Any intermittent fasters out there?

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Hey all

I'm looking to start the 4:3 diet. I will water fast 3 days a week and eat normally for 4.

I have fasted before both successfully and unsuccessfully but I'm looking to do this for a much longer period.

I'm totally addicted to all the wrong foods currently which is why I'd like to do this as a way of regaining control and temperance.

Does anyone else do anything similar and if so how do you manage the cravings on fast days? Has it worked or is it working for you?

Thanks

Replies

  • vivemme
    vivemme Posts: 6 Member
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    I do water fast for 1-2 days when I notice my appetite is getting out of control. It definitely helps me regain control of myself. Doing so also helped me with other things, such as digestive issues. It's still a challenge for me to do but I've had a good experience with it nonetheless.

    As for cravings - I do two things - stay busy and pray/meditate. Fasting days naturally turn out to be a time when I nurture myself apart from food. So, good smells, good thoughts, productivity, peace as well as the (hopefully) amazing reason(s) why I am doing what I am doing. Oh, and lots of water!
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited September 2017
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    4:3 is not a water fast diet, it's eating 500 calories 3 days per week, and normally 4 days a week. If your goal is to lose weight, you have to make sure you don't overeat on the non-fasting days.

    Revising one's assumptions can be liberating. You aren't addicted to food, and no foods are right or wrong. You may have aquired some bad habits, and no foods should be eaten in excess, but every food can be eaten in moderation. Moderation - which is another word for control and temperance - is difficult when you deprive yourself and demonize the things you like, while at the same time do nothing to reduce temptation. The more you deny yourself, and the more you think about what you think you "shouldn't" eat, the more intense your cravings will be.

    For good health, you also have to eat properly. Don't try to undereat. Aim to feed yourself regularly and reliably. Several meals per day is the way most people eat. It's far more likely that you are like most people than an extreme outlier. I would really not recommend 4:3 in your case. Instead, I would recommend setting up MFP correctly (to weight loss if you are overweight, maintenance if you are normal weight, weight gain if you are underweight), use your food diary, eat food you like, log it, and pay attention to how you feel. Are you energetic and happy? Or tired and irritable? After some time, you will see a pattern - some foods and combinations just work better for you. You will start to gravitate towards those chioces. This will in turn improve your health, including your weight and your ability to eat according to your needs.
  • ottermotorcycle
    ottermotorcycle Posts: 654 Member
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    I have concerns about any diet that aims to "regain control." Usually this means you're doing something very restrictive and difficult, and can lead to obsessive behavior, binge eating, and a host of problems much worse than being overweight. The language of "addiction" to food and any foods being "wrong" furthers this concern for me. I think you should proceed with caution with any fasting regimen and make sure someone IRL is looking out for you.