intermittent fasting

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. For those who have been doing IF, a couple questions...

1. Did you just jump right into it and fast for 2 days? How rough a start is it? I work and have young kids and worry about being angry and/or unfocussed.
2. If you fast for entire days or multiple days, do you also exercise? Only exercise on days you eat? Or don't exercise at all?

Thanks.

1. I started with 12, then 14, then 16, then 18, then 24 hour fasts. Took a couple of months to get to 24. Just doing 14 was a big accomplishment for me at first!

2. I do two 36-42 hour fasts most weeks. Amazingly, exercising while fasted is great!!! I have more energy and growth hormone spikes when you feast after fasting, so it's great for muscle growth too.

Despite what Dr. Fung says, fasting is not a long-term, sustainable diet.

That would have been news to both of my Indian grandmothers and women of their generation. They kept weekly religious no-food fasts for almost their entire adult lives and lived into their nineties.

Weekly religious fasts are typically a day, right? Or Ramadan, which is a limited fast over a month? Not eating only 2 or 3 days out of the week, as PP is doing. Sorry, that's abusing your body and it will catch up to you.

Not the pp, but another Hindu Indian poster and my mom and grandparents also fasted 2 days a week for pretty much their entire adult lives. Not just one day a year, not just a set few weeks a year but all the time. My cousin also fasts, though he only does a once a week fast.

It's very common for Hindus to fast at least one day a week, every week. Some do more like 2 or 3 days, it's up to them.

I doubt these people do intense exercise and/or work office jobs.

[Anonymous]

Yes, all fasting Hindus watch Netflix all day long... that is why they are taking over corporate America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. For those who have been doing IF, a couple questions...

1. Did you just jump right into it and fast for 2 days? How rough a start is it? I work and have young kids and worry about being angry and/or unfocussed.
2. If you fast for entire days or multiple days, do you also exercise? Only exercise on days you eat? Or don't exercise at all?

Thanks.

1. I started with 12, then 14, then 16, then 18, then 24 hour fasts. Took a couple of months to get to 24. Just doing 14 was a big accomplishment for me at first!

2. I do two 36-42 hour fasts most weeks. Amazingly, exercising while fasted is great!!! I have more energy and growth hormone spikes when you feast after fasting, so it's great for muscle growth too.

Despite what Dr. Fung says, fasting is not a long-term, sustainable diet.

That would have been news to both of my Indian grandmothers and women of their generation. They kept weekly religious no-food fasts for almost their entire adult lives and lived into their nineties.

Weekly religious fasts are typically a day, right? Or Ramadan, which is a limited fast over a month? Not eating only 2 or 3 days out of the week, as PP is doing. Sorry, that's abusing your body and it will catch up to you.

Not the pp, but another Hindu Indian poster and my mom and grandparents also fasted 2 days a week for pretty much their entire adult lives. Not just one day a year, not just a set few weeks a year but all the time. My cousin also fasts, though he only does a once a week fast.

It's very common for Hindus to fast at least one day a week, every week. Some do more like 2 or 3 days, it's up to them.

I doubt these people do intense exercise and/or work office jobs.

You clearly do not know many Indians.

[Anonymous]

Have you all seen the documentary about fasting where there are special fasting clinics in Europe and Russia for people with auto immune conditions. They are under medical supervision and fast for weeks to a month at a time and it completely resets their system, gets them off medications and then they maintain some sort of fast in their real life. Even a cancer clinic in LA is doing trials on it. It's really interesting!

[Anonymous]

I am about a month into every other 24 hours (BLD,B_ _), and it could be the novelty but so far I have lost 10-15 lbs (of 40 to lose) and it's been pretty manageable. I do get hangry some fasting evenings and sometimes I get really cold in my hands and feet. But my appetite seems better controlled on eating days and it's a relief to not have to obsess over food on eating days. I try not to go nuts, I keep foods basically healthy and portions reasonable, but that's it. I eat bread.

In the past when I have dieted with normal calorie restriction or low carb, I've lost weight but it's come back really fast - like if I have one restaurant meal on the road or whatever (e.g. sushi or fajitas) I can easily gain 5 lbs that don't come off any easier than any others. So far with this, my weight doesn't go up much (maybe 1-2 lbs) after eating days even if I eat a big/salty dinner. I don't know if that's because of metabolism, insulin, or is nothing at all, and I don't care.

The first week was the hardest so if you're trying it, I'd say try 5 fasts before you give up.

I don't eat anything but water during the fasting period, that 500 calories thing sounds like insane torture to me. Like just doing a tiny hit of heroin.

Feeling optimistic and I hope this helps someone else who's considering it! I'm hoping it will be sustainable too, maybe I can cut back to 1-2 times per week but keep the same program for maintenance long term.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you all seen the documentary about fasting where there are special fasting clinics in Europe and Russia for people with auto immune conditions. They are under medical supervision and fast for weeks to a month at a time and it completely resets their system, gets them off medications and then they maintain some sort of fast in their real life. Even a cancer clinic in LA is doing trials on it. It's really interesting!

The Science of Fasting? I saw it. I doubt any American would put much value into USSR and Russian communist science, German research and Italian even if he is working at USC. I think that we can learn a lot from former USSR research and from Asian and Indian philosophies and lifestyle. Yoga is fixing my chronic back pain, and it is cheaper than physical therapy and healthier than steroids. But, I am Slavic. I am also pp who doesn't believe our bodies have evolved to accommodate this many calories, and that we still operate on short bursts of feast and long periods of famine. My own grandmother observed lent as did all the "peasants" in my country until communists took over. Heavy or not, it seems that benefits of fasting are primarily health related and weight loss is a byproduct.

[Anonymous]

I did fasting 16/8 for about 3 months. Then, my schedule changed and ai had to stop. Not only did I gain back the weight, but I look so much more bloated. I'm not sure it was worth it. I didn't change my diet other than when I consumed it and, no, I don't eat sugar, alcohol or a lot of processed foods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am about a month into every other 24 hours (BLD,B_ _), and it could be the novelty but so far I have lost 10-15 lbs (of 40 to lose) and it's been pretty manageable. I do get hangry some fasting evenings and sometimes I get really cold in my hands and feet. But my appetite seems better controlled on eating days and it's a relief to not have to obsess over food on eating days. I try not to go nuts, I keep foods basically healthy and portions reasonable, but that's it. I eat bread.

In the past when I have dieted with normal calorie restriction or low carb, I've lost weight but it's come back really fast - like if I have one restaurant meal on the road or whatever (e.g. sushi or fajitas) I can easily gain 5 lbs that don't come off any easier than any others. So far with this, my weight doesn't go up much (maybe 1-2 lbs) after eating days even if I eat a big/salty dinner. I don't know if that's because of metabolism, insulin, or is nothing at all, and I don't care.

The first week was the hardest so if you're trying it, I'd say try 5 fasts before you give up.

I don't eat anything but water during the fasting period, that 500 calories thing sounds like insane torture to me. Like just doing a tiny hit of heroin.

Feeling optimistic and I hope this helps someone else who's considering it! I'm hoping it will be sustainable too, maybe I can cut back to 1-2 times per week but keep the same program for maintenance long term.

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

Not really, because I eat breakfast every day. Every other day I skip lunch and dinner. Truly it feels less pre-occupying than trying to restrict calories every day. It's just one decision, then waiting for breakfast.

Honestly some part of society is always mad at me for my body and diet so, whatever. Sorry you're mad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

Not really, because I eat breakfast every day. Every other day I skip lunch and dinner. Truly it feels less pre-occupying than trying to restrict calories every day. It's just one decision, then waiting for breakfast.

Honestly some part of society is always mad at me for my body and diet so, whatever. Sorry you're mad.

I’m not mad. I’m trying to understand, as I also need to lose weight, but need to be wise about it. I’m happy to hear you at least have breakfast, and I hope it’s a filling one.

Do you have a spouse/significant other? Is he okay with your plan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

Not really, because I eat breakfast every day. Every other day I skip lunch and dinner. Truly it feels less pre-occupying than trying to restrict calories every day. It's just one decision, then waiting for breakfast.

Honestly some part of society is always mad at me for my body and diet so, whatever. Sorry you're mad.

I’m not mad. I’m trying to understand, as I also need to lose weight, but need to be wise about it. I’m happy to hear you at least have breakfast, and I hope it’s a filling one.

Do you have a spouse/significant other? Is he okay with your plan?

DP. I think that those of us who are trying IF probably have rejected the basic premise that is driving your worry - and I appreciate that you really do have concern for the PP's wellness. You express yourself kindly! We've been taught that our body is like a car with a very small gas tank, and you need to keep filling it or you run out of gas, and that is bad for you. The thinking behind IF is that we aren't even using our gas tanks (which are actually quite large, and can fuel us for a very long time) if we eat all the time, we are bypassing the fuel tank and just mainlining fuel to the engine. The fuel tank is your fat, and it is meant to be used as fuel, not sit there forever on your hips. There is a bunch of stuff on insulin, and how eating triggers insulin, and insulin supresses using fat for fuel. But you don't access that fuel tank until you don't have insulin running around your body, and if you have food in your belly digesting you are going to have insulin. Fasting (in whatever form) is a way to get to the point where your body will burn fat for fuel. For many of us who have spent half our lifetimes trying stuff and counting calories and obsessing about food, simply not thinking about food for hours and hours at a time is a deep relief. It feels like the opposite of a disorder - the disordered thinking was the constant thinking about food and eating little controlled amounts that just made you think more about food. I am not saying that calorie counting is disordered, at all, or that working to eat small healthy meals is unhealthy. Just that for some of us, this truly is a healthy relief. It isn't for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here. For those who have been doing IF, a couple questions...

1. Did you just jump right into it and fast for 2 days? How rough a start is it? I work and have young kids and worry about being angry and/or unfocussed.
2. If you fast for entire days or multiple days, do you also exercise? Only exercise on days you eat? Or don't exercise at all?

Thanks.

1. I started with 12, then 14, then 16, then 18, then 24 hour fasts. Took a couple of months to get to 24. Just doing 14 was a big accomplishment for me at first!

2. I do two 36-42 hour fasts most weeks. Amazingly, exercising while fasted is great!!! I have more energy and growth hormone spikes when you feast after fasting, so it's great for muscle growth too.

Despite what Dr. Fung says, fasting is not a long-term, sustainable diet.

That would have been news to both of my Indian grandmothers and women of their generation. They kept weekly religious no-food fasts for almost their entire adult lives and lived into their nineties.

Weekly religious fasts are typically a day, right? Or Ramadan, which is a limited fast over a month? Not eating only 2 or 3 days out of the week, as PP is doing. Sorry, that's abusing your body and it will catch up to you.

Not the pp, but another Hindu Indian poster and my mom and grandparents also fasted 2 days a week for pretty much their entire adult lives. Not just one day a year, not just a set few weeks a year but all the time. My cousin also fasts, though he only does a once a week fast.

It's very common for Hindus to fast at least one day a week, every week. Some do more like 2 or 3 days, it's up to them.

I doubt these people do intense exercise and/or work office jobs.

You clearly do not know many Indians.

Actually, I do. PP, were the mom and grandparents you mention physically active people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

Not really, because I eat breakfast every day. Every other day I skip lunch and dinner. Truly it feels less pre-occupying than trying to restrict calories every day. It's just one decision, then waiting for breakfast.

Honestly some part of society is always mad at me for my body and diet so, whatever. Sorry you're mad.

I'm not PP and I understand your frustration. However, do you not see that this is not healthy mentally, and not sustainable? I know the pro-IF people jump all over that, but times and people change. Eat small, clean meals and you will lose weight naturally. This crap is insane, and I hope you don't have kids, especially daughters, you are modeling it for. I'm trying to eat lighter and my boys ask why I"m not getting food at Dunkin Donuts for example. They notice.

[Anonymous]

I would forget to fast on my fasting days. Clearly, it did not work for me. But in terms of diets, it was the easiest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

NP.

So in January you only ate 16/31 days, with water only for 15/31 days?

This is an eating disorder, not intermittent fasting. Seriously.

Not really, because I eat breakfast every day. Every other day I skip lunch and dinner. Truly it feels less pre-occupying than trying to restrict calories every day. It's just one decision, then waiting for breakfast.

Honestly some part of society is always mad at me for my body and diet so, whatever. Sorry you're mad.

I’m not mad. I’m trying to understand, as I also need to lose weight, but need to be wise about it. I’m happy to hear you at least have breakfast, and I hope it’s a filling one.

Do you have a spouse/significant other? Is he okay with your plan?

DP. I think that those of us who are trying IF probably have rejected the basic premise that is driving your worry - and I appreciate that you really do have concern for the PP's wellness. You express yourself kindly! We've been taught that our body is like a car with a very small gas tank, and you need to keep filling it or you run out of gas, and that is bad for you. The thinking behind IF is that we aren't even using our gas tanks (which are actually quite large, and can fuel us for a very long time) if we eat all the time, we are bypassing the fuel tank and just mainlining fuel to the engine. The fuel tank is your fat, and it is meant to be used as fuel, not sit there forever on your hips. There is a bunch of stuff on insulin, and how eating triggers insulin, and insulin supresses using fat for fuel. But you don't access that fuel tank until you don't have insulin running around your body, and if you have food in your belly digesting you are going to have insulin. Fasting (in whatever form) is a way to get to the point where your body will burn fat for fuel. For many of us who have spent half our lifetimes trying stuff and counting calories and obsessing about food, simply not thinking about food for hours and hours at a time is a deep relief. It feels like the opposite of a disorder - the disordered thinking was the constant thinking about food and eating little controlled amounts that just made you think more about food. I am not saying that calorie counting is disordered, at all, or that working to eat small healthy meals is unhealthy. Just that for some of us, this truly is a healthy relief. It isn't for everyone.

Thank you, I understand. I lost 35 pounds using Ideal Protein, and it was a good system. However, I did gain once i added in carbs and alcohol, because I didn't keep track of my consumption or stay in phase 4. That plan does use fat for food, and was easy to follow. I just don't think its a long term solution.

On the other hand, my natural routine is to only eat between 11-7pm, and that isn't working for me. So I'm trying to figure out how it is working for everyone here. Do I need to live a life without alcohol, and carbs? That seems to be all that works for me.