Intermittent Fasting

[Wishimaywishimight]

just wondering if anyone is doing this. Did some reading recently about the health benefits and have done it twice in the last week. It just means fasting for 16 hours (including overnight). For me, I usually finish dinner around 8am so don't eat then until mid-day the following day. I drink lots of water and found it kept me going ok and both days I actually went until 1pm before eating. I feel my appetite has diminished a little and I found it easy enough to just not think about food. Just to say I don't have much weight to lose, just half a stone to get to my ideal weight but I'm interested if anyone has done this.

[Wishimaywishimight]

Sorry, I usually finish dinner around 8pm not 8am!

[FearTheLiving]

I've been doing this for almost a year. I've lost 2 stone but I also do lots of exercise

[Wishimaywishimight]

Hi Fear, I exercise every morning (DVD at home - currently doing Sean T's T25) and also wear a pedometer to ensure I do my 10,000 steps p/d so hoping this will help with a little weight loss. I'm just having lunch and dinner with little or no snacks and very little in the way of sweets, cakes etc so here's hoping!

[FearTheLiving]

That sounds good! Good luck with it!

[PacificDogwod]

I've been doing 16:8 for the last almost-2 years with a bit of very mild low carbing thrown in and lost about 3 st without really trying

I cannot see myself going back to having breakfast tbh...

[CantstandmLMs]

I've been doing 16:8 around 5/6 days of the week since Jan and I now find my appetite has decreased even though I've upped the exercise quite a lot! Now it's easy to go until midday without eating.

[empirerecordsrocked]

I've lost just over a stone since November by dropping breakfast, usually eat lunch around 1pm and that's with Christmas in the middle.

[CantstandmLMs]

That's excellent empire!

[ChocoChou]

IF is a really great diet.. I'm not really a breakfast eater anyway so it fits in with my routine.

[Wishimaywishimight]

Thanks all, great to hear such positive comments. The only day I enjoy breakfast is on Sunday when DH brings me breakfast in bed but other than that I just used to force myself to eat it most days having heard so often how breakfast is the most important meal of the day etc. I'm confident I can stick with this and looking forward to getting rid of the excess lbs!

[Jellybean83]

I'm going into my 4th week doing 16:8 and so far so good. I only had 11lbs to lose and so far I've dropped 5lb. I eat between 11-7pm with Saturday being a day off when I eat and drink when I want.

I'm finding it quite easy to stick to, although some mornings by 10.30am I am literally counting down the minutes until I can eat. I've started to notice that in general I have more energy and I'm feeling less groggy in the mornings. I have a chronic condition too which causes me some pain and my sypmptoms seem to be really under control just now, which could be a coincidence to be fair. I'm hoping this is the other so called benefits that come with intermittent fasting I'm feeling.

I think this is something I'm going to stick at even when I'm at target, easy enough to do, I'm not depriving myself and I'm seeing results that are more than just weight loss.

[Wishimaywishimight]

Jellybean, that's a brilliant loss, I would be so delighted to get rid of this half stone by mid March as I'm going away for a few days at the end of March. I'm finding it relatively easy so far but this is only my 3rd day (did last Thursday and Saturday). I intend doing it 5 - 6 days a week until I'm at my ideal weight and then continue doing it perhaps 4 days a week to continue to maintain that weight and also for the other benefits you mention.

I'm having a peppermint tea now and hopefully I'll be fine until lunchtime. I'm feeling a bit peckish but nothing that can't be controlled by drinking lots (an added benefit is that I'm drinking a lot of water to keep the pangs away!). I really feel this is something that will suit me. I have found, even in this short time, that my appetite for sugar and chocolate has diminished - maybe it's that when I do eat I'm really hungry and want something that's properly satisfying rather than just rubbish that doesn't really fill me.

[FoodieToo]

I have about 2 stone to lose and started 16/8 over Christmas.
Since then I have added in 24 hour fasts during which I drink water and a few cups of tea.

So say tonight I had dinner and I won't eat again until dinner tomorrow.
I too find I have more energy in the morning and when I do eat I seem to fill more quickly.

I'm not weighing myself but I would say I have lost at least half a stone since Christmas. I am thrilled because it has been so easy. No deprivation and boredom like when on a 'diet'! I feel I could do this forever so for the first time in my life think I can actually get on top of my weight for good.

[Wishimaywishimight]

Foodie, that's a great result to have lost so much since Christmas! Fair play to you for doing 24 hour fasts, I'm not sure I could get through a whole day but then I thought I would struggle with 16:8 and I'm finding it quite easy!

[FoodieToo]

Yes I was the same in fairness. But the 24 hour fast is really only missing lunch also.
And I don't mind because I know I am going to have a decent sized dinner, some chocolate etc and still stay around 1200 calories which would be a decent dieting day!
Try one 24 hour and see what you think?

[Jellybean83]

If you stick with it Wishimaywishimight I'm pretty confident you'll lose a stone by March. I'm definitely finding the morning hunger easier to handle, it's there and I'm counting down the mins but it is tolerable, I drink so much green tea in the mornings now. I do miss my morning coffee with milk but I've read conflicting advice as to whether you're allowed milk in coffee during a fast, some say yes as long as under 50 cals and others say no, so best be cautious and not drink it at all.

I wish I had your willpower Foodie, I would love to do that one day per week but I know I'd be setting myself up for failure, but I also didn't think I'd be able to do this so I might give that a try when I'm feeling brave.

[FoodieToo]

I think the trick is to find what works for you. It sounds like you're losing weight and will keep it up so why change it!
That's the problem with traditional diets. You're either 'on' or 'off' the diet. But this isn't really like dieting is it!
Good luck everyone, great to hear how others are finding it.

[conkerpods]

I tried 5:2 in the past but it made me binge.
I'm loving 16:8,it's so easy. I do it every day and then on a Sunday I don't eat til 5 and then have a massive roast.
I'm hardly hungry at all and now totally used to not eating breakfast.

[Wishimaywishimight]

Just thought I'd update with my progress - been doing IF for 10 days and I have lost 1.75lbs. I'm thrilled, it's not a huge loss but I'm only aiming to lose 7/8lbs in all to get back to my ideal of 8 stone (I'm only 5 ft 3 and the extra lbs sit on my stomach). I'm finding it really easy, there was just one day I struggled and I think that was just that I fancied something rather than actually being hungry.

I'm really happy with my progress and that I've found something I feel I can stick with long term.

[Jellybean83]

Well done Wishimaywishimigh, better off than on.

After my initial 5lb in 3 weeks weight loss its slowed down to a consistent 1lb per week which I'm happy with as well. I'm not even watching what I eat in my 8hour time frame so the fact it's still coming off is great. I don't have much to lose either and I only have about 5lb now to lose to get to my ideal 8.3 weight.

I think if I was overweight and using this diet I wouldn't have the day off at the weekend and I'd combine it with MFP and stick to 1200 Cal in my 8 hours. I think combining it with 5/2 is also pretty effective but I can't live on 500 cals even for one day, I know it would lead to a binge. Nevertheless I'm still happy with this eating regime.