Intermittent fasting for weight loss?

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ilovefastcarstoo
ilovefastcarstoo Posts: 115 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone had any luck with intermittent fasting for progressive weight loss? I'd like to speed things up a little and change things up on my body. Maybe fast from sunset to sunrise or maybe no dinner? What has worked for most folks? Thanks !
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  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
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    I do run IF often, but I haven't noticed any accelerated pace of fat loss, but it hasn't hurt either. I do it purely out of convenience, because it means that I don't have to carry food around with me. It also means that I can spend lunch breaks playing video games, instead of wasting it on trivialities, like food. :D
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Have you taken a look in the intermittent fasting groups in "Groups"?

    I naturally eat that way anyway. I like having larger meals a couple times a day, and I'm not that hungry in the morning for the first few hours - so it works for me. I've been doing 16-8 for years. I just think it's easier for me - and it is the way I ate as a youngster. An eight hour window is perfect for me.

    As far as losing weight, it isn't faster or slower. It isn't a magical weight-loss gimmick. It just makes adherence to a calorie goal easier.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
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    At its core, IF is just an alternate way to achieve a calorie deficit. I'm 5'3" and 109 pounds, but started here a year ago at 139 pounds. For the past 8 months I've been doing daily IF 16:8, sometimes 15:9 or 14:10 (which is the recommended fast/feast window for women). I do notice that it's helped with my hunger levels, but I lost weight just fine before IF as well.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    IF can help some with hunger management and, as a result, calorie management but on its own, it does not speed up weight loss. Your weight loss will be based on your calorie deficit. So if you are eating at a 500 calorie deficit with meals spread throughout the day and then at a 500 calorie deficit with all of your meals eaten in a shortened time span, your overall loss will be the same.

    I think there are several IF groups here on MFP. Hopefully people will post the links for you.
  • cwang125
    cwang125 Posts: 76 Member
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    As others have mentioned already, IF isn't really any faster or slower than any other diet plans. It is really just another way of structuring your daily intake.

    For people who are fine without eating breakfast by only eating 2 meals per day you can split your daily calorie goals over only 2 meals instead of 3, allowing you a bit more flexibility in what you want to eat.

    Say you have a 1300 a day target, you can eat 600 for lunch and 700 for dinner. Or 500 lunch and 800 dinner. However you want to structure it. It's a more enjoyable way for some people to plan out their meals.

    The main thing that is important is to stick to a deficit. To lose 1lbs a week, thats 3500 kcal deficit that needs to be created throughout the entire week. Maintaining the deficit is the only way to achieve weight loss.

    So if intermittent fasting is an easier more enjoyable way for you to achieve your deficit goals, then give it a try.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    As @jemhh and @cwang125 said. It's not to speed up weight loss, but rather a method that helps some people stay consistent.

    Here's a link to a couple groups......lots of info

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
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    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!
  • thiosulfate
    thiosulfate Posts: 262 Member
    edited June 2016
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    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!

    IF isn't the reason you lost weight. The reason you lost weight is because you consumed less then you burned. This isn't to discount IF. It works wonderfully for some people to manage hunger. It's not for everyone but it's worth a try.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I did an IF protocol to lose my weight (5:2) - it's not magic, just a different way to budget your weekly calorie/food intake. Same as the more common Leangains/16:8 protocol is a different way to budget your daily calories/food.
    I tried that as well when maintaining, worked OK for me as I can easily skip breakfast and quite enjoy two bigger meals.

    Do some research and experiment if it appeals, may suit you or it may not. Definite pros and cons.

    But if you think it will speed up the process for the same amount of calories then I think you will be disappointed.
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    edited June 2016
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    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!

    IF isn't the reason you lost weight. The reason you lost weight is because you consumed less then you burned

    I didn't say I lost 49lbs because of IF, I said while IF, hear/see the difference? I know how/why I lost weight, IF was only a contributing factor.

  • ChristinaOrr65
    ChristinaOrr65 Posts: 112 Member
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    I really like intermittent fasting and I feel like it has helped me with managing my diet and my weight loss a lot. Plus, it has other benefits and may even slow down the aging process.
  • thiosulfate
    thiosulfate Posts: 262 Member
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    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!

    IF isn't the reason you lost weight. The reason you lost weight is because you consumed less then you burned

    I didn't say I lost 49lbs because of IF, I said while IF, hear/see the difference? I know how/why I lost weight, IF was only a contributing factor.

    Except...
    ...has to be something to it!

    You're giving credit to IF for the weight loss.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2016
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    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!

    IF isn't the reason you lost weight. The reason you lost weight is because you consumed less then you burned

    I didn't say I lost 49lbs because of IF, I said while IF, hear/see the difference? I know how/why I lost weight, IF was only a contributing factor.

    Except...
    ...has to be something to it!

    You're giving credit to IF for the weight loss.

    I got what he said.. it was a "probable" or "maybe" IF had something to do with weight loss, not that IF was his magic bullet!

    OP, follow what @sijomial said in his post!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    edited June 2016
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    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    thiosulfate wrote: »
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!

    IF isn't the reason you lost weight. The reason you lost weight is because you consumed less then you burned

    I didn't say I lost 49lbs because of IF, I said while IF, hear/see the difference? I know how/why I lost weight, IF was only a contributing factor.

    Except...
    ...has to be something to it!

    You're giving credit to IF for the weight loss.

    I understood him perfectly too. IF was/is part of a successful strategy for him. He didn't mention calories - you did.
    You are reading too much into it.
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
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    "has something to so with it" is miles away from "is because of".

    Anyhoo...I have found IF to be helpful in managing my hunger (and calories). It really isn't anything crazy, I eat breakfast late and nothing after dinner-but that's what I gravitate towards naturally. When I eat first thing in the morning I am ravenous all day long.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
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    Not to derail from the topic, but I understand what @thiosulfate is saying too as I feel like the initial comment can be read in both ways and no harm was meant.

    "I've lost 49lbs since March 1st while Intermittent Fasting so yeah...has to be something to it!"

    "Has to be something to it" kind of implies that there has to be something about it specifically that makes it effective, which is why it was pointed out that the "something to it" is the caloric deficit itself. Regardless, I'm glad that poster lost 49 pounds since March and I'm glad others, including myself, find benefits in practicing IF. Whatever works in the end, right?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    If is just a way of eating. No matter what is yor WOE, you must have a calorie deficit to lose weight. The only magic in it is the magic we give it.
  • justinlrhodes989
    justinlrhodes989 Posts: 7 Member
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    I've been doing IF for about one month. Down twelve or so pounds. Nothing magic about it. It's still CICO. I read "The 2 Meal Solution" by Mike O'donnell, and this short guide got me started. I love IF b/c I don't waste calories or money on "snacks." Also, I'm not so sure about the Set Point thing; however, IF is supposed to reset it. So for me IF works. Do what works for you! Good luck!!
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
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    It works for me because it helps manage my calories. It isn't for everyone though.

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