Intermittent Fasting

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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    nsk1951 wrote: »
    That's EXACTLY one of the reasons why I do "IT" .. to let my digestive system get a rest. I've read that it takes many hours for your digestion to complete it's cycle ... Digestion starts in your mouth when you chew the food you are eating, then it continues as it passes through to the stomach and enters the small intestine and the emptying of the large intestine could actually take you into the next day! ... I don't wait around for the digestion to get all the way through but do try to let my stomach get a rest! ...

    I think a lot of people mis-state metabolism when the mean digestion.

    And the rest - full digestion takes up to 36 hours.

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  • Kupla71
    Kupla71 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I've been doing IF for about 2 months now. I eat between noon and 8pm and then fast till noon. So basically I don't eat after dinner and I skip breakfast. It's been working rather well for me. I think the biggest help is not snacking at night. That used to pile on the calories. I am keeping my calories in check while doing IF.

    IF was recommended by my dietician. I asked her if people lose weight only because they eat fewer calories or is there actually something about the fasting itself that helps people lose weight. She said that there's actually something about the fasting that seems to help in addition to the lower amount of calories that is usually consumed. She explained the mechanism that gets triggered but I can't remember it.

    In any case I have had good results with IF. I was just trying to restrict calories before and I was having a hard time with it. I think what I like about IF is it allow me to feel full during the day which is a welcome feeling and also reminds me what hunger feels like when I'm fasting. Before I would always have a kind of unsatisfied feeling. Not full. Not hungry. I kind of forgot what full and hungry felt like. I like having the 2 sensations.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,514 Member
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    Kupla71 wrote: »
    IF was recommended by my dietician. I asked her if people lose weight only because they eat fewer calories or is there actually something about the fasting itself that helps people lose weight. She said that there's actually something about the fasting that seems to help in addition to the lower amount of calories that is usually consumed. She explained the mechanism that gets triggered but I can't remember it.
    You lose weight because of calorie deficit. Longer fasting periods runs the risk of losing more muscle mass than a non-IF calorie restricted plan.

    Scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom recently headed an international collaboration between research institutions in the U.K., Switzerland, and Taiwan to conduct a study investigating the specific effects of intermittent fasting.

    Echoing previous research, the team’s findings suggest that alternate-day fasting and daily energy restriction are similarly effective for weight loss.

    However, while weight loss from daily energy restriction mostly came from reducing body fat, for those who were fasting, just half of the total weight loss came from body fat. The other half came from fat-free mass.

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-no-better-than-calorie-restriction-for-weight-loss
  • BartBVanBockstaele
    BartBVanBockstaele Posts: 623 Member
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    ShowingUp4me wrote: »
    Anyone doing intermittent fasting?
    A few years ago, I tried that for a few days. It made me quite ill very fast. I stopped after a few days and bore the consequences for quite a bit longer. Aside from that, I find it needlessly complicates matters. I track my calories, which is easy to do, and then adapt how much I consume to the weight loss I see by standing on the scale and taking into account that weight varies naturally by looking at longer periods of time while recording at least daily so I can look at sliding periods of time.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,916 Member
    edited October 2022
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    Retroguy2000 wrote: »
    Kupla71 wrote: »
    IF was recommended by my dietician. I asked her if people lose weight only because they eat fewer calories or is there actually something about the fasting itself that helps people lose weight. She said that there's actually something about the fasting that seems to help in addition to the lower amount of calories that is usually consumed. She explained the mechanism that gets triggered but I can't remember it.
    You lose weight because of calorie deficit. Longer fasting periods runs the risk of losing more muscle mass than a non-IF calorie restricted plan.

    Scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom recently headed an international collaboration between research institutions in the U.K., Switzerland, and Taiwan to conduct a study investigating the specific effects of intermittent fasting.

    Echoing previous research, the team’s findings suggest that alternate-day fasting and daily energy restriction are similarly effective for weight loss.

    However, while weight loss from daily energy restriction mostly came from reducing body fat, for those who were fasting, just half of the total weight loss came from body fat. The other half came from fat-free mass.

    https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/intermittent-fasting-no-better-than-calorie-restriction-for-weight-loss

    Intermittent versus daily calorie restriction: which diet regimen is more effective for weight loss?

    https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2011.00873.x

    These findings suggest that these diets are equally as effective in decreasing body weight and fat mass, although intermittent CR may be more effective for the retention of lean mass.

    For me Time Restricted Eating is about health and not weight loss.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,514 Member
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    ^ That is a much older review (2011). Note it says:

    "Body composition changes were only assessed in four of the intermittent CR trials included in this review."

    "To date, there are no moderate-term trials (13 to 24 weeks) of intermittent CR, so no comparisons between diets could be made for longer intervention periods."

    "It is important to note, however, that comparing values for fat mass and fat free mass between studies is difficult as different techniques were employed to assess these parameters. More specifically, the majority of daily CR trials implemented dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while the majority of intermittent CR trials employed bioelectrical impedance analysis. It is well known that DXA and MRI are vastly more accurate techniques for the assessment of fat mass and fat free mass when compared to bioelectrical impedance analysis."
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,916 Member
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    Retroguy2000 wrote: »
    ^ That is a much older review (2011). Note it says:

    "Body composition changes were only assessed in four of the intermittent CR trials included in this review."

    "To date, there are no moderate-term trials (13 to 24 weeks) of intermittent CR, so no comparisons between diets could be made for longer intervention periods."

    "It is important to note, however, that comparing values for fat mass and fat free mass between studies is difficult as different techniques were employed to assess these parameters. More specifically, the majority of daily CR trials implemented dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), while the majority of intermittent CR trials employed bioelectrical impedance analysis. It is well known that DXA and MRI are vastly more accurate techniques for the assessment of fat mass and fat free mass when compared to bioelectrical impedance analysis."

    I agree that BIA is generally not as reliable. That's not to say that the differences found were inaccurate in the comparable results, only that DXA and MRI would have possibly been more accurate to find the exact base line to start with. If a study had 2 groups using different methods comparing CR with TRF then that would not be comparable but if the groups were using the same methodology, then the differences would/could be used, lets not throw out the baby with the bath water. Like I said I get your point and I agree that BIA generally is not as accurate. Cheers
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,916 Member
    edited October 2022
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    You bring up a good point.


    If a study was performed by a group of scientists comparing CR with IF/TRF and used different methods ie: DXA for CR and BIA for IF then that isn't comparable or honest in the least and it's been known that the two methods generate different results, then that would/should have been found pretty quickly when peer reviewed exposing that variation in the results, I mean any scientist worth their salt would have seen that immediately, or at least you think they would have. I'm sure those comparisons aren't happening, just a thought if it was. Cheers.
  • Retroguy2000
    Retroguy2000 Posts: 1,514 Member
    edited October 2022
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    @neanderthin

    Just to clarify, I'm not anti-IF. If people find that IF with calorie deficit works for them, great. I've done short term IF myself often, up to 16 hour fasts.

    I know for myself that longer term fasts wouldn't work for me, including because I want to have enough energy for my workouts. I also don't want to take the risk of losing more muscle mass.

    Ann has commented here before too that older people benefit from more frequent protein intake, which is something else to consider for people considering longer term fasts.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,916 Member
    edited October 2022
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    Retroguy2000 wrote: »
    @neanderthin

    Just to clarify, I'm not anti-IF. If people find that IF with calorie deficit works for them, great. I've done short term IF myself often, up to 16 hour fasts.

    I know for myself that longer term fasts wouldn't work for me, including because I want to have enough energy for my workouts. I also don't want to take the risk of losing more muscle mass.

    Ann has commented here before too that older people benefit from more frequent protein intake, which is something else to consider for people considering longer term fasts.

    Right, thanks for your personal thoughts on the subject.

    Yeah, I'm not an advocate for pretty much all fasting that isn't within a 24-hour cycle and in tandem with our circadian rhythm which work together, so any longer-term fasting isn't something I would be interested in for similar reasons you have or Ann. I find the health improvements from just time restricted feeding TRF to be my preference and when I talk about this subject that is my focus. Cheers.

    EDIT: I'm not an advocate of OMAD (one meal a day) either, just for clarification.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,916 Member
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    Just to add.

    I'm also not a fan of IF or TRF (time restricted feeding) to initiate a deficit or in tandem, although that's not to say that they're not compatible or can't be done. There's just too many different starting points or reason why someone wants to lose weight and it can add to the already higher levels of anxiety and stress imo.
  • BarbMessimer
    BarbMessimer Posts: 264 Member
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    I do IF, 1-2 meals @ day, depending on social engagements. Lost 60 pounds in 18 months. Feel terrific. Tons of energy. Will not ever eat any other way.
  • tigrig
    tigrig Posts: 658 Member
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    I do. On Sunday and Wednesdays I do a 36 hour dirty fast( drink protein shake with fiber and creatine) and the rest of the days I do OMAD. It's helped keep me from overeating, I use the same approach when I bulk or cut
  • Slimmersixties
    Slimmersixties Posts: 774 Member
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    I've lost 80lb doing if. Was on 16/8 but just moved to 20/4 as weight loss was stalling. I also count calories (life long habit!) And keep in a deficit. I've never been a breakfast eater so it was easy for me. Changing to 20/4 has stopped my evening grazing! Week one moving up to 20/4 I lost 4lb :).
  • stoneheronjewelry
    stoneheronjewelry Posts: 5 Member
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    I do IF. My husband has been doing it longer. I was resistant because I work a split shift and I couldn't see how I could do it with the late evenings. However, I have found my way and I fast 18/6. The first time I did it, I lost 30lbs not carrying a calorie deficit. Got put on steroids for an autoimmune flair and gained it all back. Having a hard time with getting rid of it, so I'm carrying a calorie deficit now. I've lost 9lbsi in 2 weeks. I'm at 315 as of weigh in this morning.
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
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    My neurologist prescribed IF for me to try and get nerve pain under control. It didn't help.

    However, it radically helped with my energy levels, which significantly raised my calorie burn because I suddenly was able to lose weight while eating more calories.

    It's also substantially helped with digestive symptoms, and itchiness that I have associated with eating.

    I have complex health issues, and it's been quite impressive how much positive impact IF has had over the year that I've been doing it. There's no way I would go back to eating all day long.

    I don't have a schedule, I eat when I feel like it, and I generally don't feel like eating more than one meal a day, but I do like tea with milk in the evening, so that keeps my window open longer. I literally just don't think about it anymore.

    For my particular body it's *by far* the most beneficial eating routine I've ever had, with benefits well beyond weight loss.

    My favourite part though is I just don't think about food and eating anymore. I don't have to worry about having to eat, or thinking about what I'll eat next and when. I mostly just eat when it's convenient.

    My spouse eats "normally," and on weekends I forget that he "needs to eat" every few hours, lol. I really enjoy not ever having to settle for buying a crappy sandwich in a rush, or stopping to eat road food while traveling. I can just happily wait until really good food that's worth eating is available. And cooking has become SO MUCH simpler.

    IF is really a lifestyle, and it either fits for you or it doesn't. For me, I'll never go back unless I medically have to for some reason, and even then, I won't be happy to go back to fussing with meals all day.

    That said, it took several months to get to this point and I eased in very slowly and very, very gently.

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