Intermittent fasting - 30 pounds lost
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Abbysmum2010 wrote: »I am not at all sure that I can drink my tea without a little milk (usually skim) and some Splenda. I have tried and tried to get consistent info on whether Splenda will cause a problem but I get different info from different sources. What say you all?
I recently attended a seminar on insulin resistance by a diabetes researcher. He recommended stevia over any other sweetener because of how the others (including Splenda) impact insulin levels.
BTW, he highly recommended IF, with a minimum of 12-13 hours fasting, to reduce circulating insulin. So for anyone who's on the fence about starting IF (I was a lurker myself for a while), try that first (12:12 or 13:11) and see how you feel. That's how I started. I'm up to 15:9 now, losing about a pound a week and feeling great.
Another thing about coffee - a friend of mine just switched from coffee to Pero. She says since it's less bitter she doesn't need sweetener at all (Pero is a barley/chicory drink w/5 calories that apparently tastes similar to coffee). Just throwing that out as an option.1 -
Most people doing IF consider zero-cal sweetener to be fine. Also diet sodas....1
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acmorris77 wrote: »In February, My doctor told me I had high triglycerides and needed to be on medicine unless something changed. Losing weight was one of the things I needed to do in order to get my levels in line. She gave me the list of foods to avoid such as red meat, fried foods, and processed carbohydrates. Also, she told me that she recommends intermittent fasting as part of my daily eating habits and gave me an 8 hour window to eat every day. She said that the longer your body fasts (within reason) the longer it stays in fat burning mode. The Triglycerides live in the fat and will therefore be reduced.
So, I took the advice, started cutting back on red meat and processed foods and only eat within 7-8 hours. I usually eat from 11am to 6 at this point. Obviously, you have to stay within your calorie goal and can't eat 10,000 calories during your eating window. It's still calories in and calories out. But, IF has definitely played a role in me losing 30 lbs. since March 1st. I used to eat breakfast even when I wasn't hungry and be starving 2 hours later. Now, I eat breakfast/lunch around 11 and I'm not hungry until dinner. I have not been too strict with my foods meaning that I still drink wine, eat carbs, etc., but make sure my calories are at a WEEKLY deficit and follow my IF window. If I go over on the weekends, I just eat a bit lighter 2 days during the week. I haven't felt hungry or deprived at all and lost a good amount of weight and I attribute this to IF.
I realize that there are extreme ways to use IF such as 5 normal days and 2 very low calorie days, but that's not what I've done here. Every BODY is different, this may not help others, but if you're not a breakfast person, or a dinner person, trying to shorten the window of when you eat each day can be beneficial.
My triglycerides are normal now and I'm feeling great!
That's really helpful. Thanks for sharing this.2 -
I would love some 16:8 friends1
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The_Original_Beauty wrote: »I would love some 16:8 friends
I am happy to be one of your 16:8 friends. Feel free to add me!1 -
Bump for later.0
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So after reading this thread and a couple articles today, I'm not really seeing any down side. Is there anyone out there who this hasn't worked for?
Also, with the starting losses, were you previously on a calorie restricted diet?1 -
I'm doing One Meal A Day. I began IF at 16:8, then 20:4, and now I eat one meal a day somewhere in a four hour period. I began eating this way on August 18th and have lost 11 pounds with very minimal hunger. I follow Dr. Jason Fung on Utube and the Diet Doctor website. I've also read his book "The Obesity Code" and I'm looking forward to his new book that's coming out in October called "The Complete Guide To Fasting". There are many variations to the fasting plans he recommends and it took a while to find a plan that works for me. I will follow a fasting plan not only until I reach my weight loss goal but for the rest of my life.
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ProvenceBelle wrote: »Can someone please explain 18:6? Or how to find out? I have never heard of IF until this post. Thanks!
Google Dr. Jason Fung or go to the Diet Doctor website.2 -
annaskiski wrote: »There's some good info on IF here:
https://intensivedietarymanagement.com/fasting-a-history-part-i/
Its about 12 pages, but well worth the read through.
There's different kinds of IF.
Most people do 16:8, which means, fast for 16 hours, eat for 8. Sleeping is fasting, so essentially many people skip breakfast and just eat lunch. (I personally eat lunch at 11, then dinner at 6) At least one poster above preferred to skip dinner, and eat breakfast instead. Its whatever works for you. This type of fasting is called "Lean Gains", you can google the Lean Gains website for info. Many body builders use this plan to 'shred'.
There are other types of IF, 5:2 for example, which means people fast for two days (well, they eat up to 500 calories) and then eat TDEE for 5.
There are others, such as EatStopEat and the Warrior Diet. All are versions of IF.
There's at least two groups that I know of on here:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/111854-intermittent-fasting-hflc-16-8-18-6-20-4
I think the first group is a little more active.
Just a note: you still need to calorie count. IF is a way to control your appetite (for most people it suppresses the appetite.) You get to eat two big meals instead for 3 tiny ones.
Its not magic, CICO still applies....
Intensive Dietary Management is Dr. Jason Fung's website. He has a lot of videos on UTube. I follow a lot of his suggestions.
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Great post- I just started IF and am doing the same as OP- I eat breakfast/lunch around 11 or 12 ish- I wait until I am actually hungry. I lost 6lbs so far and actually love it. I struggled for a long time to get the scale moving in the right direction again but this seems to have helped.
I have PCOS and hypothyroid so getting the scale to move in the right direction has been challenging for me but with IF I haven't changed the way I eat - this is a process for me and one I am not currently spending too much time on focusing on- I am mindful of what I eat but not restrictive which has really helped me I think.
I started IF from reading about it on MFP - one of my friends started doing it so I researched it- thought- hey I eat this way on the weekends usually anyway (weekends I am notorious for only eating one large meal during the day)- I should do this during the week too, and it works! I have found it makes it easier for me to stay under my macros as well without much effort cause the way I naturally eat isn't that bad- and with eating just two meals- its easier to stick to under my calories. I go off of it sometimes like tonight I will be indulging in an alcoholic beverage or two or three - lol- outside my eating times but that's ok to do for me once in a while.
So glad to have finally found something that is working- now I can work on other things too like exercising more- which I need to do!
I have Hashimoto's disease and this is the only program that is working for me and I've tried them all.2 -
Hey there! Congrats on your weight loss and better health.
I began IF on May 28th 2016
One thing that helped me to understand IF was a book called The Obesity Code - I read it, was desperate to lose weight and thought to give it a try. It has changed my life!!
I eat 2 meals per day within 8 hr window - NO SNACKS BETWEEN MEALS - NO processed foods at all - NO SUGAR rice flour breads cookies cakes etc
I do a 24 hr fast 2 days per week and also 16 hour daily fasts.
I also restrict my calories, eat healthy and log my food daily. I have lost 37 pounds in 12 weeks without feeling hungry, tired, cravings or bored with my food choices. Once I reach my weight loss goal of 75 pounds I will continue with IF not to lose weight but to stay healthy.
Intermittent Fasting was the answer for me in so many ways.
FYI - I am a 56 year old post menopausal woman who is fighting to take back her life!!
Thank you for your post. I've been following Dr Jason Fung for several weeks now and just read the 'Obesity Code'. What an amazing doctor. He has really explained IF in a way that works in any persons schedule. I am 66, have Hashimoto's and could not lose weight after the first few pounds of water weight. I began IF on 8/18/16 and I am finally losing weight with very little hunger and much more energy. I too will be following this way of eating after I've reached my weight goal. Good luck on your journey!2 -
I think I read in the 'Obesity Code' or saw it on a UTube video of Dr. Jason Fung that after 10-12 hours of fasting is when your body begins using the stored 'hard to get to' fat in your body. This fat is used to fuel the body and gives you energy. He says the refrigerator of your body with food has to be emptied to reach the locked freezer that's filled with the fat. Fasting is the key that opens the freezer to start burning the stored fat. He uses charts and graphs to explain this. It's very interesting the way he explains it in a way that is easy to understand.
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I'm thinking of trying IF by skipping breakfast. My problem is that I take pills that i need to have food with, when I wake up @6am. If I eat something less than 50 calories, or maybe slowly move them back to lunch maybe that would work. Anyone have advice?0
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What's more important for your medications - to be taken at 6am or with food? Or both? There is probably a good reason that you should take them with food -- sometimes they irritate your stomach if it's empty.
If it's breakfast that you want to skip and it doesn't matter what time you take your pills, then take your pills with lunch. If you're not sure, ask your doctor.
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I'm now down 40 as of today!3
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I just started IF on Sunday. I stared with 18:6. I'm on day 3. I'll see how it goes. It has cut my appetite. I may feel a little hunger but it subsides quickly and I get past it. It's been really interesting reading about IF. I have seen people mention it on other posts in the past but I never really paid much attention to it.
I want to try because it may help with those couple of times a month that my hormonal eating urges get out of control. We'll see.0 -
acmorris77 wrote: »I'm now down 40 as of today!
How long did it take? Is this a result of IF?0 -
@leejoyce31 It took about 7 months. I dropped weight quickly at first and then slowed down. The thing that is so different is that you don't feel like you're dieting because you're never really starved and cravings are reduced. I did start this eating schedule at the advice of my doctor to lower my triglycerides and weight just started coming off.2
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acmorris77 wrote: »@leejoyce31 It took about 7 months. I dropped weight quickly at first and then slowed down. The thing that is so different is that you don't feel like you're dieting because you're never really starved and cravings are reduced. I did start this eating schedule at the advice of my doctor to lower my triglycerides and weight just started coming off.
Congratulations!0 -
Thanks so much for posting. Just started IF as well Read a couple of books and I hear that there is a good documentary on the BBC that I will check out. It has only been a few days for me but each day has been a little different, which I think is fine. Each day is simply different, so the eating window may change a little each day but I just keep telling myself that the hunger comes in WAVES and I give myself a little time to drink some water and busy myself but if I feel nauseous or faint I eat something small like a small handful of almonds and wait a bit to see how I feel. As long as I stay around my calorie goal for the day, I consider it a success! For me I want this to be different than anything I have tried before and a lifestyle, so it has to be flexible. 1
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I'm hoping maybe this thread will be resurrected as I'd love to hear from others who are doing IF! I had put a lot of weight on over the previous year and hit my all time high. I was miserable but hated the idea of having to "diet" again. My "go-to" was always eliminating sugar and eating a low carb diet. I started back on that WOE in Feb. and lost 7 lbs but I was bored and just not motivated. I heard about IF, researched and officially started on 3/14/18 (while still eliminating sugar and keeping to lean meats, dairy, fiber rich fruits and veggies) and have lost 20 more lbs since then. I love it! I've never felt so good or had so much energy and control! I've never felt deprived, cravings are almost non-existent and even the few times I've allowed myself a "cheat day" (my son's birthday and my cousin's wedding), I've made sure to keep it within my eating time frames and have not experienced the next day "bounce up" in weight like I previously had when I was only doing low carb. My cravings also did not come back with a vengeance like they used to after a day of indulging. I cannot say enough good things about my experience. My skin looks better, my hair looks better, I feel amazing and I wish I had taken measurements because I'm fitting into clothes that didn't fit me the last time I was at this weight, so I feel like I'm losing inches too. I'd still like to lose another 30 lbs but once I'm at goal, I plan to continue eating within my IF time frames. I don't know what it is, but it gives this former yo-yo dieter, food obsessed, sugar addict, binge eater such a sense of control and a "this must be what normal people feel like" calmness and strength. Oh, I typically keep to a 16:8 plan, but sometimes go as long as 18-20 hrs. I would love to hear from others who are also doing IF!6
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Here's to raising the dead. I starting IF a couple of days ago, so we'll see how it goes. TBH I never ate breakfast until I got my first 9-5 job. Then it became a habit. I hit a plateau in November, and then I gave up for a while and gained back a few lbs. So I'm going to eat 16:8 and see if anything changes. I'm also reducing my calories and not eating sugary things except for on Sundays.1
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Here's to raising the dead. I starting IF a couple of days ago, so we'll see how it goes. TBH I never ate breakfast until I got my first 9-5 job. Then it became a habit. I hit a plateau in November, and then I gave up for a while and gained back a few lbs. So I'm going to eat 16:8 and see if anything changes. I'm also reducing my calories and not eating sugary things except for on Sundays.
plateaus are normal and weight loss will happen from eating less than you burn. IF is not a magical way to lose weight or get out of a plateau. its just a window of time to eat your calories. you can still gain weight doing IF if you eat more than your body burns. Ive done fasting most of my life,weight loss is/was not any different than the times I didnt fast. I have also gained doing IF(16:8) because I ate more calories than my body needed.3 -
I'm hoping maybe this thread will be resurrected as I'd love to hear from others who are doing IF! I had put a lot of weight on over the previous year and hit my all time high. I was miserable but hated the idea of having to "diet" again. My "go-to" was always eliminating sugar and eating a low carb diet. I started back on that WOE in Feb. and lost 7 lbs but I was bored and just not motivated. I heard about IF, researched and officially started on 3/14/18 (while still eliminating sugar and keeping to lean meats, dairy, fiber rich fruits and veggies) and have lost 20 more lbs since then. I love it! I've never felt so good or had so much energy and control! I've never felt deprived, cravings are almost non-existent and even the few times I've allowed myself a "cheat day" (my son's birthday and my cousin's wedding), I've made sure to keep it within my eating time frames and have not experienced the next day "bounce up" in weight like I previously had when I was only doing low carb. My cravings also did not come back with a vengeance like they used to after a day of indulging. I cannot say enough good things about my experience. My skin looks better, my hair looks better, I feel amazing and I wish I had taken measurements because I'm fitting into clothes that didn't fit me the last time I was at this weight, so I feel like I'm losing inches too. I'd still like to lose another 30 lbs but once I'm at goal, I plan to continue eating within my IF time frames. I don't know what it is, but it gives this former yo-yo dieter, food obsessed, sugar addict, binge eater such a sense of control and a "this must be what normal people feel like" calmness and strength. Oh, I typically keep to a 16:8 plan, but sometimes go as long as 18-20 hrs. I would love to hear from others who are also doing IF!
if that is making a difference then it could be that for you fasting has an effect on blood sugars,IF is just a window of time in which you eat your calories. if you are seeing more energy,and improved issues then I would say that you may have had an insulin issue . if you are losing weight its because you are in a calorie deficit and if IF helps you stay in that deficit then great.4 -
I just started doing this 3 weeks ago. I am down 3 pounds and am very happy. I would be down more except I let my self go on weekends, which I shouldn't, but this weekend I am sticking to it. I start eating at 12 noon and finish at 8pm. I am not hungry, and when I am I remind myself that my body is getting it's energy from my fat, not my food in my belly. .2
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karona2182 wrote: »I just started doing this 3 weeks ago. I am down 3 pounds and am very happy. I would be down more except I let my self go on weekends, which I shouldn't, but this weekend I am sticking to it. I start eating at 12 noon and finish at 8pm. I am not hungry, and when I am I remind myself that my body is getting it's energy from my fat, not my food in my belly. .
you can only burn so much body fat at a time no matter if you fast or not.,fat is lost in a deficit of calories your body doesnt just get energy from the fat in your body. it DOES get energy from the food in your body as its broken down into energy. IF is also not a special fat burning diet either. Ive done it all my life.and the fat loss is not any better compared to not fasting. thats a myth3 -
thanks for sharing!
I also don't feel hungry in the morning, so I usually don't eat until 12-13. Then dinner around 19.
I'll try shifting the lunch to an hour earlier and create some more time in between.
And don't you eat absolutely anything in between?
I usually eat (a small amount of) fruit if I feel hungry in between. Would this totally ruin the "fasting" ?
I have lost 8lbs in 27 days from IF. Some progress made but not quite as much as I would like.. Yes fruit will break your fast. Reason being, it has natural sugar so your body will release insulin which is what you're trying to avoid while fasting. You can only have unsweetend iced tea, coffee without cream or sugar (coffee does have calories so you can't go over 50 calories or it will break the fast), and water. Make sure you drink lots of water. I recommend at least 64oz during your fast period. Water also helps with feeling hungry. If you get hunger pangs, chug some water. On a side note, if you absolutely can't stand coffee 100% black you can have artificial sweeteners.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
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thanks for sharing!
I also don't feel hungry in the morning, so I usually don't eat until 12-13. Then dinner around 19.
I'll try shifting the lunch to an hour earlier and create some more time in between.
And don't you eat absolutely anything in between?
I usually eat (a small amount of) fruit if I feel hungry in between. Would this totally ruin the "fasting" ?
I have lost 8lbs in 27 days from IF. Some progress made but not quite as much as I would like.. Yes fruit will break your fast. Reason being, it has natural sugar so your body will release insulin which is what you're trying to avoid while fasting. You can only have unsweetend iced tea, coffee without cream or sugar (coffee does have calories so you can't go over 50 calories or it will break the fast), and water. Make sure you drink lots of water. I recommend at least 64oz during your fast period. Water also helps with feeling hungry. If you get hunger pangs, chug some water. On a side note, if you absolutely can't stand coffee 100% black you can have artificial sweeteners.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
if you have cream and sugar its still food therefore an insulin release. may not be much of one. has nothing to do with fruit(besides breaking your fast),even protein can causes an insulin response. insulin is still released even while fasting,just not like it is when not fasting https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11815488
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/51/suppl_1/S255
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I just started Intermittent Fasting last May 10, 2018, I've been doing 16:8 and fast every monday and friday. I also do Tae Bo everyday for 30 mins. Last May 19 2018, I lost 9 pounds.1
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