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Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

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Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#11

Post by daxfohl »

tag: things_that_will_have_no_effect_on_your_life_but_you_think_might

(edit: I eat two meals a day, except sometimes I'm hungry in the morning and then I do often get hungry again soon afterward too and end up eating 4-5 meals that day, but I think everyone's metabolism is different, and moreover different at different times, and feel more harm than good can often come out of these studies, especially when presented to data-centric people like HN readers). (Not to mention, I think a lot of it doesn't matter at all (searching for "Douglas Adams Nutrition" diatribe but not finding it).

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#12

Post by x5n1 »

valine wrote: post #2

> The scientific community remains divided about the value of intermittent fasting. Critics say that the science is not yet strong enough to justify widespread recommendations for fasting as a way to lose weight or boost health... Its always strange when ancient practices like fasting are so poorly understood.

That's because they were not done for any good reason. By this I mean some person with mental problems started a cult told everyone to start fasting for "religious" reasons and people followed. Obviously we don't pay much attention to that these days. Just like we don't investigate the scientific benefits of sanctified food.

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#13

Post by minionslave »

volker48 wrote: post #5
ardit33 wrote: post #4

Having done IF myself, where I would eat between noon and 8pm and skip breakfast during a 'cutting phase', my experience: * 'IF' is great if you are "cutting" and trying to achieve a lower body weight or maybe just maintaining what you have. * 'IF' is not good or practical if you are going through a traditional bulk phase * The feeling of alertness, energy and maybe slight 'high' during the morning, is real. * Not su…

I feel like IF would be detrimental to maintaining muscle mass during a cut. You really want to keep a steady stream of amino acids to prevent catabolism of muscle tissue even when reducing total caloric intake. Usually you cut fat first during a cut. You want to keep carbs to fuel your workouts and you want to keep the protein flowing to prevent muscle loss.

From my limited knowledge of human physiology .I don't think 24h is enough to trigger catabolism. You still have some fat reserves, and if you exercise/lift during the cut, you probably will even gain muscle. YMMV

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#14

Post by minionslave »

bcheung wrote: post #8

I really wish there was more scientific research around extended fasting. There's so little research and much of it doesn't wait long enough for ketoadaptation. I've done extended water fasts as well. 18 days of just water is the longest I've done and I felt like I could have gone longer.

The longest I have fastest for was 48 hours. It was wonderful. Those first few bites of food were heavenly.

I'm probably gonna try doing that today

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#15

Post by fapjacks »

Lazare wrote: post #7

I've been doing IF (the "one meal per day" form) for a while now, mostly because I find it helps me focus during the day. When I used to eat breakfast, I'd be productive in the morning, until I started getting distracted by craving lunch. Then I'd eat lunch, and end up sleepy and groggy afterwards while I digested. Now that I'm used to IF, I feel more productive; I spend less time at work thinking about food, and I m…

I had been doing the same thing for most of my adult life just out of programmer habit. I have previously moved to three squares a day, and noticed exactly the same things you describe here. Now the one thing that is true is that it is almost totally incompatible with a heavy exercise schedule. It is very hard to go too long without eating when you go to the gym and run everyday.

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#16

Post by astrange »

minionslave wrote: post #13
volker48 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like IF would be detrimental to maintaining muscle mass during a cut. You really want to keep a steady stream of amino acids to prevent catabolism of muscle tissue even when reducing total caloric intake. Usually you cut fat first during a cut. You want to keep carbs to fuel your workouts and you want to keep the protein flowing to prevent muscle loss.

From my limited knowledge of human physiology .I don't think 24h is enough to trigger catabolism. You still have some fat reserves, and if you exercise/lift during the cut, you probably will even gain muscle. YMMV

Supposedly IF works badly for women because they enter catabolism more quickly than men. I think I even read a study about it - of course I can't find it now.

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#17

Post by serg_chernata »

Lazare wrote: post #7

I've been doing IF (the "one meal per day" form) for a while now, mostly because I find it helps me focus during the day. When I used to eat breakfast, I'd be productive in the morning, until I started getting distracted by craving lunch. Then I'd eat lunch, and end up sleepy and groggy afterwards while I digested. Now that I'm used to IF, I feel more productive; I spend less time at work thinking about food, and I m…

This is exactly what I do and I find that I have more energy throughout the day even though I also work out more than I did before starting IF. However, people don't typically believe me that eating less is making me feel better and have more energy. Although for me it's not just about fasting, it's also about making sure my one big meal of the day is all about nutrients as opposed to calories.

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#18

Post by js2 »

I've been following the 5:2 fast since Jan 1, and running 60-80 miles per week. I've run my 3 best marathons in this time, including a PR. (I'm not crediting the diet for this, just saying that the diet hasn't hurt my performance.)

I'm mostly doing it as an experiment for myself, after talking with a friend who did it last year, and watching the BBC Documentary on the diet (Eat, Fast, and Live Longer). I thought running on days that I partial fast would be unbearable, but I've felt fine. As well, on my non-fast days for the past two weeks, I'm trying to consume all my meals within 8 hours (1 PM - 9 PM).

I enjoy the discipline the diet requires. Also, somewhat like running a marathon, fasting days are a little bit about putting up with discomfort. I am definitely hungry toward the end of fasting days. Oddly, when I wake up the next morning my hunger has gone away, and I usually don't eat till 1 PM, as mentioned above.

Stats: 44 y/o male, 5'8", 140-145 lbs, down from 145-150. I'd like to be in the 135-140 range for racing purposes.

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#19

Post by SilasX »

I had just been reading Antifragile by Nassim Taleb and he theorizes that fasting works by exploiting your body's "anti-fragility" and need for stressors by periodically starving it of some resource, which forces it to adapt in a way that improves the overall system (eg by economizing). For similar reasons, he recommends a diet of "different nutrients at different meals" rather than making each meal balanced in itself: you rotate what your body has to economize on.

Not saying he necessarily has a justifiable basis for believing this: in a lot of the book, he really comes off as a know-it-all everyone-else-is-stupid crank :-/

Re: Intermittent Fasting Is Gaining Acceptance

#20

Post by [deleted] »

ardit33 wrote: post #4

Having done IF myself, where I would eat between noon and 8pm and skip breakfast during a 'cutting phase', my experience: * 'IF' is great if you are "cutting" and trying to achieve a lower body weight or maybe just maintaining what you have. * 'IF' is not good or practical if you are going through a traditional bulk phase * The feeling of alertness, energy and maybe slight 'high' during the morning, is real. * Not su…

[deleted]
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