If you do intermittent fasting....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My whole life. I did not realize it was a thing until about 2021. I've always naturally fasted 7 -9 hours from my last meal. I've been pretty much same weight since highschool (gained 15 lbs each pregnancy and lost it all first
postpartum week) and I'm 45 now.

I usually have dinner at 6pm and then eat "breakfast" around 11-1pm.

This is me. It’s how I’ve always eaten naturally … doesn’t hurt that breakfast foods are NOT my favorite so I skip straight to lunch!

I’m a size 0-2 and don’t limit what I eat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I practice intermittent fasting. I usually fast from dinner until the afternoon the next day (2 or 3 the next day, sometimes 5 pm). When both my husband and I worked outside the house I sometimes fasted 36-48 hours. Not often, but sometimes.

It helped me two ways. One, keeping from eating too much. Once I start eating in a day, it is all over -- I'm all into eating.

Second, we have a history of cancer in my family, and fasting promotes autophagy - I would like to do longer fasts again, but my family is really set against it. I don't want my kids to worry.

I do make sure that I am well hydrated. Water, tea, coffee.

From what I understand, this isn't necessarily true for women.

[Anonymous]

I tried it for 13 months. It worked but I was hungry every single day. I watched the clock every day. It was awful in the morning.
I felt I was slipping into an eating disorder.
So I stopped. Gained 10 lbs and that was 3 years ago. Much happier now.
Never noticed any cognitive improvement with it. Likely because I was too focused on how hungry I was.
I think it is beneficial for some and not others.

[Anonymous]

I have been doing it for a year now, ever since I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. My A1c was a 6.8 (a reading of 6.5 means you have Type 2), so I cut out all added sugar, drastically reduced refined carbs, and do not eat from 8 pm to noon (or later) the next day. Once a week I go on a 30 or 36-hour fast. I feel much better, and my A1c is down to 5.8, so am now at the low end of the prediabetic range.

[Anonymous]

Currently 59 and have done IF for 5 yrs. Was approaching prediabetic levels on bloodwork. Also belly fat after menopause was concerning. I briskly walk my dog and added a few kettle bell exercises during the day. I lost 20 lbs in first 5 months and have pretty much maintained this, even during Covid. For me, it’s easy to skip breakfast and eat around 12 or 1. Cutting snacking after 8pm was key.
I’m flexible when traveling or for dinner parties. I’m not normally one to diet, but having an eating window works for me. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been intermittent fasting for about four years now. I started during peri-menopause when I had really bad symptoms, including what felt like early onset dementia. I also reduced inflammatory (for me) foods, and limited carbs by not eating grains. I eat a very whole foods, vegetable heavy and protein heavy diet with things like salmon, olive oil, broccoli, chicken, etc. I generally just have dinner, but I'm flexible, on both the diet and the timing around family and celebration (so I would go out to a lunch, but not have dinner, or just a light snack). My weight is normal and I feel great. The fasting without lowering carbs was undoable for me, but where I am now is really sustainable (and my cognition is much, much improved).

I’m the PP and just starting my peri-menopause journey so I am glad to see it helped you with that.

[Anonymous]

I find it just makes it easier to maintain my weight / reduce overall “food noise”. I’ve been casually doing it on and off for about 10 years - barring pregnancy, I’ve stayed within the same healthy 5 lb weight range. I’m sure there are other benefits too but that’s why I do it

[Anonymous]

My co worker has lost 30 lbs since Nov. '23 doing intermittent fasting. He only eats from 12:30 pm. to 8 pm.

He has 30 lbs more to go.

I think it's really just like getting used to the idea of being hungry and rolling with it. That's not a bad thing, but giving it a name like "intermittent fasting" sounds more posh. A lot of people in the US could get used to feeling a little bit hungry when they go to bed.

I don't know if my normal schedule counts as IF -- but we eat dinner at 6 p.m. and breakfast at 7 a.m. on weekdays. On weekends, it's a little later. So, it's always been my schedule to go 12.5 hours between dinner and breakfast. That's just a normal life to me. I don't snack after dinner or between meals. I just eat three meals and then have a 12.5 hr gap overnight. Seems to work.

[Anonymous]

Ladies, read “Fast Like a Girl” or listen to her videos if you are pre menopause or menopausal. Fasting can work great as a youngish person but can also wreak havoc on hormones. Her plan works with your cycle.

I did IF for many years and lost weight and maintained. But I hit 42 and hormones started changing and I think my extreme fasts started working against me.

I started following her plan and have adapted it even more so I’m not doing crazy fasts anymore. I typically do 15 hours and 1 longer fast right after my period and right after ovulation. I think it’s made a difference in fat loss. And cycle issues.

[Anonymous]

Also I know someone who fasted and did Keto to such an extreme she put herself into pre menopause . She reversed that and at 46 has normal cycles and regulated hormones again.

[Anonymous]

For the perimenopausal and menopausal women who do IF, do you know how much protein you take in daily? (Or do you not track that macro?) I lost weight on IF a few years ago, but I felt like I was becoming "skinny fat," that is, losing too much muscle as part of the IF.

I want to take in at least 90g protein daily because I lift (I also run), but that's hard to do in just two meals and a snack. I've been eating my first meal of the day at 10 or 10:30, and my last food around 7:30.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the perimenopausal and menopausal women who do IF, do you know how much protein you take in daily? (Or do you not track that macro?) I lost weight on IF a few years ago, but I felt like I was becoming "skinny fat," that is, losing too much muscle as part of the IF.

I want to take in at least 90g protein daily because I lift (I also run), but that's hard to do in just two meals and a snack. I've been eating my first meal of the day at 10 or 10:30, and my last food around 7:30.

I aim for 100g or more. That’s why I reduced my fasting to 15 hours and started eating breakfast again.

[Anonymous]

I typically fast from 7pm-2pm. The hard part is not having a snack after dinner. I’ve always hated breakfast. Eating a big breakfast makes me feel sick. It’s just too early for food. I do however make my family a big breakfast

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For the perimenopausal and menopausal women who do IF, do you know how much protein you take in daily? (Or do you not track that macro?) I lost weight on IF a few years ago, but I felt like I was becoming "skinny fat," that is, losing too much muscle as part of the IF.

I want to take in at least 90g protein daily because I lift (I also run), but that's hard to do in just two meals and a snack. I've been eating my first meal of the day at 10 or 10:30, and my last food around 7:30.

I aim for 100g or more. That’s why I reduced my fasting to 15 hours and started eating breakfast again.

Thanks for answering! Yeah, I'm finding it too hard without a breakfast meal to hit my protein target, but I think the 15 hours you mentioned is doable.

And good for you for getting 100+!!!

[Anonymous]

I think I'm gonna have to do this, I've gained some inexplicable weight in the last few months and hate how I look. Skipping breakfast is probably the quickest way to easily and consistently eat less, along with trying not to eat seconds at dinner. I will ease up on the weekends with my family or days I have to leave for work at 530 AM though.