, which is not unexpected if you think about it. Some stuff I came across suggested that 5:2 may not be ideal for young women, especially those at or close to goal. But I really couldn't find much. It is something to consider, though.
  • azure7
    azure7 Posts: 136 Member
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    Just to add from my own personal experience... One week on IF (18:6 schedule) resulted in a small intestinal bacterial overgrowth that took me 2 months to correct. It actually worked great...I lost a pound in 1 week after only 2 pounds in the previous year. However, I could definitely feel that it was messing with my hormones (night sweats) and think it raised my cortisol levels enough to hinder my immune system. I ate the same diet (whole, organic foods) as before my fast and was also taking probiotics, so my intestinal issues were not likely a result of diet. Anyway, I can only suggest that if you decide to give it a try, pay very close attention to your body's signals :smile:
  • FitCowgirl8
    FitCowgirl8 Posts: 175 Member
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    thank you all this is giving me a lot of things to think about that I hadn't considered previously
  • maruby95
    maruby95 Posts: 204 Member
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    I agree with the above poster….if you give it a try, just pay close attention to your body.

    I decided to try 16/8 last year because it worked well with my natural hunger (usually not hungry in the am). I really enjoyed it, but after about 6 months I started not sleeping well, feeling really tired all the time, and a bit anxious. BTW, I was eating at maintenance or a very slight deficit- not trying to lose. By 9 months I had lost my period and was a hormonal wreck- gaining weight on what was previously maintenance calories, symptoms of overtraining with the same amount of exercise, generally feeling run down. I feel like it took me months to get back to 'normal.' Not sure if it's relevant but I already had low BF when I started (about 18%), so that may have had an impact, too.

    I know it works really well for lots of people, but for me, despite fitting my preferences nicely, it was disastrous. So just be aware and be willing to change things up if it's not best for you.

    Best of luck to you!!

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