The Latest Trend is Fasting: What say you?

BartBVanBockstaele wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I find particularly odd the argument that natural selection designed us to go for long periods without eating, so that implies that we best thrive if we go for long periods without eating. Why would that be true? Natural selection designed us so that our broken bones can heal, too, but no one suggests healthy people should routinely break bones in order to make them stronger.

Great point.

We could add to this that natural selection also evolved us to be able to regrow parts of our liver. That does not mean that it would be a particularly brilliant idea to cut everyone open every now and then to harvest half of their liver or so. What is also funny is that people are claiming that stress is bad for you. Yet, natural evolution has given us the tools we need to deal with stress. When following the same logic, we should be very happy about stress, because it improves our health.

There are numerous other examples, but it is clear that the natural selection argument is a very poor argument indeed.

Ann if your inclined to do some research on this topic I found this publication pretty informative.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.24247

Cheers.

ricalespy wrote: »

To me, food is kind of addictive. Once I take a bite, it takes a lot of effort not to over eat. For me, it is easier to follow a modified version alternate day fasting were I don't eat at all Mon, Wed and Friday. The other days I avoid overeating by counting calories although I allocate a comfortable amount (2300 to 2500). This routine allowed me to lose so far 30 lbs and most importantly, heal my fatty liver. I workout on the eating days and rest on the fasting days.

I found almost no references to alternate day fasting in this thread. I found that calorie counting fed my neurosis and was making me crazy AF. I eventually 'fell off the wagon,' and went back to my old ways. Recently at a routine physical making another complaint to my Dr, that 'I couldn't lose weight...' he offered me Ozempic. I was shocked. I still wonder and plan to ask him if he was just trying to shock me into 'doing something.' Or, if he really thought that was a good idea. Anyhow, I did need to do something. A friend suggested IF, and I replied that I could still overeat in a smaller window. She said, 'what about 5:2?. I did 5 minutes research on it, and decided I could modify it to suit my 4 on 4 of schedule. 6:2 or 5:3... whatever. Now, the internet indicates that the 'fasting days' are no cal or low cal. My friend said 600 calories was good for 'fast' days. I fully realize that 600 calories is NOT fasting. I call them low cal days. One thing that MFP has taught me is CICO. So clearly, overeating to the right extent on 'regular eating' days, will cancel out low cal days. That said, I amped up to basically 1:1 pretty quickly, alternating low cal days with regular eating days. I stick to around 600-800 calories on LC days, and eat more or less normally on RE days. My urge to binge seems to be reduced, and I am on track to be down 20 lbs over 4 months.

I understand that this is not for just about anyone here. But, it's working for me. When I hit the 20 lb mark, I plan to go to 5:3 from my current 4:4. Another 10 lbs lost, I expect to go to 6:2. I feel like once I am at my 'goal weight, I can maintain by doing 7:1 until I retire, then, 6:1 when weeks become 7 days for me.

It's certainly not magic by any means... it is just my way of reducing calorie intake, and it's currently working. I am also extremely flexible with it. I call it 'Arbitrary Fasting,' because I call audibles all the time, and if I'm at someone's house for dinner on what should be a LC day, well... I eat. If I am a bit hungry on a LC day, I don't starve myself, I eat a little snack.

But for some reason, I am so far, losing pretty consistently, and I can do the 'one day at a time' LC thing without feeling seriously deprived.

I realize this makes little sense to anyone who is comfortable simply reducing their calorie intake daily to create a deficit. But, I'm not counting much at all.

There is no magic. But this is the closest it's gotten to magic for me.

xanderkross9545 wrote: »

Hi All. I am in year 3 of my fitness journey and I have lost over 80 kg, and most people would call me fit now (though my own neurosis will not allow me to think the same haha).

I have done IF in the past, like one day a week, or a 4-7 day fast.

I have now been doing Alternate Day Fasting for about 2 weeks now.

My question/issue is for anyone who is doing or has done ADF. I don’t really have any problems on my fasting days. I mean I get hungry, but I have not had any trouble not eating for those (usually) 30+ hours. My issue is on my eating days I feel like I am eating too much. I am probably eating 3,000-3,500 calories on those days. And I find myself eating even if I am not hungry. So it seems like a mental thing where I feel like on my eating days I have to consume as much food as possible.

Has anyone else experienced this? If so, do you have any advice?

Thanks.

Have you figured out your TDEE? Do you have a set calorie goal? I know some people have said they like to shoot for a weekly goal instead of daily, especially when they’re doing different forms of fasting. Is it possible maybe you’re not consistently eating as high as you think on your eat days? Are you working out really hard? Is it possible that you need to go back to more of an IF to sustain you every day instead of skipping?

I’m not extremely versed in it. Just some things I’ve heard of read. I used to do ADA a few years ago. I felt great until I started working out harder. It didn’t feel good anymore so I stopped and went back to IF. I would do a longer fast once every week or two back then. I haven’t done those in a long time either now. Good luck!

Re: fasting. I wouldn’t deem it a “trend” - It’s been around for centuries used during religious rights. I.e Ramadan and Buddhism and used for decades in endocrinology for supplemental treatment of chronic diseases.

When used for therapeutic purposes, it’s been shown to improve insulin sensitivity. For those of us who have been flagged for insulin resistance .. it’s something to explore.


An NIH meta analysis: lhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8970877/

MFP's take from a Registered Dietitian. They have some great videos.

https://youtu.be/TBr0gEhVoiU?t=6

neanderthin wrote: »

Hiawassee88 wrote: »

MFP's take from a Registered Dietitian. They have some great videos.

https://youtu.be/TBr0gEhVoiU?t=6

Wasn't expecting that. She didn't miss a beat, good job MFP. Cheers

I've watched all of the vids. Good info.

Melwillbehealthy wrote: »

I’m trying to fast because two of my doctors want me to. I don’t think the main reason is to lose weight. My cardiologist stresses it for other health reasons. I can easily go without eating for about 12-14 hours. The doctors want me to go 16 hours between meals. I’m working on it.

If your last meal is at 8pm are you able to wait until noon the next day for your first meal? It does take practice but it gets easier. That’s exactly where I started too, I think it’s really smart to ease into it unless a doctor recommends otherwise. Best of luck on your journey!

My cardiologist told me that a 14 hour fast doesn’t really do much for my body and health benefits, but a 16 fast seems to be the magic number where all the good things happen.

What a merry-go-round!

I think you’re a bit presumptuous to say it’s confirmation bias. I’m only giving you the short story. You sound very sure of yourself. I like to keep an open mind.
Cheers