Intermittent fasting
heathcash1252
Posts: 57 Member
When you guys intermittently fast do you just intake water or do you guys do coffee or anything else? What is considered breaking a fast? I’m just curious to see what others are doing and how they believe it works for them.
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Replies
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I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?5
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heathcash1252 wrote: »When you guys intermittently fast do you just intake water or do you guys do coffee or anything else? What is considered breaking a fast? I’m just curious to see what others are doing and how they believe it works for them.
It works by making adherence to a calorie goal easier. That is the only verifiable benefit in people with normal insulin sensitivity.
What breaks a fast is a matter of opinion. Some people go a little nutso and get blood glucose monitors to check but I believe that is focusing on the wrong thing. Your goal is the primary focus. If it is to lose weight how can you do it in a way that is easy as possible and sustainable for yourself? Will having a cup of coffee in the morning make your day go by easier? If so, and it doesn't make you hungry, then have one or two or whatever you drink.
With my particular eating system I do not normally consume any beverages other than a sip of water to take pills before 10:30am. Then it is black coffee or tea. I do not like cream or sugar in either.5 -
I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
I just meant curious to see how well you see results from it. Sorry if wasn’t clear on that.
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IFs that are related to hours of the day seem to me to be more like skipping meals. I think it's fine, I just think the terminology is misleading. (You could say that I IF from 9PM to 7AM the next day, for example.)
IFs that are related to days of the week or on an irregular schedule are definitely IFs. I do the occasional fast day, which for me means still having certain liquids, including tea with milk and an electrolyte drink (with some sugar) at each meal. It adds up to <500kcals for the day. I might try it without someday, but it seems to work well to do a day like that at the beginning of a cut cycle or at any time I feel like a cut cycle has stalled.2 -
As has been said, it’s all about an individual and how easy they find adherence to their calorie intake limit. There’s no magic to it, in terms of extra weight loss over and above that achieved via a calorie deficit.
Theoretically to reach 1500 calories, for example, you could choose to have that in one meal, or 5 meals of 300 each or 15 snacks of 100 cals each or any permutation that you wished. What’s important would be that 1500 (or whatever your calorie goal is, clearly).
Some find that if they ‘rev their appetite’ by drinking coffee or whatever before their ‘eating window’ that it’s harder to wait, but others find that works fine. Completely individual.3 -
heathcash1252 wrote: »I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
I just meant curious to see how well you see results from it. Sorry if wasn’t clear on that.
Okay, so "results."
For weight management, it's about calories.
IF is a meal schedule. It isn't a hack to lose weight outside of calorie restriction, it's just a way to help manage hunger and put some parameters around when I eat.
It's the way most humans normally eat, anyway. Eat for a few hours and then sleep. Some people like me like to have larger meals, so it makes sense to me to delay the first meal so I don't awaken my appetite.
I have coffee - then 3-5 hours after I get up I eat. I have my last meal 3-4 hours before bed.
Some people have one meal, some have six meals in their eating hours. Up to you on that part.
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I drink black coffee or tea without milk. I do 16:8. I do it primarily because I find it easier to control calories that day But the way I see it is that if health benefits such as autophagy might kick in during my chosen fasting window I'd rather have them than not.2
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heathcash1252 wrote: »I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
I just meant curious to see how well you see results from it. Sorry if wasn’t clear on that.
I lose weight at about 3500 calories per pound. I would lose at that rate if I was eating 1, 2, 3, or 6 meals a day. Calories are what matters. Changing my meal frequency helps me achieve a calorie deficit.
There is a lot of focus on the fasting part from the internet but it is only an increased fast since everyone fasts while they sleep. I am not sure if there will ever been a proven medical benefit of adding a few hours to what I normally would get but I am not holding my breath.5 -
I drink a single cup of black coffee in the morning and while it may have 5 calories, I don't consider its consumption as breaking my fast. The only other thing I ingest during my fasting period is water.
As an MFP member solidly in maintenance, I continue with IF as a lifestyle and not as a weight reduction tool. I've never practiced it for the health benefits that some profess. I'm healthy as it is for a 64 year old person and, God willing, hope that I'll continue being.5 -
Okay I will try to keep this short...
1. Research...there are a few studies(legit) out there but nothing that I found written in sand. Mostly you will find articles written by people that don't know much more than I do. Don't buy in to the "mystery/fantasy/supernatural".
2. Spend some time on deciding is this will fit your lifestyle and your preferred way of living.
3. Decide how IF/TRE/Skipping Breakfast or whatever one calls it will help you meet your goals. For me it did and so far has been working fairly well with only a few adjustments along the way.
4. People will say that you must follow ALL the rules or you are not doing it right. Well in part they are right but just as you wouldn't buy a pair of pants that fits someone else why would you follow a diet that someone else decided all the rules. Make this weight loss about YOU and make sure that it is accomplishing all your goals...even if you need to adjust those rules.
Yes...I am well aware that some would throw me out of the IF/TRE/Skipping Breakfast (whatever) because I dare to do this my way but I never really was a clubbie type person anyway. I would however join a club that makes losing weight/getting fit about making it easier, enjoyable and certainly not going hungry.
These are the benefits that I have gained from eating an 16:8 TRE method.
1. I have larger meals that fill me up and keep me satisfied. Lunch, dinner and a small snack in between. The snack is usually when I eat fruit or yogurt.
2. It has about 95% eliminated my cravings to snack all day which is where most of my weight was coming from.
3. I sleep better with a stomach that is not so full.
4. It also eliminated 1 meal that I don't have to think about. I grow weary sometimes planning meals.
Alright...I failed at keep it short. To sum it up...research, if still interested then make it fit you.
I fully expect those IF Practitioners to come along and hit the dreaded "Disagree" button but I am okay with that!
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Depends on how strict you're being and which version of IF you are following. Some say nothing but water. Others say anything that is zero calorie. Some say no artificial sweeteners. It's really up to you. And since there is no magic happening, nothing specific to IF timing, you really do have the freedom to do whatever you want, whatever you find is most sustainable/least challenging.
Personally, I have zero-calorie water flavoring and caffeine pills. It "works" for me when I successfully manage my intake with foods I reasonably enjoy. It "doesn't work" when I don't.1 -
I recently transitioned out of 16:8 after hitting the 50 lbs mark and feeling like IF had served its purpose, to something a little more flexible (but I still do 16:8 out of habit most days). While I was doing 16:8, the only things that went in my mouth outside the 8 hour window were water, black coffee or plain tea. I still limit myself to those three things after 7 pm but now I occasionally have breakfast.
Side note: this was done with a strict calorie limit as suggested to me by the MFP goals too. The calorie deficit is where the fat burning comes from; the IF is for appetite suppression, getting fewer but larger meals, and learning self-control / changing my relationship with food. For me, IF was supremely effective at those things. Life changing, actually.
Early in the effort I did try allowing milk in coffee, but that led to "eh, why not a banana" and then ... well, you know how it goes. It's a slippery slope, this eating thing. I recommend at least trying the "water, black coffee, plain tea, period." approach to see if it'll fly for you. There's a reason so many IF dieters are so hard-core about the zero-ness of "zero calories outside the window". The difference between not eating at all, versus eating a little and then trying not to let it escalate, is enormous. There's nothing inherently bad about a little milk in the coffee, but it sort of softens the crispness of the "fasting" concept.3 -
Depended on which version of IF I was following at the time.
For 5:2 - concentrated on highly nutritious, highly satiating, highly appealing food on the two fasting (very low eating) days when I only had 600cals to play with.
(Result for me was that it made adherence to my weekly calorie goal when losing weight easier and supported a heavy exercise routine very well.)
For 16:8 - skipped breakfast but still had unsweetened tea or coffee in the morning but no solid food.
(Result for me was that I found it needlessly restrictive and irritating for zero benefit at all. I'm happier skipping breakfast when it suits me and eating breakfast when that suits me.)2 -
I also have a question on this. I'm going to try IM. Have not in the past. My "IM" will be a low bar. Basically I'm going to allow my daily calorie goal but then no eating after 3 pm until the next morning.
Is this silly since net calories are the same? I've read that it actually does accelerate weight loss and I do have a tendency to load calories (even when i stay within goal) in the evening.
I was going to try this 1x per month so not a huge commitment.
Seems like the jury is out on this and research is all over the map.1 -
I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
Lol! What exactly does this person disagree with in my post? That coffee "works for me"? That IF is an eating schedule that helps control calories or what??
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jhanleybrown wrote: »I also have a question on this. I'm going to try IM. Have not in the past. My "IM" will be a low bar. Basically I'm going to allow my daily calorie goal but then no eating after 3 pm until the next morning.
Is this silly since net calories are the same? I've read that it actually does accelerate weight loss and I do have a tendency to load calories (even when i stay within goal) in the evening.
I was going to try this 1x per month so not a huge commitment.
Seems like the jury is out on this and research is all over the map.
From everything I've read, the conclusions are very clear. The context is what's all over the the board because people tend to pick and choose based on the point they are trying to make, book they are trying to sell, or argument they are trying to defend.
There are very few, very specific circumstances where significant meal timing can matter. And even when it matters, it matters very little, if at all, compared to overall calorie balance and macro balance. And if it does matter, it's not always good/beneficial.
So, to your question...
Is it silly to do? No.
Is it silly to think it will matter in any significant way beyond your individual personal preferences? Yes.5 -
I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
Lol! What exactly does this person disagree with in my post? That coffee "works for me"? That IF is an eating schedule that helps control calories or what??
It's the internet. Disagree is what we do here.3 -
I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
Lol! What exactly does this person disagree with in my post? That coffee "works for me"? That IF is an eating schedule that helps control calories or what??
Some people just like to disagree if it is something that is different than what they do...or they tried it and it didn't work for them.
Then again...maybe they just don't like you!3 -
heathcash1252 wrote: »When you guys intermittently fast do you just intake water or do you guys do coffee or anything else? What is considered breaking a fast? I’m just curious to see what others are doing and how they believe it works for them.
I’m all for doing what works. I used to drink coffee with half and half. But, in June I started getting serious about it (for me). Now, just water. And not a ton in the morning even. I fast 20-48 hours on a daily basis. I found with “dirty fasting” I was more hungry and not seeing as many benefits personally.1 -
I do a couple of cups of black coffee. I'm not sure what you mean by "how it works". For me it's an eating schedule that helps control calories. From that point of view, it works fine. What exactly are you looking for in terms of it working for you?
Lol! What exactly does this person disagree with in my post? That coffee "works for me"? That IF is an eating schedule that helps control calories or what??
Some people just like to disagree if it is something that is different than what they do...or they tried it and it didn't work for them.
Then again...maybe they just don't like you!
Could well be Annie, could well be.
Good thing I don't take disagreement from strangers on the internet to heart...
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jhanleybrown wrote: »I also have a question on this. I'm going to try IM. Have not in the past. My "IM" will be a low bar. Basically I'm going to allow my daily calorie goal but then no eating after 3 pm until the next morning.
Is this silly since net calories are the same? I've read that it actually does accelerate weight loss and I do have a tendency to load calories (even when i stay within goal) in the evening.
I was going to try this 1x per month so not a huge commitment.
Seems like the jury is out on this and research is all over the map.
I don't think the research is all over the map. The small amount of research that's been done does not support the idea that an eating schedule impacts the rate of fat loss in any substantial way beyond calories in/out.
But IF does bring benefits and if it's something you want to try, by all means do so. It was very beneficial for me.3 -
I've been doing it for about 6 months now, and only drink water during my fasting times. I eat breakfast and lunch, then skip dinner, doing 18:6 usually. I've lost 31 lbs so far. My food cravings are almost gone, and I have a much smaller appetite now.1
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jhanleybrown wrote: »I also have a question on this. I'm going to try IM. Have not in the past. My "IM" will be a low bar. Basically I'm going to allow my daily calorie goal but then no eating after 3 pm until the next morning.
Is this silly since net calories are the same? I've read that it actually does accelerate weight loss and I do have a tendency to load calories (even when i stay within goal) in the evening.
I was going to try this 1x per month so not a huge commitment.
Seems like the jury is out on this and research is all over the map.
I don't think the research is all over the map. The small amount of research that's been done does not support the idea that an eating schedule impacts the rate of fat loss in any substantial way beyond calories in/out.
But IF does bring benefits and if it's something you want to try, by all means do so. It was very beneficial for me.
There is also some research that suggests that IF may increase insulin sensitivity. That only matters if one has issues with insulin resistance but an be a tool in the toolbox along with exercise, lower carbs and weight loss if one has that issue.4 -
I have lost 55lbs using IF for the past year. I have no particular method I adhere to. Sometimes I do OMAD, other days 16:8, some days I eat 3 meals. I have not been counting calories but focus on mostly eating clean. I enjoy cooking more with less meals to plan a day. Less kitchen mess too. I drink coffee with a little half and half during my fasting times and it works for me. My energy levels have been great through out the last year of IF. I see this as a lifestyle now. I have never been much of a breakfast person. IF has really curbed my desire to snack and eat late.
Good luck!1 -
It's not magic; it's just CICO, in a way that works very well for people (like me, I do IF) who otherwise would be snacking more throughout the day and evening. By saying to myself -- I do 16:8 which is basically just a fancy way of saying I skip breakfast -- that it's after 8pm, so I "am not allowed" to eat anymore, even those little calories like a bag of 100 calorie almonds fall by the wayside. And it all adds up.
It's toughest at the movies, but you learn that you don't need popcorn/Goobers to enjoy a movie anyway.
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Also, it was too late to add this to my post. I’ve lost 55lbs since June 3. I have a ways to go but IF and cutting out some things have made ALL the difference in this weight loss attempt from others.1
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Other than the cal dense food/drinks that I consume, I drink water, plain tea and/or black coffee to remain in a fasted state, which can vary bet 16-22 hrs 4me.0
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I love IF, I did it last year for most of the year and lost over 25 lbs on it. WHen I had 10 lbs left to go it kind of stalled so I am now switching it up...I eat breakfast now but...I eat about half of what I used to before I began IF last year and I eat about half of what I used to for supper because mentally something about not eating as much for supper but knowing that I will be eating breakfast in about 14 hours makes it way easier to eat less at supper than it did when I was skipping breakfast.
I found when I was doing IF and I was doing an 18:6 feeding window that I would eat a lot more at supper because I would not eat again until lunch time the next day so I would think to myself better eat because you are not going to eat again for 18 hours.
SO basically I am just eating less right now. I noticed that I get full a lot faster since I implemented this about a month ago so all good.
My takeaways from IF are that it taught me structure in my eating times...i.e. even though I am not doing it right now in terms of 16:8 or 18:6 I do eat on a 14:10 time frame instead. So nothing after 5:30 p.m. and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. I likehaving those set times as it controls my eating.3 -
This was interesting:
https://www.johnshopkinshealthreview.com/issues/spring-summer-2016/articles/are-there-any-proven-benefits-to-fasting
They argue that vs straight calorie deficit it seems to help remove brain plaque (possible cause of dementia and Alzheimer's) and promote synapse regeneration.
I'm going to do the 8 hour time version once per month on my exercise rest day. I'm keeping my calorie target the same. Just no calories after 3 pm.2 -
With over one year of consecutive IF’ing it, I’ve never done a 24 hour fast until today with this bullseye!
For me, IF is a lifestyle and discipline cultivator.
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