Intermittent Fasting advice

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HaoKaren
HaoKaren Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm on the second week of intermittent fasting. I just want to check with the community and see if anyone has any luck using this method to lose weight? I'm trying to keep my calorie under 1700 along with more exercise. I'm only 5'1 and small frame, so I believe I need to consume less calorie, and that's why I'm starting IF. At the same time, I have a very fit friend who told me this is how he shed weight and it works for him all the time (without adding more workout or eat less). Apparently IF helps the human body goes into 'fat burning' mode? Please advise and share your experiences. Thank you!
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  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    HaoKaren wrote: »
    I'm on the second week of intermittent fasting. I just want to check with the community and see if anyone has any luck using this method to lose weight? I'm trying to keep my calorie under 1700 along with more exercise. I'm only 5'1 and small frame, so I believe I need to consume less calorie, and that's why I'm starting IF. At the same time, I have a very fit friend who told me this is how he shed weight and it works for him all the time (without adding more workout or eat less). Apparently IF helps the human body goes into 'fat burning' mode? Please advise and share your experiences. Thank you!

    No it doesn't. You burn excess fat when you're in a sustained calorie deficit. Any diet/meal schedule can make you lose weight as long as it creates a calori deficit. If it is a good match for you, it will just be easier to stick to the right amount of calories.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    There is little scientific evidence (yet). But lots diet books with many anecdotal statements.

    If intermittent fasting helps you stick with your goals, if it helps you consistently reach a calorie deficit....that's a good thing. The whole I kept all my lean muscle mass without exercise sounds too good to be true. Your freind DEFINITELY ate less, weight loss doesn't happen without a calorie deficit.

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

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/100058-5-2-fasting
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
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    I've done IF in one form or another for around 5 years now and it doesn't do anything magical for fat burning. It works well for some people because it helps them with their calorie adherence (makes it easier for them to hit their calorie targets/deficits).
  • RaphaBianchi
    RaphaBianchi Posts: 51 Member
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    Nothing magical about it. Being in a calorie deficit is what makes your body go into "fat burning" mode. It's up to you whether you choose to eat a little bit less at each meal throughout the day or skip one or two meals and eat all the calories at once. Neither way will make you lose weight faster. The only difference is psychological.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 653 Member
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    When you eat is not important. Being in a calorie deficit is. I do 16:8 because if I eat breakfast, I won't remain in a calorie deficit. I will be hungry for the rest of the day, and I'll go over my calories by about 300-500. So I don't start eating until 2pm. If breakfast didn't make me more hungry, I wouldn't do IF. So it's irrelevant. It doesn't put you in "fat burning mode". You lose fat simply by being in a calorie deficit. IF is just one tool you can use to help you be in that calorie deficit.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
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    Been doing IF since Aug 2013.
    Works great for cutting, works great for me.
  • fitoverfortymom
    fitoverfortymom Posts: 3,452 Member
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    I toyed with the idea of IF, but decided it wasn't for me. I'm a hangry kind of person. This girl's gotta eat. DONGER NEED FOOD!

    Hubby on the other hand, LOVES to eat lots of food at once, so it works great for him, and he doesn't get his panties in a bunch if he skips a meal. He can "forget" to eat until dinnertime sometimes!

    Our rates of weight loss, however, are consistent with the calorie deficit we set and have nothing to do with when we eat our calories.

    If IF works for you, AWESOME. Do that! If not, it's not required to be 100% successful at weight loss.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    HaoKaren wrote: »
    Apparently IF helps the human body goes into 'fat burning' mode? Please advise and share your experiences. Thank you!

    No that's a load of cobblers.
    It may move the time of day/night you are burning fat around but sustained fat loss is down to calorie deficit over time.
    You don't need to force on manipulate fat burning outside of maintaining a calorie deficit in a way that you can sustain.

    My experience:
    Really enjoyed 5:2 to lose weight slowly and steadily - found it easier for me than every day calorie restriction.
    Tried 16:8 Leangains style at maintenance and didn't enjoy it.
    Don't do any form of IF now but do skip breakfast most days.
  • Blitzia
    Blitzia Posts: 205 Member
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    Calorie deficits are what lead to weight loss. The only way intermittent fasting will help you lose weight is if it helps you stick to a calorie deficit.

    Have you put your stats into MFP? How many calories did it recommend that you eat? I would recommend you follow MFP's suggestions rather than just trying to do what your friend does. Men generally need more calories than women, so what keeps your friend fit may not help with your own weight loss.

    Other than that, intermittent fasting can be helpful for weight loss. For me, my calorie goal is 1200 calories per day, and fasting in the morning helps me stick to that goal. However, it only works for me because my calorie goal is appropriate and I stick to it. If your TDEE is 1500, which might be the case for a sedentary woman at your height, if you eat 1700 calories a day, you'll gain weight regardless of whether you try intermittent fasting or not.

    So my advice is to calculate your TDEE or find out how many calories MFP recommends that you eat and stick with that. Once you know what calorie goal will help you lose weight, you can see if intermittent fasting makes it easier to eat that number of calories.
  • BigBadVanna
    BigBadVanna Posts: 65 Member
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    I skip breakfast most days because it tends to increase my hunger. I'd rather save breakfast calories for a bedtime snack. Do what works for you to stay within your calorie goal. I've done a lot of tweaking to my diet in terms of calorie distribution throughout the day. Find a pattern you like. Good luck!
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    IF on it's own doesn't affect weight loss. It's still calorie-in, calorie-out. However, I find that it works well for me for weight loss purposes. If I eat breakfast, I am hungry again at noon. If I don't eat breakfast, I am still hungry at noon but I have more calories I can eat.

    I eat 1300 cals, and I divide them between 2 meals. Usually 500 for lunch and 800 for dinner - I like having a big satisfying dinner.

    I tried one-meal-a-day IF and it didn't work for me. I would fast until dinner time, then I'd get home ravenous and binge on junk food. And end up with a stomach ache from eating so much.

    So 2 meals a day works perfectly for me.
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    I've been doing IF for a few years and didn't even know it. It just evolved into my normal eating pattern. I stop eating after dinner (usually 6:30-ish) and don't eat again until 8:30-9am.

    I'm not an expert on any of this but I've done a lot of research into weight loss and weight lifting and so I read up on IF too and the claim that you burn fat faster on IF seems to be a load of hogwash to me.

    According to that I can eat 2500 calories (a surplus for me) but because I don't eat for 15 hours I'll still lose weight? I don't think so. I'm still eating an excess of calories.
  • darbierenfrow33
    darbierenfrow33 Posts: 7 Member
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    I started doing daily IF back in December to help shed the last couple of pounds until I hit my goal weight because I had hit a plateau and wanted to change things up. Since then I've lost about 14 pounds +/- because I'm maintaining now. I love it because I tend to feel more satisfied with the volume I eat rather than frequency of eating. I spend way less time counting every single calorie now because I know I have more to work with within my eating time. Also, like another user said, if I eat breakfast I am constantly hungry throughout the day whereas now that I am used to IF I don't struggle with the hunger pains.

    But like everyone has said, a calorie deficit is what helps you lose weight, regardless of how you do it. It's all about finding what works for you!
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I love IF & have been following 16:8 for a few years. This schedule is not a weight loss system. I can gain, maintain or lose as needed depending on my overall intake. I think most people should try IF, but don't automatically think it's going to help you lose weight.
    Now the 5:2 protocol is a bit more geared towards fat loss. I have seen people have great success with it. The hardest part is meal planning your low calorie days.
  • HaoKaren
    HaoKaren Posts: 19 Member
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    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    When you eat is not important. Being in a calorie deficit is. I do 16:8 because if I eat breakfast, I won't remain in a calorie deficit. I will be hungry for the rest of the day, and I'll go over my calories by about 300-500. So I don't start eating until 2pm. If breakfast didn't make me more hungry, I wouldn't do IF. So it's irrelevant. It doesn't put you in "fat burning mode". You lose fat simply by being in a calorie deficit. IF is just one tool you can use to help you be in that calorie deficit.

    Do you feel like your metabolism was slowed down? I've been taught 'breakfast helps metabolism' my whole life, I'm wondering if it does make any difference.
  • HaoKaren
    HaoKaren Posts: 19 Member
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    darbierenfrow33 wrote: »
    I started doing daily IF back in December to help shed the last couple of pounds until I hit my goal weight because I had hit a plateau and wanted to change things up. Since then I've lost about 14 pounds +/- because I'm maintaining now. I love it because I tend to feel more satisfied with the volume I eat rather than frequency of eating. I spend way less time counting every single calorie now because I know I have more to work with within my eating time. Also, like another user said, if I eat breakfast I am constantly hungry throughout the day whereas now that I am used to IF I don't struggle with the hunger pains.

    But like everyone has said, a calorie deficit is what helps you lose weight, regardless of how you do it. It's all about finding what works for you!

    Did you add more workout into your routine for shedding the extra pounds? I hit a plateau as well, but didn't want skipping breakfast to 'ruin my metabolism' (as what I've always been told?). Skipping breakfast seems easier for me so far, since skipping dinner has proven too hard.
  • darbierenfrow33
    darbierenfrow33 Posts: 7 Member
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    HaoKaren wrote: »
    darbierenfrow33 wrote: »
    I started doing daily IF back in December to help shed the last couple of pounds until I hit my goal weight because I had hit a plateau and wanted to change things up. Since then I've lost about 14 pounds +/- because I'm maintaining now. I love it because I tend to feel more satisfied with the volume I eat rather than frequency of eating. I spend way less time counting every single calorie now because I know I have more to work with within my eating time. Also, like another user said, if I eat breakfast I am constantly hungry throughout the day whereas now that I am used to IF I don't struggle with the hunger pains.

    But like everyone has said, a calorie deficit is what helps you lose weight, regardless of how you do it. It's all about finding what works for you!

    Did you add more workout into your routine for shedding the extra pounds? I hit a plateau as well, but didn't want skipping breakfast to 'ruin my metabolism' (as what I've always been told?). Skipping breakfast seems easier for me so far, since skipping dinner has proven too hard.

    I didn't really change my workout routine at all but I also run about 30 miles per week and lift 3 days/week so I tend to struggle to get enough calories. I usually cram all my calories in from 1 pm to 8-9 pm because that's what fits into my schedule best. It makes it easier to enjoy meals with family and friends without getting off track. Also try mixing up your current workout routine. Variety is great for many reasons, mostly to stave off boredom and stay motivated!
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
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    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    When you eat is not important. Being in a calorie deficit is. I do 16:8 because if I eat breakfast, I won't remain in a calorie deficit. I will be hungry for the rest of the day, and I'll go over my calories by about 300-500. So I don't start eating until 2pm. If breakfast didn't make me more hungry, I wouldn't do IF. So it's irrelevant. It doesn't put you in "fat burning mode". You lose fat simply by being in a calorie deficit. IF is just one tool you can use to help you be in that calorie deficit.

    I'm the same. I eat between 2-3 pm. If I ate earlier, it would be much harder to stay within my calories. I started in October. So glad I did. Enjoy bigger meals.

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