Intermittent Fasting
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DittoDan
Posts: 1,850 Member
Intermittent Fasting. If you've read any of my posts you know I believe in it.
I want to poll the group. For the purposes of my query here, I am defining a fast as:
Duration: A period of time no less than 16 hrs. and no more than one week.
Food: Any low carb food ~ but NOT to exceed 500 calories @ day. Naturally water, tea and other non-caloric beverages qualify as suitable for fasting.
What I was wondering is how others on this list do it? So I was curious if you would write the following:
Your duration: How much time is your fast?
Do you water fast or low calorie fast? (If the latter, do you do any food or specific foods like fat?)
Frequency: One a month? once a week, twice a week? Only when you stall? If you do multiple day fasts, are they consecutive days or non-consecutive days?
Do you take vitamins, minerals, or other non-caloric items? (list)
Any other comments about your experience
Just curious,
Dan the Man from Michigan
My Blog: Intermittent Water Fasting & Keto
Blog #9 Fasting, Diabetic ~ Glucose/Sugar Levels
I want to poll the group. For the purposes of my query here, I am defining a fast as:
Duration: A period of time no less than 16 hrs. and no more than one week.
Food: Any low carb food ~ but NOT to exceed 500 calories @ day. Naturally water, tea and other non-caloric beverages qualify as suitable for fasting.
What I was wondering is how others on this list do it? So I was curious if you would write the following:
Your duration: How much time is your fast?
Do you water fast or low calorie fast? (If the latter, do you do any food or specific foods like fat?)
Frequency: One a month? once a week, twice a week? Only when you stall? If you do multiple day fasts, are they consecutive days or non-consecutive days?
Do you take vitamins, minerals, or other non-caloric items? (list)
Any other comments about your experience
Just curious,
Dan the Man from Michigan
My Blog: Intermittent Water Fasting & Keto
Blog #9 Fasting, Diabetic ~ Glucose/Sugar Levels
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Replies
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I'll start:
I mostly do skip-a-day-of-eating water fasts. That would be about 39 to 43ish hours. I do take Metformin and magnesium during the fast. I usually do one a week, sometimes if I have a good weigh-in, I'll skip fasting until the next week. I especially use fasting to break a stall. I sometimes get a little constipated but am trying different things to alleviate that (Senna & eating soft foods eg: fat and soft veggies, not much red meat) before I start the fast.
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan
My Blog: It's Ketogenic or Bariatric (How I found the Ketogenic Diet)0 -
>Your duration: How much time is your fast?
16:8 daily and 6:1 weekly for maintenance. The daily stuff is less important though, IMO, and I'm more likely to be loose about it.
>Do you water fast or low calorie fast? (If the latter, do you do any food or specific foods like fat?)
My 24-hr fasts are usually with fat (coconut oil, butter). Sometimes just water.
>Frequency: One a month? once a week, twice a week? Only when you stall? If you do multiple day fasts, are they consecutive days or non-consecutive days?
I did 5:2 for a while to initially cut 15lbs, and then now just the one weekly.
>Do you take vitamins, minerals, or other non-caloric items? (list)
Yeah: fish oil, vitamin D, turmeric, and a cheap multi.
>Any other comments about your experience
IF is the best! I feel sorry for people trying to lose weight with traditional dieting.0 -
About once or twice a week, usually early in the week, I skip breakfast and just do bp coffee and vitamins (vit D, magnesium, fish oil) to extend the overnight fast into the morning. Break it about 11:30ish. This helps me re-set after a more carby weekend, usually. I am maintaining, not trying to lose right now.0
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Oh, good. I was hoping someone would start a thread on Intermittent Fasting. It's new to me, and I'm starting to do the 16:8 daily fast and see what effect it has. I was one of those people who always believed breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Listening to Dr. Fung has changed my mind. I want to learn from all of you who have done it. Thanks!0
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I tried 5:2, and it's just not doable for me. So instead I try for around 15 fasted, 9 feed daily, but if I'm starving I'll do a wider window. I do a bulletproof every morning upon waking to get me through to brunch/lunch. I feel great, I wouldn't say it is for weight loss per se.0
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I practice a wide variety of fasts, depending on my schedule and how I feel. I allow a one hour eating window daily about once per week, but usually fast for 24 - 36 hrs at least once per week, with the occasional 72 hr fast every couple of months. I take my fish oil, vitamin C and D in the am and magnesium before bed. I'll have a couple of cups of coffee with HWC in the am, then switch to mostly water throughout the day, maybe some herbal tea and homemade bone broth for "supper". I usually feel refreshed after fasting. I love the feeling of control of appetite that this brings.0
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wheatlessgirl66 wrote: »Oh, good. I was hoping someone would start a thread on Intermittent Fasting. It's new to me, and I'm starting to do the 16:8 daily fast and see what effect it has. I was one of those people who always believed breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Listening to Dr. Fung has changed my mind. I want to learn from all of you who have done it. Thanks!
I too am very interested and same here - Dr. Fung has really influenced my thoughts. I know this is your thread, Dan, but can I say I'd love to hear people's experience with achieving blood sugar control (if blood sugar was an issue) through their fasting experience as part of their results?!0 -
I'm interested in reading about it. I'm a little nervous about trying it, though. I could handle being hungry but I've had my blood sugar go too low one too many times to feel comfortable with it. I'm not wanting to eat so much between meals so perhaps I can try fasting in the future.0
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I'm interested in reading about it. I'm a little nervous about trying it, though. I could handle being hungry but I've had my blood sugar go too low one too many times to feel comfortable with it. I'm not wanting to eat so much between meals so perhaps I can try fasting in the future.
My understanding about IF is if you're hungry, you eat! My limited experience is if I have the right balance of carbs/fat/protein, my appetite is very much under control and so far--the few times I've done it---it's easy to stop eating by 8pm and go until 12 noon before eating. If that changes, I'll eat. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.
That's what I love about LCHF---I'm appropriately hungry, but not all the time. And I tend to not eat between meals b/c I'm satisfied from the prior meal.
And to think I've spent years and years following dr's orders, starving myself and exercising until I can't breathe. Ridiculous.0 -
I am now weight stable but during the weight loss period I used it a lot. I started off doing 6 fed hours to 18 fasted everyday. It got old very quick because I could never get enough calories in in 6 hours.
I started the alternate day thing (2 days a week) under the tutelage of user @PatchEFog who is awesome and the most disciplined person I know and it went very well.
I still do a 24 hour fast every two weeks or so when I have an important meeting or hard work to do. I always time it to get to 24 hours at the moment I need to be the sharpest because you can't beat the mental clarity of being fat adapted and 24 hours into a fast.
As for food I do a no calories fast not even from fat and take only a multivitamin.
The longest I have done was 48 hours and I didn't really see any additional benefits from the 24 hours. We are all different.
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Who is this Dr. Fung you're talking about, please?
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I think this is the Dr. Fung http://intensivedietarymanagement.com/
He has a lot of interesting information.
It's interesting to read everyone's experiences. I'm thinking about doing the 16:8 fast.0 -
Dr. Jason Fung.
intensivedietarymanagement.com/
He has a video series in 6 parts on YouTube that is enlightening on obesity. He also has one in which he describes how he treats diabetes naturally.The IDM (Intensive Dietary Management) program’s approach to reduce insulin levels is:
-Fasting
-Reduce Refined Carbohydrates
-Eat high fat
-Fiber
-Vinegar
-Spices and herbs, e.g. cinnamon, tumeric,etc.0 -
Your duration: How much time is your fast? I fast a minimum of 18 hours, trying to build up to 24.
Do you water fast or low calorie fast? (If the latter, do you do any food or specific foods like fat?) 500 calories on fast days, LCHF diet
Frequency: One a month? once a week, twice a week? Only when you stall? If you do multiple day fasts, are they consecutive days or non-consecutive days? M, Th, Saturday, but flexible around social engagements-I did M/Wed so far this week and plan a fast day tomorrow, Sat. Would never do consecutive days but I know people do successfully.
Do you take vitamins, minerals, or other non-caloric items? (list) Glucosamine/turmeric supplement for arthritis; fish oil; magnesium
Any other comments about your experience-did IF a few years ago and lost 20# successfully and with the least discomfort, effort etc of any WOE; I wish I had never strayed. Have come back to it after 3 1/2 months faithfully on LCHF/Keto-lost exactly 3 pounds and then stalled for over 6 weeks. Am eating LCHF still (because I like the food and believe the emerging science re: benefits, although it has failed me as a weight loss tool).
There are some IF groups on MFP and very active IF threads on http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/
mostly UK people but there are folks from all over the world on there.0 -
Your duration: How much time is your fast?
I generally do 16:8, though the exact time frames vary somewhat, depending on life in general. My breakfast is generally between 12-1pm and dinner is 5-7pm.Do you water fast or low calorie fast? (If the latter, do you do any food or specific foods like fat?)
I don't generally eat before noon and just drink water, but sometimes, if I'm feeling like I need it for one reason or another, I'll do bulletproof coffee.Frequency: One a month? once a week, twice a week? Only when you stall? If you do multiple day fasts, are they consecutive days or non-consecutive days?
It's a daily routine.Do you take vitamins, minerals, or other non-caloric items? (list)
I take supplements, but not for purposes of fasting.0 -
I have been playing with the idea of incorporating IF. What time frames do you guys use? As in what exact times of day are you fasting vs. eating? Also, are you working out while you fast?0
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I have been playing with the idea of incorporating IF. What time frames do you guys use? As in what exact times of day are you fasting vs. eating? Also, are you working out while you fast?
12-7pm is my usual eating window (thereabouts). I fast the rest of the time. Having part of the fasting time be while sleeping makes life so much easier. Eating times within that window can vary quite a bit, but since I eat LCHF, I don't snack much and just eat two large meals -- one around noon, the other around 6 or 7.
I do work out fasted, generally because I get sick if I've eaten within 4 hours of an intense workout. I usually do my big workout right before breakfast, so it's work out -> shower -> eat food. I also go for a light walk earlier in the morning (taking my son to daycare). It can be a bit rough going that long, but it works pretty well for me.0 -
Thanks Dragonwolf! I didn't think about it like that. I'm a teacher, workout before school, and then coach the city crew team. Having my first meal around 12 seems doable, and I might try it out this week.0
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wheatlessgirl66 wrote: »
My understanding about IF is if you're hungry, you eat! My limited experience is if I have the right balance of carbs/fat/protein, my appetite is very much under control and so far--the few times I've done it---it's easy to stop eating by 8pm and go until 12 noon before eating. If that changes, I'll eat. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.
That's what I love about LCHF---I'm appropriately hungry, but not all the time. And I tend to not eat between meals b/c I'm satisfied from the prior meal.
And to think I've spent years and years following dr's orders, starving myself and exercising until I can't breathe. Ridiculous.
Holy Crow @wheatlessgirl! This is EXACTLY what I would have written!!
@sugarbeat - I have tried IF both on LCHF and off. First attempt was before LCHF and it SUCKED!!! Low blood sugar, headaches, lethargy, confusion, and HANGRY yadda, yadda. Then I noticed a few weeks into LCHF I was naturally just eating IF in a 8:16 window! Whoa! I haven't tried a skp a day or 24hr fast but I can feel it coming on!!
@DittoDan Atta boy! You're going to have so much date on LCHF, Keto and IF you'll be able to write a book. Well laid out question!
So, I basically eat 16:8 and that's about it. BUT I thought I would include the experience of my IF mentor (my partner), who swears by IF.
He started with 8:16 daily.
During faster hours water only.
WOE was... whatever he wanted, as much as he wanted, mostly meat, cheese, vegetables until he couldn't possibly eat anything else. But that also included doritos or icecream once or twice a week.
No supplements
Worked out at least 5 days a week, intense.
Over the course of about 6 months he slowly cut down the eating window to 1h daily.
He found after about 9 months of 1:24, he was starting to be tired all the time his body fat was really low (he looked ... not healthy, and his libido was.... gone.
He went back to "free feeding" as he calls it. No restrictions for about 6 months. Gained about 20#
To lose the 20#:
He then started 8:16 again. 5 days a week (Same WOE, no supplementation etc).
1 day per week he did 1:24 & one day a week he did "skip a day".
During the 1hr window and skip a day, he would have water and a "smoothy". Which was basically 1.5 cups milk with 2 cups frozen berries. He would have one or two a day depending how hungry he was. Which would likely stay under the 500 cals. On "skip a day" he would often skip his workout as well.
He has recently reached his "maintenance weight again and has decided to play it by ear but has started with "skip a day" once per week possibly 2 days a week. the rest of the days are "free=feeding". And when I say free-feeding, this dude EATS! whoa! He also seems to naturally eat only once a day anyway. More out of convenience because of his work shifs.
He also says he feels more mentally clear. Not being nagged all the time by hunger. But does not see any added benefits if he extends his "fast" to longer than skip a day.
HTH!
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