Intermittent Fasting?

lesliereloaded · March 2015

Contemplating on wether to try this or not...I've heard that your body will go into "starvation mode", but I have done some research online and many sites have said it is just simply a myth? What are your thoughts on it? ... And for those who don't know what this is, it's fasting for 16 hours and eating for only 8 hours of the day, this supposedly helps your body burn fat much better/faster.

aksteve777 · March 2015

i fasted once for 20 days...i don't think quick fixes work. I had quit some prescription meds and was trying to get clean. I had broke my back and knees, head injury...needed a fresh start.

mz_getskinny · March 2015

I did this from August until about a month ago...I have lost 43 lbs and felt sooo great when I was doing IF. I only stopped because I started working out early in the morning and had to adjust my eating times! Feel free to message me if you have any more questions

mz_getskinny · March 2015

IF is definitely not a "quick fix". It's just an alternative way to create a calorie deficit. Meal timing doesn't matter and as long as you are hitting your daily goal, it's completely healthy.

Mr_Knight · March 2015

IF is awesome. And lots of evidence coming that once you get to 18/6 kind of eating windows, there are beneficial side effects like increased stem cell production and enhanced ability to metabolize stored fat.

But some people really struggle with it, so you'll have to experiment for yourself.

aksteve777 · March 2015

Could you possibly elaborate on the 18/6 thing? Eating is an inconvenience and doing sop once a day would be nice if of value. I have been told by so many to eat a little often..confusing.

lesliereloaded · March 2015

aksteve777 wrote: »

Could you possibly elaborate on the 18/6 thing? Eating is an inconvenience and doing sop once a day would be nice if of value. I have been told by so many to eat a little often..confusing.

Basically you fast for 16 hours of the day [including sleep] then eat the calories you would eat throughout the day during the 8 remaining hours

AdrianBry · March 2015

I was basically doing this before I even researched it myself due to being busy all the time but yes...

1. you will lose weight/ burn fat faster - I personally lost 44 pounds in 3 months doing this all without serious dieting

2. you actually get more energized the deeper you get into the fast

3. workout while fasted to speed up fat loss.

4. YES, starvation mode is LARGELY a myth meaning your body MAY hold onto fat once you've gotten into the VEERY LOW bodyfat range of less than 5 percent

lesliereloaded · March 2015

AdrianBry wrote: »

I was basically doing this before I even researched it myself due to being busy all the time but yes...

1. you will lose weight/ burn fat faster - I personally lost 44 pounds in 3 months doing this all without serious dieting

2. you actually get more energized the deeper you get into the fast

3. workout while fasted to speed up fat loss.

4. YES, starvation mode is LARGELY a myth meaning your body MAY hold onto fat once you've gotten into the VEERY LOW bodyfat range of less than 5 percent

Thank you, I'll give it a try

mz_getskinny · March 2015

I would eat all of my calories between 5pm and 9 pm Monday through Friday. Noon to 8pm Saturday and Sunday. It worked well with my work schedule. (And gave me more leniency on the weekends) I combined "one meal a day" and intermittent fasting to make it fit my lifestyle. It's nice because you can still eat at restaurants and share normal dinners with your family without constantly worrying about going over

lesliereloaded · March 2015

AdrianBry wrote: »

I was basically doing this before I even researched it myself due to being busy all the time but yes...

1. you will lose weight/ burn fat faster - I personally lost 44 pounds in 3 months doing this all without serious dieting

2. you actually get more energized the deeper you get into the fast

3. workout while fasted to speed up fat loss.

4. YES, starvation mode is LARGELY a myth meaning your body MAY hold onto fat once you've gotten into the VEERY LOW bodyfat range of less than 5 percent

Thank you, I'll give it a try

aksteve777 · March 2015

I loved fasting and felt great after three days, euphoric even. Thanks for the replies.

gsayler860 · March 2015

I've been doing IF for a few weeks and it has made keeping my calorie intake down much easier. I am up at about 6:30 am, skip breakfast and have lunch at 11:30. Usually have a snack around 4 pm and dinner at 6. After 7:30 pm no more food. I'm in bed early, rinse repeat.

In general I've found a light lunch and heavier dinner works best during the week. Work keeps me busy enough to distract from any hunger. On weekends it's the opposite. Heavy lunch and a light dinner. I usually have evening activities to keep me distracted.

necktweaker · March 2015

I have been doing the 16/8 fasting/feeding split for a few months now. It definitely makes it easier to stick to a caloric deficit, as you only have 8 hours / day to eat instead of 12ish. I usually train at 6am, and then my first meal of the day is noon. I've grown to really enjoy fasted training (lifting heavy).

There is a graphical abstract that I really enjoy about IF (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550413114004987). It definitely doesn't tell the whole story of the article, but it is entertaining.

noclady1995 · March 2015

Is its effectiveness different for men vs. women?? I've read different articles that say it is. One article even said a 10/14 works better for women where there's 10-hr eating window and 14 hrs of fasting. Another said its not as effective for women at all than men. However I listened to a podcast featuring a woman who's been eating this way for 15 years and is how she's kept her body fat low for years. She emphasized that it's not a diet but a lifestyle. You are trying to fit all of your daily nutritional needs in an 8 hr window. Any personal experiences with this way of eating from any females?

LAWoman72 · March 2015

I sort of do IF (eating between 12PM and 8-ishPM), but only because it comes naturally to me. All the years that I tried to force myself to "graze in order to keep my blood sugar level" and to eat a "metabolism-boosting" breakfast, it felt weird, I was starving all the time, I overate and I got very, very fat.

I now eat usually three times a day: lunch, dinner and a goodie at night. There are 16 hours in my day where I'm not eating, but I drink if I'm thirsty. Feels great. My mornings - without breakfast - are full of energy, I'm able to concentrate well and so on...no problems there.

Not saying this is for everybody, though. If it didn't come naturally and work so well for me, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be doing it, no matter what others said about its benefits.

PeachyPlum · March 2015

I do a 10/14 IF. I can't claim it has any metabolism benefits, because I really don't know.

I do know it's way easier for me to just deal with being hungry in the morning, and then have a satisfying meal for lunch and dinner. It's also curbed my urge to snack late at night, because I'm still full from my hearty dinner.

When I was eating 3 (or more) meals a day, I felt vaguely hungry all the time and was constantly thinking about what and when I was going to eat next. I love that I don't have to deal with that anymore.

PeachyCarol · March 2015

Mr_Knight wrote: »

IF is awesome. And lots of evidence coming that once you get to 18/6 kind of eating windows, there are beneficial side effects like increased stem cell production and enhanced ability to metabolize stored fat.

But some people really struggle with it, so you'll have to experiment for yourself.

Woohoo! I've mentioned before that I was naturally already 16/8. I've just switched (quite painlessly, was just hungry the first day) to 18/6.

Editing to add some helpful info for the OP...

Like LAWoman, I used to eat breakfast, and was the type who ended up more hungry--and eating throughout the day as a result. One of the habits I've tried to develop is not eating until hungry, and that's how I naturally settled into not eating until almost 10:00 after waking at 4:30. I just recently pushed that back to noon. I should mention that I also prefer to work out on an empty stomach and go to the gym in the morning. I stop eating at 6:00 and go to bed around 9:00.

mz_getskinny · March 2015

coreenbarlow wrote: »

Is its effectiveness different for men vs. women?? I've read different articles that say it is. One article even said a 10/14 works better for women where there's 10-hr eating window and 14 hrs of fasting. Another said its not as effective for women at all than men. However I listened to a podcast featuring a woman who's been eating this way for 15 years and is how she's kept her body fat low for years. She emphasized that it's not a diet but a lifestyle. You are trying to fit all of your daily nutritional needs in an 8 hr window. Any personal experiences with this way of eating from any females?

I don't know that it matters as far as gender is concerned. I had a lot of success with it, and I know a lot of men who did as well. I will say it is definitely not for everyone. I have never been a breakfast eater, and always was very hungry at night. It worked for me because I could fit my eating window around when I'm most hungry. I lost the majority of my weight so far without any exercise at all.

I will definitely be going back to it at some point. I would honestly prefer to eat like that for the rest of my life. I just started going to the gym (at 6 AM)...so I am not sure it is wise to wait until 5 PM to eat. That is the only reason I had to stop doing it.

MindySaysWhaaat · March 2015

I never really thought of it as fasting, but I wake up at 930am every day and I don't eat until 4pm. I basically split my calories between a lunch and dinner, with lunch being between 4-5pm, and dinner is usually around 9pm (I get home from work at 830pm). I usually try not to eat after 1030pm, and I go to sleep around midnight.

So I guess if you look at it, there are 16 hours where I don't eat, and then I eat my two meals within the same 8 hours. It works for me, but I never realized it was considered any kind of fasting until now lol.

Castrofreak · March 2015

I never thought I was doing IF until I read this thread lol. I don't eat until 1-2pm. I do have my coffee but another than that, I dont get hungry until then. Idk about added benefits tho. I lose weight just like anyone else.

Intermittent Fasting?

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