intermittant fasting

rwhichelow
rwhichelow Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
has anyone tried intermittant fasting, sucess? thoughts?

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I think that it can be good to teach people whether or not they enjoy having periods of not eating followed by periods of eating larger meals.

    I think it can be good for some people for adherence purposes in that some people may have an easier time to stick to their calorie/macro goals.

    But I also think that using the clock to dictate when you can and cannot have your calories can also be quite silly and I'm not sure that's a behavior that would be good to reinforce.

    In the end, if IF makes it easier for you to stick to your calorie goals then it can be a good thing, and if it prevents you from doing so or if it causes other problems (such as binge eating) then it can be a bad thing.

    I don't think it's arbitrarily superior for fat loss when compared to meal distributions that are more spread out.
  • Gify4103
    Gify4103 Posts: 1 Member
    Fasting can be used with cleansing. So if your considering it, search out cleansing as well.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    Well if you read all the IF literature there are claims made that periods of fasting help with insulin issues and blood pressure. I'm not sure if the claims are backed by peer reviewed studies, however.

    I used to eat in a style similar to IF. Other than coffee, I would not eat until around 1 each day. If you like bigger meals and your calorie goals do not allow you to have two big meals a day then IF might be for you.
  • Maverick_22
    Maverick_22 Posts: 3
    I have been working on IF. I am not hungry in the morning. I try to only eat between 12 pm and 8pm. Our bodies benefit from IF when we fast for more than 12 hours. After 12 hours is when the body starts using more of the fat reserves for energy.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I have been working on IF. I am not hungry in the morning. I try to only eat between 12 pm and 8pm. Our bodies benefit from IF when we fast for more than 12 hours. After 12 hours is when the body starts using more of the fat reserves for energy.

    Why do you believe it's important to use fat for energy vs other substrates?
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Fasting can be used with cleansing. So if your considering it, search out cleansing as well.

    Cleansing what??
  • challenger9509
    challenger9509 Posts: 286 Member
    I have been working on IF. I am not hungry in the morning. I try to only eat between 12 pm and 8pm. Our bodies benefit from IF when we fast for more than 12 hours. After 12 hours is when the body starts using more of the fat reserves for energy.

    I am very much this same way. Since I have been using IF, i am not hungry in the mornings and I enjoy the food more when I do eat. This seems to really work for me in my goals. As with anything else, its not made for everyone. I also eat between 12-8. This keeps me from snacking late at night which used to hurt my progress.
  • AdventureFreak
    AdventureFreak Posts: 236 Member
    Do it. It breeds discipline and focus.
  • TX_Rhon
    TX_Rhon Posts: 1,549 Member
    Fasting can be used with cleansing. So if your considering it, search out cleansing as well.

    :grumble: :noway:

    No! Why cleansing? Did I miss where the OP said her internal organs were not working?

    I tried 16:8 and liked it. My eating times were from 11a - 7p then my work scheduled got all screwed up.
  • TheMrsCole
    TheMrsCole Posts: 114 Member
    I tried it... have seen plenty of people with major success doing it! It just wasn't for me. I noticed myself getting more agitated and cranky than the norm. But I highly recommend if you are looking into it then join some of the groups to read more about it. Depending on what type of IF you want to look in to there are groups for all. I was trying JUDDD for about 3 weeks before I decided it wasn't for me.
  • sarahcav123
    sarahcav123 Posts: 128 Member
    The idea of fasting was originally found to have health benefits, with weight loss as a side effect (in general). At a basic level, when your body is deprived of food, chemicals are sent around your body so that your cells move away from 'growth mode' (i.e. where mutations occur) and instead go into 'repair mode'. In this way, the studies showed a decrease in the likelihood of dementia, cancer, cholesterol levels (among other things). While these results have not been taken to human trials, I believe they are rather promising,
    If you're interested in the documentary, its here: https://player.vimeo.com/video/54089463

    I fasted for one month last year and I lost a significant amount of weight. Although, I stopped fasting because it was around Christmas time - which I suppose says a lot about the sustainability of fasting in people like me, who like to eat lol! However, during the time I did fast, I found it rather manageable and looked forward to the days when I could eat freely (how sad, I know!)

    Anyway, hope this helps!
  • LFDBabs
    LFDBabs Posts: 297 Member
    I just started IF a couple weeks ago. So far, so good. I don't usually go over my calories at all anymore. I can stick to it. I do sometimes take a day off on the weekend, if my social agenda calls for it, and get right back to it on Sunday night. I am a noon to 8pm eater. If I get hungry before noon, I just have a cup of white tea or glass of water and that holds me over until noon. It definitely helps with the late night snacking.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    I'm on 16:8 for the most part. However I agree completely with SS. It's not necessarily a superior eating method in my opinion. I just happen to like larger meals, so this helps me keep my macros in check.

    Cleansing ?? :huh: :huh: No

    If it works for you, do it. If not, don't think about it.
  • JonnyQwest
    JonnyQwest Posts: 174 Member
    It works great for me because I eat when I am hungry rather than following the mantra of 6 small meals a day nonsense that everyone seems to be preaching these days. My window is from 3 PM to 11 PM which sounds crazy but those are the hours I am the hungriest and I also work out at night so I go with it. I dont do I.F. on the weekends in order to change it up a bit and not allow my body to get too used to the schedule. It works great for me.
  • verhunzt
    verhunzt Posts: 154 Member
    IF makes me enjoy the food more as well.
    I feel satisfied more easily and I started to enjoy food instead of hating it (with thoughts like "this will make you fat when you eat it"). And since I'm not hungry in the mornings anyway and IF doesn't make me binge, I have no reason not to do it.
    Don't focus too much on the clock though, if you're off by one or two hours, don't feel bad. :)
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Bee on it for a few weeks and it is great. Been doing a 24 hr fast, 24 hour eat to my maintain cal, and repeat. The more I do it the more I find it difficult ot GET to my maintain calories as I am just cannot eat as much. First few times I ate alot coming off the fast, but it has slowly subsided to where I am getting maybe 75%-80% of my maintain so even on my feast, or UP days, I am a little below.

    I think itis great because you dont have to always be on your game. If I am jonesing for pizza, or ice cream, I know I can have it at some point later in that day.
  • fificrazy
    fificrazy Posts: 234
    Question- not at all interested in fasting, but I'm curious-
    do you fasters just put off your hunger until meal time? Like, drinking lots of water/coffee when it's not eating hours? Or are you guys generally not hungry (therefore deciding, "hey, might as well wait until __ o'clock to start eating every day.")

    Because I'd have cold chills, bad mood, loud rumbly stomach haha, etc if I didn't eat. Can't imagine shoving my meal times into a time frame! I'd be thinking about food constantly before and after food time...
  • charleigh78
    charleigh78 Posts: 247 Member
    I eat within an 8 hour window most days. Love it. I don't eat breakfast.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    I typically eat in an 18:6 window, but only because it's how I like to eat. If I eat first thing in the morning I'm starving all day if I don't eat breakfast then I'm not hungry until about 2pm. Following this I eat 1-2 larger meals a day. Less prep work, less clean up after and I'm more satisfied. Now about twice a month we go out for a big Sunday breakfast so I adjust for that.

    For me it's just about how it works into my day, and how I prefer to eat. I do drink lots of coffee but I always did
  • GertrudeHorse
    GertrudeHorse Posts: 646 Member
    The idea of fasting was originally found to have health benefits, with weight loss as a side effect (in general). At a basic level, when your body is deprived of food, chemicals are sent around your body so that your cells move away from 'growth mode' (i.e. where mutations occur) and instead go into 'repair mode'. In this way, the studies showed a decrease in the likelihood of dementia, cancer, cholesterol levels (among other things). While these results have not been taken to human trials, I believe they are rather promising,
    If you're interested in the documentary, its here: https://player.vimeo.com/video/54089463

    I fasted for one month last year and I lost a significant amount of weight. Although, I stopped fasting because it was around Christmas time - which I suppose says a lot about the sustainability of fasting in people like me, who like to eat lol! However, during the time I did fast, I found it rather manageable and looked forward to the days when I could eat freely (how sad, I know!)

    Anyway, hope this helps!

    When you say you fasted for a whole month, do you mean you didn't eat at all? Just wanting to clarify.
  • Fairlieboy
    Fairlieboy Posts: 84 Member
    Question- not at all interested in fasting, but I'm curious-
    Look up the forum group on JUDD or what is really taken the UK by storm is the 5:2 Diet. (also on MFP as a group). Or facebook www.facebook.com/groups/the52diet/ (22,000 members)
    The reason that the 5:2 is extremely popular is that your calories over a week are down by 10% or more. So that gives a net calorie deficit and you loose weight.
    Plus the 500 calories per day appears to give as much physiological benefits as a alternate day fast.
    Plus it appears to be sustainable longer term, as you do not need to calorie count on the 5 days; and there is no "falling off the diet days".
    Most who try the 5:2 discover that hunger is temporary.
    I lost 12kg by adopting the 5:2 dieting, but now restrict calories on only 1 day per week to avoid more weight loss, but keep the health benefits (fasting sugar, cholesterol reduction.)
  • sarahcav123
    sarahcav123 Posts: 128 Member
    The idea of fasting was originally found to have health benefits, with weight loss as a side effect (in general). At a basic level, when your body is deprived of food, chemicals are sent around your body so that your cells move away from 'growth mode' (i.e. where mutations occur) and instead go into 'repair mode'. In this way, the studies showed a decrease in the likelihood of dementia, cancer, cholesterol levels (among other things). While these results have not been taken to human trials, I believe they are rather promising,
    If you're interested in the documentary, its here: https://player.vimeo.com/video/54089463

    I fasted for one month last year and I lost a significant amount of weight. Although, I stopped fasting because it was around Christmas time - which I suppose says a lot about the sustainability of fasting in people like me, who like to eat lol! However, during the time I did fast, I found it rather manageable and looked forward to the days when I could eat freely (how sad, I know!)

    Anyway, hope this helps!

    When you say you fasted for a whole month, do you mean you didn't eat at all? Just wanting to clarify.

    Haha, I mean I fasted every alternate day, for a month. Oh my goodness, I couldn't fast continuously for 30 days, I need my food lol :) I have fasted since that one month stint but not every alternate day - instead a few times a week.
  • ginnyntonic
    ginnyntonic Posts: 28 Member
    Yeah I've been doing a fast day two or three days a week for the last three or four weeks and I have been honestly surprised how much easier it has gotten. I almost feel a little freaked out by it. I woke up this morning (after a fast day) and wasn't even hungry for breakfast. I kind of felt like, is this how people can become anorexic? But over all it has been a nice tool in my weight loss belt. I was able to go on vacation with my kids and indulge a bit without gaining too much and then get back on track easily once we were home. I don't go crazy on my normal eating days and have a big salad with turkey, egg and crumbled bacon for diner on my fast days. It is the best tasting salad ever :-)
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Question- not at all interested in fasting, but I'm curious-
    do you fasters just put off your hunger until meal time? Like, drinking lots of water/coffee when it's not eating hours? Or are you guys generally not hungry (therefore deciding, "hey, might as well wait until __ o'clock to start eating every day.")

    Because I'd have cold chills, bad mood, loud rumbly stomach haha, etc if I didn't eat. Can't imagine shoving my meal times into a time frame! I'd be thinking about food constantly before and after food time...
    Sugar free gum works wonders. Some days I am just not hungry, and other times I am. I do 24 hour fasts. 24 window to eat, 24 hour window to fast. Works great for me, like today, I am fasting until 7pm tonite. If I get hungry today I know in a few hours I can eat what I wish pretty miuch.
    I do get chills, but that is good and tells you that it is working, plus the weather should warm up and take care of some of that.
  • fificrazy
    fificrazy Posts: 234
    Question- not at all interested in fasting, but I'm curious-
    do you fasters just put off your hunger until meal time? Like, drinking lots of water/coffee when it's not eating hours? Or are you guys generally not hungry (therefore deciding, "hey, might as well wait until __ o'clock to start eating every day.")

    Because I'd have cold chills, bad mood, loud rumbly stomach haha, etc if I didn't eat. Can't imagine shoving my meal times into a time frame! I'd be thinking about food constantly before and after food time...
    Sugar free gum works wonders. Some days I am just not hungry, and other times I am. I do 24 hour fasts. 24 window to eat, 24 hour window to fast. Works great for me, like today, I am fasting until 7pm tonite. If I get hungry today I know in a few hours I can eat what I wish pretty miuch.
    I do get chills, but that is good and tells you that it is working, plus the weather should warm up and take care of some of that.

    Chills aren't good- it's a sign your thyroid is slowing down.... What you want is an increase in body temperature. Keep the furnace burning!
  • Maverick_22
    Maverick_22 Posts: 3
    I did not say that fat is more important. I said what our body uses for energy after fasting. I was wrong about the 12 hours. It is 16 hours of fasting. IF is only one way to trim fat. It's just one way. I know it works for Huge Jackman.
  • lautour
    lautour Posts: 89 Member
    Question- not at all interested in fasting, but I'm curious-
    do you fasters just put off your hunger until meal time? Like, drinking lots of water/coffee when it's not eating hours? Or are you guys generally not hungry (therefore deciding, "hey, might as well wait until __ o'clock to start eating every day.")

    Because I'd have cold chills, bad mood, loud rumbly stomach haha, etc if I didn't eat. Can't imagine shoving my meal times into a time frame! I'd be thinking about food constantly before and after food time...

    If that happened to me I don't think I could fast. A lot of people seem to start needing to eat from the time they wake up. I have always been someone who doesn't get hungry until later in the day, so fasting is a natural fit (only been doing it about a week but I'm finding it easy and I don't get hungry). I only fast every other day though, otherwise I wouldn't get enough calories.
  • tech_kitten
    tech_kitten Posts: 221 Member
    I like to do IF when I can. I tend to boredom binge in the evenings, and while I'm working on that, minimizing the amount of calories consumed earlier in the day helps to reduce my total calories because my stomach will only hold so much for one meal, so even if I fail and eat til I'm stuffed, it won't be such a setback in my weight loss effort.

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