intermittent Fasting
CassieJones104
Posts: 76 Member
Is anyone doing this? Does it actually work? and is it healthy?
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Replies
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It works if you consume less calories than you expend. Because that's how weight loss happens. Calories are what matter, not what time you eat them.
Some people like eating in a smaller window, others don't. If you happen to be one who does, it may work for you. Other than that, it's no more healthy or unhealthy than eating your meals in any other time window, with calories being held equivalent.9 -
Hmm, I’ve always understood intermittent fasting as a means of giving the body a rest. Since we expend a lot of energy for digestion, I thought the point was to give the body more time for repair and maintenance, instead of “wasting” energy on digestion for 12-15 hours per day. Intermittent fasting is supposed to boost the immune system and such, when we allow the body more time to do things other than digesting food.
If anybody has used it for weight loss, I’m curious to hear from them. I suppose less hours available to eat could potentially equal less food eaten in total, though not necessarily less calories... I wonder...
I think what’s most important in either case is not to eat too close to bedtime because during sleep is when the body repairs and regenerates. Optimal renewal can’t happen if the body is busy digesting a late night snack.19 -
Does it work for what?
When I wanted to lose weight it worked when I ate in a deficit. It also worked when I wanted to maintain as I ate at maintenance. When I wanted to purposefully gain weight it also worked as I ate in a calorie surplus.
It was healthy because I ate what I consider a healthy diet.
I do it because it can make being in a deficit easier for me, and it suits my schedule and how I like to eat.3 -
It weightloss is the goal, shouldn't the body be put to work, not rest?
The energy needed to digest food is relative to the amount of food eaten, not timing of intake.
I think that's enough from me for now. Weeding out misinformation is hard, but necessary, and it's something you have to do yourself, and something you can't do until you're ready.5 -
If you like eating one or two meals a day instead of the traditional three meals a day with snacks, then do the two meals a day.2
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It seems to be a significant part of Keto but I am not that far into it yet. I can say this though, when I was counting calories to a deficit there was no way I could skip a meal and still needed snacks. It is now noon and wonder if I could skip lunch? I guess it is time for more research on this.0
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Hmm, I’ve always understood intermittent fasting as a means of giving the body a rest. Since we expend a lot of energy for digestion, I thought the point was to give the body more time for repair and maintenance, instead of “wasting” energy on digestion for 12-15 hours per day. Intermittent fasting is supposed to boost the immune system and such, when we allow the body more time to do things other than digesting food.
If anybody has used it for weight loss, I’m curious to hear from them. I suppose less hours available to eat could potentially equal less food eaten in total, though not necessarily less calories... I wonder...
I think what’s most important in either case is not to eat too close to bedtime because during sleep is when the body repairs and regenerates. Optimal renewal can’t happen if the body is busy digesting a late night snack.
Even if you're doing IF, your body will be digesting food during your fasting window. Our intestines do a large amount of the work of extracting nutrients from our food so even if our stomach is empty or mostly empty, we're still doing the work involved of getting nutrients from our food.
And there's no reason it shouldn't. There is no good evidence that our body requires a "break" or "rest" from essential functions like digestion.7 -
I do it because it helps me keep a deficit. Basically it stops the mindless evening snacks for me. Also, once I eat in the morning, I want to keep eating for some reason. If I wait to start eating until later, it cuts out a morning snack.2
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I regularly practice IF, usually sticking to two meals per day, and occasionally throwing in a 24 hour fast. It helps me keep to my calorie deficit and to enjoy larger meals as I'm definitely a quantity eater. I follow a Keto diet which I find to be very satiating making it easy for me to go longer between meals.1
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It seems to be a significant part of Keto but I am not that far into it yet. I can say this though, when I was counting calories to a deficit there was no way I could skip a meal and still needed snacks. It is now noon and wonder if I could skip lunch? I guess it is time for more research on this.
It's only a "significant part of keto" because it's the big fad right now to combine them, kind of like Crossfit and paleo. They have absolutely nothing to do with each other. Intermittent fasting is a time schedule, keto is a macro arrangement. You can do intermittent fasting with any diet/macro combination, and you can do keto on any eating schedule/window.6 -
I personally eat based on CICO, but a couple weeks ago stopped having breakfast. I did this to allow myself more calories for later in the day when I was really more hungry and wanting to eat. It kick started the plateau I had been on. I don't think I could do actual 16 hours without food though.0
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I do it because it helps me keep a deficit. Basically it stops the mindless evening snacks for me. Also, once I eat in the morning, I want to keep eating for some reason. If I wait to start eating until later, it cuts out a morning snack.
Exactly why I do it....I found that when I ate breakfast at 6:30ish...by 9 I was hungry again so I would have to have a snack, so now I just wait until lunch. Plus I am pretty disciplined now with not eating after supper.0 -
If you are interested in IF, you should read The Obesity Code by Dr. Fung. Or take a look at his website, his blog has a lot of the info covered in the book. These are particular articles that may help you understand that only going by calories in/calories out is flawed:
https://idmprogram.com/obesity-solving-the-two-compartment-problem/
https://idmprogram.com/fix-broken-metabolism/
https://idmprogram.com/biggest-loser-diet-explained/20 -
nonamemagee wrote: »If you are interested in IF, you should read The Obesity Code by Dr. Fung. Or take a look at his website, his blog has a lot of the info covered in the book. These are particular articles that may help you understand that only going by calories in/calories out is flawed:
https://idmprogram.com/obesity-solving-the-two-compartment-problem/
https://idmprogram.com/fix-broken-metabolism/
https://idmprogram.com/biggest-loser-diet-explained/
Just no.5 -
I think IF has a few possible health benefits for people. I know it can improve insulin resistance even without weight loss.It seems to be a significant part of Keto but I am not that far into it yet. I can say this though, when I was counting calories to a deficit there was no way I could skip a meal and still needed snacks. It is now noon and wonder if I could skip lunch? I guess it is time for more research on this.
I think keto and IF happen often together because many keto'ers have a lower appetite.
I used to eat every couple of hours or I'd end up up with the shakes, headaches, and hangries. Before keto, about 2pm was when I'd be eating for the third or fourth time. After a few months of keto, 2 pm became breakfast.6 -
I think IF has a few possible health benefits for people. I know it can improve insulin resistance even without weight loss.It seems to be a significant part of Keto but I am not that far into it yet. I can say this though, when I was counting calories to a deficit there was no way I could skip a meal and still needed snacks. It is now noon and wonder if I could skip lunch? I guess it is time for more research on this.
I think keto and IF happen often together because many keto'ers have a lower appetite.
I used to eat every couple of hours or I'd end up up with the shakes, headaches, and hangries. Before keto, about 2pm was when I'd be eating for the third or fourth time. After a few months of keto, 2 pm became breakfast.
This was me also. I would have an egg McMuffin or two eggs with english muffin w/ butter & jam and bacon at 6:00 AM. By 9:00 I would literally shake so bad it was difficult to write my name. I would than have a snack bar. Compare that to today with scrambled eggs with cheese & bacon, Never wanted food til lunch and wasn't starving either.0 -
A whole lot of woo in this thread and every other thread on this topic. I'll only say this because it is all the OP needs to know:
Lots of people do it, it'll work if you still follow the cico rule, it is as healthy as any other diet.
It isn't some magic window where calories count for less/more. Anyone stating otherwise is confused and wrong.7 -
CassieJones104 wrote: »Is anyone doing this? Does it actually work? and is it healthy?
Doing it. Working so far. Upon thinking about this I did this without knowing throughout highschool. No breakfast. No money for lunch. Only dinner. Eat what was put in front of me. No second portions. No wonder my family called me skinny. Healthy? Dieting is crashing your metabolism. Be prepared mentally. Lifestyle change means dieting for life. No going back. I comes back on real fast.3 -
I love it. I have spent lots of time doing it. Your body loves it also when it comes to burning unwanted fat. Your body takes approximately 12 hrs to stop producing insulin. Insulin stores glucose (sugars) in fat cells for later consumption. That 4 hours after that process has stopped is a great time to pick up your heart rate and burn some much needed fat storage. Work hard during this time and you will see results quickly13
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roughneck1820 wrote: »I love it. I have spent lots of time doing it. Your body loves it also when it comes to burning unwanted fat. Your body takes approximately 12 hrs to stop producing insulin. Insulin stores glucose (sugars) in fat cells for later consumption. That 4 hours after that process has stopped is a great time to pick up your heart rate and burn some much needed fat storage. Work hard during this time and you will see results quickly
Completely wrong.3 -
Obviously it can work for a number of reasons and goals, will it totally depends on you and what works for you.
I've settled on a variation of IF to help with weight loss (at this point), and to keep the weight off once I'm at my goal weight.
It all boils down to CICO - how you accomplish that can vary greatly. For me, a variation on the "warrior IF" is what I settled on (before I realized there was a buzz term for it). My life is busy, some weeks are routine and normal, then sometimes for weeks on end I'll be traveling for work, to races, to track days, and back again. Trying to count calories and prep my meals doesn't work so well when race season hits. I also needed something I could stick to on track days and race weekends.
My natural eating patterns also fit pretty well with this plan.
In my case, I don't do a true "fast" for an extended period. I still have my morning coffee and creamer when I get to work/in the late morning, and then I have a small (~200 calorie) plant/nut/protein based snack in the afternoon. Dinner is whatever I choose to eat, and I don't sweat the calories as it would be nearly impossible for me to eat my entire days worth of calories in one sitting.
I settled on this plan after a lot of yo-yo'ing with meal prep and tracking. Those work GREAT - when I'm home, have time to meal prep, can make it the store, and can eat foods before they go bad. That is not most of the year for me, and I needed something I could sustain long term, no matter where I am, and that follows my natural eating habits. This is working pretty well, and the weight has started to drop again.1 -
I practice 14/10. Nothing magical about it. Just allows me to control hunger and calories. I like larger meals, a product I think of years of over eating, in the pm. I do believe it helps me slightly with digestion. Maybe tmi, but since i have been doing 14/10 / time restricted eating, I make a happy poopie time more regular. Almost like clock work. I also like to sleep a little later on work days, so not having to cook a meal gives me 20 mins more sleep.0
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IF works as long as it fits with your lifestyle and habits. I found that I'm very "all or nothing" when it comes to food. So IF helps me to maintain a calorie deficit by limiting the time I'm "allowed" to eat.
I practice 20/4, which is really easy for me since I never really have an appetite during the day, only at night.
It's been great, really. I stay within a calorie deficit, but don't have to struggle with it as much as I used to when I followed a regular food intake regimen (4 meals a day).
You can try it and see whether it works for you or not. Everyone's different.0
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