can someone explain the 16hr no eat-8 hrs eat method please

suemorgan1969
suemorgan1969 Posts: 132 Member
edited December 19 in Health and Weight Loss
What are the benefits etc? Would i have to eat 1200 cals in the eight hours? x

Replies

  • ryliejaiden
    ryliejaiden Posts: 68
    Just fyi fasting for 16 hours a day isn't good for your metabolism. It should be the other way around.
    You want to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar from spiking and to keep your metabolism stable.
  • suemorgan1969
    suemorgan1969 Posts: 132 Member
    ah ok, ty, its just i read some people were doing well with this method x
  • byock
    byock Posts: 23
    A calorie doesn't magically changed based on when you eat it. You can eat all your calories in one meal, or spread out over 6 meals. Do what works for you. If you like eating more often, go for it. I eat 2 meals a day a love it. As long as your calories are in a deficit you will lose weight.
  • dietrichr
    dietrichr Posts: 1
    I don't think that any extreme "diet" plan is a good idea. BUT...I just bought Bob Harper's "The Skinny Rules" and it is very good - certainly worth reading.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    I only do this if I sleep for 16 hours, which I never do. Good luck if you choose it.
  • broadway_Calls
    broadway_Calls Posts: 18 Member
    Just fyi fasting for 16 hours a day isn't good for your metabolism. It should be the other way around.
    You want to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar from spiking and to keep your metabolism stable.

    This is complete misinformation...it does not matter if you eat all of your calories in one sitting - there is no scientific proof to back this metabolism nonsense up. The only danger with IF is if you binge easily - say you don't eat all day, come home from work starving, you could easily lose control.

    It works for some people though and you can get great results especially if you're not a breakfast person. I eat all my calories from 1.30-9pm ish and works great.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    It's called intermittent fasting. There's a group here for it: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting They have an FAQ that might help you.
  • KayteeBear
    KayteeBear Posts: 1,040 Member
    You should eat all of your calories in that 8 hours. I think it's called the "Eat Stop Eat" method if you want to Google that. Or search it on here. There's also another fasting method I think. The difference is just the hours of fasting vs eating or something. And it's something you should only do once or twice a week, not every day.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Just fyi fasting for 16 hours a day isn't good for your metabolism. It should be the other way around.
    You want to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar from spiking and to keep your metabolism stable.

    Here, I'll make this really simple (and I don't mean to sound rude, but this myth needs to end):
    Please cite where it has been PROVEN that metabolism is sped up after going hungry. The source you are sighting is hocum as the scientific community has a consensus that not eating sends your body into starvation mode. Starvation mode leads to conservation, not burning of caloric fuel. You must keep your metabolism running to burn fat efficiently. If you get hungry for two hours during the day before lunch, drink water and/or a light snack to pacify yourself. It's ok to fill hungry for a little while, your body will adjust after a few days...it won't last forever.

    The notion that not eating has no effect on metabolism and therefore weight loss is simply laughable!

    Really? Hocum? Funny...he, and every single solitary person who uses his method of dietary intake...melt bodyfat like butter lol.

    Also, you need to work on reading comprehension...I didn't 'cite' his website as a source. I 'cited' his website as a place to go for MANY links to peer reviewed studies proving various points about breakfast in specific, and meal timing in general's impact on metabolism...which is NONE.

    Here, since you asked...I'll give you some things to look up for light reading.
    In one study, researchers found that the when they made people fast for 3 days, their metabolic rate did not change. This is 72 hours without food. So much for needing to eat every three hours!
    Reference:
    Webber J, Macdonald IA, The cardiovascular, metabolic and hormonal changes accompanying acute starvation in men and women. British journal of nutrition 1994; 71:437-447.

    In another study by a different group of researchers, people who fasted every other day for a period of 22 days also had no decrease in their resting metabolic rate.
    Reference:
    Heilbronn LK, et al. Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2005; 81:69-73

    In still more studies, there was no change in the metabolic rate of people who skipped breakfast, or people who ate 2 meals a day compared to 7 meals per day
    References:
    Verboeket-Van De Venne WPHG, et al. Effect of the pattern of food intake on human energy metabolism. British Journal of Nutrition 1993; 70:103-115

    Bellisle F, et al. Meal Frequency and energy balance. British Journal of Nutrition 1997;, 77: (Suppl. 1) s57-s70


    And the conclusion you must draw from such overwhelming evidence?
    The bottom line is food has virtually nothing to do with your metabolism. In fact, your metabolism is much more closely tied to your bodyweight. If your weight goes up or down, so does your metabolism. The only other thing that can affect your metabolism (in both the short term and longer term) is exercise and weight loss. Even in the complete absence of food for three days, your metabolism remains unchanged.

    Now, I will have to admit that I can't find my resources stating that there is an actual INCREASE in your active metabolic rate with not eating for 24hrs (I haven't looked it up in almost a year...and my files are a mess)...but I think that I've given substantial proof that it certainly doesn't slow, period.

    And so...since food has virtually NO impact on your metabolic rate...how exactly is it that eating breakfast 'jump starts your metabolism'?

    If you want to jump start your metabolism of a morning, do 20 or so jumping jacks.

    Edited to fix quotes


    If you want to read about the 16/8 eating method, go to www.leangains.com.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    You should eat all of your calories in that 8 hours. I think it's called the "Eat Stop Eat" method if you want to Google that. Or search it on here. There's also another fasting method I think. The difference is just the hours of fasting vs eating or something. And it's something you should only do once or twice a week, not every day.

    Eat stop eat is a different form of Intermittent Fasting. With ESE, you eat normally say...Monday, stop eating after dinner, then you don't eat again until dinner the next day (24hrs). Then the next day you eat normally....don't eat after dinner, and then don't eat until dinner the next day. The rest of the week you're supposed to eat normally (at your MAINTENANCE level, not your deficit level).

    The 16/8 eating method is meant to be maintained 7 days a week. You eat all of your deficit calories in that 8hr window (many people will do 19/5, and eat their calories in a 5hr window).

    I personally have recently gone back doing both. I fast for 24hrs 3 days a week (meaning dinner to dinner), and eat on the 16/8 window the rest of the week, slightly over maintenance.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Just fyi fasting for 16 hours a day isn't good for your metabolism. It should be the other way around.
    You want to eat every 3-4 hours to keep your blood sugar from spiking and to keep your metabolism stable.

    There is absolutely no support that fasting for 16 hours slows your metabolism or that eating every 3 - 4 hours increases it.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I don't think that any extreme "diet" plan is a good idea. BUT...I just bought Bob Harper's "The Skinny Rules" and it is very good - certainly worth reading.

    This is not an extreme diet plan - you eat all your food in one day - its just the timing within that day.
  • ryliejaiden
    ryliejaiden Posts: 68
    I never said it increases it, I said it keeps it stable.
    Even disregarding the metabolism statement I made, it is true that if you constantly spike your blood sugar by engaging in intermittent fasting you will store much more fat than if you eat balanced meals/snacks on a regular schedule.
    Fasting can elevate cortisol levels. Cortisol raises blood sugar. Eating every 3-4 hours helps to keep a stable blood sugar during the day and prevents cortisol and various other stress hormones such as, epinephrine and norepinephrine from taking over your system.

    Obviously, different things work for different people. I'm just offering the knowledge that I learned in school. You can take it and think about it, or discredit it, its up to you. And another obvious: as long as you eat at a deficit you will lose weight, although a lot of it will be lean muscle mass as opposed to fat (if you aren't eating right, if you're eating right you'll lose more fat).
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I never said it increases it, I said it keeps it stable.
    Even disregarding the metabolism statement I made, it is true that if you constantly spike your blood sugar by engaging in intermittent fasting you will store much more fat than if you eat balanced meals/snacks on a regular schedule.
    Fasting can elevate cortisol levels. Cortisol raises blood sugar. Eating every 3-4 hours helps to keep a stable blood sugar during the day and prevents cortisol and various other stress hormones such as, epinephrine and norepinephrine from taking over your system.

    Obviously, different things work for different people. I'm just offering the knowledge that I learned in school. You can take it and think about it, or discredit it, its up to you. And another obvious: as long as you eat at a deficit you will lose weight, although a lot of it will be lean muscle mass as opposed to fat (if you aren't eating right, if you're eating right you'll lose more fat).

    I am pretty sure the claim in the first paragraph has not been shown to be true, but would love to see any articles/studies indicating it is.
  • temp666777
    temp666777 Posts: 169
    There is simply no real science on this one way or the other.

    It is a hot topic.

    Note that it entirely relates to your CARBOHYDRATE intake. It makes utterly no difference when you put protein / fat in your stomach.

    if you are interested in this, you should buy and read "The carbohydrate addict's diet" by the doctors Heller and Heller.

    They sort of originated this idea, and there is a vast amount of info in it on their books.

    Frankly all you'll find on the internet is babble :-)

    Don't undertake any extreme, ridiculous ideas, without a LOT of GOOD information -- read the book!
  • What are the benefits etc? Would i have to eat 1200 cals in the eight hours? x

    I started this 2 weeks ago. My last meal is at 9p.m and I break my fast at 1p.m the next day. I drink loads of water in-between. The only meal I miss out on is breakfast.

    Benefits?? My high blood pressure has regulated :wink:
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    ..
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    I never said it increases it, I said it keeps it stable.
    Even disregarding the metabolism statement I made, it is true that if you constantly spike your blood sugar by engaging in intermittent fasting you will store much more fat than if you eat balanced meals/snacks on a regular schedule.
    Fasting can elevate cortisol levels. Cortisol raises blood sugar. Eating every 3-4 hours helps to keep a stable blood sugar during the day and prevents cortisol and various other stress hormones such as, epinephrine and norepinephrine from taking over your system.

    Obviously, different things work for different people. I'm just offering the knowledge that I learned in school. You can take it and think about it, or discredit it, its up to you. And another obvious: as long as you eat at a deficit you will lose weight, although a lot of it will be lean muscle mass as opposed to fat (if you aren't eating right, if you're eating right you'll lose more fat).

    If your metabolism doesn't lower for 72hrs of NOT eating, what is there to stabilize?

    So, we're completely disregarding your first argument. Check. Now we'll move onto your new argument.
    Even disregarding the metabolism statement I made, it is true that if you constantly spike your blood sugar by engaging in intermittent fasting you will store much more fat than if you eat balanced meals/snacks on a regular schedule.
    Fasting can elevate cortisol levels. Cortisol raises blood sugar. Eating every 3-4 hours helps to keep a stable blood sugar during the day and prevents cortisol and various other stress hormones such as, epinephrine and norepinephrine from taking over your system.

    We'll do this again:
    Many popular diets, such as The Zone and The South Beach diet, are based around the idea of controlling your insulin levels. These diets apparently accomplish this by eating small frequent meals that have a low effect on your blood sugar levels. While eating frequent small meals, or meals with a low ‘glycemic index’ (a measure of the meal’s effect on blood sugar) may help you ‘control’ or ‘even out’ your insulin levels, fasting for as little as 24 hours has been shown to drastically reduce your insulin levels.
    Reference:
    Halberg N, et al. Effect of intermittent fasting and refeeding on insulin action in healthy men. Journal of Applied Physiology 2005; 99:2128-2136
    In research conducted on people who fasted for 72 hours, plasma insulin dropped dramatically, reaching a level that was less than half of the their initial levels. What’s even more impressive is that 70% of this reduction happened during the first 24 hours of fasting.
    Reference:
    Klein S, et al. Progressive Alterations in lipid and glucose metabolism during short-term fasting in young adult men. American Journal of Physiology 1993; 265 (Endocrinology and metabolism 28):E801-E806

    Now I will address some of the other things you've mentioned, such as your reference to cortisol, epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine (noradrenalin). But first, you need to learn about a hormone called 'glucagon'.
    If we consider fed and fasted to be the yin and yang of metabolism, then the hormonal equivalent to fed and fasted could be thought of as insulin and glucagon. Insulin is the dominant hormone in the fed state, which causes you to store food calories in the form of fat and glycogen. Glucagon is one of the dominant hormones in the fasted state that causes fat burning.

    Quick review:
    Insulin = Fat storage
    Glucagon = Fat burning

    The primary role of glucagon is to maintain your blood sugar levels while you fast. It does this by shifting the body into ‘burning’ mode.

    Glucagon has some amazing effects on our body, including maintaining our blood sugar levels, increasing fat burning, decreasing the production of cholesterol, and increasing the release of extra fluids from the body.
    Because of the typical way we eat, we spend almost all of our time in an ‘insulin dominant’ metabolism (remember Insulin = Fat storage). By adding fasting into your lifestyle, you allow your body to revert back to a natural balance between an ‘insulin dominant’ metabolism and a ‘glucagon dominant’ metabolism.

    I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing anything showing that not eating for even 72hrs, much less 24, or even 16...causes your body to store fat.

    Lets move on to epinephrine and norepinephrine. 'Stress' hormones as you called them:
    Epinephrine and norepinephrine are both fight or flight hormones, often called adrenalin and noradrenalin. When they are released into the blood stream, they trigger the release of glucose from energy stores, and increase fat burning. They also make you feel awake and alert. Fasting increases the amounts of both of these hormones in your blood. This is your body’s way of maintaining your blood sugar levels and increasing your fuel supply by helping to release fatty acids from your fat stores.

    Again...I see nothing referencing storage of fat in a fasted state, but lets move on, to growth hormone:
    Growth hormone is getting a lot of press these days. Rumor mills are buzzing that many top-level Hollywood celebrities are taking growth hormone because it helps burn fat, build muscle, and supposedly has ‘anti-aging’ effects. Many supplement companies are scurrying around trying to find anything that will allow them to say their products can increase growth hormone.
    The ironic thing I learned from all this research is that if you want large increases in the amount of growth hormone released in your body, all you have to do is fast. Research has shown that short-term fasting can increase growth hormone levels by nearly six fold.
    References:
    Sarri KO, et al. Greek orthodox fasting rituals: a hidden characteristic of the Mediterranean diet of Crete. British Journal of Nutrition (2004), 92, 277-284

    Hartman ML, et al. Augmented growth hormone (GH) secretory burst frequency and amplitude mediate enhanced CH secretion during a two-day fast in normal men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 1992; 74(4):757-765

    Now...cortisol. I've found no information that fasting increases cortisol...as a matter of fact, with all of the hormones released that promote lean mass retention, I'd find it highly unlikely that our bodies would sabotage their own efforts by pumping cortisol into our systems. Regardless though, incorporating strength training into your exercise routine will eliminate this as an issue. Which brings me to another point. The MOST influential thing on what kind of weight you will lose when under a caloric restriction, isn't how, or when you eat. It's how you exercise. If you are performing no exercise whatsoever, intermittent fasting will be more effective at retaining lean mass than eating multiple times a day, simply through lack of insulin, and beneficial hormonal response. If you are going to eat multiple times a day, strength training will have the single greatest impact on what kind of weight you lose. For me, it's strength training and intermittent fasting. Incredibly simple, incredibly effective, and extremely liberating as my life is no longer fixated around how many times a day I have to eat.

    Now, I want to make something clear. I understand you were sharing things you learned in school...but science has proven these things to be false. I've listed, in two posts...close to what...ten studies that draw 100% opposing conclusions to yours? What's even more sad, is that many of the studies that 'supposedly' support the '5+ meals a day' method of eating, have been purposely misinterpreted and pumped out as propaganda by the food industry. The same happened with cholesterol, and dietary fats. Read the studies for yourself, draw your own conclusions.
  • ahsats
    ahsats Posts: 75 Member
    There is simply no real science on this one way or the other.

    It is a hot topic.

    Note that it entirely relates to your CARBOHYDRATE intake. It makes utterly no difference when you put protein / fat in your stomach.

    if you are interested in this, you should buy and read "The carbohydrate addict's diet" by the doctors Heller and Heller.

    They sort of originated this idea, and there is a vast amount of info in it on their books.

    Frankly all you'll find on the internet is babble :-)

    Don't undertake any extreme, ridiculous ideas, without a LOT of GOOD information -- read the book!

    You really hate carbs, huh?
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    I'm just offering the knowledge that I learned in school.
    You're in art school.
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    Time to grab some popcorn!
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    There is simply no real science on this one way or the other.

    It is a hot topic.

    Note that it entirely relates to your CARBOHYDRATE intake. It makes utterly no difference when you put protein / fat in your stomach.

    if you are interested in this, you should buy and read "The carbohydrate addict's diet" by the doctors Heller and Heller.

    They sort of originated this idea, and there is a vast amount of info in it on their books.

    Frankly all you'll find on the internet is babble :-)

    Don't undertake any extreme, ridiculous ideas, without a LOT of GOOD information -- read the book!

    This post, along with all the other virtually identical posts you've made, is so inaccurate as to be laughable.

    Look above, and check out all the 'real science' that I referenced.
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