Intermittent Fasting

sweetbug0130
sweetbug0130 Posts: 125 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am just starting the 18:6 intermittent fasting protocol. My feeding window will start just after my cardio workouts during the day (2 p.m.-8 p.m.) and end with my strength training at night. I am pretty content on my choice to do this because night eating is the worst for me so if I can save the majority of my calories for that meal, I can feel like I'm not depriving myself. I originally was going to do the alternate day fasting protocol but I felt like I was dying on the fast days and felt sick on the feed days. This way I can feel satisfied at night and awake and not groggy during the work day. My question is have any of you wonderful people tried this? If so, what was your feeding window and how has it worked for you? I have heard some controversy about women and fasting but I have also read a lot of compelling evidence that it helps PCOS which I have. Let me know how it worked for you!!!

Replies

  • Skeeter174
    Skeeter174 Posts: 6 Member
    I've been using 24 hour fasting here and there to get into ketosis on the ketogenic diet. I was able to have the will power because the Keto diet is high fats so I felt full and even writhing my calorie limits. Just started a month ago but it works for me and easy to stay on. Some people say fasting is bad but when your obese like me, it's good for you. So long as you don't Binge afterwards. Hope this helps.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    I am a night eater and since the switch to the16:8 schedule have been having great success. I eat about an hour after I work out with a small meal or snack, a BIG dinner, and then have calories left over for dessert or another snack before bed if I want it. I've lost a little over 1lb since starting this which isn't much but I've also lost 1/4" off my thighs, almost 1/2" from my waist, and a full1" off my hips.
  • coryrr1
    coryrr1 Posts: 3 Member
    I have been IF'ing for about 2.5 months now. I eat between 4pm-12am. I started 16:8 for a month then went to 18:6 like you are now but I just got too hungry so I reverted back to 16:8. If fluids aren't enough to keep me going (until my eating windows begins) I will have a large chilled Gala apple. On the days you workout you may want to eat an apple or the like before your workout coupled with something caffeinated. It makes a big difference in my workout not to say fasted workouts can't work too. I just have made adjustments as I go so I don't binge or think about food constantly. Give yourself a chance to succeed by striking the right balance. This must be sustainable over the long term so do what works best by trying different routines while always staying within your caloric/macro goals.
    Stay the course!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    It pretty much boils down to trying it and seeing how it goes. I love the 16:8 protocol plus or minus a couple hours either direction. I will say that I have not used it to lose weight, just as a preferred eating pattern.
  • sweetbug0130
    sweetbug0130 Posts: 125 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    I am a night eater and since the switch to the16:8 schedule have been having great success. I eat about an hour after I work out with a small meal or snack, a BIG dinner, and then have calories left over for dessert or another snack before bed if I want it. I've lost a little over 1lb since starting this which isn't much but I've also lost 1/4" off my thighs, almost 1/2" from my waist, and a full1" off my hips.

    That's what I've planned to do. Yesterday was my first day and I felt great. I got a headache last night but it wasn't until I was already in my feeding window so I ate some multi grain crackers to hold me over until dinner. I had a big dinner and a dessert. I was still under 1200 calories. My thinking is, if I ate 1200 calories over a whole day, I'd give up but within a few hours, I'm very satisfied. And congrats on your loss! A loss is a loss, especially when its inches! My body loses inches ten times faster than weight. Keep up the good work.
  • sweetbug0130
    sweetbug0130 Posts: 125 Member
    Skeeter174 wrote: »
    I've been using 24 hour fasting here and there to get into ketosis on the ketogenic diet. I was able to have the will power because the Keto diet is high fats so I felt full and even writhing my calorie limits. Just started a month ago but it works for me and easy to stay on. Some people say fasting is bad but when your obese like me, it's good for you. So long as you don't Binge afterwards. Hope this helps.

    Exactly. I feel like if I keep my window of eating smaller but still have the same calories, I'm MUCH less likely to binge because I don't feel deprived. I'm glad to see others use it as well.
  • maybe1pe
    maybe1pe Posts: 529 Member
    I do 21:3 for fasting, the warrior protocol is what I think it's called. I eat one large meal between 5:30-8:30 mostly. It has really reduced my cravings for carbs and sweets. I find that I don't really get hungry during the day. I have a cup of coffee in the morning before work and then water all day while I'm at work. Then go home and make dinner. Some days if I'm very busy after work my fast gets extended sometimes to over 24 hours and then I start to feel hungry but not to the point that I end up bingeing. I like to eat dinner with my family and this makes it so I can eat until I'm satisfied and have ice cream/desert if I want it.
  • sweetbug0130
    sweetbug0130 Posts: 125 Member
    danie1pe wrote: »
    I do 21:3 for fasting, the warrior protocol is what I think it's called. I eat one large meal between 5:30-8:30 mostly. It has really reduced my cravings for carbs and sweets. I find that I don't really get hungry during the day. I have a cup of coffee in the morning before work and then water all day while I'm at work. Then go home and make dinner. Some days if I'm very busy after work my fast gets extended sometimes to over 24 hours and then I start to feel hungry but not to the point that I end up bingeing. I like to eat dinner with my family and this makes it so I can eat until I'm satisfied and have ice cream/desert if I want it.

    This gives me hope. How long after you started did you see the cravings reduced and the detoxish feeling go away? Have you lost weight doing it? @danie1pe
  • sweetbug0130
    sweetbug0130 Posts: 125 Member
    danie1pe wrote: »
    sweetbug0130 wrote: »
    danie1pe wrote: »
    I do 21:3 for fasting, the warrior protocol is what I think it's called. I eat one large meal between 5:30-8:30 mostly. It has really reduced my cravings for carbs and sweets. I find that I don't really get hungry during the day. I have a cup of coffee in the morning before work and then water all day while I'm at work. Then go home and make dinner. Some days if I'm very busy after work my fast gets extended sometimes to over 24 hours and then I start to feel hungry but not to the point that I end up bingeing. I like to eat dinner with my family and this makes it so I can eat until I'm satisfied and have ice cream/desert if I want it.

    This gives me hope. How long after you started did you see the cravings reduced and the detoxish feeling go away? Have you lost weight doing it? @danie1pe

    I would say probably after the first week I stopped feeling hungry at my "normal" eating times, so I stopped missing breakfast and lunch. It helps I work at a very fast paced and busy job so I don't have time for food anyways. I would say within a couple weeks my desire for carbs and sugar went to almost non-existent. The exception being when it's my ToM...I for sure eat some brownies or something, I just don't feel like I need to eat alllll of the brownies, I have 1 and it's done.

    I did fasting last fall and lost 20 lbs in 2.5 months. I started again at the end of June and have lost another 20lbs. But I am still 70lbs from goal so I had the weight to lose. I do also walk a few miles a day and on weekends will bike 20 miles and I do strength training 3-4 times a week.

    I will say that now that my body is used to my eating schedule I do feel much more alert during the day and clear headed and I don't focus on food. When I tried that whole "you need to eat 6 small meals a day" thing it just made me focus on food all the time. I was always hungry! But with this after a few days it was easy. I did start doing 16:8 and worked my way into longer and longer fasts, adding 15-30 minutes every couple of days.

    That's great! If it weren't for my workouts being during the day, I would probably be more on the 22:2 protocol. I go to the gym with my boss on our lunch hour (free gym membership). I drink a protein shake after my workouts. I wished I didn't have to but they say that's the best way to preserve muscle mass. If anyone else has any thoughts about eating right after a workout, let me know. I would love to get to the higher fasting times.
  • maybe1pe
    maybe1pe Posts: 529 Member
    sweetbug0130 wrote: »
    danie1pe wrote: »
    sweetbug0130 wrote: »
    danie1pe wrote: »
    I do 21:3 for fasting, the warrior protocol is what I think it's called. I eat one large meal between 5:30-8:30 mostly. It has really reduced my cravings for carbs and sweets. I find that I don't really get hungry during the day. I have a cup of coffee in the morning before work and then water all day while I'm at work. Then go home and make dinner. Some days if I'm very busy after work my fast gets extended sometimes to over 24 hours and then I start to feel hungry but not to the point that I end up bingeing. I like to eat dinner with my family and this makes it so I can eat until I'm satisfied and have ice cream/desert if I want it.

    This gives me hope. How long after you started did you see the cravings reduced and the detoxish feeling go away? Have you lost weight doing it? @danie1pe

    I would say probably after the first week I stopped feeling hungry at my "normal" eating times, so I stopped missing breakfast and lunch. It helps I work at a very fast paced and busy job so I don't have time for food anyways. I would say within a couple weeks my desire for carbs and sugar went to almost non-existent. The exception being when it's my ToM...I for sure eat some brownies or something, I just don't feel like I need to eat alllll of the brownies, I have 1 and it's done.

    I did fasting last fall and lost 20 lbs in 2.5 months. I started again at the end of June and have lost another 20lbs. But I am still 70lbs from goal so I had the weight to lose. I do also walk a few miles a day and on weekends will bike 20 miles and I do strength training 3-4 times a week.

    I will say that now that my body is used to my eating schedule I do feel much more alert during the day and clear headed and I don't focus on food. When I tried that whole "you need to eat 6 small meals a day" thing it just made me focus on food all the time. I was always hungry! But with this after a few days it was easy. I did start doing 16:8 and worked my way into longer and longer fasts, adding 15-30 minutes every couple of days.

    That's great! If it weren't for my workouts being during the day, I would probably be more on the 22:2 protocol. I go to the gym with my boss on our lunch hour (free gym membership). I drink a protein shake after my workouts. I wished I didn't have to but they say that's the best way to preserve muscle mass. If anyone else has any thoughts about eating right after a workout, let me know. I would love to get to the higher fasting times.

    I sent you a PM with some stuff about IF that might be helpful
  • ma5y
    ma5y Posts: 47 Member
    I find intermittent fasting 2 days on; 5 days off helps me immensely. It is the only way I can get control of my sweet tooth. It seems to "reset" things for me.

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