Question about Intermittent Fasting

Ideally, I'd eat between 11am thru 5 or 6pm if I wanted to be successful with fasting. (That's just what works for my home/work schedule.) My issue is that I work out at 3am every morning, which is obviously a fasted workout....Would working out at 3am and not breaking fast until 11am have a negative impact on my metabolism or anything else? I'd like to give IF a try, I'm just not sure if it would mess me up, given my schedule.
«1

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    Nope. As long as you feel good and have decent energy for your workouts, there is no problem with what you are describing.
  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,365 Member
    It will not mess up your metabolism. I have been doing something like you describe for several years and have had no problem losing weight. I currently eat between noon and 8pm, and get up at 4am to workout 5 days a week.
  • scotgirl78
    scotgirl78 Posts: 47 Member
    Sweet! Thank you for the feedback...I'm pretty sure the 3am-11am time period will be a little tough to get used to, but I didn't want to go through it and have adverse effects.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,907 Member
    Well, intermittent fasting isn't magical, either.

    If you have trouble sticking to it, maybe it isn't for you.

    There's no weight-loss advantage to IF.
  • scotgirl78
    scotgirl78 Posts: 47 Member
    I wasn't assuming it's magical. Currently hitting my weight loss goals with keto and exercise, was simply asking a question about IF effects.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,907 Member
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I wasn't assuming it's magical. Currently hitting my weight loss goals with keto and exercise, was simply asking a question about IF effects.

    That's fantastic.

    So if you're successful at your current regimen, can I ask why you want to switch to a strict schedule? I mean, that's all IF is, a schedule.

    I eat with a 16:8 schedule - but only because that's the way I naturally eat. They just gave it a fancy name. If it didn't fit my work and exercise schedule, I woudn't try to stick to it. It just happens to suit me. :)
  • hoffman2300
    hoffman2300 Posts: 104 Member
    One other idea - depending on when you usually start eating - you could start adjusting your "start" time toward 11am a day or two at a time. If you usually eat at 6am, try 6:30am tomorrow and 7:00am the next day, etc.
  • scotgirl78
    scotgirl78 Posts: 47 Member
    One other idea - depending on when you usually start eating - you could start adjusting your "start" time toward 11am a day or two at a time. If you usually eat at 6am, try 6:30am tomorrow and 7:00am the next day, etc.

    Yes, I was thinking about easing into it. I think right now, I could make it to 9:30/10 already so it's not too much of a stressor. :)

  • scotgirl78
    scotgirl78 Posts: 47 Member
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)

    Short version is that any additional benefits have not been proven in human trails. They have shown some things in rat trails that have not been replicated. As of now at least, the primary benefit is a schedule of eating for calorie control. Despite all the hype.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/

    An acknowledgement to psulemon who originaly posted this in another thread about a week or so ago. Thanks!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)

    Short version is that any additional benefits have not been proven in human trails. They have shown some things in rat trails that have not been replicated. As of now at least, the primary benefit is a schedule of eating for calorie control. Despite all the hype.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/

    An acknowledgement to psulemon who originaly posted this in another thread about a week or so ago. Thanks!

    The biggest take away is if a person used Keto or IF to control weight loss, that is the biggest benefits. For others, especially those who are doing anaerobic activities, they might see a degradation in performance... But the biggest question is, what is the focus? If its weight loss, than calorie control is what matters.
  • scotgirl78
    scotgirl78 Posts: 47 Member
    Thanks for the input...I still don't see the harm in trying it out, but apparently it's a hot button with some people.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    edited August 2018
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    Thanks for the input...I still don't see the harm in trying it out, but apparently it's a hot button with some people.

    There is no harm at all. I've done it off and on and, for me, it helps with hunger control. I don't eat my first meal til late morning to early afternoon. If I eat first thing in the morning, I am hungry all day but I can put off eating indefinitely without much issue. Some people experience this with IF. Some do not with IF. Kind of have to try and see.

    Yeah, there has been a lot of hype around this topic both here and in the press in general. But most of the claims are not substantiated. It just makes good copy to attract attention.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)

    Short version is that any additional benefits have not been proven in human trails. They have shown some things in rat trails that have not been replicated. As of now at least, the primary benefit is a schedule of eating for calorie control. Despite all the hype.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/

    An acknowledgement to psulemon who originaly posted this in another thread about a week or so ago. Thanks!

    The biggest take away is if a person used Keto or IF to control weight loss, that is the biggest benefits. For others, especially those who are doing anaerobic activities, they might see a degradation in performance... But the biggest question is, what is the focus? If its weight loss, than calorie control is what matters.
    Are you referring to the hunger control thing or something else?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    Thanks for the input...I still don't see the harm in trying it out, but apparently it's a hot button with some people.

    No one is saying there is harm. I would be weary of the claims because most haven't been shown in humans
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,373 MFP Moderator
    mmapags wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)

    Short version is that any additional benefits have not been proven in human trails. They have shown some things in rat trails that have not been replicated. As of now at least, the primary benefit is a schedule of eating for calorie control. Despite all the hype.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/

    An acknowledgement to psulemon who originaly posted this in another thread about a week or so ago. Thanks!

    The biggest take away is if a person used Keto or IF to control weight loss, that is the biggest benefits. For others, especially those who are doing anaerobic activities, they might see a degradation in performance... But the biggest question is, what is the focus? If its weight loss, than calorie control is what matters.
    Are you referring to the hunger control thing or something else?

    Hunger control and sustainabilit, which is very individualistic.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,937 Member
    psuLemon wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    mmapags wrote: »
    scotgirl78 wrote: »
    I've read of other benefits and I'm thinking about giving it a go. Pretty simple. In my opinion, I can be successful at something and want to incorporate other changes or take on other challenges....it's unrelated to current goals or achievements.

    Like what other benefits other than helping with calorie compliance?


    I'm not entirely sure how accurate, but there's all sorts of claims: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-intermittent-fasting

    I figured I'd might as well see how it goes! (As long as I won't be hurting my progress)

    Short version is that any additional benefits have not been proven in human trails. They have shown some things in rat trails that have not been replicated. As of now at least, the primary benefit is a schedule of eating for calorie control. Despite all the hype.

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4516560/

    An acknowledgement to psulemon who originaly posted this in another thread about a week or so ago. Thanks!

    The biggest take away is if a person used Keto or IF to control weight loss, that is the biggest benefits. For others, especially those who are doing anaerobic activities, they might see a degradation in performance... But the biggest question is, what is the focus? If its weight loss, than calorie control is what matters.
    Are you referring to the hunger control thing or something else?

    Hunger control and sustainabilit, which is very individualistic.

    Makes sense. IF is very sustainable for me but others, like you as you have said, don't find it so.