Help! Eat to Lose or Intermittent Fasting???
Replies
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IF isn't a binging plan. You pretty much delay your first meal depends on whatever fasting protocol you're following then you eat the way you normally would. So for example lets say you do a 24 hours fast. Your last meal could be at dinner around 6pm then you won't eat until 6pm the next day giving you a 24 hour fasting period. The next day when you eat, you eat the amount of calories you would normally eat at dinner. You're not gonna gorge yourself to make up for lost time. The extra calories from your fasted days are then spread over the rest of the week.
You can do both together and I think it's more beneficial to do so. I started eating 800 calories two days a week at dinner then the other five day's I'm eating around 2200 calories. I'm pretty active too so my exercise is included in those calories.
Thank you! This is probably the most concise and clear description I have read so far and it's starting to click. I think something like that would work great when I'm not working and not on my regular schedule... maybe I'll try it when I'm on leave and see how it goes. It may work out better as I anticipate all the social events in the evening (dinner with friends, bbqs)... Kinda reminds me of not eating all day in anticipation of Thanksgiving, haha... but yes I know to count every calorie during those one-meal days.
Maybe it's just me, but it's hard to break the habit of thinking that if I don't eat all day and then eat 800-1000 calories that my body is going to "hold on to them"
I find it easier on days where you are working or busy because you don't have to spend time cooking. I try to cook all my meals so it frees up some time for me during the day. For myself, I still eat in moderation and count calories on holidays and events so I wouldn't use this as an excuse to over eat. By the end of the week my average calories are still going to be where I like them. I think my diary is open to friends so you can add me to see.
Also just wanted to add that I agree with the the posts about trying to have a sensible eating plan and exercise routine first. You still really do have to eat pretty healthy even if you are going to fast.0 -
I agree with most of the posts that say 1200 is too few calories! Not only are you near starvation mode at that point... it's impossible to get all your nutrients from food.. which is where we should be geting them whenever possible. I found it helped me tremendously when I started focusing on eating the most nutritionally powerful foods available and the weight fell away naturally. We want to eat for our insides (heart, arteries, etc.) as much as for how we'll look on the outside. I found that a plant-based way of eating (not a diet!) with an emphasis on whole foods was key to feeling great and beating those cravings. You might consider checking out the films "Forks Over Knives" and "Let me be Frank" and "Vegucated". Best of luck with achieving your goal!0
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P.S. I found this to be a very helpful description of what happens in our body when we intermittently fast (go below our BMR):
http://drbenkim.com/fasting-fast-one-day-week.htm0 -
That article is highly misleading, and does not take into consideration, adequate protein consumption, to prevent muscle breakdown. To anyone thinking of doing IF i highly recommend you, do some research first. I am doing IF and have been for 5 months, have a look at my pofile pics, do i look like my muscles have, withered away and turned to nothing, as the article suggests.0
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You need to try the 1200 calories first. Try it for 2 months and if there is not significant weight loss then go to zig zagging your calories. If that doesnt work then try the fasting. 1200 calories is enough you just need to learn what to eat. Lean proteins are the way to go to stay full. I have been on 1200 calories for the last 6 weeks, it was challenging at first but now is quite easy. I have breakfast, lunch, snack and then dinner. so 250 calories for breakfast, 400-lunch, 150-snack, and 400-dinner. Drink LOTS of water. When you get hungry chug a bottle of water, you will realize you may not have been hungry at all.
**Do not do this...do as other have suggested and keep your calories up and eat nutrient dense healthy food. Starvation is no way to lose weight.Have you ever heard of BODY BY VI 90 DAY CHALLENGE? Our business is to help people reach their goals! Check out overview.visalus.com and my website is http://debib0721myvi.com. We are the #1 HEALTH FITNESS COMPANY IN THE WORLD! Please check it out and give me a call. 216-533-8522. Thank you and Good Luck!
First thing you do is ignore this garbage. Lousy salespeople...
I could not agree more with this statement...
That being said, I second sidesteal. Good luck!0 -
P.S. I found this to be a very helpful description of what happens in our body when we intermittently fast (go below our BMR):
http://drbenkim.com/fasting-fast-one-day-week.htm
You have no idea what you are talking about. IF has nothing to do with going below BMR. Most people who IF eat 2,000 calories plus. Unless you are morbidly obese, your BMR would never be above 2,000 calories.
IF is about eating ALL of your daily calorie allotment in one or two meals a day rather than the prescribed 5 or 6 meals.0 -
You need to try the 1200 calories first. Try it for 2 months and if there is not significant weight loss then go to zig zagging your calories. If that doesnt work then try the fasting. 1200 calories is enough you just need to learn what to eat. Lean proteins are the way to go to stay full. I have been on 1200 calories for the last 6 weeks, it was challenging at first but now is quite easy. I have breakfast, lunch, snack and then dinner. so 250 calories for breakfast, 400-lunch, 150-snack, and 400-dinner. Drink LOTS of water. When you get hungry chug a bottle of water, you will realize you may not have been hungry at all.
**Do not do this...do as other have suggested and keep your calories up and eat nutrient dense healthy food. Starvation is no way to lose weight.Have you ever heard of BODY BY VI 90 DAY CHALLENGE? Our business is to help people reach their goals! Check out overview.visalus.com and my website is http://debib0721myvi.com. We are the #1 HEALTH FITNESS COMPANY IN THE WORLD! Please check it out and give me a call. 216-533-8522. Thank you and Good Luck!
First thing you do is ignore this garbage. Lousy salespeople...
I could not agree more with this statement...
That being said, I second sidesteal. Good luck!
Thank you Amnski! No worries, I ignored that immediately :-) Glad you saw this and responded... it is hard to break from the mindset of being able to eat more than 1200 calories. I was on daily plate years ago before this and that's what it said as well. It just has proven impossible to keep the weight off... I'm hoping this time I can do it and keep the results around.0 -
After reading what you wrote, I don't think Intermittent Fasting would suit your eating patterns, my mom is very similar to you! There are so many methods that make people lose weight, and IF is just one of them.
If you end up eating badly throughout the day on 1200 calories, you may tend to binge eat even on healthy foods when you are finished your fast, which defeats the purpose in a sense.
Test some methods out and see what works for YOU and most importantly keeps you comfortable and satisfied, at the end of the day, the only way you'll keep the weight off is when you can stick to a method of eating.
Hope it helps, good luck
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Have you ever heard of BODY BY VI 90 DAY CHALLENGE? Our business is to help people reach their goals! Check out overview.visalus.com and my website is http://debib0721myvi.com. We are the #1 HEALTH FITNESS COMPANY IN THE WORLD! Please check it out and give me a call. 216-533-8522. Thank you and Good Luck!
First thing you do is ignore this garbage. Lousy salespeople...
AGREE!!!!
Please don't resort to shakes for weight loss. It sounds like you know what to eat anyway :-)0 -
Intermittent fasting (IF) is not a method of weight loss, it is a lifestyle that some people ascribe to because their body reacts well to it. If you're looking to lose weight, IF will not help you by itself. You're going to have to look at calories in/out, and the quality of the food you eat, but timing is not at all important.
1200 calories is too low for most people, even women. If your BMR is more than 1200, your metabolism will suffer for it.
If I were you I would figure out my BMR, TDEE, and set up a calorie deficit of my TDEE minus 15% or 20% (depending on how much weight you have to lose). Then I would make sure to always eat more than my BMR, but less than TDEE. You need to fuel your body depending on your activity level, whether you are IF or not.
Believe me. I was at 1200 calories and completely stalled (for a couple of years) until I started eating MORE (I have an active lifestyle). I make sure to eat nutritious food that consists mostly of meat and vegetables. Some fruit and dairy. Relatively low simple carbohydrate intake (I'm kind of sensitive to gluten personally). Finally I'm seeing my body change for the better.
IF isn't going to make a difference if you don't have your nutrition nailed down0 -
**Do not do this...do as other have suggested and keep your calories up and eat nutrient dense healthy food. Starvation is no way to lose weight.I could not agree more with this statement...
That being said, I second sidesteal. Good luck!
I don't know about you, but when it comes to nutrition advice, I'm gonna trust the girl with the killer abs ...
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Unless you are morbidly obese, your BMR would never be above 2,000 calories.
My BMR is estimated at about 2100.0 -
Unless you are morbidly obese, your BMR would never be above 2,000 calories.
My BMR is estimated at about 2100.
Your a man... I meant for a woman... should have clarified.
And... I was just using those numbers as an example. The point to my statement is that IF is not about eating below BMR.0 -
Your a man... I meant for a woman... should have clarified.
And... I was just using those numbers as an example. The point to my statement is that IF is not about eating below BMR.
You are correct that it is very unlikely for a woman's BMR to be above 2000 calories. That said, anyone who follows the method of eating more to weigh less will always eat OVER their BMR. They don't strive to eat exactly their BMR.
Also, IF has nothing to do with the number of meals you eat. Some people use IF on a weekly, not daily, basis, or are completely varied on when they use IF. The basis of IF is giving yourself a smaller window of time in which to eat, or creating a period during which you will fast (could be an entire day). Honestly, it sounds like you googled Intermittent Fasting so you could sound more erudite in this particular post.0 -
This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.
I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?
^^^This has been very true for me also. Any changes you make have to be ones you can keep up with in the long run.. Also You could try eating the amount of calories the "thin" you would eat...ex: you at 120lbs would need x amount of calories/day to maintain...eat that amount and eventually with exercise you will weigh that amount....double check me but thats would i've read and has worked for me.0 -
Wow! great question with a ton of great responses.
I don't really have anything super helpful to add, but just thought I'd share that I personally tried IF a few years ago and it didn't work for me. I just never felt great during the fast. Some people report that they feel energized during the fasting stage. Not me.
Low-carb, frequent meals, and intense exercise have worked for me. The problem is sticking to it even AFTER I've reached my goal. A few years ago I got down to my goal weight but then didn't keep up the work once I got there and slowly inched back up to where I started.
I agree with the many other posters who said you really just have to figure out what works for you and what you can stick to! You can do it!!!0 -
This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.
I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?
^^^This has been very true for me also. Any changes you make have to be ones you can keep up with in the long run.. Also You could try eating the amount of calories the "thin" you would eat...ex: you at 120lbs would need x amount of calories/day to maintain...eat that amount and eventually with exercise you will weigh that amount....double check me but thats would i've read and has worked for me.
The eating the amount that the "thin" you would eat is the philosophy of the fat2fitradio podcast. As long as you are close enough to your goal weight (not 100 pounds or more away, eg.), this should be able to be done w/o dropping below your current BMR.0 -
Your a man... I meant for a woman... should have clarified.
And... I was just using those numbers as an example. The point to my statement is that IF is not about eating below BMR.
You are correct that it is very unlikely for a woman's BMR to be above 2000 calories. That said, anyone who follows the method of eating more to weigh less will always eat OVER their BMR. They don't strive to eat exactly their BMR.
Also, IF has nothing to do with the number of meals you eat. Some people use IF on a weekly, not daily, basis, or are completely varied on when they use IF. The basis of IF is giving yourself a smaller window of time in which to eat, or creating a period during which you will fast (could be an entire day). Honestly, it sounds like you googled Intermittent Fasting so you could sound more erudite in this particular post.
Exactly why are you lashing out at me? I clearly stated that I myself have not practiced IF for personal reasons. I have googled it... but not for this post... but out of my own interests. You really should read the whole thread before you make assumptions about one person. Yes, your feeding window can vary... but I posted in response to the individual that suggested that the protocol for IF is to eat below BMR. If I did not defend my point clearly for your tastes, then I apologize, but either way, I was defending IF. I thought you were also.0 -
This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.
I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?
^^^This has been very true for me also. Any changes you make have to be ones you can keep up with in the long run.. Also You could try eating the amount of calories the "thin" you would eat...ex: you at 120lbs would need x amount of calories/day to maintain...eat that amount and eventually with exercise you will weigh that amount....double check me but thats would i've read and has worked for me.
The eating the amount that the "thin" you would eat is the philosophy of the fat2fitradio podcast. As long as you are close enough to your goal weight (not 100 pounds or more away, eg.), this should be able to be done w/o dropping below your current BMR.
That seems to look right I think... I just went back to the calorie calculator http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ and if I change my weight and body fat to my "dream self" i.e. 140 pounds, 22% body fat, it says 1729 calories to maintain... that's what I just set my goal to. What I'm also wondering is if the fat2fit or EMTWL goal has to be adjusted down on non-workout days, or if they're taken into account when you are setting it up (desk job, light excercise, moderate, etc.).... maybe it's just counting on the weekly deficit and you're supposed to eat at your net every day? Just curious because today I'm not going to the gym and I'm at 1700 calories. My BMR is 1534, TDEE is 2110, and with the goal of -20% it's 1688 calories a day.0 -
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[/quote]Sounds about right. i would start with 1700 calories a day and do a mix of ST and Cardio. They will help things along. If you plateau, then add another 200 calories for a month to see if that helps.
Ok!! :-) Thank you... I feel like this is clearing things up for me and I'm excited to continue and see what happens. Going on vacation in 5 days so I'm worried about my workout plan, but will continue counting calories and try to hit the gym with my fiance. Vacations are always tough, but I am tired of having to spend the whole month afterward losing what I gained (I get an R&R every 3 months so in the past it's been a free for all of drinking and eating all my favorite foods. I can't do that any more! Love the comments and appreciate the feedback
There are some great strength training routines out there for when you're on holiday. My favorites:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/17/advanced-body-weight-workout-warning-this-will-kick-your-*kitten*/0 -
This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.
I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?
^^^This has been very true for me also. Any changes you make have to be ones you can keep up with in the long run.. Also You could try eating the amount of calories the "thin" you would eat...ex: you at 120lbs would need x amount of calories/day to maintain...eat that amount and eventually with exercise you will weigh that amount....double check me but thats would i've read and has worked for me.
The eating the amount that the "thin" you would eat is the philosophy of the fat2fitradio podcast. As long as you are close enough to your goal weight (not 100 pounds or more away, eg.), this should be able to be done w/o dropping below your current BMR.
That seems to look right I think... I just went back to the calorie calculator http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ and if I change my weight and body fat to my "dream self" i.e. 140 pounds, 22% body fat, it says 1729 calories to maintain... that's what I just set my goal to. What I'm also wondering is if the fat2fit or EMTWL goal has to be adjusted down on non-workout days, or if they're taken into account when you are setting it up (desk job, light excercise, moderate, etc.).... maybe it's just counting on the weekly deficit and you're supposed to eat at your net every day? Just curious because today I'm not going to the gym and I'm at 1700 calories. My BMR is 1534, TDEE is 2110, and with the goal of -20% it's 1688 calories a day.
However, when I recalculate it and put no activity "desk job", it says to meet my goal I should eat 1473 calories a day. Just wondering if I do an even 1700 if I'll still see a loss at the end of the week...0 -
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This is a great question. I don't have an exact answer for you. The thing is everyone is different and what works for some, doesn't work for others. They key is changing your lifestyle to something that is sustainable. If you lose weight in a way that is not sustainable and you don't make changes to the way you "live" you life - you won't keep the weight off.
I am sure both of these ways work to some degree - however, which one do you see yourself taking on as your lifestyle?
^^^This has been very true for me also. Any changes you make have to be ones you can keep up with in the long run.. Also You could try eating the amount of calories the "thin" you would eat...ex: you at 120lbs would need x amount of calories/day to maintain...eat that amount and eventually with exercise you will weigh that amount....double check me but thats would i've read and has worked for me.
The eating the amount that the "thin" you would eat is the philosophy of the fat2fitradio podcast. As long as you are close enough to your goal weight (not 100 pounds or more away, eg.), this should be able to be done w/o dropping below your current BMR.
That seems to look right I think... I just went back to the calorie calculator http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ and if I change my weight and body fat to my "dream self" i.e. 140 pounds, 22% body fat, it says 1729 calories to maintain... that's what I just set my goal to. What I'm also wondering is if the fat2fit or EMTWL goal has to be adjusted down on non-workout days, or if they're taken into account when you are setting it up (desk job, light excercise, moderate, etc.).... maybe it's just counting on the weekly deficit and you're supposed to eat at your net every day? Just curious because today I'm not going to the gym and I'm at 1700 calories. My BMR is 1534, TDEE is 2110, and with the goal of -20% it's 1688 calories a day.
My understanding is that you eat that much even if you don't work out that day. It should be OK as long as you put the right amount of activity when setting up (lightly active, moderately active, etc.). Yesterday was my rest day and I ate a little less than my 1800 but still above my BMR. I think I was at about 1600 yesterday. I was lazy, though. A lot of computer work so I only got about 6000 steps in. LOL0 -
We are similiar except for age. I'm 48, 5'5", currently 175 lbs, starting wt. 212.5(in December), goal wt. 129 lbs. MFP has me at 1480 calories, to lose 1 lb a week, which I usually do. My BMR is 1496, my TDEE is 1792. I try to hit between those two levels on a daily basis. I sort of do the zig zag method. I walk on my treadmill at 3.5 mph, 4x a week for 30 minutes. Lately, I've been doing 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night, not consistently, though. I haven't started strength training, but would like to soon. Hope this helps, good luck.0
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However, when I recalculate it and put no activity "desk job", it says to meet my goal I should eat 1473 calories a day. Just wondering if I do an even 1700 if I'll still see a loss at the end of the week...
Whether you use this strategy or that (FItBit, online TDEE calculator, X cals/lb, roll dice a bunch of times) it's just an estimate of how many calories you burn throughout the day. Some are more accurate than others, but they should all be still used with a healthy dose of criticism. The difference between 1700 and 1473 isn't that great. You're not going to gain 100 lbs eating at 100 for a couple weeks (nor will you waste away to nothing eating at 1500). Pick one, split the difference, whatever. Just gauge your progress from there and adjust accordingly.0 -
However, when I recalculate it and put no activity "desk job", it says to meet my goal I should eat 1473 calories a day. Just wondering if I do an even 1700 if I'll still see a loss at the end of the week...
Whether you use this strategy or that (FItBit, online TDEE calculator, X cals/lb, roll dice a bunch of times) it's just an estimate of how many calories you burn throughout the day. Some are more accurate than others, but they should all be still used with a healthy dose of criticism. The difference between 1700 and 1473 isn't that great. You're not going to gain 100 lbs eating at 100 for a couple weeks (nor will you waste away to nothing eating at 1500). Pick one, split the difference, whatever. Just gauge your progress from there and adjust accordingly.
Thank you for breaking it down for me... the scale keeps going up (4 pounds the last week) and I don't even see how this is possible since I've been going to the gym and eating better (although a little more than I was)... but hanging in there. :-)0 -
Binging and fasting doesn't sound like a lifestyle to me, it sounds like an eating disorder. I'm 6', 198 pds (started at 212). I was also given 1472 calories. I think this is a better idea for you. I would suggest just starting with learning how to eat, then adding the exercise in after a month or two, and eating back the majority of those calories. Your body needs fuel to survive!0
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However, when I recalculate it and put no activity "desk job", it says to meet my goal I should eat 1473 calories a day. Just wondering if I do an even 1700 if I'll still see a loss at the end of the week...
Whether you use this strategy or that (FItBit, online TDEE calculator, X cals/lb, roll dice a bunch of times) it's just an estimate of how many calories you burn throughout the day. Some are more accurate than others, but they should all be still used with a healthy dose of criticism. The difference between 1700 and 1473 isn't that great. You're not going to gain 100 lbs eating at 100 for a couple weeks (nor will you waste away to nothing eating at 1500). Pick one, split the difference, whatever. Just gauge your progress from there and adjust accordingly.
Thank you for breaking it down for me... the scale keeps going up (4 pounds the last week) and I don't even see how this is possible since I've been going to the gym and eating better (although a little more than I was)... but hanging in there. :-)
How long have you been on the changed diet and how much did you increase your intake by? Your body adapts to the calories you give it (i.e. if you eat less you tend to burn less calories and if you eat more you tend to burn more calories). There are extremes that it cannot overcome (you won't burn 0 calories per day unless you're dead, for example), but within reasonable limits this happens. If you're on a very restrictive diet and suddenly bump up your calories, you'll almost invariably see a weight spike up front (this is the reason I had suggested increasing in small steps, slightly less heart-attack-on-the-scale material that way). This can be a lot of things that I don't fully understand, but it's not all fat. Look at it this way. I had a cheat weekend this past weekend, and this morning my weight was 8 lbs higher than Friday, just 3 days prior. Did I eat more calories (mmmmmm beer) than usual? Yes. Did I eat 3500*8=28,000 calories over my TDEE in that time frame? Of course not.
Stick with it, if it doesn't come off after a few weeks then reassess, but until then try not to sweat it too much.0 -
Binging and fasting doesn't sound like a lifestyle to me, it sounds like an eating disorder. I'm 6', 198 pds (started at 212). I was also given 1472 calories. I think this is a better idea for you. I would suggest just starting with learning how to eat, then adding the exercise in after a month or two, and eating back the majority of those calories. Your body needs fuel to survive!
You are grossly oversimplifying a perfectly healthy eating pattern given a complete misunderstanding of what IF actually is.0
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