Intermittent fasting??

If it makes it easier for you to stay below your maintenance calories, it will help you lose weight. If it doesn't help you do that, it won't help you lose weight.


Edited because I realized I didn't finish the sentence.

I’ve been doing it for many, many years. Long before the term intermittent fasting was even used.
I use it more for energy levels than for weight loss. I can’t say it’s made me lose more or less weight than eating 3 squares a day. But it does make it a little easier to get a deficit, because my calories are spread between one large meal and then some late snacks, so I feel full and comfy after eating and sleep better.

Start with skipping breakfast and see how you go for a week. Then limit your timeframe to 8 hours (lunch and dinner) and see how you feel.

I find it easier to do than when I tried 6 meals a day, as I can have a couple of proper sized meals to fill me up. I also found that cutting processed carbs helped my blood sugar stabilise so I didn't feel as hungry during the day.

If it works for you it can be a really useful tool, but it's not for everyone, so adjust what you do to how you feel.

One thing it's really helped me with is snacking in the evening.

I liked 5:2 for weight loss but disliked 16:8 for weight maintenance.
I'm someone who can easily skip breakfast with little impact to hunger but dislike the feeling of long term of everyday rules and restrictions.

Worth trying as it's a useful adherence tool for some and may work for you. It also found it taught me to understand my hunger signals better, for me at least a lot of my hunger is due to habit, boredom or just enjoying my food rather than actually needing to eat right now.

psuLemon wrote: »

notreallychris wrote: »

I do IF, but you should know, it's not a diet but a way of eating. It's a way to control your calorie intake.

I've been doing it for about a year and like it. If it helps put you in a calorie deficit, I say go for it.

A diet is the way a person eats.. there is no difference regardless of how the industry tries to spin it.

I thought a diet is "what" a person eats, not when. Meal timing has no bearing on the makeup of one's diet.

I seem to feel less hungry and more in control of my cravings with IF, plus it makes it easier to stay inside the calorie limits. It's not for everyone though, it requires you to get used to it the first weeks. If after that period you are still struggling, then it might not be for you.

I personally love the simplicity of it! I start at 13:00 or 14:00 and have dinner at 20:00 or 21:00. Works great as long as I eat within my calorie limits I no longer have to worry about breakfast. I don't think about food as much as I did before and rarely experience sugar cravings. And in case anyone is wondering...I dont walk around with hunger pangs in the morning.