What about fasting? what about Intermittent Fasting? , I need help!!!

Theo166 wrote: »

I'm planning to start IF when I get close to my goal weight. I think it will benefit my health and help me maintain my weight as I shift to normal eating vs my very disciplined approach now.

This BBC video is a good introduction Eat, Fast & Live Longer

There are quite a few Groups here on fasting that you can join for more detailed information. Here's one on the 5/2 Fast. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/8628-5-2-diet

Thanks for sharing that video link. A lot of that was new data to me.

slim168mfp wrote: »

[que="Nikion901;39294360"]Is this a debate or a cry for help?

If it's a debate ... I think it has it's place. I do it in my own way every day.
If it's a cry for help ... try it and see what you think after you have tried it.

No debate, just need help from those who are seasoned fasters. Ideas, ways to do it better.

I have been at maintenance weight for the better part of 2years.
I know it works and I am a fan.

I am at 12-18hours per day with my IF. So I get it. Just want it to be better.

The reason the question was asked, is you posted this in the debate forum of MFP. You may get better traction posting in the general forum. But, you did get some good responses here anyway.

What is so funny?

I was on IF 23:1 for a very extended period of time. For the last three months or so, I've been eating 5 times a day, no more than 4 hours apart. I was able to lose weight in both cases, able to build/maintain muscle as well. But in my exercise routine, I feel more energetic now than in the past. Everyone's different, but for me, both IF and non IF seem to be fine. Though, frankly, I prefer eating more frequently.

I do OMAD also. Eat one huge meal once a day. Then fast for 23 hours or so. They say the longer your body fasts, it is more beneficial.. I tried the 18:6, 14:8, (more hours of eating window) and for me, I ate too much. Doing only one meal keeps me from wanting to snack and graze all day. Because I eat all my calories at one sitting, I am so stuffed and full for the next 23 hours. Also I am not restricting what I eat- so I eat sweets, desserts, anything that will fit into my calories. It's pretty simple and extremely easy to do. Look at the OMAD revolution group! It's awesome.

I'm doing IF. I lost 70 lbs a few years ago doing calorie counting and faithful food logging, then gained it all back over the years. So, calorie counting works for me but I wasn't successful at maintaining-I lost all discipline when I wasn't absorbed in weight loss mode. Now I'm trying IF with the hope that it will be as successful as calorie counting and more successful at maintaining.

It's working just as well as calorie counting did for me, but I wouldn't say I'm seeing better results. I'm seeing the same results, different method. It is convenient because I've never, ever wanted to eat before being up a few hours. I can make big, special-occasion breakfasts for others and enjoy the cooking but feel repulsed at the idea of eating any of it, and that's been true all my life. So, off the bat, it's very easy for me not to want to start eating until noon even when I'm in the middle of a "don't give a #@%^" phase and eating all the things.

I also don't mind going a day or so without eating SOMETIMES. There are days I can easily go all day without eating and I don't get the hunger pains others talk about. Then there are days I want to try to fast but my hunger is insistent, and those days I just give up on the IF and figure it's not a good day. I do try to limit snacking between meals, because I personally have never felt satiated having multiple small meals throughout the day.

Out of a week, I usually go 3-4 days easily just eating dinner, 1 day fasting all day long (so longer than 24 hours because I don't eat from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed), and the other days I eat 3 meals.

I do have healthy meals that I really, really like planned out so it's not like I'm gorging on cheesy ramen noodles and chocolate cake the days I'm not fasting.

I do limit processed carbs like pasta, rice, and bread. I don't limit natural carbs like fruit or vegetables (i.e., I don't limit potatoes, corn, etc.). I am eating a lot more fat this time, and I'm sure that if I cut out the fat and the carbs entirely, I'd double my weight loss. But I'm hoping to find a solution that is sustainable for me, and I'm giving this a shot. I love healthy foods but I also love creams and butters and oils.

We'll see how this goes. For the past few months, it's working. When I eat, I eat food I really enjoy. I like cooking it and I love eating it and I love entertaining and serving it to my dinner guests. I don't like junk food, but I do like rich food. The tradeoff is that I have to balance that with periods of not eating.

There's always a trade off. Last go around, I ate regularly and every meal was lower-calorie. I enjoyed those meals, but I had to carefully monitor every ingredient to cook them and carefully record every bite taken, and it was hard to sustain. This go round, it's easier and I'm spending less time mentally on thinking about food and its preparation. The hope is that I'll be able to sustain this even when maintaining. Because it's all about finding something that 1) works to reduce your weight and 2) you can keep doing to maintain your weight.

But I'm only a few months in, and don't consider anything a success until it's worked to reduce and then worked to maintain, and I'm not there yet.