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Fasting / 5:2 diet

Talk about intermittent fasting and 5:2, including what’s worked for others. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

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Original poster

Can anyone explain 16:8 please

14 replies

orderinformation · 27/06/2013 18:54

Sorry am sure there is an explanation on one of the other threads but can anyone give me a basic explanation of what this is and whether it is better than 5:2. Thanks

OP posts:

SauceForTheGander · 27/06/2013 21:35

If I've understood correctly you fast for 16 hours a day, including sleep and only eat for 8. I started today. Had breakfast at 10am and my evening meal was eaten by 6pm. I've watched what I eat too with no carbs since breakfast. I'm breastfeeding so holding off one more month til I do 5:2 and thought 16:8 was a good alternative.

Talkinpeace · 28/06/2013 19:12

at the simplest level it means skipping breakfast.

You eat between noon and 8pm
and do not eat at all during the other hours

newbiefrugalgal · 28/06/2013 22:11

I've been doing it this week and finding it surprisingly easy! love it.
Have done 2 days of fasting as well.

What I like about 16:8 is that it stops me mindlessly eating in the evening. By skipping breakfast I also feel like I'm not missing out, eating breakfast seems to be that habit that adds unnecessary calories.
It was usually eating toast as I was too lazy to cook porridge etc anyway.
I haven't counted calories on either - just eaten sensibly and had small amounts of treats etc when I felt like it, but nothing like what I was eating.
Lost 2kg in last few weeks. YEAH

PogoBob · 29/06/2013 20:32

I've been doing 18:6 for the last 2 weeks (asides from Sat when I extend the eating window to 8 or 9 hours). Normally I eat from 12:30 to 18:30 it's actually quite difficult to fit that much food in in 6 hours and I've found that my stomach does seem to have shrunk.

Like sauce I'm breastfeeding so don't want to start fast days yet.

I find skipping breakfast quite easy and it seems that missing it seems to avoid switching my hunger on IYSWIM.

amistillsexy · 29/06/2013 20:37

Ok, so is it 16:8, which isn't that much different to the way I eat normally (and I definately need to lose weight!), or is it 18:6, which would make a big change (and I'd be starving by morning!)?

Talkinpeace · 29/06/2013 21:04

amis
you choose which meal to skip : breakfast is certainly easier
but the principle of letting your digestion hoover into the corners each day still stands

Talkinpeace · 29/06/2013 21:06

PS : once you get into full fasts, its 23.5 : 0.5
ie one small meal in a longer period
I tend to do 36 hours on 500 calories

PinkCustard · 29/06/2013 22:53

I'd second newbie in that it stops my mindless evening eating, and missing breakfast is no big hardship.

PogoBob · 29/06/2013 23:56

amistillsexy it can be whatever you want to be, 16:8 tends to be the one most people refer to, but there is also 19:5 (fast 5 I believe it's called) and any other combination you want follow to make 24 hourso. Have some websites suggesting 14:10 for women.

SyraCusa · 06/07/2013 01:13

Seriously, this works for some of you? I think it's a version of 16:8 which has made me gain the weight I currently need to lose.

No breakfast, often no lunch, mid-afternoon snack (toast or something similar), usually fairly big dinner around 8. Since I slipped into this routine I've gained slowly but surely until a recent weight check at GP gave me a nasty reality check. Am I missing something crucial? Do you balance your calorie intake more evenly through the 8 hours?

prettyanddainty · 06/07/2013 15:08

I have heard this before, when people have gained weight from doing the 16/8, why is that? I wonder

Talkinpeace · 06/07/2013 19:44

syracusa
the most likely thing is that your big dinner is significantly over your TDEE, once the snack is taken into account.
Also you have not mentioned what you drink ....
fruit juice, sugar in tea, booze
can add up to the tdee before you eat a bite ....

SyraCusa · 07/07/2013 01:18

Talkinpeace I'm sure you're right. At dinner time I so often feel 'I've had a long day, I've barely eaten anything, now I can relax and reward myself' - could certainly be eating 1k ++ cals in evening meal.

I'm also reluctantly acknowledging that while I feel virtuous drinking fresh fruit juice (it does count towards your 5 a day, right?), a couple of large glasses a day probably has lots of sugar and calories. And let's not mention the wine...

I keep hesitating on starting 5:2 because I have an unpredictable schedule and will find it difficult to fast on days when I'm called into work on short notice. 16:8 appeals for that reason, but realistically I think I probably need the more rigid 500-cals-day approach to make (much needed) lifestyle and diet adjustments.

Talkinpeace · 07/07/2013 16:40

THE beauty of 5:2 is that you choose the days
if you work to a basic 16:8 system, then you actually have until lunchtime to decide if its a fast day or not
so if you are called into work, delay the fast
but actually, fasting is much easer when you are busy - on the main threads some of the people who work in hospitals have found fasting during shifts (with lots of tea and water) really easy

come and join the insanity that is the main thread and you'll get lots more helpful input

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