Intermittent Fasting Support Group?

Hi everyone. I've been reading this thread because fasting is my great interest at the moment. This is my intro to intermittent fasting. I've done 10 day and even 18-day fasts and lost a ton of weight and so far have kept it off. This IF looks like something I can use to maintain the results. Will continue reading everyone's comments.

wt?? i seriously hope you mean days where you have gone 18 hours of fasting for 10 days not fasted (ie no food at all) for 10 days?

MsMousemouse:

Weight loss is easy. Create a calorie deficit through diet (and preferably exercise)

Fat loss requires:
calorie deficit through diet and exercise
adequate protein (I aim for 1g/lb of BW minimum)
resistance training (progressively increasing weights to challenge yourself)

These are to promote the preservation of lean body mass.

The above is the case for "normal" eating pattern or Intermittent Fasting.

soulatomic: breaking your fast half an hour early is no biggie. It's about being flexible. Can't say I've noticed much difference in energy post "lunch" & no stomach gurgling for me.

akonobi: you didn't eat for 18 days???!!! Why?

thanks for the link. Interesting stuff.

I burp all morning long! It's awful, I have uncontrollable belching, probably because there's nothing in my belleh but AIR. Any remedy for this?

Ok, thanks to Alloranx for giving me the link to this thread!!

I have been using Xtend during my weight workouts for a while BUT still doing the 6 meals a day, non fasting diet. Well, I was told I am wasting my money if I am using it this way.....so, I am really considering doing the Leangains way of eating (not a diet!!). I have read most of these posts, looked at his website and convinced that this may be the way to go.

Firstly, here is my exercise regime.....

I exercise at 9.30 in the morning with weights for 1/2 hour and then I do pilates after that twice a week. I do weights only twice a week, but in a few weeks time it will be bumped up to Mon, Wed and Fri (Pilates Mon and Fri).

On other days I do interval jogging/walking on the treadmill for 1/2 hour or more. I am really only new to the cardio thing (not my cup of tea) but have been doing weights for a while now. Even though I don't like cardio, it is beginning to get easier and I am even wanting to do a marathon in the future!!

Now, my food regime....

I am a breakfast eater! I think I could miss it, but it would be hard. I fear feeling ill, actually. I also like my snacks.

My questions...

* my lunches usually consist of a couple of crackers with tomato and cheese. This would have to change BIG TIME as it would be my first meal that breaks the fast. How do I know how much to eat? Do I just eat big, and then see how much I have left over or do I split my calories into thirds and eat 3 equally caloried meals?

* I have a family and this means we eat dinner at about 6.30pm/7pm. If I eat the three meals, that means I would eat at 1pm, 4pm and 8pm. Not family friendly! How do I overcome this?

* how do you work out the macros? How do you know how much you are eating in that meal? Obvioulsy I would need to work it out beforehand. If I eat out, how can I work it out before hand?

I am thinking that eating the three meals would be fantastic but, even though I am sooo wanting to do this, and it makes sense, it is doing my head in. I, and we all, have been sooo conditioned to believe the 'eat every 3 hr' rule and the 'slowing of the metabolism if you don't eat' statement, having a new, left of field rule really is hard to get my head around.

I am now laughing at how many times I told my mum she should be eating breakfast, that it was unhealthy!! Ha ha ha - geez, how brainwashed we were. Mum, even in her younger years, always did a monthly fast. She said she felt 'cleaned out' from it.

I have done colon cleansing fasts before, so even the ESE would be okay, but I am sure I couldn't handle the headaches, that come with that regime, at the moment (I have a feeling I would get them.

So, hope this wasn't too long. )

Will probably have more questions, but these are the most concerning! Thanks in advance!

I am REALLY mad at myself right now. i accidentally broke my 16/8 fast. I worked out and since I don't have BCAA tabs I thought I will take a half scoop of my whey protein powder (I was starting to shake w/ hunger) THINKING the whole scoop was 70 cals so naturally 1/2 would be 35 but my brain apparently wasn't working straight because a whole scoop is 140 cals NOT 70!!! :sad:

I am REALLY mad at myself right now. i accidentally broke my 16/8 fast. I worked out and since I don't have BCAA tabs I thought I will take a half scoop of my whey protein powder (I was starting to shake w/ hunger) THINKING the whole scoop was 70 cals so naturally 1/2 would be 35 but my brain apparently wasn't working straight because a whole scoop is 140 cals NOT 70!!! :sad:

Awww don't worry about it!!! could have been way worse!!

Thought maybe you all would find this topic interesting. We are pretty much getting bashed as this support group has been mentioned. I replied of course.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/377281-what-do-you-think-about-water-fasts?page=2#posts-5146496

Thanks Chris and Jeanine for your answers.

I went to bed last night after posting and was thinking about the hours and how to make it work. Yes, you are right Chris, 1, 5 and 7 would be good, even 1, 4 and 7, or better still 12, 4 and 6!

This morning I was eating breakfast and thinking, I am not even hungry but I am still eating breakfast because it is a habit! After 3 hours I was starving and I wonder if this is because I ate breakfast?? I know that if it has sugar in it (dried fruit) then I tend to be more hungry sooner.

Well, I will start this AFTER my thur night gym sessions finish (next week). This was a 7 week transformation thingy my gym was doing and not a normal time that I usually work out. Actually I hate working out at night!!

I am quite excited about this...maybe my constant eating (6 meals) is the underlying problem with my lack of losing weight. With only 3 biggish meals and no snacks, I can see how I will be fuelling my body, not oversaturating it with food!

I will still be here reading all the posts until that time next week.

Yep, thats true. Can only give this a go and see if it works for my body or not! :happy:

@catwrangler-You may be swallowing air-are you chewing lots of gum? Cos that will do it. Or soda/soft drink?

I do both but burp even before I start chewing gum or drinking soda :ohwell:

So, anyone else ever notice that the people that bash fasting, are the ones that have never done it?

[:

I have been ravenous for the last couple of days and realised it is nearly that TOM.....so, my question to the ladies doing LG or ESE is how do you deal with your cravings and hunger when IF?

I am actually hoping you will all say that it dissappeared and there has been no problems coming up to that time or during!

If I have what I call hormonal hungry days (I'm in menopause) I plan on indulging but MINDFULLY I hope! Otherwise, so far, I only get hungry an hour or 2 before breaking, which isn't bad at all.

So, anyone else ever notice that the people that bash fasting, are the ones that have never done it?

[:

Exactly. I replied to that thread and will not look back at it.

I have been ravenous for the last couple of days and realised it is nearly that TOM.....so, my question to the ladies doing LG or ESE is how do you deal with your cravings and hunger when IF?

I am actually hoping you will all say that it dissappeared and there has been no problems coming up to that time or during!

Most of the time I'm fine during TOM, but the days I'm not fine, I may go over my daily allotment of calories, but I never eat outside of the 8 hour window. So if you know you're craving hardcore and really can't ignore it, make sure you eat it in the time period/days where you can eat. I've done LG through 2 TOMs and I've still consistently lost weight.