Intermittent fasting - your experiences please

[IllegalBlonde]

Having gained weight due to middle age (groan) I have embarked on the I.F. way of eating. I have been doing it for 2 weeks, finding it quite easy, fasting for up to 18hrs a day, just eating afternoon and evening. I have found I am less hungry and naturally eating less but drinking mint tea and lots of water. Downside is I am constipated and have not lost any weight yet, upside is I have lots more energy and focus and have lost 2 inches around my waist.

Would love to know how anyone else has got on and whether weight loss and good health was achieved.

it was a total waste of time for me
I persisted for several months, no weight loss- I was actually hoping to just lose a few kg to be at the lower end of the ideal BMI rather than the top end IYSWIM
I found that I couldn't really fast on days I was working (lack of energy and focus) meaning that I fasted on my days off- this meant I didn't run on my days off. I figured it would be better for me to run than to try without success to lose a few kg.
I read loads of stuff about it at the time (including threads on here) and my conclusion was that it works best for men and people who are actually overweight. Also that people 'buy in' to the idea big time and obsess over why it does/doesn't work, often coming up with elaborate theories as to why an individual can follow it to the letter and still not lose weight- or alternatively 'I' m not doing it for the wieght loss, it's for the health benefits/it's not a diet you know, it's a way of eating'

My parents have been doing it for two or three years now. Their weight went down for the first few months until they were both slim and since then it’s stayed the same. They’re very happy with it and will carry on forever, they say.

On your non-fasting days, are you eating more than you would have normally do you think?

Horrendous, caused massive binge eating due to uncontrollable hunger and I ended up heavier than when I started.

I do more extreme intermittent fasting: up to 48 hours. I've felt amazing since starting about a year ago and do some of my most effective runs and workouts on fast days - I just feel leaner and faster. My diet is high fibre, high protein, high fat, low carb; and I think it's a lot more effective in tandem than just low carb or IF alone. Imagine making sure you're getting enough fibre / fruit and veg is pretty crucial in preventing constipation - what's your diet actually like?

I lost 5.5 stone intermittent fasting..so it definitely works..if you stop for a long time and restart it's more difficult I find, and slower too..but it works. No side effects here.

It messed up my already not great digestive system. So a no no for me.

I do more extreme intermittent fasting: up to 48 hours. I've felt amazing since starting about a year ago and do some of my most effective runs and workouts on fast days

This sounds like behaviour associated with an eating disorder, rather than a diet.

Flowerbot - like your parents I am prepared to do it forever as I am finding I have so much more energy and focus. I am fasting every day for around 18hrs, for example just eating between 2-8pm, sticking to the calorie amount suitable for my size, age, etc, so no more than 1300 calories per day, mostly having around 1100-1200 daily. I did do the 5:2 about a year ago but was ravenous on the two fasting days so gave up in the end. I have around 12lbs to lose and I am able to continue with normal exercise routine - cycling, weights, yoga 5-6 times weekly. I am finding also a good deal more focus at work too, which is pleasing.

Comtesse - I eat plenty of salad, veg, some fruit, whole grains, meat, fish, etc. Have always enjoyed healthy food cooked from scratch mainly, although I will still have the odd glass of wine/g&t/choc.

This sounds like behaviour associated with an eating disorder, rather than a diet.

Appreciate it may sound that way, but it isn't. It isn't a "diet" either, as I'm no longer actively trying to lose weight, but maintain peak fitness.

Different fasting methods work for different people, same as some people find low-carbing is the best way for them to eat and others can only manage with strict low calorie intake.

I'm doing a 20:4, have been at it for about 30 days now? I forget exactly. I lost a stone in the first 21 days. Weight loss has dramatically slowed down since, but my waistline has kept slimming.

I have a lot more weight to lose, but I'm in it for the long haul. When I get closer to goal I'll change to 16:8. I did that in the past coupled with daily exercise and lost weight easily. I've since had a baby and am working on losing the weight I gained in pregnancy and then some (I wasn't at goal before falling pregnant).

I eat plenty of vegetables and fruit, and try to steer clear of most processed foods especially sugar. Not all the time, but most of the time. I usually end up breaking the fast at 2 or 3 pm so I can eat dinner with the family. My appetite has shrunken though and I'm often not hungry at dinnertime. I might move my eating window, not sure.

I'm happy eating this way, and I think it is helping me to have a more balanced relationship with food.

I found the 5:2 diet worked quite well for me, but didn't lose anything when I switched to 16:8 IF unless i put in additional calorie restrictions. I maintained weight though as long as I did the 16:8 for 5-6 days a week. I found doing it that many days a week quite disruptive to my social life compared to 5:2 tbh!

That wouldn't work for me. On the odd day I don't eat until late (missed breakfast, late lunch) I get really hangry. I can't focus, feel shakey and sooo irritable.

Also I thought the recommendation was 2,000 calories a day. I eat that and am a normal weight. I think if I ate 1100 I would become underweight and unhealthy

Mixed results here. I lost half a stone quickly and easily, but then couldn’t lose any more even though I was still fasting and still quite a way off my goal weight. So I stopped. On balance it doesn’t work as well for me as other methods.

Ding - all depends. I'm 5ft 10 and to lose weight I need around 1400 cals a day. I maintain on 1700 or so