What's a good amount of time to fast?

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I've heard that fasting for 24-36 or more hours will lower your insulin or something, and thus make it easier to burn more calories or something? I'm not sure the exact science but i heard it's a pretty decent way to lose weight

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  • godzillabeasty
    godzillabeasty Posts: 2 Member
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    Well, i saw the video here
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QerSUMsL-k
    Not sure if it's bogus or not
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
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    ^This

    All you need to lose weight, is to eat less calories than your body burns, no matter what program you follow. It’s the only way weight is lost.
  • angelsja
    angelsja Posts: 860 Member
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    I don't eat before 10am most days or after 5pm unless I'm at work but not because of Intermittent fasting just because thats when I eat 🤷‍♀️
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    These days I usually go about 3-4 hours without eating so that's as long as I go !
  • xmarye
    xmarye Posts: 385 Member
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    I find that if I eat to early in the day, it's hard for me to stay within my calories. For this reason, I delay my breakfast until about 10am, and try to eat lunch in between 12-2pm, then a snack around 3-4pm to hold me over until dinner. So I guess I am sort of doing IF 16-8, but to me the whole point is just to spread your calories in a smaller window so that it's more satisfying and easier to stick to.
  • imfornd70
    imfornd70 Posts: 552 Member
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    I eat between 12-8
  • etherealanwar
    etherealanwar Posts: 465 Member
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    No reason to fast over an extended period of time (not referencing intermittent fasting but 24+hr fasts). Like others have mentioned you simply need to stick to a calorie deficit.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited January 2020
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    I don't eat after dinner (unless I have a small dessert immediately after) or before breakfast. That's just my thing since I dislike snacking.

    OP, if you really want to lose weight, don't start with internet magic schemes or majoring in the minors.

    The #1 most effective and helpful thing to do is to understand how many cals you need to maintain and then to eat at a deficit (less than your maintenance cals). MFP with help you figure that out.

    Once you do that, and start understanding what you are eating and how to cut cals (IMO logging can be very educational here for many people, if not most), then you can start thinking about things that might make it easier if it isn't already. If struggling with hunger at certain times (many of us never do), you can adjust macros or your eating schedule. If you want more cals on a daily basis, you can try adding in a 24 hour fast a week. But merely doing what you are doing now (if that has led to being overweight) plus trying to fast for a day or less = no weight loss and likely no longterm habit change.

    Good rule of thumb--if what someone on the internet is promising you sounds like it will lead to something like weight loss with little change of habit or otherwise is too good to be true, it is indeed not true.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    I fast every day at least by 6-7 pm and then start eating at 7am again. It's called sleeping :)

    You're doing it wrong. My superior method of fasting is 10 PM - 10 AM ;)