Considering Intermittent Fasting to Whack off 15/+ lbs.
Lemons2Lemonade
Posts: 7 Member
Hi everyone. I've been really struggling for the past couple of weeks to lose weight. Because I've been so stressed out by work, I let my body go for awhile and put on about 15 lbs. I don't like it at all. I feel uncomfortable, like I'm bloated all the time. My clothes feel tighter and I just feel heavy. As I'm getting a handle of managing work related stress, I know that I need to reduce my weight as well, because it is just a needless compounding factor.
My approach to get rid of the extra weight is to not eat every other day. From what I've come across about it, it might work for me, because these days I can't go more than three days in a row feeling deprived--every other day seems more feasible.
Today, is Day 2. I fasted yesterday, and slept the deepest sleep I've ever had in a long time. And when I woke up this morning, I went for a jog, and ate normally for me which is about slightly over 2000 Cal.
My current stats are Female, 5'7", and 144 lbs. I'm hoping to get down to 125 lbs., which is where I was comfortably before all the stress.
My approach to get rid of the extra weight is to not eat every other day. From what I've come across about it, it might work for me, because these days I can't go more than three days in a row feeling deprived--every other day seems more feasible.
Today, is Day 2. I fasted yesterday, and slept the deepest sleep I've ever had in a long time. And when I woke up this morning, I went for a jog, and ate normally for me which is about slightly over 2000 Cal.
My current stats are Female, 5'7", and 144 lbs. I'm hoping to get down to 125 lbs., which is where I was comfortably before all the stress.
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Replies
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I don't think many people would recommend fasting, because more often then not, after fasting you are very likely to gain all the weight back or even gain a lot more. at first you will lose quick, but mostly just water. Its better to just limit your calorie intake, instead of fasting, eat protein and a dry salad, end your day with a calorie deficit and very little exercise you will see results. Thats just what i did, it was easier to maintain afterwards so i didn't jump right back into bad habits. You need a boat load of self control to properly recover from fasting.2
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Hi, I've just started the fast 5 diet today and you can basically only eat for 5 hours of the day I have chose 12-5pm as I never fancy breakfast and also always have dinner early as the kids moan they are Hungary as soon as they are home.. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it may be.. Maybe Google this diet it has some good reviews
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What happens when you start to eat daily again? Or are you plan on eating every other day for life.2
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I don't think many people would recommend fasting, because more often then not, after fasting you are very likely to gain all the weight back or even gain a lot more. at first you will lose quick, but mostly just water. Its better to just limit your calorie intake, instead of fasting, eat protein and a dry salad, end your day with a calorie deficit and very little exercise you will see results. Thats just what i did, it was easier to maintain afterwards so i didn't jump right back into bad habits. You need a boat load of self control to properly recover from fasting.
Intermittent fasting is not the same as an all-out fast. There are several different methods that can be employed, none of which involve starving. It's a controlled way of limiting calories during specific time periods, which takes into account non-fasting days/hours so as not to eliminate any calorie deficit.6 -
@VT802VT: I hear you, but I've tried going for a deficit, but it didn't last that long. I pretty much let work stress take over my normal sense of self control then however, so maybe in the future that would work out for me. I really want to give this intermittent fasting thing at least one week's trial to see how it goes.
@casseyd86: That sound interesting. I heard about a 5:2 diet somewhere. It's great to find something that works for you with kids and all.
@kissedbythes: Right now, I'm playing it by ear. In a week (at least, I think I can commit to that much right now), I'll see if I've lost much weight, how I feel, and if it's worth doing it for another week. Anything to feel comfortable in my clothes once more. I swear all my pants feel like skinny jeans these days and I don't even like wearing skinny jeans. Ugh!1 -
You should really be aiming for 1lb per week loss maximum anyway with relatively so little to lose and that goal weight being at the lower end of a healthy BMI.
In all likelihood you picked too aggressive a goal and that's why you couldn't sustain the deficit.
But if intermittent fasting works for you then great, it's just important to manage your expectations as to what can be achieved with any way of eating you choose.2 -
Something like IF definitely takes some easing into (I imagine. I've never done it.). I'd worry how it would fit in with the stress level you report and how it affects your eating habits as they are now. Again, I'm not saying not to do it, but if you chose to, do be forgiving while you're working out the particulars.0
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First off is there a question? From your post you are already fasting. You have begun the "alternate day fasting" and I presume you are gonna finish it out? The only thing that we can do is either support this or advise why we think it is or is not a great idea.
Remember this is not a diet. Its only an eating strategy and can bring on a host of side effects. And it takes two weeks of consistency to adapt some what. This can bring on a host of side effects. You being in a high stressed work environment and being a bit stressed out yourself can only compound these side effects. Exit out of the fast immediately should you start having serious side effects that can become medical issues.
Personally I would not and never do recommend fasting as it is not for everyone. You should plan a strategy for moving into maintenance though.
You will drop a significant amount of water weight so the fluctuations on the scale will prove difficult to trend. Your weight may go up and down due to varying things like lack carbs, re introduction of carbs, sodium, hormones, etc..2 -
@VintageFeline: That's so true. At the time, I was going for something like 1000 Cal. a day, and it felt like crap after a couple of days. But this time around, after trying this IF plan for at least a week to see how it goes, I'll definitely be looking into a more sustainable eating plan afterwards.0
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Thanks, RoxieDawn.0
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It works, actually. I have been doing it for a while, and you get good results from it. As long as you get sufficent nutrients from your meal, you will be fine.
It takes a lot of willpower though. And for the first week you may be feeling unwell. The feeling fades after that. Not for everyone!
Edit: You do need to eat daily though0 -
Lemons2Lemonade wrote: »Hi everyone. I've been really struggling for the past couple of weeks to lose weight. Because I've been so stressed out by work, I let my body go for awhile and put on about 15 lbs. I don't like it at all. I feel uncomfortable, like I'm bloated all the time. My clothes feel tighter and I just feel heavy. As I'm getting a handle of managing work related stress, I know that I need to reduce my weight as well, because it is just a needless compounding factor.
My approach to get rid of the extra weight is to not eat every other day. From what I've come across about it, it might work for me, because these days I can't go more than three days in a row feeling deprived--every other day seems more feasible.
Today, is Day 2. I fasted yesterday, and slept the deepest sleep I've ever had in a long time. And when I woke up this morning, I went for a jog, and ate normally for me which is about slightly over 2000 Cal.
My current stats are Female, 5'7", and 144 lbs. I'm hoping to get down to 125 lbs., which is where I was comfortably before all the stress.
No, this is a horrible plan for weight loss. In fact, in my opinion, this sounds like disordered eating behavior. If you don't eat on alternate days (zero calories?) and then eat 2000 on the other days, then that means that your weekly calorie goal comes to between 6 and 7 thousand calories. Divide that by 7, and your average calorie goal per day is about 900 t0 1000. Even if you have some calorie liquids on the alternate days, your calorie goal sounds pretty low.
Yes, you will lose weight quickly because of the extreme calorie deficit, but you will also lose loads of muscle mass as well. Your exercise will make your calorie deficit even bigger, leading to fatigue and other possible health problems.
Really.....does this sound healthy to you?
There is a method to intermittent fasting, and it is a way of life for some people. If you feel intermittent fasting will help you curb your appetite and eat at a reasonable calorie deficit, then by all means do your research and become well educated so that you do this in a healthy way.
Here's the deal. You didn't gain 15 pounds overnight, and the weight is not going to come off overnight. In fact, since you are already at a normal weight, it will come off fairly slow. Set up your stats in MFP, or some other food app, to lose .5 pounds a week, create any type of eating plan you like, whether it be low carb, high carb, intermittent fasting, or a combination thereof, just make sure you eat enough to properly fuel your body so you don't crash.
Good luck.3 -
There is a 5:2 group if you search it you can get some opinions, tips and talk to others who are following this type of fasting plan.2
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Lemons2Lemonade wrote: »Hi everyone. I've been really struggling for the past couple of weeks to lose weight. Because I've been so stressed out by work, I let my body go for awhile and put on about 15 lbs. I don't like it at all. I feel uncomfortable, like I'm bloated all the time. My clothes feel tighter and I just feel heavy. As I'm getting a handle of managing work related stress, I know that I need to reduce my weight as well, because it is just a needless compounding factor.
My approach to get rid of the extra weight is to not eat every other day. From what I've come across about it, it might work for me, because these days I can't go more than three days in a row feeling deprived--every other day seems more feasible.
Today, is Day 2. I fasted yesterday, and slept the deepest sleep I've ever had in a long time. And when I woke up this morning, I went for a jog, and ate normally for me which is about slightly over 2000 Cal.
My current stats are Female, 5'7", and 144 lbs. I'm hoping to get down to 125 lbs., which is where I was comfortably before all the stress.
No, this is a horrible plan for weight loss. In fact, in my opinion, this sounds like disordered eating behavior. If you don't eat on alternate days (zero calories?) and then eat 2000 on the other days, then that means that your weekly calorie goal comes to between 6 and 7 thousand calories. Divide that by 7, and your average calorie goal per day is about 900 t0 1000. Even if you have some calorie liquids on the alternate days, your calorie goal sounds pretty low.
Yes, you will lose weight quickly because of the extreme calorie deficit, but you will also lose loads of muscle mass as well. Your exercise will make your calorie deficit even bigger, leading to fatigue and other possible health problems.
Really.....does this sound healthy to you?
There is a method to intermittent fasting, and it is a way of life for some people. If you feel intermittent fasting will help you curb your appetite and eat at a reasonable calorie deficit, then by all means do your research and become well educated so that you do this in a healthy way.
Here's the deal. You didn't gain 15 pounds overnight, and the weight is not going to come off overnight. In fact, since you are already at a normal weight, it will come off fairly slow. Set up your stats in MFP, or some other food app, to lose .5 pounds a week, create any type of eating plan you like, whether it be low carb, high carb, intermittent fasting, or a combination thereof, just make sure you eat enough to properly fuel your body so you don't crash.
Good luck.
^^This.
My understanding from the books I have on ADF is that while it is indeed fasting, the idea is not to refrain from eating every other day. A typical alternate day involves eating at least 500 calories. Not eating for an entire day every other day sounds like a recipe for disaster, especially if you're incorporating exercise into the mix.
I would think the better option might be find new ways of dealing with stress, lest the weight come back with a vengeance.0 -
Whoops. I admit I was lazy and didn't read about the "not eating every other day" part of the plan. That definitely sounds like a bad time. You'd most likely be setting yourself up for a blow-out on your eating days, and if not, your weekly calorie average will be just abysmal. Check out the most common IF methods (5:2, 16:8) and see if they would suit you.0
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I do 16:8 intermittent fasting and love it. I'm not starving during the 16 hours I don't eat and its been easy to eat at goal during the other 8 hours a day.
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23244741
Double trouble: restrained eaters do not eat less and feel worse
"high levels of dietary restraint do not appear to reflect actual caloric restraint, it has been found to be a risk factor for a wide array of maladaptive eating patterns. ... restrained eaters do not eat less than they intend to do"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18325547
"We examine the comfort food preferences and consumption patterns of women with highly versus less developed schemas for cognitive restraint, emotional and situational eating ... complex eating schemas weaken biological signals and produce maladaptive patterns... High schematics reported a lesser post-consumption increase in fullness than low schematics. Low schematics favoured low and high calorie foods equally, their choice motivated by pleasure and positive emotions."2 -
It's been a week since I began doing the Every Other Day diet. I actually don't go a whole day without eating anything; I eat ~300 Cal. on diet days and ~2000 Cal. on regular days. It's been working for me so far. In just one week, I've lost 5 lbs, now weighing 139 lbs. I'm gonna give it go for another week since it feels quite doable.4
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You probably would get more support in the intermittent fasting group. They understand not only how to use it as a tool, but also understand the health benefits such as autophagy. I do an 18:6 protocol coupled with 5:2 and have found success.
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VintageFeline wrote: »You should really be aiming for 1lb per week loss maximum anyway with relatively so little to lose and that goal weight being at the lower end of a healthy BMI.
In all likelihood you picked too aggressive a goal and that's why you couldn't sustain the deficit.
But if intermittent fasting works for you then great, it's just important to manage your expectations as to what can be achieved with any way of eating you choose.
Agreed, except with only 15 pounds to lose I'd recommend a weekly weight loss goal of a half pound.0 -
Lemons2Lemonade wrote: »It's been a week since I began doing the Every Other Day diet. I actually don't go a whole day without eating anything; I eat ~300 Cal. on diet days and ~2000 Cal. on regular days. It's been working for me so far. In just one week, I've lost 5 lbs, now weighing 139 lbs. I'm gonna give it go for another week since it feels quite doable.
Okay.......but you do know the weight loss is from the calorie deficit, that the particular diet has no magic to it? Your weight loss goal is way too aggressive for what little you have to lose.0 -
Intermittent fasting works for a lot of people - or so I've seen on here. I personally have not tried it and would not try it because I know it would lead to a "Got to eat EVERYTHING because tomorrow I am deprived again" on the days that I can eat. This is just me - for others, it works well.
First of all, why do you feel the fasting is for you? Is it really because you want to try the diet plan or is it out of self loathing? Please know that fasting does not equal faster weight loss.
If it's working for you and you're happy with the plan and it's SUSTAINABLE - then great! I wish you every success. But it's also just as effective to eat to a sensible calorie goal each day and move more. You may find your energy levels are so much better doing it this way.0 -
I'm a proponent of IF, however I think you really should do a little more research into it and make sure you are following one of the more sustainable protocols. There is a lot of misinformation thrown about especially by those who've never actually done it.1
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"Whack off" <snigger>2
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OP - IF has some variability but as @rybo says - do a bit of research because what you're planning is not one of the standard protocols I've ever seen.
EDIT - sorry I missread your OP - The alternate day fast is a recognized fasting protocol.0 -
I find a day of fasting helps my energy both mental and physical. It also is what finally helped my appetite to be less furious so I could cut out a good bit of simple carb consumption.0
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I understand you are impatient and want the weight off now, but you need to start thinking about what happens when the weight comes off. Your body will be used to fasting...and you'll go back to eating normally and you'll gain it all back.
You need to find something that takes the weight off, but something you can live with long term. This whole process has nothing to do with fast...it has something to do with the long term. Everyone these days are obsessed with immediate results "I want to be skinny now, because life will be better". It isn't always better, then you have to think about the future.0
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