Has anyone GAINED weight/fat doing intermittent fasting?

Options
emmab0902
emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
It sounds fascinating to me, but being the pessimist/analytical/doomsdayer I am I wondered if it has had negative results for anyone who has tried it - particulary the 16/8 leangains method.
«13

Replies

  • PB67
    PB67 Posts: 376
    Options
    It sounds fascinating to me, but being the pessimist/analytical/doomsdayer I am I wondered if it has had negative results for anyone who has tried it - particulary the 16/8 leangains method.

    Depends on your appetite. Some may find it difficult to hit a surplus during the feeding window, but keeping fat low and upping carbs should help.

    YMMV.
  • Hbartels
    Hbartels Posts: 19 Member
    Options
    This is from the webMD page on fasting-
    "When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

    As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.

    Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time."
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Options
    I have never done this particular diet. But what I did do a few years ago was similar, even though it was a religious thing than a weight thing. I didn't gain weight, but I did gain fat. In other words, I was skinny fat. I lost pounds, but I also lost muscle, and I was still mushy. In fact, my middle was mushier than ever. The protocol of what I was doing was actually very close to this diet, even though back then (2004) I had never heard of the diet. Perhaps if I was weight training my results would have been different? IDK. But I won't do it again because what I am currently doing works...so why change it, lol?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    This is from the webMD page on fasting-
    "When you fast, your body is forced to dip into energy stores to get the fuel it needs to keep going, so you will lose weight. The big question is how long you will keep that weight off. Because food was often scarce for our ancestors, our bodies have been genetically programmed to combat the effects of fasting. When you eat less food, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. Then, when you go back to your usual diet, your lowered metabolism may cause you to store more energy, meaning that you will probably gain back the weight you lost and possibly even put on more weight when eating the same calories you did before the fast.

    As you fast, your body will adjust by reducing your appetite, so you will initially feel less hungry. But once you have stopped fasting, your appetite hormones will kick back into gear and you may actually feel hungrier and be more likely to binge.

    Research has shown that fasting on alternate days can help people lose weight, but not for long. In one study, people who followed an alternate-day fasting diet shed weight, even when they ate all they wanted on the non-fasting days. However, they could not maintain the weight loss over time."


    Resting energy expenditure in short-term starvation is increased as a result of an increase in serum norepinephrine.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292

    CONCLUSIONS:
    Resting energy expenditure increases in early starvation, accompanied by an increase in plasma norepinephrine
  • PB67
    PB67 Posts: 376
    Options
    Credit goes to Alloranx for dropping the knowledge bomb:
    Very true. Check out all the damage intermittent fasting has done to the muscles of these poor people:

    http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Client results

    Don't they just look so weak, sickly and unhealthy? Nasty, I'd never want to look like them. Practically anorexic:

    http://www.chilloutpoint.com/images/2010/08/anorexic-models/anorexic-models-06.jpg
    ______________________________________________________
    Fasting just destroys your muscles and puts you into starvation mode where you don't lose any fat:

    http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/265/5/E801.short
    http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/50/1/96.short
    http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/94/11/4524.abstract
    __________________________________________________________________
    Fasting is so bad for your health, too! Scientific studies have shown that over and over again, like these:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300080
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17616757
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16529878
    _______________________________________________
    It wrecks blood sugar:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17522614
    _______________________________________________
    And it ruins your metabolism!

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292
    ____________________________________________________________
    Also, you can't work out while you're fasting! That would be stupid.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3622486
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17489012
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3292504
    http://www.springerlink.com/content/w8712615714k8150/


    Read a little before mouthing off about something you don't understand, and next time I won't have to science pwn you all this severely.

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Options
    No, I haven't gained fat, I do the lean gains method, except I happen to incorporate more cardio than he prefers. But intermittent fasting hasn't made me fatter, it has however retrained my ability to decipher when I'm really hungry, as well, given me more will power, gained strength, made PR's on my compound lifts, and went from 19% bf to 15% in 6 months, even though my weight hasn't changed. :) In fact, I weigh more.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Options
    Yep, but not enough. Gained about 2kg over 3months. That was eating like a demon on workout days. Is tough to put on weight doing LG. Or I'm just a wuss who can't eat enough?

    PB67: got that on my saved list! Knowledge bomb alright!
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Options
    Yep, but not enough. Gained about 2kg over 3months. That was eating like a demon on workout days. Is tough to put on weight doing LG. Or I'm just a wuss who can't eat enough?

    PB67: got that on my saved list! Knowledge bomb alright!

    How much do you usually eat per day? I wish I were a wuss somedays. LOL, Seriously. That's why I love LG so much. :D
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    Options
    I read the leangains stuff too. The guy knows what he is talking about but you have to keep in mind that he is doing serious weight training in conjunction with his intermittent fasting. He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult. Intermittent fasting is really only for those doing hard core weight training. It is not for people who are just trying to lose fat. You probably shouldn't do any hardcore cardio while fasting.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Options
    Ebbykins: Was at about 3200 on days and 2700 off for the majority.

    swhitney2: so much wrong with what you just said. You do know what is required to lose fat as opposed to weight right?

    You should probably have a read of PB67's post.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
    Options
    Eh? I hadn't realised it was for hard core weight trainers. Am sure that's not right.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,023 Member
    Options
    I think you'll find that IF as it pertains to leangains is more about meal frequency. People find it easier to restrict calories and lose weight and I would have a hard time consuming 4000 calories with IF if i wanted to put on muscle.
  • LizC26
    LizC26 Posts: 319 Member
    Options
    I've been doing lean-gains for the majority of my time here...It works really well for me. However, I take one week off every couple of months and go back to eating meals all day long--(nothing scientific--I'd just like to think it confuses my metabolism...HAHA)

    Try it for a couple weeks---worst case, you don't like it/can't do it--you can try something else :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Options
    weight training should be a part of any fat loss plan.
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    Options
    I read the leangains stuff too. The guy knows what he is talking about but you have to keep in mind that he is doing serious weight training in conjunction with his intermittent fasting. He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult. Intermittent fasting is really only for those doing hard core weight training. It is not for people who are just trying to lose fat. You probably shouldn't do any hardcore cardio while fasting.

    Not true at all.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
    Options
    He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

    Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
    Options
    Fast-5.org.

    My dad has been doing this for almost 2 years, lost over 60 lbs, and is still going strong.
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Options
    I've been doing lean-gains for the majority of my time here...It works really well for me. However, I take one week off every couple of months and go back to eating meals all day long--(nothing scientific--I'd just like to think it confuses my metabolism...HAHA)

    Try it for a couple weeks---worst case, you don't like it/can't do it--you can try something else :)

    Haha I do this too, especially while traveling. :D I can't pass by a cafe while I'm fasting and not try something new once in a while.

    As for the other misinformation mentioned above, if you took the time to read more about IF, it's forms, not just lean gains, you would understand it fuller, it's not just for weight lifters, I have many non lifting IF friends, they walk and run though... and they do it fasted. ;) Really if you haven't done it..... what's that saying? ;)

    @Chris I was eating 2500-3300 everyday while doing my LG bulk on workout days, non workout days 1700, refeed days 5000+ hehehe, those were fun days, so if you were lifting super heavy and hard, I would have made base calories a bit higher I think, seeing as my BMR is close to 2300 for my activity level, I would say 2700 for a man trying to put on mass is too low of a calorie intake.
  • Ebbykins
    Ebbykins Posts: 420 Member
    Options
    He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

    Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!

    Actually he doesn't really knock fat whatsoever, at least in my readings, the only things he knocks are people drinking their calories and eating too many nuts. In fact, he told me that he puts peanutbutter and mayo (not at the same time) on his eggs, lol... and he is a hardcore lover of full fat mayo. Add him as a friend on Facebook, he's a cool guy, but he tells it like it is.
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,337 Member
    Options
    He is also doing the high protein/moderate carbs/low fat ratio... which in my experience is extremely difficult.

    Is that what is recommended? because that is how i naturally prefer to eat!

    Actually he doesn't really knock fat whatsoever, at least in my readings, the only things he knocks are people drinking their calories and eating too many nuts. In fact, he told me that he puts peanutbutter and mayo (not at the same time) on his eggs, lol... and he is a hardcore lover of full fat mayo. Add him as a friend on Facebook, he's a cool guy, but he tells it like it is.

    Add who? Martin Berkhan?

Categories