to say that fasting has massively cut down our food bills?

[streth]

I know it's not for everyone but I’ve been doing intermittent fasting one meal a day for a while now and I’ve noticed a huge difference in our food shopping bills. I just eat once a day usually a good sized balanced meal in the evening and I’m genuinely less hungry the rest of the time. I don’t snack anymore and I’m not constantly thinking about food which has been surprisingly freeing.

My teens off their own backs have started eating just twice a day they say they feel fine and they're old enough to make those choices themselves. We still eat nutritious food but we’re just eating less often and wasting far less.

Food bills have gone down significantly and with prices being what they are right now it’s honestly been a relief I know this wouldn’t work for everyone and I’m definitely not saying it’s suitable for people with eating disorders or anyone with specific health needs. But for us it’s made a real difference both financially and in how we think about food.

AIBU to think this kind of fasting can be a practical option for some people in tough times?

The bible is not an historical document and Christians should not believe what written in the bible. Does that make sense in your head? Really?

The Old Testament certainly is. I did the history of ancient Israel at university and the bible was our main historical source.

Have you seen or read any of Francesca Stavrakopoulou’s work on this?

Sorry, were you under the impression Noah’s ark was an accurately documented event? 🤨

I didn’t once say Christians shouldn’t believe what is written. People can believe whatever they like

No. I graduated in 1992 and haven’t paid any attention since!

She talks extensively about how the bible wasn’t intended to be an accurate historical document and was likely written in some cases hundreds of years after events/ Jesus’ life. I mean it’s not like we are really going to be able to find much evidence based information about a man who lived 2000 years ago 😂

I asked you a question and your answer was no. I’m intrigued to know whose teachings you think Christians should be believing if not those of Jesus Christ.

YANBU for fining intermittent fasting good for you, but YABU to say it is good if you want to save money.

I am on UC, and got told by someone on here that I should consider 2 or 3 days fasting as "autophagy is good" and will save me money.

IF should not be about saving money. When I did 16:8, I did not spend less. I had to make sure what I did eat was nutritious and healthy. I still ate crisps in my eating window but I spent more on all the ingredients for my main meals.

I did do some extended fasts, and I had to be very careful about what I ate either side of the fasting window. You can't just eat shit and UPF and consider it all done.
IF is not to save money.

anyway this is to be fair quite the tangent from calories but I do love Francesca Stavrakopoulou.

I feel like you’re deliberately being obtuse.

Christians can believe or follow whatever text they want.

that does not make that text an historically accurate record of events from that time.

What a way to spin not being able to afford to eat

I’m not being obtuse. You referred to uneducated zealots promoting fasting. I asked if you were referring to the likes of Jesus and you, with all your biblical knowledge. asked me how I know Jesus fasted. I said it’s in the bible and, apparently, that’s not a good enough source for you. But it’s me being obtuse. Yeah, whatevs.

Because- obviously- there is no evidence that Jesus fasted.

I agree that no one should be told to fast just to save money or be sold a health trend they did not ask for. That kind of comment especially aimed at someone struggling is insensitive and out of order.

But I do not think it is fair to say intermittent fasting should never be about saving money. For a lot of people food waste endless snacking and eating out of habit add up to real costs. Cutting back on constant eating even without strict calorie counting can naturally reduce spending and for some people that is a welcome side effect.

You are absolutely right that if someone is buying lots of expensive ingredients supplements or trying to do a perfect version of fasting it might not save money at all. But not everyone does it that way. I do not live on junk food and I do not spend loads on specialist items. I just eat one proper balanced meal a day and maybe a few extras like fruit or yoghurt. That works for me and it does cost less than how I used to eat.

So no I am not saying IF is for saving money. But I do think it is valid to acknowledge that for some people it can have that effect and that is not wrong or irresponsible to talk about if it is being done safely and by choice.

Just no. I'd be starving.

That is a pretty silly way to dismiss something that works for others just because it doesn’t fit your view. Not everyone doing this is broke and not everyone who is broke is clueless.

IF is about the eating window. You can still gorge on biscuits and crisps during those times. And some people do.

That is true for some but that is not a flaw in intermittent fasting. It is a choice in how someone uses it. You can misuse any way of eating. The same goes for calorie counting vegan diets or even three meals a day. If someone chooses to fill their eating window with junk that is about the food choices not the structure.

For plenty of people IF is a way to eat more intentionally and cut down on mindless snacking. It is not a magic fix but it does help some people break habits and focus on quality meals. What matters is how you use it not just the clock.

I did cut down on snacking as I was too full to consider it after my main meals.
But my main meals could have been UPF shite too.

This thread is reminding me that I need to try it again. Done right, you feel great.

well to me it’s grim and romanticising food poverty. There’s a lot of people who already do this out of necessity and here you are acting like you’ve invented something grand. Let’s see this for what it is shall we? A cost of living crisis justifying disordered eating. An absolutely awful state of affairs and certainly not a lifestyle movement or any whiff of virtuous superiority through self denial.

did you know that during rightwing political systems and economic downturns, society fetishises underfed and self-denying women? Praising us for policing ourselves to be smaller and weaker. This is just more of that but with a 2020s “wellness lifestyle” sheen update.

Christians believe that Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights. It’s in the bible. Christians have a tendency to believe what’s in the bible. Who’d’ve thunk it.

Fasting is not great longer term or for your hormones if you’re heading into menopause.

Fasting for over 6 months last year actually really fucked up my metabolism and slowed it down.

Hmph. Interesting. What kind of fasts were you doing? Did you switch them up?

Maybe you didn’t do it correctly? Or maybe that was just what you found.

Correctly?

I was mainly doing a combination of 16:8 and 14:10. After an initial small weigh loss - after 3 months I just felt like shit and my metabolism tanked, I was tired, my hormones and thyroid went off a cliff.

It’s lauded as this absolute panacea for weight and hleath on every platform - maybe it works for a lot of people. But it’s not for everyone and one size does not fit all.

If you’ve got wacky hormones already, you should really think twice.

I feel so much better now I am back to eating ‘normally’. The same healthy foods as before, but without the 16 hour break.