Intermittent Fasting. Anyone tried it?

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  • TheAncientMariner
    TheAncientMariner Posts: 444 Member
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    I do it. I agree with the philosophy behind it but I don't do the supplements. I just don't eat between 8pm and 12pm the next day. It works for me and allows me to better control my macros. I'm eating the same calories and everything, just doing it within an 8 hour window instead of stretching it out an entire day. So far I like it, but I try to keep it as less technical as possible.

    This is exactly how I did it for about 2 months. I was unemployed at the time, so it gave me a lot of structure to my day, which I was lacking, and that led to grazing. I really paid more attention to what I was eating. Also helped me realize I had been typically starting my day with anywhere from 300-500 calories just in the cream and sugar I was putting in my (way too many cups of) coffee!

    I think it's sort of like a low carb diet in the way that the people who it works for absolutely love it, and the people it doesn't work for, it absolutely does not work for. There's a plan that suits everyone, this just happens to be part of mine.

    That's funny because it made me really think about the sugar I was putting into my coffee as well! It really made me take a better look of my overall sugar intake. I will say that it would be much more difficult without coffee, which kills any hunger pangs (which I rarely get). Now that I'm moving to the first shift from second shift, I'll miss being able to work out in a fasted state, but I don't think that's going to hurt anything in the long run and I still may be a quick early morning jog in anyway :)
  • Anelda
    Anelda Posts: 99 Member
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    I adore IF as I do the leangains approach. I hated the whole packing 6 mini meals a day and heaven forbid I go out at night and I only have 350 calories left for the night. I find IF way more flexible for myself and my husband both in terms of meal planning and what we can eat.

    I also love the feeling of being full and eating a large meal at the end of the day. I hate the mini meals approach as it never left me feeling full or satisfied.

    And for god's sake people, a famine after a day? Seriously?
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    I do it. I agree with the philosophy behind it but I don't do the supplements. I just don't eat between 8pm and 12pm the next day. It works for me and allows me to better control my macros. I'm eating the same calories and everything, just doing it within an 8 hour window instead of stretching it out an entire day. So far I like it, but I try to keep it as less technical as possible.

    This is exactly how I did it for about 2 months. I was unemployed at the time, so it gave me a lot of structure to my day, which I was lacking, and that led to grazing. I really paid more attention to what I was eating. Also helped me realize I had been typically starting my day with anywhere from 300-500 calories just in the cream and sugar I was putting in my (way too many cups of) coffee!

    I think it's sort of like a low carb diet in the way that the people who it works for absolutely love it, and the people it doesn't work for, it absolutely does not work for. There's a plan that suits everyone, this just happens to be part of mine.

    Glad you enjoy it as well!
  • Stewie316
    Stewie316 Posts: 266 Member
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    I just started fasting one day a week ths week. I'm not doing IF, instead I'm doing a full day. Yesterday was my fast day and I was only briefly hungry once around dinner time. Im close to goal and tired of dieting, so for me fasting once a week gives me my deficit for the week and the other 6 days I can eat at maintenance.

    I'm also trying to get over my food obsession and figured that maybe having one day where I don't ave to think about food will help.
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
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    I do it. I agree with the philosophy behind it but I don't do the supplements. I just don't eat between 8pm and 12pm the next day. It works for me and allows me to better control my macros. I'm eating the same calories and everything, just doing it within an 8 hour window instead of stretching it out an entire day. So far I like it, but I try to keep it as less technical as possible.

    This is exactly how I did it for about 2 months. I was unemployed at the time, so it gave me a lot of structure to my day, which I was lacking, and that led to grazing. I really paid more attention to what I was eating. Also helped me realize I had been typically starting my day with anywhere from 300-500 calories just in the cream and sugar I was putting in my (way too many cups of) coffee!

    I think it's sort of like a low carb diet in the way that the people who it works for absolutely love it, and the people it doesn't work for, it absolutely does not work for. There's a plan that suits everyone, this just happens to be part of mine.

    That's funny because it made me really think about the sugar I was putting into my coffee as well! It really made me take a better look of my overall sugar intake. I will say that it would be much more difficult without coffee, which kills any hunger pangs (which I rarely get). Now that I'm moving to the first shift from second shift, I'll miss being able to work out in a fasted state, but I don't think that's going to hurt anything in the long run and I still may be a quick early morning jog in anyway :)

    It didn't take me long to learn to drink my coffee black! If you're changing your sleep schedule, you could think about possibly altering your feeding hours as well. That morning run is completely necessary in my day lol!
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
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    I adore IF as I do the leangains approach. I hated the whole packing 6 mini meals a day and heaven forbid I go out at night and I only have 350 calories left for the night. I find IF way more flexible for myself and my husband both in terms of meal planning and what we can eat.

    I also love the feeling of being full and eating a large meal at the end of the day. I hate the mini meals approach as it never left me feeling full or satisfied.

    And for god's sake people, a famine after a day? Seriously?

    I had to have a serious conversation with my mother about the myth that is starvation mode lol.... She was hanging on to 30 year old conventional wisdom. It was a long war, but I won. ;)
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    I adore IF as I do the leangains approach. I hated the whole packing 6 mini meals a day and heaven forbid I go out at night and I only have 350 calories left for the night. I find IF way more flexible for myself and my husband both in terms of meal planning and what we can eat.

    I also love the feeling of being full and eating a large meal at the end of the day. I hate the mini meals approach as it never left me feeling full or satisfied.

    And for god's sake people, a famine after a day? Seriously?

    I was the same way, I never felt satisfied from smaller meals throughout the day, but having large meals like you do from IF seemed amazing to me. It almost feels like it's a reward at the end of the day for having the discipline to remain fasted when I'm suppose too.

    I also felt the famine post from the person was quite funny, not sure how they figured you become famished after only a day lol.
  • cranberrycat
    cranberrycat Posts: 233 Member
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    I just read about this last week, so thought I would try it.

    I traditionally had been eating breakfast and was still very hungry by lunchtime. So, I was curious to see how it went without eating breakfast in the morning. To my surprise, I am not any worse off as far as the hunger part goes. And, I am finding that it is really helping me cut back on my late night cravings. Have yet to see if it is effective for weight loss, but for the first time in weeks I actually fell below my calorie goal and don't feel hungry!

    The downside right now is that after I eat at 12 pm, I am still hungry, and it seems that I am eating to "catch up". Does this feeling get any better over time? How long does it take?
  • mrsfickle
    mrsfickle Posts: 34 Member
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    Thanks for posting this! I am going to get more information and try it. Been at a plateau and have been looking for new ideas! I do not eat breakfast and eat most of my calories between dinner and bedtime.
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
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    I just read about this last week, so thought I would try it.

    I traditionally had been eating breakfast and was still very hungry by lunchtime. So, I was curious to see how it went without eating breakfast in the morning. To my surprise, I am not any worse off as far as the hunger part goes. And, I am finding that it is really helping me cut back on my late night cravings. Have yet to see if it is effective for weight loss, but for the first time in weeks I actually fell below my calorie goal and don't feel hungry!

    The downside right now is that after I eat at 12 pm, I am still hungry, and it seems that I am eating to "catch up". Does this feeling get any better over time? How long does it take?

    If you're doing a full workout in the morning, the early meal should be your largest of the day. Try redistributing your calories a little, that should help. :)
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    I just read about this last week, so thought I would try it.

    I traditionally had been eating breakfast and was still very hungry by lunchtime. So, I was curious to see how it went without eating breakfast in the morning. To my surprise, I am not any worse off as far as the hunger part goes. And, I am finding that it is really helping me cut back on my late night cravings. Have yet to see if it is effective for weight loss, but for the first time in weeks I actually fell below my calorie goal and don't feel hungry!

    The downside right now is that after I eat at 12 pm, I am still hungry, and it seems that I am eating to "catch up". Does this feeling get any better over time? How long does it take?

    Your first meal should be around 50% of your calories for the day if you're doing IF, so maybe increase the amount of food for your meal at 12! Hungry pains subside after a couple days, stick through it and you will get past that part of it!
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    Thanks for posting this! I am going to get more information and try it. Been at a plateau and have been looking for new ideas! I do not eat breakfast and eat most of my calories between dinner and bedtime.

    You're welcome! :happy:

    It helped me out of my plateau so hopefully it will help you as well!
  • belinus
    belinus Posts: 112 Member
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    True, but your body doesn't go into that famine mode within that 16 hour fasted period. Takes longer than that for your body to think you need to start storing fat. Plus, you have all those calories you consumed still in your body being used as energy from the day before.

    You don't want that stuff in your blood overnight as it will interfere with a few things (like hgh). Protein is good (i.e. cottage cheese, tuna, string cheese, etc.) because it helps delay catabolism during the night.
  • cranberrycat
    cranberrycat Posts: 233 Member
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    OK, will try increasing the calories for the first meal. Scares me to think I am eating like 600 calories for one meal, though!

    Oh, and I work from 8-5, so my workout does not happen during the fasting phase.
  • vade43113
    vade43113 Posts: 836 Member
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    Just recently started to try it... after one day, the only bad part I found was becoming bored.... At work I am busy, at home there isn't much to do. Or I get stressed out, for reasons I don't wish to expand on.....So staying on the fast becomes difficult.

    But, I will adapt, I always have before, I will this time too :D

    Don't eat out of boredom, you don't want to do that anyways. If you can, try getting out of the house and finding outdoor activities you can enjoy and keep food off your mind.

    I know, I can honestly say... the house is cleaner, now , than it has been for the past year... As for ideas for things to do, still trying to find things in my area. I kind of live in tiny town usa...
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
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    You don't want that stuff in your blood overnight

    what stuff is that?
  • MizSaz
    MizSaz Posts: 445 Member
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    True, but your body doesn't go into that famine mode within that 16 hour fasted period. Takes longer than that for your body to think you need to start storing fat. Plus, you have all those calories you consumed still in your body being used as energy from the day before.

    You don't want that stuff in your blood overnight as it will interfere with a few things (like hgh). Protein is good (i.e. cottage cheese, tuna, string cheese, etc.) because it helps delay catabolism during the night.

    wait, wut?
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    True, but your body doesn't go into that famine mode within that 16 hour fasted period. Takes longer than that for your body to think you need to start storing fat. Plus, you have all those calories you consumed still in your body being used as energy from the day before.

    You don't want that stuff in your blood overnight as it will interfere with a few things (like hgh). Protein is good (i.e. cottage cheese, tuna, string cheese, etc.) because it helps delay catabolism during the night.

    Go to the sources I posted on here, they address HGH and how fasting has positive affects towards HGH levels.

    http://healthreads.hubpages.com/hub/The-value-of-fasting-in-raising-HGH-levels
  • itsjustdawn
    itsjustdawn Posts: 1,073 Member
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    not a magic bullet, to much micro managing and restrictions for little to no added reward

    Never claimed it to be some kind of "magic bullet", but have you actually done any research on it, or are you talking from ignorance? Just thought I'd inform people on this way of living, it has worked for thousands of people and helped them out of fat loss plateaus like it did for me. You shouldn't knock it unless you've tried it and personally know that there's "little to no added reward".

    I personally have not tried IF, but I am not into training either. A friend of mine is doing it and feels great. She just started like 2 weeks ago.
  • TheFitFireman
    TheFitFireman Posts: 185 Member
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    I personally have not tried IF, but I am not into training either. A friend of mine is doing it and feels great. She just started like 2 weeks ago.

    You don't have to be training to try IF! It's just a timing of when you eat, so training or not you can still try it out :happy:

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