Question about intermittent fasting

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amusedmonkey
amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm planning to go 3:4 and I know I should be eating about 500 calories on fasting days. My question is, is that supposed to be a fixed number? I mean if I exercise, do I eat back on the same day or do the exercise calories carry over to the next non-fasting day?

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  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
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    I am certainly no expert, but you do not exercise on fast days. It's a rest day.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    So basically I should be training 4 times a week on feeding days?
  • amberlykay1014
    amberlykay1014 Posts: 608 Member
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    Here's an article you should read: http://www.precisionnutrition.com/cmd.php?ad=670450

    Personally, fasting 3 days a week sounds very aggressive and not sustainable. I wouldn't agree with it.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    That's an interesting link, thank you!

    I have basically been losing weight successfully for the past year and a half, and I have tried IF once and liked it, but I was not exercising at the time.

    I'm at a point in my weight loss where I tend to overeat. Knowing myself, it will last for another couple of months. My main goal for IF is a change of pace and routine. I need one of these every now and then to keep me going. The reason I'm doing 3:4 is to allow bigger calories on feeding days. It's meant to be a temporary change of scenery. Last time I was at this point I ate at maintenance until it passed, but I thought why not eat at maintenance while still losing by doing a couple of months of IF?
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
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    I read articles that 5:2 is not too aggressive.
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    3:4? How many days are you fasting?

    You seem to be adapting the 5:2 regime, ie 2 days at 500 calories, and the other 5 at maintenance. You can exercise on fasting days if you like, but if you're following the 5:2 approach then you don't eat back exercise calories on those days. You can on the other days, if you like.

    Other people will have different definitions of what is meant by "fasting".

    But I think you should do a bit more research before starting this - you seem to be mixing up a number of different ideas.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    I think it's a matter of personal preference. Plenty of people exercise fasted with no problems, while others don't like it. I tended to use my fast days a rest days, but there were times I exercised on those days just fine.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    3:4? How many days are you fasting?

    You seem to be adapting the 5:2 regime, ie 2 days at 500 calories, and the other 5 at maintenance. You can exercise on fasting days if you like, but if you're following the 5:2 approach then you don't eat back exercise calories on those days. You can on the other days, if you like.

    Other people will have different definitions of what is meant by "fasting".

    But I think you should do a bit more research before starting this - you seem to be mixing up a number of different ideas.

    4:3 or 3:4 (I'm not an expert) is supposed to be eating at maintenance for 4 days and fasting (on 500 calories) for 3. If I do a 5:2 the weight loss would be quite slow, a bit less than a pound per week. For my weight, losing 1.5-2 pounds a week is fairly normal.

    So basically, on fast days you don't eat back exercise or carry them over to the next day. Thank you, that's what I wanted to know.
  • crush12001
    crush12001 Posts: 10 Member
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    The 5:2 is incredibly popular here in London still and people I run into swear by it. I'm not sure I have the tolerance though!

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