Fasting

I don’t technically do IF because it’s too strict for my taste. But I do generally skip breakfast and just have a cup of coffee with my creamer. Because having or not having that 35 calories doesn’t matter.

Not eating until 11-12 helps me manage my calories better throughout the day. But I still do what works for me each day. Like this morning I was really hungry after my run so I had a bagel. IF isn’t a magical solution to weight loss. If that way of eating makes managing your calories easier, awesome. But nothing bad will happen if you eat outside your window. No matter what diet you are following in the end it all comes down to calories in vs calories out.

I'm debate free on purpose but I find this a tad confusing.

"All feedback I take with a grain of salt. Thank you for your help 😌😉"

I can name 28 people off the top of my head that have found long term weight stability via this forum. They offer every bit of encouragement they've got to give. They give and give and give. While our time may be free it's not worthless.

I don't honestly get anything out of the various IF books, of which I've read all of them. All the rigamarole about insulin levels and leptin modulation through fasting and all that.

BUT...

I have been eating a fairly strict IF diet since June 9, 2019. Almost 14 months, almost every day, maybe 1-2 days off per month like when I'm out socializing and can't live up to my 7 pm food cutoff. My food window is noon to 7 pm. I sometimes "cheat" (hate that word) by putting creamer in my coffee in the morning, but didn't at first. I've lost almost 80 pounds. It's the first and only successful time I've lost more than 30 pounds and not regained. However, I still have 40 lbs more to go to get to a Normal BMI so it's too early to declare it a complete success. But I will call it a strong interim success, so far.

Couple of thoughts in no particular order.

What seems pretty hard at first - not eating outside the food window - actually gets really easy after 3-5 weeks and then you experience a kind of remarkable lack of appetite and interest in food outside the window. At least I did. I have much less appetite than I did before IF. My body got used to not getting even a morsel of food 17 hours each day and it seems to have made its peace with that. That is the most powerful aspect of IF, imho.

IF is the only thing that's ever helped me control my nighttime binging, which stopped the day I started IF. Previously, I had real binging issues, easily capable of gorging on 4,000+ calories in an hour (the usual suspects - ice cream, chips, queso, cookies, etc). I have had 4 or 5 instances of severe gorging over the last 14 months, so I know the tendency is still there, but IF does help me control it most of the time.

I think it is best to be kind of hard core about it at first - zero calories outside the eating window. This is to develop good habits and really get you in the right frame of mind. Later on, if you need to loosen things up a bit, it won't hurt you. There is no penalty for putting a skootch of creamer in your morning coffee or having a few carrots before bedtime. But first you need to "lock in" the IF mindset and habit, so I'd suggest doing it right - zero calories outside the window.

Those books on IF are kinda weird. They have a lot of pseudo theories that kinda half make sense but also kind half sound ridiculous. Having seen my own test results, I think there may be some advantages to IF aside from just weight loss, as far as blood sugar levels, blood pressure, RHR, etc. These might be minor or significant, depending on the person. For these reasons and also because time restricted eating can be a great way to lose weight, I think IF is worthy. But the arguments for IF being tossed around out there are kind of way out there and unnecessary. Just the fact that IF for many people becomes a natural appetite suppression after a month or so is all the justification needed to give it a shot.

Hope that helps.

kshama2001 wrote: »

Jockimom wrote: »

bishopjulia wrote: »

Hello I have been trying to follow fasting/OMAD for a while now, I’ve managed to lose 10lbs, was at a a 16lb lost and went up. My issue is I beat myself if I eat during the day, guess not the most productive attitude lol. What have you all been doing for exercise? I work long shifts and half the time am too exhausted when I get home to work out. Even the word “work” out makes me tired lol

I don't usually hop on threads but it looks like the poster above sort of shut you down with that big graphic on a couple of different threads (or maybe you're friends and it's an ongoing joke or something). Anyway, that would discourage me so I wanted to give you my two cents. OMAD is pretty advanced fasting. I'm glad you've had some success with it, but maybe it's too extreme if you're eating more often or finding yourself exhausted. There are tons of options - it doesn't have to be all or nothing. For example, my sister is a 40-something professional and her doctor recommended 14:10. I have an autoimmune condition that affects my gut, so I get more out of a once a week long 24-hr+ fast. Talk to your doctor, do some more research and play around with the hours a bit and find out what works for you - then you'll have the energy to up your exercise. Good luck!

The point of that graphic is that there is nothing magical about IF, or OMAD, or keto, or paleo, or any named diet - they all work by accomplishing the same thing - creating a calorie deficit.

Except for coconut oil. That will change your genetic code. /nods/

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/miraculous-benefits-coconut-oil

I actually think there's something magical about IF. I've tried all the other plans while going through menopause. IF is the only plan that has helped me lose weight. More importantly, I sleep better, my hot flashes aren't as bad and the brain fog is diminishing.
It's not for everyone, but I like the benefits.

didi75810 wrote: »

kshama2001 wrote: »

Jockimom wrote: »

bishopjulia wrote: »

Hello I have been trying to follow fasting/OMAD for a while now, I’ve managed to lose 10lbs, was at a a 16lb lost and went up. My issue is I beat myself if I eat during the day, guess not the most productive attitude lol. What have you all been doing for exercise? I work long shifts and half the time am too exhausted when I get home to work out. Even the word “work” out makes me tired lol

I don't usually hop on threads but it looks like the poster above sort of shut you down with that big graphic on a couple of different threads (or maybe you're friends and it's an ongoing joke or something). Anyway, that would discourage me so I wanted to give you my two cents. OMAD is pretty advanced fasting. I'm glad you've had some success with it, but maybe it's too extreme if you're eating more often or finding yourself exhausted. There are tons of options - it doesn't have to be all or nothing. For example, my sister is a 40-something professional and her doctor recommended 14:10. I have an autoimmune condition that affects my gut, so I get more out of a once a week long 24-hr+ fast. Talk to your doctor, do some more research and play around with the hours a bit and find out what works for you - then you'll have the energy to up your exercise. Good luck!

The point of that graphic is that there is nothing magical about IF, or OMAD, or keto, or paleo, or any named diet - they all work by accomplishing the same thing - creating a calorie deficit.

Except for coconut oil. That will change your genetic code. /nods/

https://www.newyorker.com/humor/daily-shouts/miraculous-benefits-coconut-oil

I actually think there's something magical about IF. I've tried all the other plans while going through menopause. IF is the only plan that has helped me lose weight. More importantly, I sleep better, my hot flashes aren't as bad and the brain fog is diminishing.
It's not for everyone, but I like the benefits.

that doesnt make it magical as far as weight loss goes - the graphic is still correct. All named diets and unnamed personal methods work by creating a calorie deficit.

If you personally find it helps in other aspects of life - then, sure, it is a good fit for you.

How much is placebo and how much physical effects - who knows?

I know it wouldnt be a good fit for me.

I have not read the book and don't really know what it discusses, so I will just say I am personally a fan of an IF (intermittent fasting) style of eating, but I don't support fasting for an entire day/days at a time.

I agree with the graphic posted previously, weight loss boils down to a calorie deficit and there are different ways to achieve that. Some prefer minimizing a macro (low fat or low carb/paleo/atkins/tons of other names for low carb), some prefer narrowing their eating window (IF), and some just track their calories and eat less of them.

Personally, I sort of stumbled into IF on my own before I knew "it was a thing", and a 8:16 type plan really works well for my lifestyle and helps me control my appetite. I do track through MFP and try to stick to my calorie goal, but having a shorter window within which I eat helps with appetite suppression. I don't think just limiting my eating window would work for me if I were not also tracking, it may for some others if they don't tend to eat as big of meals as I would if I weren't being conscientious.

I implement IF in my day by pushing breakfast later in the day, so I don't generally eat until 5-6 hours after I wake up. I do drink coffee almost immediately (coffee is life, so ya know.....), and I put creamer in hot coffee and do flavored ice coffee in the summer. I don't see a reason to stress about those particular calories even though they are technically out of my eating window, they fit in my calorie goal and that "food" doesn't spike my appetite like solid foods does. So, if you like stuff in your coffee put stuff in your coffee, but make sure to log it.

I have been around here a long time and have read alot of different experiences on these boards. There is so much great info to be had, many great ideas you can try, but make sure you understand the point of a "rule" before you try to implement it. Following a list of rules blindly is frustrating and it's hard to figure out what/why things aren't working if you don't understand the original goal. And it's ok to fudge the rules a bit if that's what works for you. Yes, I drink 40 calories before my 8 hour eating window starts, who the heck cares as long as I am meeting my goals? Find what works for you and do that. It's no fun trying to chase other peoples concepts of what is ideal if you are miserable doing it.