Intermittent Fasting

[hawkinsblake]

Hello,

Hey everyone just wanted to start a quick topic to see if anyone else has tired, failed, or is curious about Intermittent Fasting. In the case of intermittent fasting (IF), the "diet" actually refers to periods of fasting, meaning you are restricted to eating very little—or nothing at all—for periods of time lasting anywhere from 16-24 hours. It may sound a little crazy, but intermittent fasting has been suggested as an effective weight loss tool, with research supporting its ability to increase fat oxidation, reduce body weight, and accelerate fat loss. 

The central idea behind the implementation of intermittent fasting is to reduce overall calorie consumption, ideally resulting in weight loss. Typically, IF protocols will have the individual undergo a period of intentional severe calorie restriction (ranging from 0-25 percent of the individual's normal daily caloric intake) for a period of 16-24 hours. Following the restrictive phase, the individual returns to relatively normal energy intake for 8-24 hours, depending on which version of IF they are following.

I am doing the 16 hour fast where I consume nothing but water and a cup of black coffee in the mid morning to hold me over. Then I eat my normal range of calories for the day in an 8 hour window. For me this is from Noon to 8pm. I am on my 5th day so can't atest to being an expert but I am loving all the research I have found and was just curious to see if there is anyone else out there.

[Raviv]

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@Jayla wrote:
Hi there ... I am new to using the fitbit and new to if. I am a woman but I am still going to give it a shot. When I was younger I would only eat one meal a day due to my busy schedule and I always felt good and healthy. Now that my life is so different and I eat whenever, I have packed on the pounds and I now need to lose about 40 pounds. I have been looking in to the effects of eating once per day since it use to be my way of life and learned that it is basically IF. So I think I will start with the 16:8 but do the 24 hour fast a couple of times a week.

I think the it worked for me in the past is because I am really short and honestly I can not eat that many calories before I start to gain weight. I set the fitbit up and said I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week and according to their calculations, I can only have 200 calories per day if I don't work out at all! Haha I guess I better get on the tread mill!

I have tried the low carb diets and I honestly I feel like I might die before the 1st day is over. How important do you think the keto part of your IF is to your weight loss success? I had not planned to eat low carb .. I was just thinking to try the IF but I may give the keto a try. Also I don't have a juicer but I do have a vita mix .. and I think I should dust it off! 🙂

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First, try not setting your caloric deficit so high.  You're just going to frustrate yourself, and with 40 pounds to lose, there's no reason to have a 1,000 calorie deficit.  You'd be better off (and happier) with something closer to 750, or a pound and a half per week loss.

Second, if you want to try low carb, be really good about it and give it 2-3 weeks.  It doesn't work well for everyone but it works well for a lot of people.  The first 2-3 weeks are a bear, though.  You'll likely be dragging through the day and craving carbs more than you could imagine.  But get through that "carb flu" period and you'll feel a lot better.  If low carb is right for you, then your energy will go back up and your cravings will go down.

[Jayla]

I think you are right about setting the goal to one and a half pounds .. I will do that! 40 pounds doesn't sound all that bad but to someone who is 4'10" it seems to be sidelining my whole life. I guess I didn't realize how hard losing 2 pounds per week would be! Thank you very much for the advise and tips on the low carb aspect. 🙂

[divedragon]

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@Jayla wrote:
Hi there ... I am new to using the fitbit and new to if. I am a woman but I am still going to give it a shot. When I was younger I would only eat one meal a day due to my busy schedule and I always felt good and healthy. Now that my life is so different and I eat whenever, I have packed on the pounds and I now need to lose about 40 pounds. I have been looking in to the effects of eating once per day since it use to be my way of life and learned that it is basically IF. So I think I will start with the 16:8 but do the 24 hour fast a couple of times a week.

I think the it worked for me in the past is because I am really short and honestly I can not eat that many calories before I start to gain weight. I set the fitbit up and said I wanted to lose 2 pounds a week and according to their calculations, I can only have 200 calories per day if I don't work out at all! Haha I guess I better get on the tread mill!

I have tried the low carb diets and I honestly I feel like I might die before the 1st day is over. How important do you think the keto part of your IF is to your weight loss success? I had not planned to eat low carb .. I was just thinking to try the IF but I may give the keto a try. Also I don't have a juicer but I do have a vita mix .. and I think I should dust it off! 🙂

I would love to continue to hear about your success and also any advise that you have for me! Thanks a bunch! 🙂
Jayla

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Jayla,

I don't pay a lot of attention to fitbit in terms of calorie prediction as it doesn't seem realistic or consistent with things I know to be true.  Everyone has a Basil Metabolic Rate - the rate at which our bodies burn calories just to survive.  There are rules of thumb around these rates with women (varies by age, size and other conditions) average between 1800-2000 calories/day.  Men 2000-2400.  If you use this number and reduce your caloric intake from here, you should experience weight loss.  From what you've told me, I would estimate you could eat 1200-1400 calories / day, giving you roughly a 200-300 calorie per day deficite.  Add some moderate exercise on top of this and you should see about a 1.5 - 2 lb loss per week.  If you engage in IF, consume these calories within your window.  You should also add resistance training to your exercise program.  3 days a week for 30 minutes.  You don't have to kill yourself.  Stick to compound exercises such as bench press, military press, rows and squats.

For me, I try to maintain between 1500-1800 cal per day.  I'm 57 and have a very sedentary job, but by adding in exercise I've been loosing weight.  I base my calories on a BMR of 2000/day. 

[hawkinsblake]

Hello everyone! Really excited how this page is starting to "re take off". IF has really changed my life and nothing is more inspiring then hearing all of you and your success and honestly just the kind responses you guys (and gals) make. It's hard in this day and age to find a group of strangers where it doesn't get negative. Next saturday Oct 3rd will officially be 3 months for me and like I have stated before I am hooked and there is no turning back! I will give a update on the actual anniversary but look at the attached picture and you can see I was doing good losing weight but the second I adopted the IF lifestyle I dropped and dropped fast not to mention 5% body fat!!! Lets keep encouraging each other and please reach out and friend me on Fitbit and maybe we can get some challenges going just to keep us all moving and on our feet. I love being able to tell people that I do eat healthy but with IF I have lost  26 lbs all while having the occasional slice of pizza and Chipotle burrito. Not a bad diet if you ask me!!!! 

Blake

[divedragon]

Awesome results! Hang in there, looks like your goal is fast approaching.

I hope to experience the same.  First two weeks were outstanding and tomorrow is weigh day again.  I've actually done more steps this week than is normal for me "On the road".  I've been getting up at 5-5:15 and getting in at least 6k before I start my work day.  I'm walking 45 minutes at lunch, then walking to dinner in the evenings.  I didn't intend to walk this morning, but woke up at 5 on my own and said the heck with it and strapped on my running shoes.  I've been doing walk/jogs.  Today is travel day, so around 2ish CDT I'll be riding to the airport followed by walking to bus, bus to terminal through security, fly to Atlanta and walk through that airport, then to Chattanooga and a walk to my car. There is potential for a lot of steps there.

I also joined a month to month gym that is directly across from the hotel I stay in, so I can do good workouts once or twice a week in addition to when I'm home. 

I too am sold on IF.  I don't have to worry about  breakfast or lunch, just dinner.  I have plenty of energy and sometimes too much (in that I can't seem to sit still).  Not only am I loosing weight, I can see my body changing.  I 'pig out' at dinner (so it seems to me) and that provides my physcological benefit, but in all I only eat about 15-1800 calories.  The hotel also has a grill so last night I grilled pork chops, aparagus, sweet potato slices and sweet onion slices.  I added a balsamic glaze to the onions and SP and they were awesome.  I cooked a couple of extra to eat on the plane this evening.

IF will be a way of life for me.  Once I'm down to my goal weight, I will still continue it, but maybe expand my calories and my window a touch (current window is 4 hours).  I just booked a trip to Hawaii the weekend before thanksgiving, so maybe I'll have a beach body by then!!! 

[Jayla]

Hi there ... thanks for the tips! 🙂

[Jayla]

Way to go Blake .. you can really see on the picture that the IF is working consistently for you!

[hawkinsblake]

Thanks Jayla for the friend request! I will send you a challenge here shorly so we can keep each other moving! Divedragon your progress excites me to no end! Sounds like you have an extremely busy work life and love that IF can play into that and make the whole eating thing easier on you. Don't you love when dinner time comes around and you have so much in calories left and you can eat yourself almost sick and still reach a calorie deficit! I have some people at work that were not sold on this lifestyle choice I made but now that they are seeing the results and energy I have even after an hour in the gym each day they are slowly starting to change their attitude and a couple have asked to join the "club". hahaha 

Blake

[Keith2112]

Great results Blake!!  I'm down about ~5lbs in my 1st month of 16:8 IF following the LCHF method.

[divedragon]

It's Friday and another weigh in day.  Just climbed off the scale and for the 3d week in a row lost 3 lbs.  That's 9 lbs in 3 weeks.  I'm now at 205.5

My body is in full fast mode.  I will have a picture much like yours hawkinsblake on my weight loss graph.  I can see the 200 lb mark fast approaching.  If the trend continues, 2 more weeks!  Feel free to use my results as further evidence to your co-workers.  I'm doing the same with mine.

[hawkinsblake]

Divedragon,

THAT IS AWESOME!!!!! Congrats to you! I am going to attach that picture again of 1 pound of fat just so everyone on here can see that you lost 3 of those! I decided to get on the scale myself and have dropped another 2lbs! Not to mention I had a burrito for dinner last night the size of a small child! hahah. 

[Sebani]

@hawkinsblake @divedragon

Hey guys! I was introduced to IF by divedragon from my own thread and I thought I'd give it a shot. I did some reading and apparently the results are less effective on women as well as it fudging up reproductive hormones, so for the moment, I only want to try it 3 days a week. I'm planning to start at 15:9 3 days a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 

So a question I had was, when I'm doing IF, should I be eating the recommended 1250 calories a day to lose 1lb a week or regular calories? (about 1600-1800 cals to maintain)

Anything else I need to know? How can I beat the hunger pangs??

[divedragon]

Hi Sebani,

I would do the calorie restriction. (1250).  It should enhance your fat loss and remember it will probably take two weeks to get your body converted, especially since your dieting as just started.  I think I responded quickly as I was already in the calorie restricted mode. 

FYI, one of my sisters started IF two weeks ago.  She is past child bearing years, but she does report she has more energy, has stopped taking naps and has more mental clarity.  She says its enough that even if she doesn't loose weight the other benefits are worth it.

[hawkinsblake]

Sebani,

Welcome to the discussion! Yes if you read on page one of this thread you will see I mention there is a lower success rate among females and some risk in an unhelathy reduction in estrogen. But there are ways around it some ladies just extend their eating window to more of a 14hr fast and 10hr feeding window. The experts say to see a benefit from daily fasting you should at least fast for 12 hours so as long as you get past that you should be good and see some benefits. 

Your plan to start with 15:9 sounds good and a safe approach to me. I can say you just need to listen to your body and after a couple days you will see when your body is "truely" hungry and can adjust your feeding window to meet your needs. Everyone is different and it's all about finding what fits your life!

I would suggest you stick with 1250 cals as your goal further boost your fasting effects. What kind of exercise are you planning on doing? 1250 sounds so low and can be pretty hard so just remember the more time you get to stepping it will add to that number. I will say ladies have it much harder with this whole process as not to brag but I get around 2200 calories a day to play with and it stretches to 3k when I get a solid workout out in. 

I will try to keep this short as you probably don't want to read a book of my opinions hahaha. I would suggest you get on YouTube in your spare time and watch some videos by Joelle Suess. She is an IF and can give you better advice from a woman's perspective on IF then I can. As far as the hunger pains go...its all about identifying what they mean. Drinking plenty of water helps and keeping busy. I highly recomend a couple cups of balck coffee in the morning to keep you energized and focused not to mention coffee is a natural appiteite supressent. 

Blake

[divedragon]

Sebani,

Piggy backing on Hawkinsblake, here is a youtube video where an MD discusses his wife's transformation using IF.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZZWOXhoFpo

[divedragon]

Here's another image of a lb of fat.

[SharonH123]

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@divedragon wrote:

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Jayla,

I don't pay a lot of attention to fitbit in terms of calorie prediction as it doesn't seem realistic or consistent with things I know to be true.  Everyone has a Basil Metabolic Rate - the rate at which our bodies burn calories just to survive.  There are rules of thumb around these rates with women (varies by age, size and other conditions) average between 1800-2000 calories/day.  Men 2000-2400.  If you use this number and reduce your caloric intake from here, you should experience weight loss.  From what you've told me, I would estimate you could eat 1200-1400 calories / day, giving you roughly a 200-300 calorie per day deficite.  Add some moderate exercise on top of this and you should see about a 1.5 - 2 lb loss per week.  If you engage in IF, consume these calories within your window.  You should also add resistance training to your exercise program.  3 days a week for 30 minutes.  You don't have to kill yourself.  Stick to compound exercises such as bench press, military press, rows and squats.

For me, I try to maintain between 1500-1800 cal per day.  I'm 57 and have a very sedentary job, but by adding in exercise I've been loosing weight.  I base my calories on a BMR of 2000/day. 

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I'm taller than Jayla - 5 2 1/2 and have had my BMR tested and it was only 1350. When I was in extraordinary shape with high muscular mass and low body fat, my BMR topped out around 1850. So no, women are not typically between 1800 and 2000 a day. That is maintenance when factoring in daily activites for women who are not short. (Before exercise)

[divedragon]

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@SharonH123 wrote:

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I'm taller than Jayla - 5 2 1/2 and have had my BMR tested and it was only 1350. When I was in extraordinary shape with high muscular mass and low body fat, my BMR topped out around 1850. So no, women are not typically between 1800 and 2000 a day. That is maintenance when factoring in daily activites for women who are not short. (Before exercise)

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Sharon,

You are correct and I formed my comments incorrectly and used terms interchangably that are not interchangable.  Thank you for bringing this to my attention so I can communicate more effectively.

What I should have said is that the average woman in the course of daily living without exercise will burn approximately 1800-2000 calories a day and a male 2000-2400.  This includs BMR plus minimal activity such as walking, preparing food, dressing, etc.  theoretically, if one were to eat their BMR and have normal daily activity, they should lose weight and, in effect this is what I recommend.  I base my figures on 2000 a day and cut from there to 1500-1800.  At 1500, that should be 500/day and 3500 hundred per week which is 1 lb of fat.  With the added exercise, the deficit increases and I end up loosing approximately 1.5-2 lbs a week.  With intermittent fasting, I've seen that increase to 3 lbs a week. 

[Jayla]

Hi guys .. great discussion here! I weighed in yesterday because I would like for my weigh in day to be Friday .. I started on Monday so this was a short week. I lost 2.3 pounds so I feel pretty good about that! 🙂

I have had my metabolism taken before .. I blew in this tube that was hooked to a machine for 10 minutes (is that what you did)? I'm not sure how reliable it was but it said that my metabolism was just a touch under 1100. So then you would add the amount of calories that you earned for the day which is around 350 .. getting 1450 for maintenance. Then you subtract the amount that corresponds with how much you want to lose per week .. so 750 for 1.5 which leaves me 700 per day. Which is basically what the fit bit figures .. I think it figured 770 so actually it is really close if I figured that out correctly. Side note the gal that did the metabolic test said she didn't see anybody have that low so she did it again with the same results.

So if I only have 700 calories a day it is way better for me to have them all together at night. Hunger for me has not ever been bad in the morning it hits around noon so that is when I have my coffee or tea. You are right about keeping busy that really helps!

Yesterday I forgot my fitbit a home ... I was so sad oh well I bet I don't do that again! Thanks for all the great discussion this is a fun part of my day! 🙂

[LocoMutant]

I've been doing 16/8 and one bad side effect is extreme consipation.  I have IBS and use certain things to regulate it but I guess taking medication/vitamins is all over the place.  I've lost 5 lbs last week on it 85lb since my weightloss journey begins.  How do you guys regulate medicine while on it so it doesn't throw off your body?