I've decided to tackle intermittent fasting (16:8). Any thoughts, tips, tricks?

giftmerain
giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
edited April 2021 in Food and Nutrition
I was really lazy yesterday, when I left work for the day I didn't feel like buying food, and when I got home I didn't feel like cooking. I've always been a "breakfast at 7, lunch between 12 and 14, supper at 18-19"- sort of person. But yesterday I just couldn't get myself to do it, so I though: I might as well try 16:8, but skip the last meal of the day instead of breakfast.

Before then I had only ever heard of people skipping breakfast with 16:8, which made me dismiss it, every time I have skipped or waited too long with breakfast my bloodsugar has crashed, so it just didn't sound possible for me. Supper however...

Yesterday went fine, I woke up in the morning and didn't feel too different, and now I'm at my second evening (and feel alright). My eating will be between 7-ish and 15-ish (depending on when I start work, usually breakfast will be at 7 and lunch at 12-13).


Now, I'm kinda loving this idea with not eating at all after lunch. Every unhealthy habit I've had, every bad choice I've made surrounding food, have all been surrounding supper. I've chuckled a few times to myself just at how "smart" this is.


However, now I'm beginning to think about how to plan the two meals that remain.

I need to fit the macros that I need in those two meals, which probably requires me to make breakfast a little more substantial than it has been, and I will probably have to add a snack inbetween those meals. I only eat plant based (and honey, but honey won't add much).

For breakfast I'm thinking maybe a salad (with buckwheat, lots of greens, maybe lentils etc) + smoothie (maybe a scoop of protein powder in it) and then a piece of bread with hummus to it... and then for lunch maybe a stew or some sort, I'll probably alternate the lunch more than the breakfast.

The snack inbetween I'm not sure about, maybe some nuts and seeds?


Anyone got any tips? I appreciate all input!

Replies

  • ccrdragon
    ccrdragon Posts: 3,374 Member
    First question I would have is what are you hoping to accomplish with IF?
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    edited April 2021
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    First question I would have is what are you hoping to accomplish with IF?

    Well, except for the obvious "I won't have to cook in the evenings" (which have always been an issue for me, I'm too tired to cook and never felt like it because I was hungry and just wanted to eat right away, hence a lot of fast food or snacks), I'm hoping for better health in general. That's the long term goal. Short term it will make it easier for me to eat right, to think a bit more about what I'm actually eating (I don't want to starve myself of nutrition). Just having to focus on two well conceived meals and one snack in the middle is easier.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,100 Member
    giftmerain wrote: »
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    First question I would have is what are you hoping to accomplish with IF?

    Well, except for the obvious "I won't have to cook in the evenings" (which have always been an issue for me, I'm too tired to cook and never felt like it because I was hungry and just wanted to eat right away, hence a lot of fast food or snacks), I'm hoping for better health in general. That's the long term goal. Short term it will make it easier for me to eat right, to think a bit more about what I'm actually eating (I don't want to starve myself of nutrition). Just having to focus on two well conceived meals and one snack in the middle is easier.

    It could deliver the convenience, and is worth a try on that basis. Satisfaction and practicality are both individual.

    There's nothing inherent in IF that causes "better health in general". If it's a useful thing for you, that helps you shape your total way of eating in more healthful directions, it can do that indirectly. Directly, there's no magic, vs. any other eating schedule.
  • giftmerain
    giftmerain Posts: 14 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    giftmerain wrote: »
    ccrdragon wrote: »
    First question I would have is what are you hoping to accomplish with IF?

    Well, except for the obvious "I won't have to cook in the evenings" (which have always been an issue for me, I'm too tired to cook and never felt like it because I was hungry and just wanted to eat right away, hence a lot of fast food or snacks), I'm hoping for better health in general. That's the long term goal. Short term it will make it easier for me to eat right, to think a bit more about what I'm actually eating (I don't want to starve myself of nutrition). Just having to focus on two well conceived meals and one snack in the middle is easier.

    It could deliver the convenience, and is worth a try on that basis. Satisfaction and practicality are both individual.

    There's nothing inherent in IF that causes "better health in general". If it's a useful thing for you, that helps you shape your total way of eating in more healthful directions, it can do that indirectly. Directly, there's no magic, vs. any other eating schedule.

    It will make me make better choices which should lead to better health in general :wink: (I hope, anyway)

    I'm soon about to break my second long fast, this time it ended up being 18h, and I feel good. Never thought I would be able to go this long without eating. that in itself impress me xD
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I don't think of it as "fasting," but currently I have two meals -- lunch (usually leftovers) and an early dinner and like that plan. It gives me lots of cals per meal, even on a deficit. That said, I like to eat somewhat soon after a workout, so pre covid I loved my breakfast, lunch, dinner schedule (for me snacking is a waste of cals),and might go back to that (or a breakfast/dinner schedule) when I start going to the office daily again. I'm not sure what questions one would have about eating in a smaller window, but I do like it currently, so ask away.

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