IF and women

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Replies

  • mikethewriter
    mikethewriter Posts: 18 Member
    I eat only during an eight hour window during the day and fast for the remaining 16 hours. It really supports weight loss and improves blood sugar as well.
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    I do intermittent fasting, but only 12:12. Stretching it much longer has never worked for my body (extreme fatigue & mood swings) or schedule. Then I recently found out I have Gilbert's Syndrome, and long fasting is contraindicated for that condition. So definitely listen to your body. If it's not working, don't do it harder!

    Also, Jenn Pike, who has the podcast Simplocity Sessions talks about intermittent fasting for women & how it affect hormones. Maybe check her out.
  • fr3smyl
    fr3smyl Posts: 1,418 Member
    I have been practicing IF for the past ten months and have lost 50 pounds. I am 42F and used 18:6, OMAD, ADF, and other schedules as I felt the urge. It helped to give a gut a rest from some painful IBS symptoms and gave my slow system time to fully digest everything. I had no extra problems on my cycle. I mainly eat between the hours of 1000-1500.
  • jenpobble
    jenpobble Posts: 10 Member
    I did 18:6 earlier this year. It worked as in I lost weight because I was eating 2meals instead of 3. I skipped supper because I needed calories earlier in the day to be alert for work. Also I cannot get going without tea/coffee and I need milk in it or I get stomachache.

    I gave it up because my period stopped and I was left feeling like I had permanent PMS. I was grumpy, emotional and worst of all seemed stuck at the hungriest part of my cycle.
  • Walkywalkerson
    Walkywalkerson Posts: 453 Member
    I play around with IF it works for me to limit my calorie intake 16 / 8 and 20 / 4
    I also try to keep it fairly lowish carb which really helps me with hunger and cravings.
    I don't do it every day - I have a days off over the weekend or if I'm going out to socialise.
    I like wine and pizza 😁
    I'm 37 lbs down.
    I've had no problems with my menstrual cycle other than the usual few days of crazy 🤣
    But that has nothing to do with IF.
    My energy levels feel better the longer I fast - if I've had a carb heavy weekend ( like this weekend) it takes longer for the hunger to diminish and I feel weak and hangry for a while.
    I'm fasting today so it will be difficult- but I'll wake up in the morning full of beans (hopefully)



  • lady_bug_jd
    lady_bug_jd Posts: 220 Member
    edited August 2021
    I've been doing IF 8:16 for a few years now. I haven't personally noticed that it has helped me lose any weight. I lose weight when I'm restricting and watching calories. I continue to IF because that is my natural eating pattern.

    At the beginning of Covid-19 I gained about 8lbs while still doing IF. We ordered in a lot more than usual, were eating lots of comfort foods, chips, and sweets so my calories were higher even though the same eating window. I'm now back on track with eating healthy eating and watching my calories and have started losing weight.

    I've never noticed that IF gave me more energy and it hasn't impacted my cycle.

    My partner absolutely believes that IF helped him lose the last few pounds that he wanted to lose although he also gained weight during Covid while continuing to do IF. :)
  • lady_bug_jd
    lady_bug_jd Posts: 220 Member
    Caralarma wrote: »
    I've never understood why not eating in the morning has become this newfound 'diet' with a fancy name. I've been doing it for years because I'm not hungry in the morning and it allows me to save calories. Simple.

    I think it helps those who are night time snackers to have a cut-off time for eating.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,812 Member
    For weight loss IF really isn't going to do anything it's still CICO. Fasting is for potential health and longevity, not weight loss. imo
  • NerdyScienceGrl
    NerdyScienceGrl Posts: 669 Member
    edited August 2021
    I’ve been using various fasting methods for years, primarily, as a tool to reduce chronic inflammation. As a general rule, I am not a breakfast eater so 16:8 was already close my normal routine. During periods where inflammation is uncontrollable by normal means, I tend toward much more aggressive forms of water fasting.

    IMO while fasting is an excellent tool, it’s not a silver bullet and can head down the wrong road quickly if not planned and done in a nutritionally sound way. Prolonging the fasting window can lead to excessive calorie restriction or binge eating. Personally, I didn’t go beyond 18:6 before talking with my PCP out of concern that I couldn’t even get in an absolute minimum of 1200 calories.
  • ChaoticMoira
    ChaoticMoira Posts: 103 Member
    Caralarma wrote: »
    I've never understood why not eating in the morning has become this newfound 'diet' with a fancy name. I've been doing it for years because I'm not hungry in the morning and it allows me to save calories. Simple.

    Because it is not actually the same thing as simply "skipping a meal". While it does cut calories (as would skipping a meal), many people are doing it for other health benefits (there is plenty of research, articles, and books on this) which requires understanding the difference between simply "skipping a meal" and actually reaching the goal fasting window (which has been mentioned as 12 hours minimum) for the other health benefits. Also because, not all IF is 16:8 (the version you are calling skipping a meal). There are various ways to do IF. With some, one does not eat anything for a whole day, or only has one meal for a day (OMAD). Water fasts, OMAD, and calorie restricted fasts are often done 2 or 3 times a week (5:2 or 4:3). And, some people even Alternate Day Fast.

    So the purpose of having a name, is because it is a multifaceted thing which needs an identifier in order to refer to it.
  • I don't eat breakfast, mostly because I don't like it, so I guess I'm unintentionally practicing IF. And I've lost 71 pounds. Sooooo.... Seems to be "effective"
  • Walkywalkerson
    Walkywalkerson Posts: 453 Member
    IF is a way of life that fits into my life style, helps to create a calorie deficit which in turn has helped me lose 39lbs.
    The best thing of all for me is that it helps me control my appetite which is what made me fat for most of my adult life.
    I feel less bloated and look much better.
    There are studies that IF has many other benefits to control diabetes, enhance longevity and a host of other diseases.
    I wouldn't know where to begin to find a study to prove it - and quite honestly I don't care.
    Finding a 'diet' that works for YOU is the most important thing - it's never right for everyone.
    I don't understand all the hate and snippy comments surrounding IF on MFP.

  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,812 Member
    The number of disagrees on my comment is funny to me. All I did was explain why it has a name, and what it is, in so far as how it is different from simply "skipping a meal." IF as a practice overall IS more diverse than just, skipping a meal, that is a fact - but okay..

    Caralarma wrote: »
    I don't believe intermittent fasting has any other benefits besides helping to create a deficit. I know there are certain youtube 'experts' who say it does but there is no solid proof of it. It's just a simple calorie saving tool that has been made complicated in order to make money.

    That is fine. Believe whatever you like. There are books and research done on the topic you can read or not - and you could still believe or disbelieve that. It doesn't matter to me. I was simply pointing out that it is not the same thing as your skipping breakfast (because that is disinformation for someone who IS interested in it), and since it has methods and rules, it needs a name to identify it. Also, I disagree that it is made complicated. It is really fairly simple.

    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Peer-reviewed long term research in humans? Please provide links.

    I think the longest trial I came across on humans (back when I was actually researching the topic) was 1 year.. Most were 3-6 months. However yes they are peer reviewed. I am not going to redo the research to provide links because frankly I don't care if anyone here agrees or disagrees with the health benefits associated to IF. You have google if it is that important to you. This is not an issue of agreeing or disagreeing with ME, my comment was not an argument for or against IF, nor was I sharing my opinions on IF, or promoting the health claims - so I have no reason to attempt to prove anything. I was simply explaining that there are people who do believe in the health claims, and thus weight loss is not the only reason people do it. Further, my material point was that if one wants to do it, they should not be confused by someone saying, "oh that just means you skip breakfast," because that is inaccurate.
    If you weren't such a heretic you wouldn't have got so many dislikes. You need to get your priorities straight. >:)