Intermittent Fasting (16:8) for Weightloss?
deniseg31
Posts: 667 Member
Has anybody here tried to do the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with successful results?
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
4
Replies
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I've pretty much always eaten in an 8 hour window just by personal preference. I didn't know it even had a name until recently. I have been both thin and overweight eating this way. Calories are really all that matter for weight loss- if I consistently eat 3000 calories in my 8 hour window I would still gain weight because it's way over what my activity level dictates. The 16 hour fasting window isn't going to magically make you lose weight if you consume too much during the non-fasting window.
If you find 16:8 helps you stay within your calorie budget and you like eating that way then go for it. There's no harm in trying it and seeing if it works for you. But if you find that it's a miserable experience there's no need to force it. Plenty of other plans and ways of eating if you don't like it. Best of luck!11 -
Has anybody here tried to do the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with successful results?
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
Some people will have positive results, some people will find it too hard to do, some people will gain weight.
It is worth a try for you to do if you find it easier to commit to this than other things but you may still need to practice portion control.
Are you having trouble committing because you are trying to eat "healthier"? Losing weight is healthy all by itself. If eating "healthier" is getting in the way of your progress it is not actually healthier. Just eat less of whatever you normally eat. Only avoid things you have trouble moderating or things that do not keep your hunger satisfied enough for the calories.
Eventually you may need to work on balancing your nutrition better but you can do that with small changes over time.
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Successful results would come from eating less calories than you need. What do you think would happen if you stopped eating at 8:01pm instead of 7:59pm ? Do you think your fast would be ruined? It's all just about calories in/calories out, dear.4
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16:8 and disciplined calorie counting/logging for six months. 65 lbs lost. I love IF but it's the calorie deficit that determines weight loss. IF is a way to maintain calorie discipline. It works for many people, but not everyone.
Give 16:8 a shot. For me it's been transformative. If it isn't for you, you'll know soon enough, within days, most likely.9 -
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Has anybody here tried to do the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with successful results?
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
Like others have said, give it a try, but be honest. Any snacks you have regardless of the time of day need to be accounted for.4 -
If you want to lose weight, the only thing you have to commit to is consistently staying within your calorie goal. You do not need a specific eating schedule. You don’t need to trade snacks for an “actual meal,” however you define that. You don’t even need to exercise. You just need to be sure you are consistently in a calorie deficit. You can do that by weighing all your food and making sure not to exceed the number of calories MFP gives you.6
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If grazing is the primary reason you tend to eat too many calories, IF may help you stay in a caloric deficit. However, it’s also possible to eat a huge amount of calories at a single meal. If someone ate out for lunch and dinner every day at a typical large portion, high fat American restaurant, it would be super easy to consume huge amounts of calories within the window you described. Just remember that eating at a deficit is what makes the difference. How you do that is up to you.4
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I personally love IF. It helps me stay in my calories which is huge but it’s not for everyone. Some people will eat more after being hungry all morning.
There are some studies that suggest IF might help you burn more fat or have other benefits, I don’t know if any of that is true... there are also some studies that suggest IF can be dangerous for women because our bodies are more reactive to “starvation”. A lot of things recommend working up to it slowly for women, especially if you start feeling negative effects from not eating.
I’d say if you’re going to try you might want to work up to it and then give it a few weeks for your body to adjust to see if you like it as there will likely be an adjustment period (the first week I was starving all morning but now I don’t really get hungry till lunch time).2 -
Has anybody here tried to do the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with successful results?
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
IF isn't some kind of magic. It ultimately comes down to calories. I did 16-8 IF (ie skipping breakfast) from May through September. I did it primarily because we built a pool and I knew there would be a lot more hanging out by the pool and eating/drinking after work, etc over the season. I figured IF could help me at least keep things from getting out of control...it worked pretty well, I only gained 5 Lbs over those 5 months.3 -
I count all of my calories religiously so I can't say that eating in a 16/8 hour window helped me lose weight. (I did lose weight, but I was already losing even when not eating in a 16/8 window.) It did help me gain a bit of self control and now I'm able to fast for much longer windows and not only has a lot of my general hunger gone away but I have also become comfortable with the feeling of being hungry. I actually feel physically better when I'm fasting than when I'm eating. My husband who doesn't count calories was successful at losing about 20lbs by simply going from an open eating window to a 16/8 window. He isn't really overweight but he has a belly that won't go away (but he's always had this even when young) His weight has stalled but his goal was to just get rid of the baby weight he gained after we had kids, which he's reached.0
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Here's some more
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I have never been a great breakfast eater. Also work wise - by the time we sat down to eat something it was nearly lunch time. I am now 600 days with MFP (lost 44 kg) and have my first meal at around lunch time, sometimes a small snack in the afternoon and my main meal at around 6 to 7 p.m. Some call it IF, for me it just seems to be meal times I best function with. I also believe that weight loss means simply CICO and not what time of the day I eat.2
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I did 16:8 at maintenance but found it needlessly restrictive.
Mostly I don't eat breakfast though, just don't like arbitrary rules.
Currently I'm losing some weight eating 3 meals a day (plus snacks) as I need breakfast to protect my stomach from some pretty harsh medication.
If 16:8 (or any other eating schedule) helps you to adhere to your overall eating goals then it's a good plan for you. Personally see no reason not to at least experiement with it. Even if you simply just take away a abit of self knowledge about your eating habits that alone can be a benefit.4 -
I have used the intermittent fasting protocols and lost about 35 pounds. I enjoy the 16/8 best.3
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I've lost 21kg on IF but by deliberately creating a deficit.
I grew up fasting - thanks religion so it was pretty easy for me to start and stick to it. Once I hit my target weight and have the surgery I need, I won't continue with it in the current format I'm doing though as it's pretty restrictive and not very conducive to family meals together - at the moment I only have dinner with the children and I'd pretty much prefer to have all meals with them. Otherwise they start saying things like, I want only tea (the drink) for breakfast as they will very much copy their dad and me0 -
I've done IF several times and found it helpful -- in fact, I've gone back to it now. I've used the 16:8 schedule and delayed breakfast until noon. It was hard the first few days, but I got used to it. I do allow myself all the zero calorie drinks I want, like water and black coffee.
The main benefits: keeping to the 8 hour window reduced my appetite and eliminated a lot of snacking. I didn't feel the urge to eat giant meals during the window, in fact, the opposite.
I say try it and see what happens.1 -
I am doing 5:2 where I keep to 500 calories on a fast day and eat 'normally' the other days (generally around 1600 -1800 calories). I am averaging a loss of 2 pounds a week and have stuck to it for 18 weeks so far without a hitch.
This is working for me I think because 'diets' in the past have always lead to binging as I am never totally satisfied but with this I am 2 days out of 3.
And that is the only real trick - finding what works for you.1 -
Has anybody here tried to do the 16:8 Intermittent Fasting with successful results?
I just can't seem to commit to anything these days like I have in the past and to me it seems like I could possibly do this since I tend not to eat an actual meal in the mornings and just snack on stuff. I feel like it would give me a cut off time in the evenings so I won't stuff my face grazing. I would fast from 8pm-12pm and have healthier meals/snacks from 12pm-7:59pm.
I would of course also do some kind of exercise. I am unable to exercise now due to a terrible cold/cough that I have but once that's over I plan to incorporate some kind of workout.
TIA!
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