16:8 Intermittent Fasting Style
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Makingchanges17 wrote: »I intermittent fast 16/8 3-4 days a week. I have done this most of my adult life as I am not a huge fan of breakfast. Currently I do it for the autophagy benefit, rather than weight loss, as I lost 35kg and at 62 my skin is not as forgiving as it was. I am finding that over time my excess skin has reduced significantly, to the extent that people are actually commenting on it. Some people consider 16/8 as a good way of eating less calories as there is a smaller window for eating, but it really comes down to what you are eating in your eating window. Eat 3000 calories of food and you will gain weight, eat 1300 and you will most likely lose weight.
That's awesome! That's great that it has helped for you in that aspect! I'm sure it's most likely just made me more mindful and helps slow me down with meals and not have an automatic "it's 7:30 better have breakfast just because of the time". I think it has made me focus more on my hunger cues.
I tried it at maintenance having lost my excess weight with a different IF protocol but although I agree with it making you reconsider eating breakfast just because it's breakfast time I found that just transferred to my first meal of the day which "had" to be as soon as my eating window started.
Despite being a very frequent breakfast skipper the rigidity of a set window and artificial rules just plain irritated me. I successfully maintained because I stuck to my calories but for me at least I successfully maintain easier and happier with more flexibility over timing and numbers of meals and snacks. Some people like and thrive on "rules" but I'm more of a guidelines person.
Your comment about everyday or some days was part of the friction I felt, some days I just plain wanted to eat early in the day (genuinely hungry or a social breakfast or brunch), some days I had to eat early to fuel a long cycle ride. See no reason why you couldn't do it on days when it suits you and don't when it doesn't.
BTW
Disagree with the "haters" comment above - there is general push back against some of the unproven and just plain silly claims sometimes made by evangelists but not against IF itself which mostly is seen as a diet tool or technique that suits some and not others.
A lot of the push back is from people who have actually done IF for years or have done it long before it became trendy.11 -
Makingchanges17 wrote: »I intermittent fast 16/8 3-4 days a week. I have done this most of my adult life as I am not a huge fan of breakfast. Currently I do it for the autophagy benefit, rather than weight loss, as I lost 35kg and at 62 my skin is not as forgiving as it was. I am finding that over time my excess skin has reduced significantly, to the extent that people are actually commenting on it. Some people consider 16/8 as a good way of eating less calories as there is a smaller window for eating, but it really comes down to what you are eating in your eating window. Eat 3000 calories of food and you will gain weight, eat 1300 and you will most likely lose weight.
That's awesome! That's great that it has helped for you in that aspect! I'm sure it's most likely just made me more mindful and helps slow me down with meals and not have an automatic "it's 7:30 better have breakfast just because of the time". I think it has made me focus more on my hunger cues.
I tried it at maintenance having lost my excess weight with a different IF protocol but although I agree with it making you reconsider eating breakfast just because it's breakfast time I found that just transferred to my first meal of the day which "had" to be as soon as my eating window started.
Despite being a very frequent breakfast skipper the rigidity of a set window and artificial rules just plain irritated me. I successfully maintained because I stuck to my calories but for me at least I successfully maintain easier and happier with more flexibility over timing and numbers of meals and snacks. Some people like and thrive on "rules" but I'm more of a guidelines person.
Your comment about everyday or some days was part of the friction I felt, some days I just plain wanted to eat early in the day (genuinely hungry or a social breakfast or brunch), some days I had to eat early to fuel a long cycle ride. See no reason why you couldn't do it on days when it suits you and don't when it doesn't.
BTW
Disagree with the "haters" comment above - there is general push back against some of the unproven and just plain silly claims sometimes made by evangelists but not against IF itself which mostly is seen as a diet tool or technique that suits some and not others.
A lot of the push back is from people who have actually done IF for years or have done it long before it became trendy.
I can definitely see how it can just transfer the "time to eat bc it's breakfast time" to "it's time to eat bc the eating window started". That's something that I will definitely take note of now to see if I'm just doing it bc of time or hunger.
I can also understand the irritation around the rules and rigidity within them. Quality of life also plays a major factor for us and for many that means having some flexibility and not feeling so stuck and rigid in ways. I will also be mindful of my emotions regarding the 16:8 and not do it "just because I have to" and be forcing myself and hating it along the way. I'm stubborn and good at doing that for things that make me miserable 😂.
The some days approach resonates with me as well. I haven't been super consistent mainly because of family events or different situations that arise and I notice some differences in how I feel the next day (bloated, etc.) but I still don't force myself to follow the guidelines during those times, mainly because it comes down to that feeling of rigidity and quality of life for me. Also, if I can tell my blood sugars are too low/I'm shaky and feeling sick, I break the fasting window - not worth those feelings to me.
I can see where you're coming from in regards to the push back, especially with unproven claims. I look into research a lot (part of my job with health claims and nutrition - I'm a dietitian) and we dug into the research of IF in my master's program and it was fascinating. We also saw both sides of the coin. For people (not on MFP), there's a lot of push back mainly from not fully understanding IF and the different styles or because it just doesn't resonate with them, and that's totally okay and understandable. I'm always open to hearing feedback. A lot of things can sound fantastic on paper and terrible in practice (like elimination diets - terrible to do but the concept of understanding what foods are creating issues is great).
Thank you for all the great feedback!2 -
@Makingchanges17, sorry for my belated reply.
I didn’t experience fatigue for the 45 days practicing IF 22/2 but I had a decent amount of IF already under my belt, was very mentally occupied with work and did have my favorite strong black cup of coffee in the morning. I did exercise though and some days with a ratcheted intensity.
I still prefer to exercise fasted.
We do have an IF Group here at MFP and would enjoy your visit and possible joining.
Hope this helps. Wishing you the best in your IF journey.2 -
pierinifitness wrote: »@Makingchanges17, sorry for my belated reply.
I didn’t experience fatigue for the 45 days practicing IF 22/2 but I had a decent amount of IF already under my belt, was very mentally occupied with work and did have my favorite strong black cup of coffee in the morning. I did exercise though and some days with a ratcheted intensity.
I still prefer to exercise fasted.
We do have an IF Group here at MFP and would enjoy your visit and possible joining.
Hope this helps. Wishing you the best in your IF journey.
That's great that you didn't experience the fatigue and coffee is definitely something I need in the morning too lol.
That is awesome that there is a group! I will definitely join! Thank you so much for letting me know. I appreciate all of the information and it totally helps! Thanks again!
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Hi, I’ve been fasting 20/4 for the last two weeks and it’s really worked for me. I’ve lost 7 pounds in the last two weeks. IF has cut all my snack cravings. I have also got into the practice of drinking a LOT of water which has curbed my hunger and cravings. I don’t feel like I’m missing out and the weight loss motivates me to carry on! X1
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I accidentally do it because I'm usually not hungry before noon and I don't like to eat much after 9 pm, but I'm never rigid with it. If I am really hungry before then I eat. I just tend to like eating in a smaller window and not eating a 400 calorie breakfast means I have more flexibility in my calorie budget if someone invites me out for dinner or whatever.2
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Since I started using the Zero Fasting app:
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Hi, I’ve been fasting 20/4 for the last two weeks and it’s really worked for me. I’ve lost 7 pounds in the last two weeks. IF has cut all my snack cravings. I have also got into the practice of drinking a LOT of water which has curbed my hunger and cravings. I don’t feel like I’m missing out and the weight loss motivates me to carry on! X
That's so awesome! Congratulations! It definitely has helped with the cravings for the most part - I'm not sure if I could be strict enough to do 20/4 though lol so props to you! Thank you so much! 1 -
staticsplit wrote: »I accidentally do it because I'm usually not hungry before noon and I don't like to eat much after 9 pm, but I'm never rigid with it. If I am really hungry before then I eat. I just tend to like eating in a smaller window and not eating a 400 calorie breakfast means I have more flexibility in my calorie budget if someone invites me out for dinner or whatever.
Nice!! That's so neat that it just happens to work for you because of your routine/hunger cues! I like your approach with not being rigid and I'm definitely trying to be less rigid myself. And the flexibility is definitely a nice point! 1 -
pierinifitness wrote: »Since I started using the Zero Fasting app:
Oh wow! That is awesome!! I'm going to have to check out that app! Thank you for sharing that with me! That really neat! 1 -
Please forgive me if someone already discussed this. I must have overlooked it if anyone had!!
May I ask what you all consume during your fast? What liquids do you allow yourself? (For example, does anyone mix Mio, or Ultima electrolyte powder in their water? Apple Cider Vinegar? Pickle juice? Tea (only a bad steeped in water!)? Sparkling ICE water?
Would these beverages push someone out of a fasted state?
Thank you All very much. This community has been so helpful and consoling to me.1 -
I was doing this long before I heard of IF as a "thing." I used to make myself eat breakfast because I believed all of the nonsense about it revving up your metabolism and being the most important meal of the day, etc. It was very freeing to learn that it doesn't matter when you get your calories. I prefer to have most of mine in the evening when I'm hungriest and I can relax and enjoy them, vs. just shoving something in at work. My lunch at work is at 12:30 and then I typically eat dinner around 5:30-6:00. I try to keep lunch around 300-400 calories and then either have a big dinner or a smaller dinner plus a snack or dessert a couple of hours later. If I do the snack/dessert route I'm done eating by 8:30, if I just stick with dinner it's even earlier.
On weekends, I sleep in so it's still not very difficult to do, and I find it's easy to delay lunch until I get really hungry, which is sometimes not until late afternoon. Every once in awhile I will eat breakfast if it's a provided thing at work or something and I don't want to be rude (this is maybe 2-3x per year), and I am 10x hungrier on the days I eat in the morning, and end up eating more throughout the day in addition to the extra calories from breakfast.
I'm not sure I believe all of the supposed "other benefits," but for me it's just a much easier way to stick to my calorie goals. It also took me years to realize that I am much more satisfied with full meals vs. trying to graze/snack all day. The "grazing" plan made sense to me, but I was ravenous all day long even though I was eating every hour or so. I need a full meal to feel satisfied. I think everyone needs to figure out what works best for them and what they can stick to. If you're white knuckling it through IF because you think it's some magic plan, it's not going to work for you. It will work for you if you find it makes it easier to stick to your calorie goals.4 -
IF: 25 days in 11 pounds gone so far!3
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I’ve been an intermittent faster for many, many years. I do it because it makes me have fantastic energy and more mental clarity. It also gives me an endorphin feel, or a happier disposition. I never really felt it was necessarily anything more than a way to more easily create a deficit and control your intake, because of the limited window of eating. But I’ve changed my mind since I got down to the last 8-10 lbs to lose. I struggled for months on end with losing and gaining the same 3 lbs. Then I did 2 things: I decreased my workout times (not days per week, but each workout duration) because I felt it increased my appetite when I did longer workouts. Then I changed from 16/8 to 18/6. With NO decrease in calories. That’s when I broke that plateau and started to steadily lose again, until hitting my goal. I’m now in maintenance for about 3 months. Total personal experience , but it worked for me.5
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My wife and I do 16/8 intermittent fasting every day. The last forkful of dinner is the last thing that goes in our mouths other than water, until breakfast. As a side note, it didn't take more than two weeks to get used to this the first time we tried it, and then it became a lifestyle and positive choice, as opposed to a deprivation thing. Now we're back to IF and we really like it; in addition to weight loss benefits, it's been excellent for us as far as energy levels, less napping, and greater alertness are concerned. As to weight loss:
Being long-time CICO believers, we were very reticent to believe that IF, as with any other gimmick, could make a measurable difference. That said, it does, at least for us. Tracking cals, exercise, and weight loss as precisely as possible both with and without intermittent fasting over a 3 month period in 2017, the results from the spreadsheet were that IF kicked in another approximately 250 calories a day worth of fat burning.
That is, weight was lost at a rate of 250 cals/day more than could be explained by tracking food consumption and exercise. When the IF stopped, this "surplus" stopped too. It amounted to right around 1/2 lb per week. My MFP diet in which I follow the #'s precisely actually does underestimate my results on the scale by 1/2 lb per week - consistently - with IF. In other words, I lose 1/2 lb more per week than I should be losing, when doing the 16/8 thing.
The "why" is unknown. Maybe going to sleep on an empty stomach has some kind of beneficial effect on fat burning. Really don't know. But the effect is real, and has been for a long time for us.
As someone said above, it's another tool in the toolkit - a good one, in this case. Remember, the strict version of CICO wherein absolutely nothing matters but calories in / calories out is a theory, not a religion. The human body is a very complex system.
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My wife and I do 16/8 intermittent fasting every day. The last forkful of dinner is the last thing that goes in our mouths other than water, until breakfast.
Hang on, maybe I'm misreading that but are you saying that you're version of IF is to feed for 16 hours and fast for 8 and that 8 hour fast is done during the 8 hours you're asleep between dinner and breakfast?
Surely I've misunderstood...4 -
My wife and I do 16/8 intermittent fasting every day. The last forkful of dinner is the last thing that goes in our mouths other than water, until breakfast.
Hang on, maybe I'm misreading that but are you saying that you're version of IF is to feed for 16 hours and fast for 8 and that 8 hour fast is done during the 8 hours you're asleep between dinner and breakfast?
Surely I've misunderstood...
We have an 8 hour eating window, from 11 am to 7 pm. The 8 hours usually includes 2 meals and 2 snacks. For instance, brunch at 11, snack at 3, snack at 5, dinner at 7. Then nothing until 11 a.m. the next day. It isn't rigid. Sometimes it's 8 pm to noon, etc. We do our cardio in the morning. My wife's theory is that IF may deliver results because cardio on an empty stomach might have some kind of beneficial effect for fat burn. But who knows? It definitely works for us, but the "why" is a bit of a mystery.
Although doing an 8 hour fast which happens to coincide with being asleep sounds much easier LOL6 -
I don't find eating only between, say noon and 7 difficult, it's what I do on weekends and often on Friday (I often go out to dinner on Friday or Saturday before the theater or a concert and it's an easy way to save calories). My problem with doing it on other days is that I prefer to eat at home, so I like to have breakfast after I workout but before I leave for work (which means around 6:30 or maybe 7 at the latest), and I like to have dinner when I am home (I get home late and with cooking that means closer to 8:30 or 9). If I were going to skip a meal I'd prefer it to be lunch (I usually do have a little something for lunch, typically leftovers). I don't feel any different on days when I guess I am technically IFing and days when I am not, and I control snacking not by an eating window but just by not eating between means (my longest "fast" (I don't call not eating for part of a day a "fast" no matter how long) is sometimes 9 hours between lunch and dinner, followed by another 9 or so between dinner and breakfast (I do sleep too little usually).
Anyway, cool for those for whom an IF schedule seems to confer benefits. I personally think it likely makes one just more conscious of not just eating whenever food is around, which is what I achieve with my "only at meals" thing.1 -
Some great sharing of personal experiences and benefits of following IF, of which I too have experienced and shared before here too; thanks.
I’ve had my most impressive results doing 20/4 and 22/2 but those are more challenging unless you’re a one-man band. 18/6 is my current practice although I’m flexible because being flexible is good. Even on a long streak if 18/6 or longer, my feeding period start times are all over the clock. Would like to give 9:00 am to 3:00 pm a serious test drive but haven’t been able to do so.2 -
Please forgive me if someone already discussed this. I must have overlooked it if anyone had!!
May I ask what you all consume during your fast? What liquids do you allow yourself? (For example, does anyone mix Mio, or Ultima electrolyte powder in their water? Apple Cider Vinegar? Pickle juice? Tea (only a bad steeped in water!)? Sparkling ICE water?
Would these beverages push someone out of a fasted state?
Thank you All very much. This community has been so helpful and consoling to me.
I just drink black coffee, plain tea and/or water (w/& w/o electrolytes added) during my fasting period.
FWIW, I don't think it matters exactly what you drink during your fasting period as long as it has no or min cals and requires little or no digestive effort.
So, I don't think there would be any problem drinking any of the things you mentioned, although I'd question why you'd want to drink straight pickle juice (which may have some sugar in it) or apple cider winegar, whether fasting or not. LOL!
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