# Intermittent fasting....



## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Anybody else do this, I have started to incorporate this in order to lose some weight and from what I hear there are other benefits as well.

I finish dinner by 5:30 and then do not have one bit of food until at least 13 to 16 hours later.


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## Fozzy (Jul 20, 2013)

I've done this for years. Most days, especially work days, i only eat a late lunch and/or dinner. In bed by 10 or 11, out the door at 5am, home by 3 or 4, cook dinner, and repeat. I do cook a big breakfast for the family on Sundays though.

I've never really noticed any health effects or tendencies toward weight loss from this, but I have a very slow metabolism. Like you, I've heard other people say this is a really important part of their weight loss routine.


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## katiecrna (Jan 29, 2016)

So I have done this but not on purpose. I have heard that it’s bad because it slows down your metabolism, that it is better to eat smaller meals but more frequently. 
I have no idea what the truth is but I am struggling to lose weight and I would love any help I can get.


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

Highly recommended and multiple studies showing benefits.
I weighed the least in my life doing intermittent fasting and loosing weight wasn't even the reason I started doing it.

The missing breakfast was tough for only 2-3 days, after that a coffee kept me satisfied until 'first meal' time. Additionally, one less meal is easier (less prep, less clean up, etc...)

It does not slow down your metabolism and it is not bad for you. Your gut does a flush and cleanup after 6 hours of no food (sleeping doesnt count) and this flush can never happen using normal eating patterns. In fact, many new studies are showing that the 'many small meals a day' keeps your body spending FAR too much energy focused on food processing instead of other healthy needs. Many small meals a day is now being pushed to people who need to gain weight and cant get enough calories in... everyone else should be doing IF if you want to loose some weight.

At the 14-16 hour mark your body shows increased brain activity (hunt for food) and old/aging cells get killed off to preserve energy. Once you eat, those dead cells get replaced with new young ones. 

I feel great doing it


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

I don't get that smaller meals more frequent thing...

To me this is way easier, I still eat three meals per day plus snacks. Basically after supper I have nothing in the evening, then it is bedtime, then I have breakfast. Kind of how a lot of kids grew up, kitchen closed after 6 nothing until morning. 

I think people make weight loss too difficult...to me that smaller meals more frequent is not always easy to do.


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## katiecrna (Jan 29, 2016)

I’m pretty sure Intermittent fasting means going a day or two without eating not 12 hours.


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## farsidejunky (Mar 19, 2014)

I just started two weeks ago. I am down 4 lbs and wasn't heavy to begin with. 

The biggest thing is I am just not that hungry when I online this with high fat and moderate to low carb meals. 

So far, so good.


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## farsidejunky (Mar 19, 2014)

katiecrna said:


> I’m pretty sure Intermittent fasting means going a day or two without eating not 12 hours.


Try looking it up. You might find you are mistaken. 

;-)


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## katiecrna (Jan 29, 2016)

highwood said:


> I don't get that smaller meals more frequent thing...
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I eat two meals a day with snacks snaking. Lunch and dinner. So technically I am always intermittently fasting according to your definition and my metabolism has slowed way down and I am at my highest weight ever and I workout 4-5x a week.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Steve2.0 said:


> Highly recommended and multiple studies showing benefits.
> I weighed the least in my life doing intermittent fasting and loosing weight wasn't even the reason I started doing it.
> 
> The missing breakfast was tough for only 2-3 days, after that a coffee kept me satisfied until 'first meal' time. Additionally, one less meal is easier (less prep, less clean up, etc...)
> ...



I agree! I heard it was good for your pancreas too as it gives it a rest....and like you said processing food all the time is stressful for the body. Good to turn to your fat reserves as well as good for your blood sugar.


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## katiecrna (Jan 29, 2016)

I think it may work for some people and not for others. For me it is not working and I eat dinner around 630ish and I don’t eat again until the next day at lunch time. Who knows. This is the way I have always eaten so I guess my body is use to it.


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## katiecrna (Jan 29, 2016)

When i look it up I see people not eating for 12-18hrs then I see another one which I think is the one that was researched were you eat normal for a few days then fast for a couple days while only consuming 500cals.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Yeah that way katiecrna does not appeal to me at all. What I like about the way I am doing it is I go to bed on empty stomach which I think is better for sleeping, etc.

Plus I find when I am hungry now that it is not that shaky uncomfortable hungry where you want to eat whatever is in front of you. I feel hungry but it is manageable. 

I think I eat less calories too. For example, right now I am having breakfast (after having no food since 5:30 last night - so 15 hours fast) and because I will be eating lunch in about 3.5 hours I am not consuming as many calories for breakfast as I would have in the past because I delayed my breakfast by a few hours later than normal. 

Google "night time fasting".


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

My friend lost a ton of post partum weight doing it. As soon as she hit her goal she found out she was pregnant again! (Failed birth control)

I tried it from last October when I stopped breast feeding. It was working good but when the holidays came around I fell off the wagon. However I am now back to pre pregnancy weight and thinking about trying again for maintenance.


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## Fozzy (Jul 20, 2013)

farsidejunky said:


> I just started two weeks ago. I am down 4 lbs and wasn't heavy to begin with.
> 
> *The biggest thing is I am just not that hungry when I online this with high fat and moderate to low carb meals. *
> 
> So far, so good.


I think this is key to making it work. The fasting itself probably has a compounding effect if you keep your glucose levels in check. If you're rocking along with full blood sugar, missing a meal probably isn't going to mean much.


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## Just another (Feb 21, 2018)

My wife does it and likes it. Been doing it for a a year or 2 now.


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## arbitrator (Feb 13, 2012)

*I guess that I subconsciously do this, but for me, regardless of my eating regimen, getting in my daily exercise seems to be the primary key!*


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

There is multiple different fasting techniques... Intermittent fasting is eating in a 8 hour window every day (start time the same every day)

Fasting for a whole day (once a week or so) is different type of fasting.


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## Primrose (Mar 4, 2015)

I have been doing a more rigid form of IF since January 1st. I have lost 20lbs and have never felt better.

I eat one meal a day- dinner- and fast the rest of the night and day consuming a large amount of water and 1-2 cups of black coffee. 

It sounds severe, but I still consume a healthy number of calories. I just have one large meal. It's really not hard at all to eat 1200-1500 calories in one sitting. I stick to 1200 on days where I do not run, but 1500 calories on days that I do run (2-4 miles). My blood pressure and blood sugar levels have never looked so good and I am now at a very healthy 145lbs for my height (5'7").


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

Primrose said:


> I have been doing a more rigid form of IF since January 1st. I have lost 20lbs and have never felt better.
> 
> I eat one meal a day- dinner- and fast the rest of the night and day consuming a large amount of water and 1-2 cups of black coffee.
> 
> It sounds severe, but I still consume a healthy number of calories. I just have one large meal. It's really not hard at all to eat 1200-1500 calories in one sitting. I stick to 1200 on days where I do not run, but 1500 calories on days that I do run (2-4 miles). My blood pressure and blood sugar levels have never looked so good and I am now at a very healthy 145lbs for my height (5'7").



I'm curious about this. On the days when I skip breakfast and lunch, I'm pretty darned hangry by about 3:00 p.m.! My blood sugar crashes if I go too long between meals. It leaves me unfocused, shaky, headachy, profoundly exhausted, and often feeling a bit faint. I've actually passed out number of times, and come very close many others. And feeling like that also tends to make me both very weepy and very cross. 

Does the low blood sugar issue go away after a given period of intermittent fasting, or was that never a problem for you? I try to spread my 1500-1600 calories per day out, so my sugar never gets low enough to cause me problems. I'm curious if the blood sugar crash is just a "me" thing, or if it's something that's fairly common but that the body adjusts to if you adhere to intermittent fasting for a while.


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## Primrose (Mar 4, 2015)

Rowan said:


> I'm curious about this. On the days when I skip breakfast and lunch, I'm pretty darned hangry by about 3:00 p.m.! My blood sugar crashes if I go too long between meals. It leaves me unfocused, shaky, headachy, profoundly exhausted, and often feeling a bit faint. I've actually passed out number of times, and come very close many others. And feeling like that also tends to make me both very weepy and very cross.
> 
> Does the low blood sugar issue go away after a given period of intermittent fasting, or was that never a problem for you? I try to spread my 1500-1600 calories per day out, so my sugar never gets low enough to cause me problems. I'm curious if the blood sugar crash is just a "me" thing, or if it's something that's fairly common but that the body adjusts to if you adhere to intermittent fasting for a while.


I experienced it, too, within the first few weeks. Usually some form of 'sweetness' helped kick me out of it real quick. I do drink a can of diet coke a day, so in the first few weeks I saved that can for the moments when I started to feel a bit off. Now my body is used to this. I won't say it never happens again, because some days ARE harder than others, but it's never to an extreme where I feel like I need to sit down.


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## Johann Sebastian (Mar 20, 2018)

I do a 20 hour fast most work days. Last year I did two to three 36-hour fasts per week for about 8 weeks in a row. That and a lo-carb ketogenic diet helped me lose about 40 lbs.


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## Faithful Wife (Oct 31, 2012)

Fozzy said:


> I've done this for years. Most days, especially work days, i only eat a late lunch and/or dinner. In bed by 10 or 11, out the door at 5am, home by 3 or 4, cook dinner, and repeat. I do cook a big breakfast for the family on Sundays though.
> 
> I've never really noticed any health effects or tendencies toward weight loss from this, but I have a very slow metabolism. Like you, I've heard other people say this is a really important part of their weight loss routine.


I've done this for years as well. I have always stayed the same size because of it. I have a very slow metabolism and can eat a very large volume of food so if I did what it seems like my body would prefer, I would balloon up over night.

However, I know my body doesn't actually prefer this - - it is just that I love food so much my mind would prefer it if I ate all the time. But my body does not like it when I gain weight, I feel like crap all the time if I'm over my ideal weight. 

My body prefers to be fit and (mostly) fat free. I feel healthy and alive in that state, but lazy and lethargic if I'm over weight.

The feeling of being "hungry" is different when you regularly fast. It is a true hunger, which means your body is quickly burning fuel and letting you know it is time to recharge. When I don't fast, I am never truly hungry. I may feel like I want food but it is a much different feeling in the body than true hunger. When I eat too much day after day and don't allow myself to get truly hungry, then I may get to experience the temporary high that comes with eating something delicious, but I never get to experience that true hunger in my body...which I enjoy because then when I do eat, food tastes so much better and my body just loves it rather than just dropping a lump of food into my tummy when I wasn't even hungry. 

People for years told me that I needed to stop doing this and that you simply HAD TO eat breakfast or you wouldn't be able to function and that fasting was bad for your body. This never made sense to me. No animal has a constant food supply, we are designed to seek out food because we are hungry. And in the wild, most animals have no choice but to gorge when they can and sometimes go without any food at all for several days. We are supposed to store fat only to get us through those times when there is no food. When I allow my body to do it's natural process like this, I can gorge once in awhile (holidays, special occasions) and it feels great when I do it so infrequently! 

Most days I have no breakfast, maybe a small snack mid day (but not always), then eat a healthy dinner that may have up to 2000 calories in itself. By the time I eat dinner, I am truly hungry and my body is so happy. I don't feel ravenous, I just feel a natural hunger and gratitude for the food. I don't start feeling hungry at all until about 4:00 pm, so it isn't like I suffer in hunger all day long.

When people used to ask me "how do you stay thin?" I stopped telling them because I got tired of them gasping and saying that you MUST EAT BREAKFAST. Thankfully, these new studies coming along that confirm what I've been doing for years is not unhealthy means I can actually answer honestly now. Some still haven't gotten the memo but it's getting passed around.

I am 50, am 5'4" and weigh 130 pounds. My weight has never been more than 5 pounds above or below that, except for a couple of brief periods when I stopped fasting (got up to 140 then kicked myself in the ass), and when I got divorced (got down to 117, not by choice...had to force myself to eat).

One more thing to note though is that I have a lot of muscle mass, and that definitely helps you with this. I think people who have less muscle mass feel the effects of hunger even more severely and have a harder time fasting. So get more muscle in whatever way you can, it always helps (in many other ways too).


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## Faithful Wife (Oct 31, 2012)

Rowan said:


> I'm curious about this. On the days when I skip breakfast and lunch, I'm pretty darned hangry by about 3:00 p.m.! My blood sugar crashes if I go too long between meals. It leaves me unfocused, shaky, headachy, profoundly exhausted, and often feeling a bit faint. I've actually passed out number of times, and come very close many others. And feeling like that also tends to make me both very weepy and very cross.
> 
> Does the low blood sugar issue go away after a given period of intermittent fasting, or was that never a problem for you? I try to spread my 1500-1600 calories per day out, so my sugar never gets low enough to cause me problems. I'm curious if the blood sugar crash is just a "me" thing, or if it's something that's fairly common but that the body adjusts to if you adhere to intermittent fasting for a while.


Definitely will get better if you do it consistently. But I honestly think it is only "easy" if you make it a lifestyle choice, not a "diet". For people who can't make it a lifestyle thing, smaller meals throughout the day will probably work better for them if weight loss is the goal.


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## citygirl4344 (Mar 4, 2016)

This is how I lost my baby weight from both kids.
It works..at least for me
I’d eat supper at 5 and then only have water until9 am the next day 
Have a healthy breakfast and lunch and then repeat.
For me it works...I think some people metabolize differently though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Faithful Wife said:


> I've done this for years as well. I have always stayed the same size because of it. I have a very slow metabolism and can eat a very large volume of food so if I did what it seems like my body would prefer, I would balloon up over night.
> 
> However, I know my body doesn't actually prefer this - - it is just that I love food so much my mind would prefer it if I ate all the time. But my body does not like it when I gain weight, I feel like crap all the time if I'm over my ideal weight.
> 
> ...


Good for you! LOL..I am the same age and height as you...only thing is I weigh 180 so my goal is to simply get down to 150 at this point and then reevaluate and maybe drop another 5 or 10 but 150 would be fine too...


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

Faithful Wife said:


> Definitely will get better if you do it consistently. But I honestly think it is only "easy" if you make it a lifestyle choice, not a "diet". For people who can't make it a lifestyle thing, smaller meals throughout the day will probably work better for them if weight loss is the goal.


Yeah, I've never really dieted much, and I've never intentionally tried intermittent fasting. But I do get busy sometimes and forget to eat anything, so I know what happens to me when I fast most of the day. That's why I was curious about only eating one meal per day. I wondered if anyone who does it had noticed that it caused problems with low blood sugar, and whether the body eventually adjusted to the new pattern or if intermittent fasting of that type is just ill-advised for someone who already has problems with hypoglycemia.


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

Rowan said:


> Yeah, I've never really dieted much, and I've never intentionally tried intermittent fasting. But I do get busy sometimes and forget to eat anything, so I know what happens to me when I fast most of the day. That's why I was curious about only eating one meal per day. I wondered if anyone who does it had noticed that it caused problems with low blood sugar, and whether the body eventually adjusted to the new pattern or if intermittent fasting of that type is just ill-advised for someone who already has problems with hypoglycemia.


You need to try it yourself to know. I think it might come down to genetics (how your body responds)
If your eating 1 meal a day you better be damn sure you are getting all your vitamins and minerals in that meal and do not create a deficiency. Living healthy is not just hitting a calorie # every day. There are some very muscular body builders that eat 1 meal a day, others that sware by Keto, IF, etc.. etc... Sometimes they directly contradict the other person but IN THE END... it works for them. So you need to figure out what your body responds to.

Expect a 2-7 day adjustment period where your body tries to figure out WTF is happening (headaches or being tire, etc..)

*Dont confuse eating 2 meals a day as IF.* IF is not the number of meals a day you have, but having that 16 hour window between food intake.


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## Livvie (Jan 20, 2014)

Rowan said:


> Faithful Wife said:
> 
> 
> > Definitely will get better if you do it consistently. But I honestly think it is only "easy" if you make it a lifestyle choice, not a "diet". For people who can't make it a lifestyle thing, smaller meals throughout the day will probably work better for them if weight loss is the goal.
> ...


Hi! I've had problems with low blood sugar my whole life. 

I've been trying intermittent fasting for awhile now. I usually go 15 not quite 16 hours without eating though. I can handle that, but during the eating window have to eat regularly spaced meals or I go too low. That part has not adjusted, is just the way I am!!


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## cc48kel (Apr 5, 2017)

I used to eat breakfast (smoothie) but for some reason, I'm not really hungry till 11 or 12. And with IF all over the internet I decided to try a few months ago. 

I could handle eating 8 hours a day and having tea and water the other 16 hours. But I believe I was still eating too much because I didn't notice anything. I started again today and I'm really making sure I eat correctly. I want this to work-- my hormones are crazy and would love to lose something!! I thought I read that it is easier for men than women-- for the fact of hormones/menapause, etc.... But I'm still going to try!! : )


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

So I have been upping it to 16 hour fast...so I finish supper by 5:30 and do not eat a morsal of food until 9:30..yesterday I went right to 11 without eating. I also try and get a workout as well in before my fast is up.

I like doing this...I feel in control with my food and the hungry part is uncomfortable of course but manageable. I sip on green tea in the morning until I eat a little something for breakfast...the advantage is that by the time 9:30 rolls around that is only about 2.5 hours until lunch so I don't feel the need to eat a lot as I know lunch is closer. So I usually just have a piece of toast with peanut butter and a yogurt. Where as prior when I would eat breakfast around 6:30 I would be inclined to eat way more to try and sustain myself until lunch.


I notice that I eat less now automatically as I seem to fill up faster but during that 8 hour window of eating I still get my calcium, fruits and veggies, protein, fiber, etc.


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## Real talk (Apr 13, 2017)

IF has no benefit other than mental. I did it for years unintentionally and lost a lot of weight, but it was from not over eating since I was compacting all my meals in a short period which prevented over eating. I'd recommend keto over anything.


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## farsidejunky (Mar 19, 2014)

No impact on insulin levels, or insulin levels do not impact the burning of fat?


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

Real talk said:


> IF has no benefit other than mental. I did it for years unintentionally and lost a lot of weight, but it was from not over eating since I was compacting all my meals in a short period which prevented over eating. I'd recommend keto over anything.


Hmmm...

Anyway I started again IF for maintenance and things were going great. Then my H who is away on a temp assignment surprised me by coming home for Easter weekend and things went completely off the rail. Not only was there no IF for the 3 days he was here but there was some serious unhealthy food consumed. The only positive was I was physically unable to consume large portions (which is not the norm for me).

The last time I went off the rails was also TG/Christmas holidays, coincidentally when H was home. FYI hubby is a gym rat, lean, and has to eat to keep his weight UP. But he LOVES my cooking and always requests the food that's not healthy (fried chicken, smothered pork chops, mac and cheese, etc). Sometimes I can resist and fix something else for myself. But lately when he's home I've been bad.

Anyway he left Monday and Im back to IF and the good thing is as of today Im back to my desired weight. If anybody has any suggestions for stopping these derailments Im all ears! In May the kids and I will be going to where he is for a couple of months and I need something in place!

Oh, @highwood you rock!


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## bandit.45 (Feb 8, 2012)

I fast for straight 48 hour sessions every other week, interspersed with one 24 hour sessions on alternating weeks. It has been very beneficial and has cleared up several problems I had including IBS and indigestion. I sip on one liter of Evian water with two tablespoons of Dead Sea salt every day during these fasts to keep my blood sugar levels steady. It's hard at first but it gets easier the more you do it. 

The FDA and so-called "health industries" are liars and frauds. 

Humans are conditioned through 20,000 years of evolution to go days without food. We would not have survived as a species for as long as we have had we not developed the ability to fast.


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## bandit.45 (Feb 8, 2012)

Deleted


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## bandit.45 (Feb 8, 2012)

Rowan said:


> I'm curious about this. On the days when I skip breakfast and lunch, I'm pretty darned hangry by about 3:00 p.m.! My blood sugar crashes if I go too long between meals. It leaves me unfocused, shaky, headachy, profoundly exhausted, and often feeling a bit faint. I've actually passed out number of times, and come very close many others. And feeling like that also tends to make me both very weepy and very cross.
> 
> Does the low blood sugar issue go away after a given period of intermittent fasting, or was that never a problem for you? I try to spread my 1500-1600 calories per day out, so my sugar never gets low enough to cause me problems. I'm curious if the blood sugar crash is just a "me" thing, or if it's something that's fairly common but that the body adjusts to if you adhere to intermittent fasting for a while.


Go buy a 6 pack of 1-liter Evian water and a jar of pink Himalayan salt or Dead Sea Salt. Mix two tablespoons of the salt into each liter. Carry a liter with you every day and just sip on it. When you get a hunger pang, take a sip. The minerals and electrolytes in the salt will keep your insulin levels stabilized.


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

Real talk said:


> IF has no benefit other than mental. I did it for years unintentionally and lost a lot of weight, but it was from not over eating since I was compacting all my meals in a short period which prevented over eating. I'd recommend keto over anything.


Except the multitude of science reports that prove it does more. 

I also felt great doing KETO while IF.


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

Rowan said:


> I'm curious about this. On the days when I skip breakfast and lunch, I'm pretty darned hangry by about 3:00 p.m.! My blood sugar crashes if I go too long between meals. It leaves me unfocused, shaky, headachy, profoundly exhausted, and often feeling a bit faint. I've actually passed out number of times, and come very close many others. And feeling like that also tends to make me both very weepy and very cross.
> 
> Does the low blood sugar issue go away after a given period of intermittent fasting, or was that never a problem for you? I try to spread my 1500-1600 calories per day out, so my sugar never gets low enough to cause me problems. I'm curious if the blood sugar crash is just a "me" thing, or if it's something that's fairly common but that the body adjusts to if you adhere to intermittent fasting for a while.


I think your problem is more about your start and end time of the IF.. Why are you skipping both breakfast and lunch.

Pick a effective time frame for your work/life/parenting schedule...
Either 10AM - 6PM
11AM - 7PM
or 12PM - 8PM

A black coffee alone should get you to 10-11AM without issue....


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## Real talk (Apr 13, 2017)

Steve2.0 said:


> Except the multitude of science reports that prove it does more.
> 
> I also felt great doing KETO while IF.


There is not a single study that says eating the same amount of calories within a certain period is more effective than eating the same amount over the course of a day. Not a single study.


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## Steve2.0 (Dec 11, 2017)

Real talk said:


> There is not a single study that says eating the same amount of calories within a certain period is more effective than eating the same amount over the course of a day. Not a single study.


Lets not confuse loosing weight (calorie defect) with the benefits of IF. 

Here is a single study for you:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103923.htm


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## USD2018 (Apr 4, 2018)

Steve2.0 said:


> Highly recommended and multiple studies showing benefits.
> I weighed the least in my life doing intermittent fasting and loosing weight wasn't even the reason I started doing it.
> 
> The missing breakfast was tough for only 2-3 days, after that a coffee kept me satisfied until 'first meal' time. Additionally, one less meal is easier (less prep, less clean up, etc...)
> ...


I work for a post doc in molecular biology and he does IF for the reasons stated above. IF is healthy for your cells and enhance the aging process.


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## Real talk (Apr 13, 2017)

Steve2.0 said:


> Lets not confuse loosing weight (calorie defect) with the benefits of IF.
> 
> Here is a single study for you:
> https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170216103923.htm


I skimmed through this but from what I read, it literally said that when they put people on a 1k calorie IF diet they got the health benefits that people usually get. They didn't compare a 1k regular diet to a 1k IF diet.


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## WorkingOnMe (Mar 17, 2012)

I recommend reading any book by Jason Fung. Start with the Obesity Code. IF works the same way all weight loss strategies work. By limiting insulin spikes. Limiting the time window for elevated insulin keeps you from storing fat. Keto does the same by eliminating insulin raising foods, and putting you into ketosis at the same time. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

USD2018 said:


> I work for a post doc in molecular biology and he does IF for the reasons stated above. IF is healthy for your cells and enhance the aging process.


Agree!

People I know who do not have weight issues and thus do not "diet" when you talk to them they naturally do IF...they don't intentionally do it but they don't eat after supper and often they skip or delay breakfast until later in the morning. They also do not watch their calorie intake and do not cut out certain foods but eat in moderation....and they do not have weight issues!!! My sister does not diet and is at a normal weight for her height and she does not eat after supper and often has breakfast later in the a.m. and she eats what she wants but in moderation.

So to me IF is teaching me to not eat all day long from morning until bedtime. 

It is sustainable and flexible..no counting of points/calories, etc.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Dr. Mike and his session on youtube about IF is amazing too. He is practical about it.


https://www.dietdoctor.com/intermittent-fasting-vs-caloric-reduction This one is good to Dr. Fung...


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Just an update....this past Tuesday was 6 weeks when I started and I have lost 10 lbs. So very happy with it!

Essentially I do an 18 6. So finish supper by 5:30 or 6:00 and have nothing but water and green tea until lunch the next day. 

Basically I eat nothing after supper and skip breakfast!

If I can get a workout in prior to breaking my fast even better, that mainly happens on weekends though.


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## katies (May 19, 2015)

I did this for a year and while it worked, it was very tough. I like food. I went from 6 pm until 11 am the next day. Now, I do IIFYM, much better for me. I don't eat much in the morning but enough so that I look forward to waking up. I didn't before.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

katies said:


> I did this for a year and while it worked, it was very tough. I like food. I went from 6 pm until 11 am the next day. Now, I do IIFYM, much better for me. I don't eat much in the morning but enough so that I look forward to waking up. I didn't before.


I don't find it that bad, yes right now I feel hungry but it is manageable. 

I don't understand your comment about liking food, so do I, I just skip breakfast and don't eat after supper.

Yesterday for lunch I had a sandwich, soup, cut up veggies, yogurt, two hardboiled eggs and a donut as a treat, then for supper had roast chicken, mashed potatos, veggies, and salad and a small dish of ice cream for dessert. Believe me I like food too 



What is IIFYM?


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## NobodySpecial (Nov 22, 2013)

katiecrna said:


> So I have done this but not on purpose. I have heard that it’s bad because it slows down your metabolism, that it is better to eat smaller meals but more frequently.
> I have no idea what the truth is but I am struggling to lose weight and I would love any help I can get.


When you fast for a long period, your loss decreases per unit of calorie deficit. So at first, you would lose like crazy. After a while, you still lose.


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## katies (May 19, 2015)

highwood said:


> I don't find it that bad, yes right now I feel hungry but it is manageable.
> 
> I don't understand your comment about liking food, so do I, I just skip breakfast and don't eat after supper.
> 
> ...


it's too hard for me to go long periods of time without food.

If It Fits Your Macros!


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## OnTheFly (Mar 12, 2015)

Another benefit of IF is autophagy. It was alluded to earlier about enhancing the aging process. Some Japanese scientist won a Nobel not long ago. The body starts to ''self eat'' the damaged and un-needed extra cells after a certain time of fasting (different time frame for different people). There is anecdotal evidence this will help with sagging skin after significant weight lose.

Dr. Jason Fung has a **** tonne of stuff on youtube and podcasts. 

Love this thread!


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

Okay, I am going to try this. I'm thinking 10:30-6:30.


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## OnTheFly (Mar 12, 2015)

personofinterest said:


> Okay, I am going to try this. I'm thinking 10:30-6:30.


Remember, it's important to get all your daily caloric/nutrient needs….but just in a smaller eating window. Some people inadvertently fall into a calorie restrictive mode…this is unwanted. 

I've been on Keto since mid-March, and I've noticed that once simple carbs were eliminated, my sugar cravings disappeared and I stopped snacking between meals. This lead to trying slightly longer fasts (24-36hr), and it was surprisingly easy. I think I'm still a long way off trying an extended fast of 3-4days, but it might come, no hurry. Keto and IF is amazing! (oh, and lifting heavy weights is good too!)


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

I am already cutting out the simple sugars and upping the water intake. My biggest hurdle is cutting the diet sodas- ugh.

I've read that IF can up energy levels too, which I need during this "change of life" phase lol


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## OnTheFly (Mar 12, 2015)

I can attest to the increased energy levels.

After years of promising myself to get in shape, usually around New Years and my birthday, and failing, I decided to try another approach. Before, I would start lifting and restricting calories (conventional advice) and get burned out within a few weeks….didn't work for me. This time, I did some research. I listened to countless youtube videos and podcasts regarding low carb, keto, primal, paleo, ancestral diets and related exercise regimes. After getting back from vacation on March Break, I dove headlong into strict keto. I got through the adaption phase with slight ''keto flu'', but quickly remedied that with electrolytes. I waited purposefully for the inevitable energy boost many people mentioned. When it came about a month after starting, I was practically forced to lift weights to burn off the extra energy. I don't lift everyday, I give plenty of time for recovery and the build up of more energy. Gotta say, it's working for me.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

I love it...as of today I started on March 27th (so 2 months) and have lost 15 lbs. I do workout a lot though...I do kickboxing 4 or 5 times per week, stair climbing, hiking, etc. If you can get a workout in before you break your fast even better, then you are in full fat burning mode.

To me it is a lifestyle that works around any schedule.

For example on mothers day we went to SIL for a bbq we finished eating by 4:00 and that was it for me until lunch the next day but...the big thing was I was eating whatever body else was...burgers, creamy salads, etc. etc.

There was a time when I would have blown the whole day because it would have been shoot might as well stuff my face today and "start again" tomorrow. Not just the day of a function but the week before.

To me it used to be that upcoming family functions meant loss of control over my eating and wait until it was over to begin....no longer do I have to "start again" 

There are some great facebook pages as well for Intermittent fasting groups.


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

I started on Monday. It's actually much easier than I thought it would be.

But I have to ask...did anyone else have some....tummy troubles when they started? If so, when will that go away lol?


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

personofinterest said:


> I started on Monday. It's actually much easier than I thought it would be.
> 
> But I have to ask...did anyone else have some....tummy troubles when they started? If so, when will that go away lol?


Not really...I got a slight headache for the first week or two.

Don't get me wrong I still get hungry before lunch but I always did even when I ate a full breakfast but there is something oddly powerful about resisting the urge to eat and realizing that it is okay to be hungry. I am not going to die Plus my 18 hour fasting period falls during sleep time too...so not that bad.

I still eat my normal lunch and supper but it used to be a battle with eating after supper now I don't event think about it...just water and that is it. 

If you can get a workout in before you are going to "break your fast" even better!


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## OnTheFly (Mar 12, 2015)

personofinterest said:


> I started on Monday. It's actually much easier than I thought it would be.
> 
> But I have to ask...did anyone else have some....tummy troubles when they started? If so, when will that go away lol?


If you are on Facebook, do a search for Dr Jason Fung and/or Megan Ramos. There are a few FB pages dedicated to them. They run IDM (Intensive Dietary Management) up here in Canada. It's a weightless program that specializes in fasting and keto/low carb. The pages are a great resource for questions like yours. 

I'm convinced IF works for any diet, but is enhanced if you are already fat adapted from the keto diet. 

The guys at work know I'm doing this keto thing, and my foreman was telling me he heard on the radio that keto was ' a'fad diet'' and was tearing into it. I mentioned they used to treat and cure epilepsy in the 1920s with the ketogenic diet, and William Banting wrote about proto-low carb, no sugar diet in the 1860s…..he then says, ''oh…..''

LOL


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

I have slept so well the past couple of night too. In fact, hubby said he tried to "wake" me last night, but I was so sound asleep I don't even remember it lol. Poor hubby


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

I have to keep it on the down low though...funny the moment I have mentioned to people that I don't eat after supper (not a big deal) and that I skip breakfast (a big deal apparently) people get all negative. THat is not good for you, are you okay, etc. etc.

Yet if I told people I sleep until 10 and eat at 11:30 (breakfast foods or lunch) they wouldn't bat an eye.

The other day I mentioned it to someone and even though I told them I have lost 15 lbs they still went on about how skipping breakfast was bad...then one girl said yeah my brother is doing that fasting thing, he is always trying these "fad" diets....and I said well it is not a "diet"....but whatever she did not look convinced. I eat what I want but in moderation, I still get my fiber/protein, at least 5 servings of fruit and veggies in, have a cookie or a small dish of ice cream in pretty much daily but somehow I am doing a fad diet.

I find it odd that if I mentioned that I was doing WW or jenny craig, etc. nobody would say much but simply not eating after supper and skipping breakfast gets everyone all upset.


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

The more I think about the long-held idea of losing weight by eating small meals all day....the more I think all that does is just keep us in the habit of eating, eating, eating.

I think about my grandparents (and their parents). They did have breakfast, but it was early - usually before sunrise. They broke early afternoon or midday for a large lunch. Dinner at night was just after dark, and it was not as big as lunch. And that was it. No snacks, no bedtime treats. And in between they were MOVING.

This eating constantly thing really goes against the way we were built, I think.


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## farsidejunky (Mar 19, 2014)

highwood said:


> Not really...I got a slight headache for the first week or two.
> 
> Don't get me wrong I still get hungry before lunch but I always did even when I ate a full breakfast but there is something oddly powerful about resisting the urge to eat and realizing that it is okay to be hungry. I am not going to die Plus my 18 hour fasting period falls during sleep time too...so not that bad.
> 
> ...


This.

When you realize it isn't hurting you, it then becomes a challenge rather than a...fear? I don't know the right word. 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

So I lost 5 1/2 pounds last week.

Booya!


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

farsidejunky said:


> This.
> 
> When you realize it isn't hurting you, it then becomes a challenge rather than a...fear? I don't know the right word.
> 
> Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


Exactly, oddly enough something empowering about not giving into hunger.

I also tell myself that I will not die from feeling hungry.


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## cc48kel (Apr 5, 2017)

How is everyone doing on IF? Like to hear about what you eat during the day..


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

cc48kel said:


> How is everyone doing on IF? Like to hear about what you eat during the day..


I'm working temporarily after being a SAHM for almost 5 years. I don't know why but I have completely fallen off the wagon. I've only been working since the 1st of June but I have gained 5 pounds! I'm so disappointed in myself after having gotten even below my pre-pregnancy weight by a couple of pounds. Now granted I still look good still fit my clothes but I'm sort of in a panic that I don't seem to be in control.

I'm still cooking clean and eating clean at home but at the office is where I am messing up big time! There is something about being tied to the desk and the phone that makes me want to eat! Some days I am out showing houses for other Realtors but on those days that I am tied to the desk it's awful!

I hope to come back with a better update soon


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

cc48kel said:


> How is everyone doing on IF? Like to hear about what you eat during the day..


I am still doing it...I have lost 25 lbs since March 27th (4 months). I am close to my goal (6 lbs left)


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## personofinterest (Apr 6, 2018)

I fell off the wagon due to a car accident. I mean, that sounds like a good excuse, but I only missed 3 days of work, so yeah....I just stopped because laziness. I haven't gained any weight, but I also haven't lost more than the 12 or so pounds I originally lost. Gotta get back on it.


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

highwood said:


> I am still doing it...I have lost 25 lbs since March 27th (4 months). I am close to my goal (6 lbs left)


Highwood that is GREAT! I know you are ecstatic! That is GOALS and you have sparked a new resolve in me!


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## cc48kel (Apr 5, 2017)

personofinterest said:


> I fell off the wagon due to a car accident. I mean, that sounds like a good excuse, but I only missed 3 days of work, so yeah....I just stopped because laziness. I haven't gained any weight, but I also haven't lost more than the 12 or so pounds I originally lost. Gotta get back on it.


Hope your OK!!! I just stopped due to laziness. Yes, to getting back on it..


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## brooklynAnn (Jun 29, 2015)

No fasting. But we do a veggie day a week. No meat, diary, fish or eggs. Just lots of veggies and tofu. I think I am going to change it and add no carbs as well. 

Congrats on your weight loss @highwood. I have gotten lazy since last Oct. only exercise once in a while. Since, I am a woman of certain age the pounds are swiftly adding on. And my hubby stop smoking and for once in his life he is putting on weight. So, we plan to do the low carb thing for a few weeks an see how that goes.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Thanks all

WHat I would recommend is try an 16:8 feeding window (8 hours of feeding window) so what works for your schedule...so if you stop eating at 6 in the evening then no food until 10 the next morning....and if you can fit a workout in prior to breaking your fast even better! Even a 15 minute good workout will be great.

If you find the 16:8 too challenging then try a 14:10 instead and work up to more fasting hours.


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## Luminous (Jan 14, 2018)

With the IF, how has your quality of sleep gone? Do you find you are sleeping any better? Not waking up during the night? Etc.

I have read (and experimented) that going to bed hungry, or just not eating for the last part of the day, resets your sleeping rhythms. Helps me as I have trouble sleeping through most nights. 

I would be interested if anyone has experienced anything similar?


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## brooklynAnn (Jun 29, 2015)

So after reading @highwood's experiences last week, I decided on doing some reading about this and give it a try. Started on Friday at 6 p.m....eat on Sat....after 1. Did same thing on Sunday. Today I felt really good in the morning....just tea and water. I have these fasting teas from YOgi and it was really good. My H buys these so call balanced waters so I had some of those. 

Maybe, I am over sharing but hey, my pee was very clear....:laugh: I thought before this my kidneys were a bit sluggish...

I thought I would get gas and bloated from fasting....I am surprised. I am going to do Keto from now on. Because my digestive system is really messed up and everything is reacting badly. That's the main reason why I want to try this IF. Food allergies is messing with the way I feel and how my body is reacting.
@highwood, please keep posting on this thread to give up newbies some help. Thank you for bringing IF to my attention again. I feel it was exactly what I needed in order to kick start something new in my life.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Hi will do...lots of stuff on YouTube too...good for you☺


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## thefam (Sep 9, 2014)

thefam said:


> I'm working temporarily after being a SAHM for almost 5 years. I don't know why but I have completely fallen off the wagon. I've only been working since the 1st of June but I have gained 5 pounds! I'm so disappointed in myself after having gotten even below my pre-pregnancy weight by a couple of pounds. Now granted I still look good still fit my clothes but I'm sort of in a panic that I don't seem to be in control.
> 
> I'm still cooking clean and eating clean at home but at the office is where I am messing up big time! There is something about being tied to the desk and the phone that makes me want to eat! Some days I am out showing houses for other Realtors but on those days that I am tied to the desk it's awful!
> 
> I hope to come back with a better update soon


Just checking in. I decided to let the IF go for bit and concentrate on eating clean and sticking to daily calorie intake. Had a good week with eating but still gained a lb. Will see how it goes and may go back to IF. Hubby is here for a few days and says I should just stop obsessing because I've done phenomenal over the past year. He also thinks the weight I got down to might be too difficult to maintain given my natural body tendencies. But he's biased because he likes me slightly thick (big butt, boobs and thighs)


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