Intermittent Fasting

markeenabrouillette · July 2018

I have been reading about intermittent fasting as of late, as well as keto. IF seems to be an easier way to fix eating habits, I’m still just not sure what kind of diet to incorporate with it and what time of day to start a 16:8 window. I read a little that maybe keto would help with this IF tool, but I feel like maybe I want to try just cutting out sugar and trying to have a more vitamin rich meal plan. Or would supplements be the better option?

I have PCOS so my real issue is the sugar. I’m thinking easing into it with some soup and then heavier meals toward the end? I just want to feel satiated and have a nutritionally complete meal as well.

kommodevaran · July 2018

If you have read some unbelievable accounts about IF, keto, cutting out sugar - try to forget them. Those things are all the rage now, but as you say, you want to feel satiated and have nutritionally complete meals and fix your eating habits. So focus on the things that help you with that, and tune out the things that make it harder.

The lowdown:
Intermittent fasting is nothing but formalizing your meal schedule. A good meal schedule can help you eat better; calling it IF can help you stick to your meal schedule.
You can't cut out sugar and be healthy; you can indeed cut out added sugar and eat healthily, but it means you'll have to make a lot of effort AND forgo lots of healthy foods; and sugar is sugar that your body handles the same way; and telling yourself you can't have something leads your desire for it to soar, and then you lose control and overeat - so that isn't really a good strategy.
Keto is eating very low carb and high fat, which suits a lot of people, but it's just another way of reducing calorie intake, which is what actually produces weightloss.
When you reduce the amounts of junkfood, and make balanced meals from scratch, you will get more vitamins.
Supplements can never be as good as the real deal (food).
You can eat whatever and whenever you want. You just have to stop eating too much.

sijomial · July 2018

Think you need to step back and have a serious think - do you really want to be another follower of the current fads and fashions pushed by salesmen and evangelists?

None of what you are considering are magical or necessary. To lose weight you need to find a sustainable way to cut some calories. That's sustainable for YOU.
So have a think about what kinds of foods you enjoy and can add together into an overall healthy diet.
Think about how you like to split up your calorie allowance to fit into your schedule and preferances (it's your overall diet and calories that really matter).
Think about what habits you want to build while losing weight so that long term maintenance at goal weight is easier.
Think about what you want to include in your diet (noun) not just what to exclude or reduce.

WholeFoods4Lyfe · July 2018

OP I am neither a salesman or an evangelist, and quite frankly I find that labeling offensive, but regardless, I do follow a Keto diet and practice IF. Honestly, I think that both are becoming quite "trendy" and so many people aren't doing either correctly. For me, Keto is more than just a diet, I am also doing it for health reasons, and IF has come to me naturally as I have switched from being a sugar burner to a fat burner. That hasn't happened over night either. I strongly recommend against people using Keto as a quick fix, or using IF as a tool to limit calories if you aren't fat adapted, both would be a recipe for disaster. If you are serious about Keto, I recommend doing your research. I spent months researching Keto before diving in, and still now, I do my due dilligence to ensure that I am doing to best I possibly can and continue to research and learn more about this WOE. If you are truly serious about it, do your research, don't jump in all willy nilly, and be prepared that when you post Keto questions on this board that there will be a lot of naysayers.

JaxxieKat · July 2018

Keto is good for a quick water retention "whoosh", but it's not really sustainable as a lifetime dietary pattern. IF is just a schedule. Nothing about fasting makes calories less impactful. It doesn't make you burn fat more efficiently. For me, it allows me to eat more volumous meals later in the day, which tends to be when my hunger and cravings hit me the hardest.

Mandylou19912014 · July 2018

markeenabrouillette wrote: »

I have been reading about intermittent fasting as of late, as well as keto. IF seems to be an easier way to fix eating habits, I’m still just not sure what kind of diet to incorporate with it and what time of day to start a 16:8 window. I read a little that maybe keto would help with this IF tool, but I feel like maybe I want to try just cutting out sugar and trying to have a more vitamin rich meal plan. Or would supplements be the better option?

I have PCOS so my real issue is the sugar. I’m thinking easing into it with some soup and then heavier meals toward the end? I just want to feel satiated and have a nutritionally complete meal as well.

I think there’s no harm in trying it out? See if it works for you and your lifestyle and if you seem to get results through doing it?

xxzenabxx · July 2018

I also have PCOS and I follow a lower carb approach where I eat between 70-120g of carbs a day and I don’t freak out if I go over and under. I used to be really strict with my diet but I’ve loosened up abit and I make sure I eat atleast 100g of protein a day as I’m 149lbs and 5’4” so that’s a good number to aim for. Then I eat fats because I find them more satiating but you have to find out what works for you. Last week my brother wanted to treat us out to desert and on that day I only had 1300 calories allotted. I made sure I ate high protein dinner (I just ended up eating steamed fish with veggies) and I saved up 300 calories for dessert and i ended up just fine! Infact I found the cookie dough too sweet and I mostly ate the ice-cream ontop. The next day I continued as if nothing had happened. I’ve been through a lot in terms of an ED when I was a teen and then a bad relationship with food. Do you feel addicted to sugary foods? Maybe you need to quit sugar cold turkey, reestablish healthy eating habits and then when you have it again you won’t want to binge out. What I’m trying to say is some people can moderate with sugary fatty foods and some people can’t. Your body needs a break from these foods then fine. Use erythritol or stevia instead. But after a few weeks on no sugar when you have a treat again you will find your taste buds have been reset. You will be able to control yourself and eat in moderation. Find out what foods you have zero self control around and don’t keep them in the house. Honestly now the way I eat is I eat a low carb day and then I fit in two pieces of chocolate or some ice cream and I’m still under 100g of carbs for the day. I don’t even do this everyday. I also eat intuitively whilst counting my calories. This has really helped me to control my caloric intake. IF works well for PCOS due to increasing insulin sensitivity (most PCOS overweight women have mild insulin resistance that does not show up on the tests) so I would just do 16:8 for now. I fast for 17-18 hours now because I like how it makes me feel.

kds10 · July 2018

I have been doing IF...I started doing an 16 8 window but then changed to a 18 6. I started 15 weeks ago today and have lost 23 lbs. So 8 lbs left to my goal. I think once I hit goal I will relax on that 18 6 and just implement maybe a 14 10 instead. However if I notice weight coming back on I can always go back to my 18 6 eating window to lose if I have to at any time.

Why it worked for me was it controlled and contained my eating. Plus seeing the weight come off was motivating. I find it is easy to work around your schedule and have done it thru family functions, etc.

I used to be an all or nothing eater...I would expect that I have to eat perfectly only to blow it and then try and start again the next day, etc. etc. This went on for years and during that time the weight crept up even while I exercised routinely.

psychod787 · July 2018

I use 14/10 time restricted. I also count my macros. I could easily blow through my cals in 10 hrs or hell even 6. Time restricted eating is just a tool for your goals. I know that after I start the eating clock, my hunger goes nuts, so by skipping breakfast, I delay the onset. I lost a lot of weight, so my hunger and satiety are different. That's right folks, the body bumps back. What I am finding, is it might allow me to calorie cycle easier. At least, that's the thought. So called IF is not a magic bullet.

golden6911 · July 2018

I like IF just for the fact that I only have to worry about 2 meals a day. I have discovered that I am really not very hungry most mornings, and I was eating out of shear habit most of the time. The food I do eat tastes better, so I tend to make better choices. I can eat more satisfying, bigger meals too.

It isn’t helping me lose weight, not yet, but it isn’t hurting anything either. I enjoy the time and energy savings. It has simplified my morning routine.

psychod787 · July 2018

kommodevaran wrote: »

If you have read some unbelievable accounts about IF, keto, cutting out sugar - try to forget them. Those things are all the rage now, but as you say, you want to feel satiated and have nutritionally complete meals and fix your eating habits. So focus on the things that help you with that, and tune out the things that make it harder.

The lowdown:
Intermittent fasting is nothing but formalizing your meal schedule. A good meal schedule can help you eat better; calling it IF can help you stick to your meal schedule.
You can't cut out sugar and be healthy; you can indeed cut out added sugar and eat healthily, but it means you'll have to make a lot of effort AND forgo lots of healthy foods; and sugar is sugar that your body handles the same way; and telling yourself you can't have something leads your desire for it to soar, and then you lose control and overeat - so that isn't really a good strategy.
Keto is eating very low carb and high fat, which suits a lot of people, but it's just another way of reducing calorie intake, which is what actually produces weightloss.
When you reduce the amounts of junkfood, and make balanced meals from scratch, you will get more vitamins.
Supplements can never be as good as the real deal (food).
You can eat whatever and whenever you want. You just have to stop eating too much.

The only thing about getting your sugar from fruit and veggies, is that they come with fiber. Fiber slows the absorption of glucose. If i remember, there is a correlation with obesity from sugar sweeted beverages. There is not one with fruit consumption. No scientific study i think, so we have to be careful with correlations, but, I believe it has to do with satiety and fiber. A serving of strawberries, 140grams. Has 17grams of CARBS! That's A lot right? It also some with 4-6 grams of fiber. Mix it with some cheese, protein and fats, I get satiety, compared to a soda and potato chips. Nothing wrong with soda and chips, but I have to ask myself, do they help me hit my goals? Calories still have the same effect on the body.

mizz_tizzy · July 2018

I’ve just started IF to manage my eating habits due to mental health issues and just to say everyone here this is really great info all round to read!

meshashesha2012 · July 2018

I'm doing 12 PM - 8PM as my feed window. It's actually really good for me for a few reasons:

1- it makes sure i don't stay up too late past my bed time
2- i like having a meal that feels like a meal, and my first meal of the day usually is quite substantial
3- i'm prone to disordered eating. i don't really have an "off switch" so the clock is a good way to make sure i'm not just eating to eat. also what makes this worse is mon-fri i'm surrounded by food and snacks at work
4-finding it easier to cut out added sugar. for me the main added sugar comes in my tea and coffee and really the main time i drink caffeine is before lunch. Since I'm not eating calories before noon, it's forcing me to skip the coffee and drink either those 0 calorie iced teas in a bottle or water.

There are a few bad points though:
1- weekends :-/ this is going to be a tough one for me to get over because i like to go out and dance and have fun with friends
2- may need to change workout time. I've been pushing my workouts to end just before my window. i was trying 7 AM workouts but I'd be really hangry by 10 AM, and me hangry is NOT pretty lol

fb47 · July 2018

markeenabrouillette wrote: »

I have been reading about intermittent fasting as of late, as well as keto. IF seems to be an easier way to fix eating habits, I’m still just not sure what kind of diet to incorporate with it and what time of day to start a 16:8 window. I read a little that maybe keto would help with this IF tool, but I feel like maybe I want to try just cutting out sugar and trying to have a more vitamin rich meal plan. Or would supplements be the better option?

I have PCOS so my real issue is the sugar. I’m thinking easing into it with some soup and then heavier meals toward the end? I just want to feel satiated and have a nutritionally complete meal as well.

You are basically picking 2 fad diets which is all rage these days. In the end, do either or both of those only if it helps you achieving your goal of being at a caloric deficit which is the only thing that matters to lose weight. Diets are tools designed to help you stay at a caloric deficit....provided that of course you enjoy doing them. If you feel miserable with a diet, it won't be long before you either give up or go back to your bad habits. Don't do any diets based on hear say, do them because you feel it will help you in the long run.

I experimented last year with IF just to see if I would like it better, but I didn't which is why on my cut this year, I am back to eating every 3-4 hours even though they are smaller meals. I can also tell you that whether I ate using IF or not, my weight loss rate was the same, I didn't feel any different or superior...to me, IF wasn't anything special other than it was a different way of planning your meals. All I can suggest you is experiment with either diet and if you see you don't like either of them, then stop and chose another way of being at a caloric deficit that would make it more enjoyable for you.

Moral of the story, there are many different diets that are tools that can help you lose weight, but one thing is for sure, a caloric deficit is the only requirement to lose weight, the rest are optional.

amusedmonkey · July 2018

psychod787 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

If you have read some unbelievable accounts about IF, keto, cutting out sugar - try to forget them. Those things are all the rage now, but as you say, you want to feel satiated and have nutritionally complete meals and fix your eating habits. So focus on the things that help you with that, and tune out the things that make it harder.

The lowdown:
Intermittent fasting is nothing but formalizing your meal schedule. A good meal schedule can help you eat better; calling it IF can help you stick to your meal schedule.
You can't cut out sugar and be healthy; you can indeed cut out added sugar and eat healthily, but it means you'll have to make a lot of effort AND forgo lots of healthy foods; and sugar is sugar that your body handles the same way; and telling yourself you can't have something leads your desire for it to soar, and then you lose control and overeat - so that isn't really a good strategy.
Keto is eating very low carb and high fat, which suits a lot of people, but it's just another way of reducing calorie intake, which is what actually produces weightloss.
When you reduce the amounts of junkfood, and make balanced meals from scratch, you will get more vitamins.
Supplements can never be as good as the real deal (food).
You can eat whatever and whenever you want. You just have to stop eating too much.

The only thing about getting your sugar from fruit and veggies, is that they come with fiber. Fiber slows the absorption of glucose. If i remember, there is a correlation with obesity from sugar sweeted beverages. There is not one with fruit consumption. No scientific study i think, so we have to be careful with correlations, but, I believe it has to do with satiety and fiber. A serving of strawberries, 140grams. Has 17grams of CARBS! That's A lot right? It also some with 4-6 grams of fiber. Mix it with some cheese, protein and fats, I get satiety, compared to a soda and potato chips. Nothing wrong with soda and chips, but I have to ask myself, do they help me hit my goals? Calories still have the same effect on the body.

If that's a lot, my large snack today would have those who are scared of carbs gasping in horror at the thought of eating 66 grams of carbs for a snack:

To OP:
- IF is just an eating schedule that makes dieting easier for some people. Try it and see if it helps you feel happier and more full, discard it if it makes dieting unpleasant.
- Since you have PCOS, considering keto or low carb is a good thing if you also have insulin resistance. Try it and see how you like it. If you find it hard and unsustainable, you absolutely can do moderate carbs. Even some people with type 2 diabetes can.
- Sugar isn't scary and won't prevent weight loss if you're in a calorie deficit, but if you're currently consuming too much added sugar, cutting back is encouraged simply for the fact that it may be crowding out more nutritious foods.
- If you decide not to go keto, eating adequate protein and vegetables and a varied balanced diet is likely to give you good nutrition by default. You don't have to bend over backward to achieve it, and having the occasional ice cream or somesuch does not magically remove the nutrients you've eaten.
- My best advice for you would be: don't overthink it and just stay within your calories. You can try things out if you want, but you don't need to commit to anything that doesn't fit you.

crooked_left_hook · July 2018

I just started IF because I realized that one of my issues is that I’ve been getting up earlier the last few years, making my day longer, and I’ve struggled to stabilize my weight simply by calorie counting. When I start eating later in the day my meals were bigger and it is easier to not to snack between meals and stick to my calorie goals. I’m not coupling this with keto, just eating normal to see how it effects things. I’m also not being super strict about my eating window to allow some flexibility for life. Right now I can eat anytime between 10am and 8pm, and the timing of my first meal depends on whether or not I plan to workout over lunch because I can’t exercise on an empty stomach. The jury is still out on whether or not this will help me lose weight. I would try either IF or keto alone and see how you feel before diving into both.

Slowfaster · July 2018

New studies are going on as to whether or not IF can reduce cancer risk and boost the immune system, but early results are promising in those areas and suggest it is beneficial in many other small ways.

Just on a personal level -- I love it! I've been doing it for ten months and although the 45 pounds I've lost may all be due to calorie restriction, I know for sure that the fasting has helped me stick to the calorie restriction.

I eat between noon and six, so basically it's two 600 calorie meals. The meals are big enough to be satisfying, I'm not forcing myself to eat in the mornings when I'm never very hungry, and best of all, when the clock hits 6PM and I finish the dishes and go brush my teeth it's like my brain goes into a wonderful rest from food decisions. In my mind there's a, "Kitchen Closed," sign up and there's just no entry. I can read or watch TV without planning the next snack or arguing with myself about whether or not to have it.

snickerscharlie · July 2018

Slowfaster wrote: »

New studies are going on as to whether or not IF can reduce cancer risk and boost the immune system, but early results are promising in those areas and suggest it is beneficial in many other small ways.

Just on a personal level -- I love it! I've been doing it for ten months and although the 45 pounds I've lost may all be due to calorie restriction, I know for sure that the fasting has helped me stick to the calorie restriction.

I eat between noon and six, so basically it's two 600 calorie meals. The meals are big enough to be satisfying, I'm not forcing myself to eat in the mornings when I'm never very hungry, and best of all, when the clock hits 6PM and I finish the dishes and go brush my teeth it's like my brain goes into a wonderful rest from food decisions. In my mind there's a, "Kitchen Closed," sign up and there's just no entry. I can read or watch TV without planning the next snack or arguing with myself about whether or not to have it.

Please just stop promoting IF as a potential cancer risk minimizer. It's irresponsible and currently scientifically unsubstantiated.

psychod787 · July 2018

amusedmonkey wrote: »

psychod787 wrote: »

kommodevaran wrote: »

If you have read some unbelievable accounts about IF, keto, cutting out sugar - try to forget them. Those things are all the rage now, but as you say, you want to feel satiated and have nutritionally complete meals and fix your eating habits. So focus on the things that help you with that, and tune out the things that make it harder.

The lowdown:
Intermittent fasting is nothing but formalizing your meal schedule. A good meal schedule can help you eat better; calling it IF can help you stick to your meal schedule.
You can't cut out sugar and be healthy; you can indeed cut out added sugar and eat healthily, but it means you'll have to make a lot of effort AND forgo lots of healthy foods; and sugar is sugar that your body handles the same way; and telling yourself you can't have something leads your desire for it to soar, and then you lose control and overeat - so that isn't really a good strategy.
Keto is eating very low carb and high fat, which suits a lot of people, but it's just another way of reducing calorie intake, which is what actually produces weightloss.
When you reduce the amounts of junkfood, and make balanced meals from scratch, you will get more vitamins.
Supplements can never be as good as the real deal (food).
You can eat whatever and whenever you want. You just have to stop eating too much.

The only thing about getting your sugar from fruit and veggies, is that they come with fiber. Fiber slows the absorption of glucose. If i remember, there is a correlation with obesity from sugar sweeted beverages. There is not one with fruit consumption. No scientific study i think, so we have to be careful with correlations, but, I believe it has to do with satiety and fiber. A serving of strawberries, 140grams. Has 17grams of CARBS! That's A lot right? It also some with 4-6 grams of fiber. Mix it with some cheese, protein and fats, I get satiety, compared to a soda and potato chips. Nothing wrong with soda and chips, but I have to ask myself, do they help me hit my goals? Calories still have the same effect on the body.

If that's a lot, my large snack today would have those who are scared of carbs gasping in horror at the thought of eating 66 grams of carbs for a snack:

To OP:
- IF is just an eating schedule that makes dieting easier for some people. Try it and see if it helps you feel happier and more full, discard it if it makes dieting unpleasant.
- Since you have PCOS, considering keto or low carb is a good thing if you also have insulin resistance. Try it and see how you like it. If you find it hard and unsustainable, you absolutely can do moderate carbs. Even some people with type 2 diabetes can.
- Sugar isn't scary and won't prevent weight loss if you're in a calorie deficit, but if you're currently consuming too much added sugar, cutting back is encouraged simply for the fact that it may be crowding out more nutritious foods.
- If you decide not to go keto, eating adequate protein and vegetables and a varied balanced diet is likely to give you good nutrition by default. You don't have to bend over backward to achieve it, and having the occasional ice cream or somesuch does not magically remove the nutrients you've eaten.
- My best advice for you would be: don't overthink it and just stay within your calories. You can try things out if you want, but you don't need to commit to anything that doesn't fit you.

I was just using that as an example of where sugar itself is not bad for goals in my case. I try personally to not really get too many of my calories from processed sugar as it leaves me with spent macros and virtually no sateity. No reason to fear carbs in general, even if you are insulin resistant as long as you remain active. We are all in some way resistant to our insulin. Carbs and fats are just the biggest variable when dealing with weight loss or gain. Heck, even the ADA recommends getting 45% of cals from carbs. They say to avoid added sugar.

Slowfaster · July 2018

snickerscharlie wrote: »

Slowfaster wrote: »

New studies are going on as to whether or not IF can reduce cancer risk and boost the immune system, but early results are promising in those areas and suggest it is beneficial in many other small ways.

Just on a personal level -- I love it! I've been doing it for ten months and although the 45 pounds I've lost may all be due to calorie restriction, I know for sure that the fasting has helped me stick to the calorie restriction.

I eat between noon and six, so basically it's two 600 calorie meals. The meals are big enough to be satisfying, I'm not forcing myself to eat in the mornings when I'm never very hungry, and best of all, when the clock hits 6PM and I finish the dishes and go brush my teeth it's like my brain goes into a wonderful rest from food decisions. In my mind there's a, "Kitchen Closed," sign up and there's just no entry. I can read or watch TV without planning the next snack or arguing with myself about whether or not to have it.

Please just stop promoting IF as a potential cancer risk minimizer. It's irresponsible and currently scientifically unsubstantiated.

I'm sorry, I don't understand what's irresponsible about mentioning ongoing studies that are discussed on cancer websites all over the internet? Just google on "fasting and cancer," and you'll find serious medical sites talking about it. I made sure to qualify my statement by saying the studies are still ongoing and I certainly didn't imply this was a cure for cancer, just, at best, something to try to lower risk. Do you feel the same way about research into the benefits of anti-oxidants from fruits and vegetables or research about carcinogens in highly processed deli meats? I find all that sort of information good to know even though I take it all with a grain of salt.

You know, smoking was connected to lung cancer for twenty years before all the studies were in and the final word came down from the Surgeon General that tobacco use was a major cause of cancer. Surely the people who took the early rumors seriously are glad now that they did. In my opinion it was the tobacco companies not talking about the ongoing studies that were irresponsible, not the doctors who told patients that the research wasn't complete but they might be wise to quit smoking.

So unless you're a moderator and I don't know it, I'm not going to follow your order to stop talking about IF -- I never "promoted" it. I just listed some possible advantages for anyone who was interested. It's everyone's choice to disregard it or not. My husband and son could never do IF because they get terrible headaches if they don't eat often. Fasting is just an option that is helpful to some people.

Mandylou19912014 · July 2018

snickerscharlie wrote: »

Slowfaster wrote: »

New studies are going on as to whether or not IF can reduce cancer risk and boost the immune system, but early results are promising in those areas and suggest it is beneficial in many other small ways.

Just on a personal level -- I love it! I've been doing it for ten months and although the 45 pounds I've lost may all be due to calorie restriction, I know for sure that the fasting has helped me stick to the calorie restriction.

I eat between noon and six, so basically it's two 600 calorie meals. The meals are big enough to be satisfying, I'm not forcing myself to eat in the mornings when I'm never very hungry, and best of all, when the clock hits 6PM and I finish the dishes and go brush my teeth it's like my brain goes into a wonderful rest from food decisions. In my mind there's a, "Kitchen Closed," sign up and there's just no entry. I can read or watch TV without planning the next snack or arguing with myself about whether or not to have it.

Please just stop promoting IF as a potential cancer risk minimizer. It's irresponsible and currently scientifically unsubstantiated.

That’s not what he was saying was it. He said that studies are on-going, this is something that is interesting to know, he is by no means promoting anything or being irresponsible

Intermittent Fasting

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