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A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

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Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#11

Post by seveneightn9ne »

marksc wrote: post #10
HorizonXP wrote: post #4

I have been doing intermittent fasting (IF) on a 16/8 or 18/6 schedule for the last 6 weeks. In combination with keto/LCHF food, keeping my daily caloric intake under 1550, and weight lifting 3x weekly, I've been losing 2.5 lbs/week on average. IF fits my lifestyle really well, since I only end up eating twice. I feel super energetic and focused while I'm fasted, and the lack of insulin spikes when I do eat have help…

>I have been doing intermittent fasting (IF) on a 16/8 or 18/6 schedule for the last 6 weeks. What do 16/8 and 18/6 mean in this context?

fasting hours/eating hours. So eating within an 8 or 6 hour window each day, and fasting for the other 16 or 18

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#12

Post by [deleted] »

marksc wrote: post #10
HorizonXP wrote: post #4

I have been doing intermittent fasting (IF) on a 16/8 or 18/6 schedule for the last 6 weeks. In combination with keto/LCHF food, keeping my daily caloric intake under 1550, and weight lifting 3x weekly, I've been losing 2.5 lbs/week on average. IF fits my lifestyle really well, since I only end up eating twice. I feel super energetic and focused while I'm fasted, and the lack of insulin spikes when I do eat have help…

>I have been doing intermittent fasting (IF) on a 16/8 or 18/6 schedule for the last 6 weeks. What do 16/8 and 18/6 mean in this context?

[deleted]

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#13

Post by ktRolster »

m00x wrote: post #9

I'm a big fan of intermittent fasting, but this article lacks any kind of proof on many of the cited benefits: > Benefit #2. It helps with calorie restriction No study cited that proves this. Only cites studies about the benefits of "proof" that caloric restriction helps longevity, but really is just a correlation. > Benefit #3. It helps you lose weight and body fat No study cited, follows up with "believe me, it wor…

I've found there is one very real benefit of fasting: it makes food taste better.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#14

Post by allover »

HorizonXP wrote: post #6
bykovich2 wrote: post #3

"Calorie restriction is proven to help you live a longer life." Flatly untrue. The article linked to "in proof" is about primate studies that suggest -- perhaps even strongly suggest -- that caloric restriction can slow the process of aging. This does not, however, rise to the level of proof, and certainly does not provide conclusive indication of what caloric restricters can expect more generally. The author is appa…

I think the phenomenon is poorly understood and studied, but it's likely not the calorie restriction itself, like you claim. Apparently it has to do with autophagy ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autophagy ), which your body seems to enter when you restrict calories. IF apparently stimulates your body to perform autophagy due to the fact that you're timing your meals. TBH, I still need to do my own research to see ho…

Well GPP is just saying that 'calorie restriction' is not proven to 'help you live a longer life', irrespective of the IF context.

As for IF, as you say, it is basically not proven to do anything (no 'phenomenon' at all). Simplest and most logical reason for success is because it helps people stick to their diet, by arbitrarily restricting the window of eating.

Opinion I read on r/leangains is that some people find it easier to e.g. just eat two 600-800 calorie meals within their IF window, rather than sticking to a diet that involves 3-4 smaller ~300-400 calorie meals, spread out through the day, none of which feel 'satisfying'.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#15

Post by TACIXAT »

HorizonXP wrote: post #4

I have been doing intermittent fasting (IF) on a 16/8 or 18/6 schedule for the last 6 weeks. In combination with keto/LCHF food, keeping my daily caloric intake under 1550, and weight lifting 3x weekly, I've been losing 2.5 lbs/week on average. IF fits my lifestyle really well, since I only end up eating twice. I feel super energetic and focused while I'm fasted, and the lack of insulin spikes when I do eat have help…

If you have digestion issues you should do an elimination diet. It's nice to identify the cause(s) so you can avoid it in the future.

I've given up a lot of foods (that made me feel horrible) and generally eat 1 meal around 11:30am and then snack in the evening. It's so nice getting the diet right. I feel so good now. All of my health issues were caused by foods (I recognize this isn't the case for everyone, but it's worth a shot).

Cutting out sugar is awesome. After I did it I really recognized that I was just maintaining a blood sugar high all day long.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#16

Post by nicolashahn »

ktRolster wrote: post #13
m00x wrote: post #9

I'm a big fan of intermittent fasting, but this article lacks any kind of proof on many of the cited benefits: > Benefit #2. It helps with calorie restriction No study cited that proves this. Only cites studies about the benefits of "proof" that caloric restriction helps longevity, but really is just a correlation. > Benefit #3. It helps you lose weight and body fat No study cited, follows up with "believe me, it wor…

I've found there is one very real benefit of fasting: it makes food taste better.

If it tastes better because of your appetite, then that's basically just sacrificing some pleasure of not being hungry for the pleasure of the taste of food, like hitting your head against a wall because it feels so good when you stop.

(disclaimer: I practice IF but take issue with this one claim, at least without the stipulation of hunger)

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#17

Post by gricardo99 »

Could any one point me to advice/guidance, or can answer from experience, what you would do differently when doing IF with regular exercise?

It seems to me you'd want to make some adjustments to types and amounts of calories to account for exercise, especially anything very taxing, like endurance training. But I haven't found any advice on this specific topic.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#18

Post by liamcardenas »

I do intermittent fasting (16/8) every day and have found immense benefits. More specifically, I do what's called "time-restricted feeding" in which I only eat between 7am and 2pm (so if I start eating at 10am then I can only eat for 5 more hours). I also strategically eat in the morning because I that is when people are most glucose sensitive.

So far I have almost lost 20lb without changing anything in my diet (I currently am 6ft and 200lb). I did not expect this result going in, but have been pleasantly surprised. Research shows that IF can lead to a slight weight loss, but nothing like what I have experienced-- so I wouldn't want anyone to think they can replicate my results. That being said, I would do this even if I did not lose weight because the health benefits are immense.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#19

Post by buckhx »

gricardo99 wrote: post #17

Could any one point me to advice/guidance, or can answer from experience, what you would do differently when doing IF with regular exercise? It seems to me you'd want to make some adjustments to types and amounts of calories to account for exercise, especially anything very taxing, like endurance training. But I haven't found any advice on this specific topic.

Basically eat the extra calories you expended.

Calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) in a purely sedentary state. Then eat more than that on the days you exercise to compensate for the energy you burned.

That assumes your goal is to maintain your current weight.

Re: A Guide to Intermittent Fasting

#20

Post by gmarx »

bmcusick wrote: post #5

"Calorie restriction is proven to help you live a longer life." This is essentially false for anyone reading the article. The studies that showed mice living longer lives from calorie restriction were restricted from birth , and thus their growth was stunted, and smaller creatures live longer (think about dogs; big ones die earlier). Studies of animals where the calories restriction was started mid-life all show incr…

Good job! I don't know your history but speaking from a lifetime of yo yo ing with much more success in recent years, the calorie restriction very likely will need to be permanent. I have found again and again that there is no such thing as maintenance eating for me. If I am not actively trying to lose weight I am gaining weight
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