Anyone use the 8 Hour Diet (aka Intermittent Fasting)?

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dtopo
dtopo Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
ANYONE OUT THERE DO INTERMITTENT FASTING?

I was just reading a very interesting book about it from Mens Health called the 8 HOUR DIET. Now the book blows the benefits and possible results way out of proportion just like any diet book and I hate that -- what I like is the actual act of this fasting process.

Now I don't like the books plan saying "eat whatever you want in those 8 hours) because I know you still need to watch your calories, sodium, fat, etc. I don't like how it says lose 10 pounds in a week or reverse the aging process -- that is all bull crap.

But I do like the idea of having an 8 hour window that you eat (say noon till 8pm) each day and the fact that your body will go into fasting mode after that and really burn calories instead of sugars, crank up metabolism, and help with things like high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, etc.

I hate eating breakfast anyway - I have to force something down. I am never hungry till around noon anyway (usually more like 1pm). I like to late night snack so I have to curb that but I know that was bad anyway.

I have been reading online to see what peoples experiences are - they all seem to love it. Not sure what the results are for weight loss but people really like this plan of eating.

Here is a little better explanation:
The theory is that only eating food during a set eight-hour time period gives our bodies a chance to reset, and in turn a chance to process nutrients and properly get rid of toxins like it’s supposed to. The authors argue that modern lifestyles mean that we eat round the clock (grazing), not giving our bodies enough time to burn all the calories it needs to. An exerpt in the book says: 'In the simplest terms, the 8-Hour Diet is a way of extending the period between your last snack and your 'breakfast,' giving your body the chance to burn away your fat stores for the energy it needs. '

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Replies

  • allanakern
    allanakern Posts: 245 Member
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    I did intermittent fasting for a while, I liked it because it fit into my social schedule and took pressure off not knowing when to eat - the only problem I found is that if it was getting close to the end of the 8 hours, I would panic knowing I wouldn't be eating for another 16 hours, and eat a lot even If I wasn't hungry, and didn't make the best nutritional choices
  • allanakern
    allanakern Posts: 245 Member
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    also felt like it help me cut some fat - I did it for a couple months
  • zab12101
    zab12101 Posts: 34 Member
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    Personally for me, I.F didn't help me lose weight so much as a standard caloric deficit with is key, but it helped controlling my appetite which was extremely important which later helped even when I jumped of I.f
  • dtopo
    dtopo Posts: 33 Member
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    I still plan to only eat my 2000 calories a day in those 8 hours
  • acchand1989
    acchand1989 Posts: 1 Member
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    I do it...I started eating in a 8 hr window, and now have cut it down to a 5 hr window. I eat all my calories (~1400-1600 calories a day) between 10 am-3 pm. It was definitely hard when I started- for the first month, I would be really hungry right before I went to bed. But for me now, it works great. It controls my appetite and it's helped me lose those last 10 pounds that I just couldn't get off when I was eating throughout the day, even when I was eating within the same calorie range. The concept is that you burn through your glycogen stores when you fast, so that at the end of your fasting period, you're burning fat instead.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    I <3 IF. I have done it for years (recently stopped when going through some medical testing, but now back into it) I eat in a 6-hour window, from noon - 6:00 p.m. every day. I work-out fasted every morning. I do stay within calorie goal every day. I am never hungry when I first wake up, so it works for me. I have some mental health issues and that is the reason I started IF, not to lose weight. having some periods of time where there is no calorie intake has some health benefits. GL :smile:
  • dtopo
    dtopo Posts: 33 Member
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    What is the best time to workout when doing this plan?
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    I do 16:8 coupled with alternate day fasting. I love it!
  • lizc0616
    lizc0616 Posts: 68 Member
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    I like this plan, ALOT. I am considering it myself as a jump start to helping me with my out of control, & very aggressive appetite!
  • mommy2626
    mommy2626 Posts: 32 Member
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    I have done it in the past=---loved it and lost weight looked great. I am at a stalemate with my weight at the moment, you just reminded me maybe I should try this again!! :) I have gone back to mostly eating when I want, just counting calories, and working out, just havent lost anything!!! my window was usually later, more like a 5-10 eating window. however I feel the need to eat earlier which may be something I need to change. soooo.... we eat a family dinner around 630 and i want to be able to eat with the family--dont need to eat after though, soooo... anyway its a good way of life. give it a try for a few months and see for yourself if you like it!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited January 2015
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    I love the eating windows version of IF. When I'm in my weight loss groove, I use a 4 hour window in the evenings. Works fantastic for me - I get to eat all my (deficit-driven) calories in one shot, so I get to experience real fullness and satiety - and my daytime decisions are reduced to nothing more than maintaining an iron will. And even that quickly becomes just a habit.

    christinev297 wrote:
    I do 16:8 coupled with alternate day fasting. I love it!

    I knew we were soul mates.

    :drinker:
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    dtopo wrote: »
    What is the best time to workout when doing this plan?

    i generally wake-up about 6:00 or 7:00 a.m.

    i have water w/ BCAA powder around 10:30 a.m.

    i work-out at the gym anywhere from 10:45 a.m. to 12:00 noon and follow work-out with more water/BCAA (so i am "technically" working-out fasted)

    i break my fast around 12:00 noon or 12:30 p.m.

    i eat for 6 hours, eating my last bite of calories at 6:00 or 6:30 (depending on when i started my fast)

  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    I love the eating windows version of IF. When I'm in my weight loss groove, I use a 4 hour window in the evenings. Works fantastic for me - I get to eat all my (deficit-driven) calories in one shot, so I get to experience real fullness and satiety - and my daytime decisions are reduced to nothing more than maintaining an iron will. And even that quickly becomes just a habit.

    christinev297 wrote:
    I do 16:8 coupled with alternate day fasting. I love it!

    I knew we were soul mates.

    :drinker:

    yes indeedy :#<3

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2015
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    It's only a diet for faster quick loss if you follow to some crazy diets like the Warrior diet.

    This is a feeding/eating schedule. Not everyone can do IF but it helped me kick start my actual weight loss in the beginning. For example I ate pretty much on schedule such as 10:30 "break fast" or snack, maybe lunch or a snack and consumed most of my calories around 5:30. I do 17:7 or 18:6.

    There is another thread going on right now that is on this exact subject. Might want to do a search and see what every one is posting there as well.
  • La5Vega5Girl
    La5Vega5Girl Posts: 709 Member
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    gia07 wrote: »

    This is a feeding/eating schedule.

    i agree with this. the part where you need to lose weight comes from your calorie input/output. i started this for health reasons, not to lose weight. if done a certain way, i can help with weight loss, but it's not exclusively for that reason.

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited January 2015
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    La5Vega5Girl wrote: »
    gia07 wrote: »

    This is a feeding/eating schedule.

    I agree with this. the part where you need to lose weight comes from your calorie input/output. i started this for health reasons, not to lose weight. if done a certain way, i can help with weight loss, but it's not exclusively for that reason.

    Totally agree. To put simple: You eat ALL your calories (you have been given for the day) in a 6, 7, 8, hour window. After you try this, you actually find that it may be hard to eat too much food in this period of time. Especially if you already low such as 1200 cal diet or 1500 cal diet. I can eat anything anytime as I am foodie anytime of the day. :)

    If you find any internet chat that says you can eat anything anytime during the IF window. It is wrong. You must eat ALL your deficit calories only during this time or you will be remaining at maintenance mode or even overeating!

    I need to add this:
    Please do not attempt to do IF if you have health risks, health issues and are on medications. See advice from your physician. IF is not for everyone.
  • Jimmyftw94
    Jimmyftw94 Posts: 75 Member
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    I've been doing this without even knowing that I'm doing it. I just skip breakfast and have a bigger lunch and dinner, done.
  • Cheriesaurus
    Cheriesaurus Posts: 92 Member
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    I came across this earlier while googling and decided to try it.

    I didn't realise back when I lost most of my weight I was skipping breakfast cause I just wasn't hungry but I was focused on low carb and didn't notice I was doing it. Now I see it's an actual thing people do to lose weight.

    No snacks or breakfast for me now and I think I can stick to this. Lunches or Dinners is sometimes when I go out with friends to eat so it's hard to lower my intake or skip it entirely but breakfast is easy to skip for me.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
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    No, regimented eating to this extent doesn't work for me. The most I can do is set up my calorie and macro goals and just eat as I please throughout the day. Today was my first day just grabbing food I felt like eating for breakfast, same for lunch. Only downside to this was that my lunch didn't have enough protein (didn't have enough chicken left over) so I got hungry on my way home.. which was still 5.5 hours after I ate lunch, and I worked out after lunch too.

    eat whichever way enables you to maintain your caloric/macro needs.
  • RoarkWD
    RoarkWD Posts: 8 Member
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    I do IF, 17/7 works for me

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