Anyone tried and tested intermittent fasting?

drpsamin
drpsamin Posts: 265 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello.
I have 17lb of fat to lose before I am at goal weight. I currently weigh 160lb and I am 5'5.

My personal trainer advices me to do intermittent fasting ... Where I only eat between 12-6pm then drink water rest of the time. He also adviced me to eat 140g protein per day and 1500 calories int those 6 hours I can eat ....
I'm not sure how I feel about this. I've heard great things about IF, but I love breakfast and eating in general (ahem explains why I got here).

Please tell me if this worked for you or not? Also it'll b a challenge to eat 1500 within 6 hrs! Haha

Replies

  • Scamd83
    Scamd83 Posts: 808 Member
    drpsamin wrote: »
    Hello.
    I have 17lb of fat to lose before I am at goal weight. I currently weigh 160lb and I am 5'5.

    My personal trainer advices me to do intermittent fasting ... Where I only eat between 12-6pm then drink water rest of the time. He also adviced me to eat 140g protein per day and 1500 calories int those 6 hours I can eat ....
    I'm not sure how I feel about this. I've heard great things about IF, but I love breakfast and eating in general (ahem explains why I got here).

    Please tell me if this worked for you or not? Also it'll b a challenge to eat 1500 within 6 hrs! Haha

    Are you confident you can avoid giving in to hunger outside of those hours? Personally speaking I like being able to eat later on in the evening. Stopping at 6pm seems like a mess waiting to happen. Besides which, men are usually advised to go with an eight hour eating window. But the usual information I see about IF says IF is much harder for women and that they should have a larger eating window. Other women who do IF will obviously be better placed to answer this one though. IF isn't necessary and doesn't offer anything that you can't get from ordinary calorie deficit spread out throughout the day. It's just a way of simplifying meals. If you can do it, do it. If you don't want to, don't. But if you choose to go with it, ease into it - maybe keep pushing breakfast back an hour each day and see how you cope. But six hours seems too small a window and then going 18 hours until your next meal is too big of a mental challenge for someone just starting.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    edited April 2016
    I actually practice IF because it follows my natural eating pattern. It's not magical and it's just another way to achieve a calorie deficit. If you love eating breakfast, you probably shouldn't practice IF; don't unnecessarily deprive yourself of a meal you normally eat or force anything that isn't sustainable in the long term.

    As a side note, seeing as your trainer recommended IF, they don't seem to be very knowledgeable about IF eating windows. The recommended daily split for women is 10 eat/14 fast; for men it is 8 eat/16 fast. Some people do a 4 or 6 hour eating window, but the reason a 10 hour eating window is recommended for women is because there have been reports of it screwing with hormone levels since we're all over the place due to our TOM, etc. To recommend that you go straight for a 6 hour eating window is ridiculous and irresponsible in my opinion, especially as this could easily lead to binging.
  • Gun4a
    Gun4a Posts: 68 Member
    I agree with @synacious 100%. If it feels naturally - go for it. I would definitely struggle to consume 1500 calories is such a short period of time.
  • ReaderGirl3
    ReaderGirl3 Posts: 868 Member
    I've done IF in one form or another since 2012. It helped me accomplish my goals, but if you don't feel that it would be a good fit, then don't do it.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    I've been doing this naturally most of my life, unintentionally. I don't eat breakfast aside from coffee and don't eat until around 1:00. Yesterday, I didn't eat lunch until after 3:00 Meal timing makes zero difference for weight loss.
  • Heartlight441
    Heartlight441 Posts: 278 Member
    I've been seeing IF come up more and more... but I just find my body prefers the calories spread out over the day. I used to eat very little in the day while at work but found this caused me to almost binge eat soon as I got home before dinner, then have a big dinner and then I was still peckish in the evening. Now, I spread my calories over three meals and two snacks (or even another after dinner if hungry but this almost never happens anymore) and I'm perfectly happy at my current caloric intake.

    I honour my body's hunger cues too. So for me, I'm hungry for breakfast. IF isn't for me...but if you think you can do it then give it a try even if for a couple weeks to see.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I've done 5:2 and also 16:8 IF protocols.
    Liked 5:2 for weight loss (helped me budget my weekly calories in a way that worked well for me) but 16:8 didn't really do much for me apart from breaking my "wake up then eat" habit.
    I'm not really any hungrier by lunchtime whether I eat breakfast or not so it can be an easy way for me to cut calories.

    Sounds like you may find it hard going by this comment
    but I love breakfast
    but it's worth experimenting. You may like it, dislike it or just learn something useful about yourself, your hunger signals or eating habits.

    I think the suggested eating window is too short, ten hours would give you two well spaced meals without feeling the need to race against the clock, stuff your face, or go through a long evening without food.
  • Jazzykatt
    Jazzykatt Posts: 38 Member
    I am a female and practice IF and only eat between 6pm and 10pm. I prefer larger meals. Small meals and snacking throughout the day just leaves me feeling hungry and unsatisfied. I know people say its not magical but the weight comes off much easier for me when I eat this way. There have been studies that show that fasting in general and eating a calorie-restricted diet promotes longevity in life. This is still premature but for me just another potential added benefit from fasting. Also, I only do this during the week and eat normally on the weekends.
  • Runningforafew
    Runningforafew Posts: 28 Member
  • sjohnson__1
    sjohnson__1 Posts: 405 Member
    edited April 2016
    OP: I IF, but to me all that means is to skip breakfast and stay fasted for a while into the day in order to save calories for larger meals...

    The primary objective of your diet is to lose weight by way of a caloric deficit. If intermittent fasting helps you eat less total calories, then go for it! However, I wouldn't be all that stringent on times. For instance, there's mornings where I wake up at 4am hungrier than hell and know I won't make it to noon before needing something to eat. So, I eat something for breakfast and plan a smaller lunch or dinner. However, most days, I have no problem holding off on breakfast especially since it means larger meals for lunch and dinner (I love big meals) followed by a small snack before calling it a day...



    TL;DR
    Fasting has ZERO effect on weight loss. Calories do. Do whatever helps you stay in a caloric deficit (if that's IF, then do it!)... and I might suggest you find your TDEE first before just setting the bar at 1500 calories.
  • sjohnson__1
    sjohnson__1 Posts: 405 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    I think the suggested eating window is too short, ten hours would give you two well spaced meals without feeling the need to race against the clock, stuff your face, or go through a long evening without food.

    Agreed.

  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    sjohnson__1 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    I think the suggested eating window is too short, ten hours would give you two well spaced meals without feeling the need to race against the clock, stuff your face, or go through a long evening without food.

    Agreed.

    Why exactly? What time do you normally eat lunch? Dinner? How many calories did you consume per meal before you came here to lose weight? It really isn't that difficult to eat 750 calories in a sitting, especially if you are eating healthy fats. I eat twice a day, sometimes only once a day and most of the time (yesterday being an exception) I can get all of my calories in easily.

  • King_Spicy
    King_Spicy Posts: 821 Member
    I have tried IF for 2-3 months while it fit my schedule, and found that my weight loss was only equal to that of a normal diet of spreading my meals out throughout the day. No magical extra weight loss or anything. Just do whatever is easiest for your daily routine
  • sjohnson__1
    sjohnson__1 Posts: 405 Member
    edited April 2016
    michelle172415 wrote: »
    sjohnson__1 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    I think the suggested eating window is too short, ten hours would give you two well spaced meals without feeling the need to race against the clock, stuff your face, or go through a long evening without food.

    Agreed.

    Why exactly? What time do you normally eat lunch? Dinner? How many calories did you consume per meal before you came here to lose weight? It really isn't that difficult to eat 750 calories in a sitting, especially if you are eating healthy fats. I eat twice a day, sometimes only once a day and most of the time (yesterday being an exception) I can get all of my calories in easily.

    IMO, it's not about the window. I think people should worry less about eating between certain times, and more about what they're gaining from IF. My view of IF is essentially just hoarding calories for later in order to: (1) feel energized and well-nourished during and after a workout, and; (2) feel full, and satisfied after eating each meal.

    I explained my schedule above, but for re-emphasis, I typically skip breakfast and might have something under 200 kcals between 10a-noon (not all that frequent). Then I eat meal 1 between 12-4p and meal two (after work and/or a workout) between 6-8p plus a small something as needed to fit my macros, normally well before 9p.

    But, to answer your question as to why the window is too short? It isn't...if that is convenient for you. But, for the majority of people, I don't think we can sustain eating in REALLY small windows, and they might miss the point of IF.
  • aureum79
    aureum79 Posts: 30 Member
    Hi I started intermetted fasting from 1 st April the first 2 days I woke up way early like 4:00 and hAd a heavy breakfast(2toasts and egg)with 1 big mug of tea that night I had my dinner around 7:30 after that I haven't touched toast
  • aureum79
    aureum79 Posts: 30 Member
    And I am doing no more breakfast I eat around 2:00/2:30 less carbohydrates more vegetables and meat/chicken/fish
    As I love sugar I cut back all of sweets but everyday around 4:30 or 5:00 I have tea with1tsp sugar and milk.Have a light snack at 6:00 or 6:30 mostly a fruit then 8:30 dinner and then nothing till next day 2:00/2:30

  • aureum79
    aureum79 Posts: 30 Member
    I would suggest you should give it a try but don't jump into it directly you will find it very difficult (what I did was I rewarded my self the first 2 days buy eating donner at dinner)after that I have had good clean healthy home cooked meals with lots of vegetables.They say it take 5/6 weeks or sometimes even more for body to get adjusted to eating in this pattern
  • jeanstudies
    jeanstudies Posts: 81 Member
    I've read that IF will cause your body to reset and then will burn fat more efficiently (sorry I don't have the references here). It took me about three days to become acclimated to it, and during that time I was counting the minutes until I could eat lunch at 11 a.m. Now I have coffee only for breakfast (with a bit of a cheat with sugar-free creamer). But I agree with the earlier posts, 6 hours is too small an eating window. I use an eight-hour window and that works for me.
  • clbrto
    clbrto Posts: 5 Member
    Hi, I'm a 56 yo woman who's lost about 130 lbs (so far) using 16-8 IF, and I also fast completely on Mondays (which would be 6-1 IF). I also keep my non-fast days under 1540 cal, and restrict carbs. This article got me started with IF http://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting My feeding window is noon to 8 pm, you CAN customize your eating window (say, 9 am to 5pm), or as the article says, just eat your "breakfast" later. I don't see the advantage of a 6 hour feeding window vs a 8 hour feeding window, although some folks take it down to 4 hours or less. Some sites say the feeding window for a woman should be 10 hours, and it's also not appropriate for certain medical conditions, if you're trying to conceive, etc. For me, having only coffee before noon is not difficult. I also drink herbal tea (with stevia) in addition to water when fasting.

    Like the folks above advise, IF is just a tool that works for some people - I like the convenience of only cooking two meals a day (they're very healthy, all from scratch meals) and I too like "big" meals.

    There's lots of info on 5-2 fasting out there https://thefastdiet.co.uk/ , where women eat 500 (some say up to 800) calories 2 days a week, and then eat whatever you want the other 5 days. I need to restrict my calories and carbs on non-fast days to keep losing. I occasionally add a second fast day per week, usually by creating a "meatless" day, but frankly, 5-2 is too hard for me to adhere to, whereas one day is doable and I get results with it. So my advice would be to find a protocol where you don't feel deprived. You don't have much to lose, why not give it a try? I like that it has made me more comfortable experiencing hunger. ("hunger is my friend")

    ps I have NO problem eating 1500 calories in 8 hours (unfortunately)
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    jeanstudies wrote: »
    I've read that IF will cause your body to reset and then will burn fat more efficiently (sorry I don't have the references here). It took me about three days to become acclimated to it, and during that time I was counting the minutes until I could eat lunch at 11 a.m. Now I have coffee only for breakfast (with a bit of a cheat with sugar-free creamer). But I agree with the earlier posts, 6 hours is too small an eating window. I use an eight-hour window and that works for me.

    I'm pretty sure that there is no evidence that fasting protocols show and advantage in humans when compared isocalorifically to other eating protocols

    this is what I posted in a similar, recent thread
    StealthHealth wrote: »
    I'm by no means an expert in this but recently spent a little time looking for any study which compared IF to "normal" eating protocols in humans.

    There were studies which showed that ad libium IF was a useful tool for weight loss (usually in obese subjects) where, presumably, IF simply generated a greater deficit than other protocols.

    I could find no studies in which the control and subject groups were fed isocalorifically except where they were specifically studying the effects on exercise performance (which wasn't what I was looking for at the time). Others may have more success?

    Going back to Mosley's 5:2 fast diet and re-reading the text and cross refs to studies, it seemed to me that the benefits that he was stating were at the least "on the generous side". I'm not saying I'm anti IF - It is a technique I use often, but rather that for me, it is a tool which helps me to adhere to my allotted calories.

  • iratherlift433
    iratherlift433 Posts: 1 Member
    I burned fat and gained muscle mass while intermittent fasting. I worked out fasted and broke my fast with protein shake on work out days. I worked out 3 days a week taking bcaas before while fasted. I usually eat from 2pm-10pm. Macros more or less average was 150g protein 250g carbs 90g fat and 2,100 Calories . Supps i took creatine bcaas and protein shakes. Food mainly eggs(whites) Ham whole grain bread oatmeal p&b tuna rice milk and lot of water. Went from 220lbs to 185lbs in 6 months. I only fasted Monday to Thursday also
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I eat around 1500-1600 calories on weekdays and aim for 140g of protein. I eat between 1-9pm. The thing you need to realise is that there is nothing magical about IF. It's just a tool to help create a calorie deficit. It works well for those like me who don't mind skipping breakfast (or another meal), can deal with breaking the fast without going crazy and like to eat big meals. If you have trouble fitting in large quantities of food it might not be for you. I like skipping breakfast now because it gives me more time for sleep. It can take a while to adjust to though.

    I would start with a longer feeding window, even 10 hours, and decrease only as you get comfortable. There's some evidence that women can have trouble with IF as it can throw there hormones out of whack.

    Feel free to friend me.

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