alternate day fasting

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  • gr8pillock
    gr8pillock Posts: 374 Member
    Sounds like a path to an eating disorder, IMO.

    But more power to you if it works for you :ohwell:

    I actually had a moment where I considered just those implications. There is a stigma with caloric restriction and eating disorders, but I think the two are quite distant from each other. One can naturally have an eating disorder, which is entirely mental and driven by something psychological. The act of fasting is separate from that drive. I myself was trying to analyze my own fasting, because I wondered if it would lead to such a thing, if I was capable of that kind of mental shift.

    I'm not. I like food. I like to eat. I don't want to be skin and bones. But I DID find a great deal of benefit from my fasting in the past, so was content to return to it after I took a break from it and tried simply restricting calories across the board. It has been done for thousands of years and our species survived, so I'd say it's worth looking at when there are health benefits besides just weight loss.
  • meliad
    meliad Posts: 71
    Hello all.

    I am a trying this method starting today. I try to eat healthfully usually but the thing is that I just eat too much. I love food and have a hard time respecting the fact that I am either not hunger or actually full when there is delicious food around. Soooo maybe this will help me become more disciplined.

    The other issue I have been having is stress eating. I am a nursing student and on the days I go to the hospital I must eat to be able to handle stress and to keep my blood sugar stable for the yucky/queasy times. So I eat oatmeal with pb and fruit for breakfast and a healthy soup for lunch. But when I leave the hospital I am craving comfort food. I need to get over it yet stick with the plan in the morning.

    THis plan seems like if I can stick to my fast days it will work. I may chose to fast on Mon, Wed, Fri so that I always eat on hospital days and can eat regular meals with my family on the weekends.
  • elkay7
    elkay7 Posts: 2
    I just started an ADF diet and am blogging about my experience here, obstacles, research, etc: http://tryingadf.blogspot.com.

    It isn't easy for me, but it is getting better day by day.
  • LaurasClimb
    LaurasClimb Posts: 211 Member
    bump...I don't have time to read all 9 pages of replies but will later...
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Hey guys,
    I just had a quick question on down-days and exercise...I'm very active running 30-35miles/week and lifting twice a week (trying to get ready for a 10K in may and break 40min again this year) and I unfortunately gained the freshman-15 last semester (lost 5lbs so far and need to lose another 10-15lbs).

    It is inevitable that I'll need to run, at least, on my down-days (usually 5 or 6 miles), and so, in that case, do I still eat just 600kcal or 1200-1300kcal (I burn roughly 600 on a 5miler and about 700 on a 6miler)? The reason I ask is because wouldn't the while daily caloric total still be around 600kcal, just like the diet requires for guys?

    Thanks for any answers!

    If you have a high workload during the week then you just need to make sure you eat enough over the entire week. It doesn't appear that you have a lot of weight to lose so probably 1lb or 3500cal deficit per week will be enough.

    Estimated TDEE is bwx14-16 for most but if your exercise volume is high it may be even higher than that.
  • rarejule
    rarejule Posts: 4
    After seeing Mosley's documentary earlier this week and reading up a ton on ADF, I have begun my journey to better health! Today is my first FAST day and, after consuming my 500 calorie lunch, am looking forward to keeping my mind busy until tomorrow with more reading, success stories, and the like!

    If you've posted in this thread before and have an update, please share!
  • squatsandlipgloss
    squatsandlipgloss Posts: 595 Member
    I just started a regiment this past Monday. I am thirty pounds over weight, and my goal is to lose it in ten weeks. I am fasting every other day at 0 calories (unless, I have a couple of diet and vodkas). On my up days, I have limited myself to 1350 CALS

    So far I have dropped 3 lbs (presumably fat not muscle).

    I hate to burst your bubble, but that is not fat you've lost, but water... Good luck with your diet, I hope you understand the damage you are causing to your body. But it is your body, not ours ;)
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
    I just started a regiment this past Monday. I am thirty pounds over weight, and my goal is to lose it in ten weeks. I am fasting every other day at 0 calories (unless, I have a couple of diet and vodkas). On my up days, I have limited myself to 1350 CALS

    So far I have dropped 3 lbs (presumably fat not muscle).

    I hate to burst your bubble, but that is not fat you've lost, but water... Good luck with your diet, I hope you understand the damage you are causing to your body. But it is your body, not ours ;)

    Misleading information since everything in your body is made up of water, I believe the saying is 90% water. When you burn fat or how scientist call "fat oxidation", you actually get water as a byproduct every single time. The same thing goes for carbs and vice versa. When you eat food, water will bind with what you eat to be stored.
  • sharikamrita
    sharikamrita Posts: 1 Member
    Hey on day 4 of ADF, I do 500 cal on the fasting days and about 2000 on the feeding days. On fasting days I lift in the morning followed by a protein shake with a banana and peanut butter and then fast till the next day. On feeding days I wake up and do cardio and then eat a normal days meals. The kicker seems to come from the fasted lifting and the fasted cardio. So far I'm down 4 lb in 4 days. I'm hoping to lose 20 lbs in 5 weeks.
  • dsjnix
    dsjnix Posts: 9 Member
    So Im curious those of you that tried this, what were your results?
  • jopalis
    jopalis Posts: 238 Member
    I tried to talk about alternate day fasting here once and got very negative replies. This method has worked for me. I recently got sick, however, and due to steroids, extreme fatigue and hunger, I put on about 20 lbs in 6 months.I also have a slow thyroid. I am giving this another go. The thing I do is to start with dinner. That way you are eating something every day but still juice fasting for 2 or 3 days a week. Also, I don't just eat and eat and am mindful to mostly eat healthy...lean proteins, fruits and veggies. So, start with dinner, juice fast (mostly veg) that dinner, breakfast and lunch. Then eat starting with dinner, breakfast, lunch...fast D, B, L. this method works for me. Eat a healthy breakfast...for me..something like eggs, steel cut oats...healthy lunch. You are juice fasting 3 meals, eating 3 meals, etc. etc. Just start with dinner. If you overeat or eat unhealthy you are not doing yourself any favors and may as well stop.
  • jopalis
    jopalis Posts: 238 Member
    I also allow myself a couple regular meals on weekends. Not going whole hog though...
  • SB4Hope
    SB4Hope Posts: 23 Member
    I am not sure I could do the every other day fast, but would 1 day a week be effective at all? Right now I have been doing it monthly unintentionally and have seen the benefits. I would like to take it to the next step, but not ready to go full force. Thanks for any input.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    I am not sure I could do the every other day fast, but would 1 day a week be effective at all? Right now I have been doing it monthly unintentionally and have seen the benefits. I would like to take it to the next step, but not ready to go full force. Thanks for any input.
    I started it a few weeks ago and it was so much easier than I expected after I read the book..think it was eat stop eat or whatever. MY trainer recommended doing it twice a week, like monday and thursday.
    What I really got into was you do eat every day, just fast for 24 hours. I usually am on from 7pm to 7pm. Started on a sunday night after dinner, fasted for 24 hours, and ate at 7pm the next night. I been doing it M-W-F and it was much easier now that i know you can eat every day. Before I would try to fast every other day and would crash!
  • jopalis
    jopalis Posts: 238 Member
    Do things at your own pace. I did two days a week before and am trying 3 days a week now. My method is above. I find that the juice fasting is easier than I thought and I don't go a day without eating. I start juicing with dinner followed by juicing breakfast and lunch. Eat a healthy dinner, breakfast and lunch and then on juicing again. I try to eat healthy on eating days but will allow an indulgence here or there on weekend...within reason.
  • jopalis
    jopalis Posts: 238 Member
    Is there a separate group for intermittent or alternative day fasting?
  • monis01
    monis01 Posts: 46 Member
    Sounds very interesting. I may need to give it a try! :)
  • BriTyler3
    BriTyler3 Posts: 110 Member
    I think I'm going to give this a try for a month, just drink plenty ways on the days I'm fasting
  • BriTyler3
    BriTyler3 Posts: 110 Member
    I am not sure I could do the every other day fast, but would 1 day a week be effective at all? Right now I have been doing it monthly unintentionally and have seen the benefits. I would like to take it to the next step, but not ready to go full force. Thanks for any input.
    I started it a few weeks ago and it was so much easier than I expected after I read the book..think it was eat stop eat or whatever. MY trainer recommended doing it twice a week, like monday and thursday.
    What I really got into was you do eat every day, just fast for 24 hours. I usually am on from 7pm to 7pm. Started on a sunday night after dinner, fasted for 24 hours, and ate at 7pm the next night. I been doing it M-W-F and it was much easier now that i know you can eat every day. Before I would try to fast every other day and would crash!

    Wait correct me if I'm wrong, I'm tryin to understand. Between that 24 hour period you don't eat at all? Or just less calories than usual?

    *answers please*
  • londonlemming
    londonlemming Posts: 18
    It would be great to see some updates from some of the people who have said "I'm going to start ADF" or "I'm on day 4" to see how they're getting on.

    I'm on day 111 of ADF...

    My "regime" is 0 calories from food on fasting days which have been literally every other day since I started, including my birthday, family gatherings, etc. because I don't want to break momentum.

    I dabbled with 5:2 fasting last year and was aiming from 0 calories in total on fasting days but ultimately this failed because I was getting sick of drinking black tea, black coffee and water so for ADF I allow myself a max of two skinny cappuccinos a day and tea with milk. Oh, and multivitamins.

    My reasoning behind 0 calories from food is that my entire eating problem comes from a lack of self-control. I know if I have a 500 calorie meal I'll struggle to stop there, whereas on fasting days, no food passes my lips.

    On non-fasting days, these vary from good (1500 calories) to blowout (3000+) because, to me, the whole point of intermittent fasting is that you can have blowout days; eat a pizza, Easter egg, whatever, but the following day fast helps keep me in check.

    Results so far.
    10 inches off waistline
    35kg/77lb lost
    Cholesterol down from 5.4 to 4.2 (LDL down, HDL up, Triglycerides down)
    Resting heart rate from 61 to 43
    BMI from 39 to 28 (goal is 24 so still 15kg to go)

    I've also increased my exercise - Taekwondo classes twice weekly and reasonably regular "Insanity" workout DVDs. I've also bought a Fitbit and aim for 15000 steps a day.

    Frankly I think ADF might be a serious part of my life going forwards but with no caloric restriction on non-fast days.

    I know I will have to modify my consumption, particularly when exercising on fast days.
  • marcuskirby1
    marcuskirby1 Posts: 5
    Hi David it is good to see someone having success with this program!
    I saw the horizon doco on a plane last week and it was like a lightbulb going off in my head - I have always skipped meals and thought that fact would make this program easier for me.

    So far I am on my second fast day and it seems OK - I think I can get used to it.
    My regime is less strict than yours - I am allowing myself 600 Cals on the fast day and my meal is in the evening, meaning that I do 24 hours or a bit less as a fast. Excercise is moderate as I just want my body to adapt and find its own pace.

    My goal is to lose 12 kg to bring me back into the 'healthy' bracket of the bmi scale (I am currently BMI 26.6), and to improve general fitness.

    Will try and keep you posted

    Marcus
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Zombie threads, they are everywhere.

    But here is a link to an intermittent fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting


    And here is one to a specifically Alternate Day Fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/6760-alternate-day-diet
  • vick441
    vick441 Posts: 42 Member
    Try one day a week for a start, and see how it goes
  • rmshannon
    rmshannon Posts: 3 Member
    Have a look at the website http://thefastdiet.co.uk/. I didn't see that programme, but I have read about this before and am going to give it a serious go when I get back from holiday in a few weeks.
    the one thing I have heard though is that on teh fasting days you do get very hungry and lack energy, and the people I have spoken to who have done it all mentioned they used to go to bed a lot earlier those days just because of the hunger!
    They've gotten very good results from it though; just be careful not to go overboard when you are on your non-fasting days too.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Have a look at the website http://thefastdiet.co.uk/. I didn't see that programme, but I have read about this before and am going to give it a serious go when I get back from holiday in a few weeks.
    the one thing I have heard though is that on teh fasting days you do get very hungry and lack energy, and the people I have spoken to who have done it all mentioned they used to go to bed a lot earlier those days just because of the hunger!
    They've gotten very good results from it though; just be careful not to go overboard when you are on your non-fasting days too.

    Oddly I have way more energy when I fast, especially if I go deep into the second day without eating (and I do because I wait until I'm hungry to break fast instead of waking up and shoveling in food).

    But sometimes I can't sleep so well at night on fast days, a problem a lot of women seem to have. Like tonight. Although the darn mockingbird cutting loose outside my window probably isn't helping.
  • londonlemming
    londonlemming Posts: 18
    Zombie threads, they are everywhere.

    But here is a link to an intermittent fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting


    And here is one to a specifically Alternate Day Fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/6760-alternate-day-diet

    I posted here because it's at the top of the searches for Alternate Day Fasting and the specific group hasn't received a single post in the last month...
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    5:2?

    Yeah, it works... But I'd rather workout.
  • londonlemming
    londonlemming Posts: 18
    I typically have no energy problems on fast days.

    My sleeping has improved dramatically over the lasts 3 months. Obviously weight loss helps but if I have a 'bad' eating day I notice that I don't sleep anywhere near as well!

    Like Jestinia, I often don't eat breakfast the morning after a fast day, simply because I'm not hungry.
  • Jestinia
    Jestinia Posts: 1,153 Member
    Zombie threads, they are everywhere.

    But here is a link to an intermittent fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting


    And here is one to a specifically Alternate Day Fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/6760-alternate-day-diet

    I posted here because it's at the top of the searches for Alternate Day Fasting and the specific group hasn't received a single post in the last month...

    Whoops, yeah, noticed that. Might be a bad sign as far as ease of longterm compliance goes. Or maybe people found other sites or stopped needing to post on forums about it?
  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    Zombie threads, they are everywhere.

    But here is a link to an intermittent fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting


    And here is one to a specifically Alternate Day Fasting group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/6760-alternate-day-diet

    I posted here because it's at the top of the searches for Alternate Day Fasting and the specific group hasn't received a single post in the last month...

    Whoops, yeah, noticed that. Might be a bad sign as far as ease of longterm compliance goes. Or maybe people found other sites or stopped needing to post on forums about it?

    Threads just tend to get lost in here. There are so many asking basically the same thing week in and week out.
    ETA: I'm glad this one was bumped, as I might need to go back into 5:2 myself for a little while, actually.

    Thanks for the bump. Already part of the first group, didn't know there was a second one. :flowerforyou:
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