"Fasting" Fridays

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8rules
8rules Posts: 169
in Food and Nutrition
Going to start a new tradition, "Fast Friday"

Every Friday I will not eat anything but water and coffee (cuz, coffee is the awesome) until supper, where I will eat a normal sized meal plus a little extra protein.

Reasons:

-Intermittent fasting makes me feel good especially working out. I LOVE that primal, visceral feeling of going hard at the gym or heavy bag with my stomach growling. For me its a rush and makes me feel contacted to our primal heritage. There was a time man hunted when hungry, in short, when hungry, he had to be at his most active. I enjoy that feeling. I can see why others do not. However, I do find it sad that people use hunger as an excuse NOT to do work, and NOT to work out. Intermittent fasting will teach you that hunger is a friend.

-Helps remind me that hunger is a friend, not a discomfort, when trying to lose weight, it is much easier if you can learn to accept mild nagging hunger as a mild annoyance instead of running to the fridge to end it, mild hunger until your next planned meal will not kill you, and will make your next meal taste better :)

-Makes food taste better, the french say "Hunger makes the best sauce"

-Increases insulin sensitivity (evidence is not fully conclusive)

-Helps you develop a tolerance to low blood sugar spells, which is AWESOME if you want to train your body to be able to do hard, prolonged workouts without releasing cortisol

-Helps build discipline to say no to snacks and binges, as you learn food is fuel, not pleasure.

If you wish to join me in Fasting Fridays and are basically with me on the grains are over rated mindset, please add me as a friend. =) Thanks!

Replies

  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
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    Nothing wrong with a body clensing.
  • PBJunkie
    PBJunkie Posts: 652
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    Going to start a new tradition, "Fast Friday"

    Every Friday I will not eat anything but water and coffee (cuz, coffee is the awesome) until supper, where I will eat a normal sized meal plus a little extra protein.

    Reasons:

    -Intermittent fasting makes me feel good especially working out. I LOVE that primal, visceral feeling of going hard at the gym or heavy bag with my stomach growling. For me its a rush and makes me feel contacted to our primal heritage. There was a time man hunted when hungry, in short, when hungry, he had to be at his most active. I enjoy that feeling. I can see why others do not. However, I do find it sad that people use hunger as an excuse NOT to do work, and NOT to work out. Intermittent fasting will teach you that hunger is a friend.

    -Helps remind me that hunger is a friend, not a discomfort, when trying to lose weight, it is much easier if you can learn to accept mild nagging hunger as a mild annoyance instead of running to the fridge to end it, mild hunger until your next planned meal will not kill you, and will make your next meal taste better :)

    -Makes food taste better, the french say "Hunger makes the best sauce"

    -Increases insulin sensitivity (evidence is not fully conclusive)

    -Helps you develop a tolerance to low blood sugar spells, which is AWESOME if you want to train your body to be able to do hard, prolonged workouts without releasing cortisol

    -Helps build discipline to say no to snacks and binges, as you learn food is fuel, not pleasure.

    If you wish to join me in Fasting Fridays and are basically with me on the grains are over rated mindset, please add me as a friend. =) Thanks!

    Another intermittent fasting buddy!!! At first the hunger pangs was overwhelming but having to feast like a king every night is priceless. Keep me posted with your progress.

    Won't be going back to eating 6 meals a day...IF is here to stay!
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Nothing wrong with a body clensing.

    True, if you believe in cleansing ;) I almost went on a rant about the futility of trying to detox in a week or a day what took a lifetime to poison, but why bother LOL
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Another intermittent fasting buddy!!! At first the hunger pangs was overwhelming but having to feast like a king every night is priceless. Keep me posted with your progress.

    Won't be going back to eating 6 meals a day...IF is here to stay!

    LOL well one good thing, far less cooking...
  • Frannswaz
    Frannswaz Posts: 172 Member
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    Sounds good. Just remember not to 'shock' your body with one huge meal when you break the fast ease into the eating. Plus if you drink coffee then you're going to be on a day long caffiene high which doesn't help your body much especially with no fuel to drive it. I know you like coffee----I do too---but next time how about a juice fast ----no sugar added ---just plain fruit juice. Just a suggestion from someone whose done 'Fasting Fridays'.:smile:
  • 13hirteen
    13hirteen Posts: 94 Member
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    I started doing leangains style 16/8 IF a couple of weeks ago (fasting 10pm - 2pm, although I'm still settling into the schedule) , and it suits my natural eating patterns so much better than forcing myself to eat five times a day.

    I've not been able to train as much as usual this week due to work scheduling, but I also appreciated the results I was getting during heavy lifting sessions last week.

    Haven't been able to work out a way do the whole primal/grain-free thing too easily, though, as I'm veggie.
  • lulabellewoowoo
    lulabellewoowoo Posts: 3,125 Member
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    Cool that you posted this because last night I decided I was going to fast today...then I was just sitting here thinking "nah, I'm too hungry". But you just gave me the resolve I needed to stick with it...and to get my butt to the gym to workout. Thanks.
  • CrimsonHellkite
    CrimsonHellkite Posts: 114
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    after reading this it encouraged me to try it but then i realized it wont be today since i have already eaten breakfast...lol so next friday it will be fasting friday for me
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
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    Yop i am doing the IF too. Eating between 12-13 to 20-21 and fasting the rest. At least now i dont have to prepackage my meals in the morning.
  • prettypooks
    prettypooks Posts: 133 Member
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    I do IF maybe once a week, usually on Fridays.

    Today though, I'm just doing a very low calorie day. Watermelon Day. ;)

    I'm spinning and working out today too, so despite eating a little, I'm having a negative calorie day.
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    Sounds good. I do this sometimes too, but I really liked reading your reasons for it. :)
  • 8rules
    8rules Posts: 169
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    Sounds good. Just remember not to 'shock' your body with one huge meal when you break the fast ease into the eating. Plus if you drink coffee then you're going to be on a day long caffiene high which doesn't help your body much especially with no fuel to drive it. I know you like coffee----I do too---but next time how about a juice fast ----no sugar added ---just plain fruit juice. Just a suggestion from someone whose done 'Fasting Fridays'.:smile:

    Just plain fruit juice is pretty much drinking sugar all day long. Fruit juice is one of the most common ways people sabotage their weight loss efforts, as they switch from coke to apple juice, which has the same calories, all from sugar

    If you are juicing your own, you get a lot of nutrients with it, and that is what I hope you are instructing, but it does not solve the sugar intake issue.

    I didn't want to reject your suggestion out of hand without providing my reasons, as I see it.

    1 measured cup apple juice, 24 grams sugar in the form of fructose.

    1 measured cup of apple juice made yourself fresh, will have slightly less and some fibre and nutrients, but again, still pumps you full of sugar.

    For these reasons I do not consider them acceptable in my diet, even on non-fasting days, and fruit juices are often considered one of the top 10 diet mistakes along with sugar free soda.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    i've been following the leangains approach for the last few months, more for convenience sake and i like bigger meals then anything else

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