Anyone had success with fasting?

[LivingMyBestLifeNOT]

Just that really. Need to lose a stone and cut out wine! Does fasting work and how do you work out how many calories to eat on a non fast day?

So I have lost 27 pounds by fasting. I do one meal a day with some 48 hour fasts one to three times a week. I'm not perfect at fasting and may have a tiny bit of cheese to get me through. I don't calorie count my meals at all but I do strictly limit my carbohydrates. Tonight's meal is steak with camembert and veg. Fasting gets easier with practice so start off with shorter fasts.

Hey lovely! I’m doing intermittent fasting and I’ve found it works the best. I’ve lost about 1/2 a stone a my husband has lost over 2 stone (that’s about 7/8ibs for me, and nearly 40 for my Hubble!) you basically cram all your eating in 8 period.theres lots of books and information at this. It called the 816 diet as you’re fasting for 16 hours a day.
But you have to learn to have breakfast late, and Dinner early

Isn't it 500 cals a day on fast days?

I lost 18kg on 16:8 plus swimming and pilates. I have maintained for 6 months so far, but no longer follow it strictly at weekends. The best thing it helped me to was drop evening snacking.

I do three 36 hour fasts a week. Just water, black coffee and green tea. So effectively I only eat on four days of the week. I also restrict carbs. I’ve lost 50 lbs with another 6weeks or so to go. Thinking lots about how to maintain it now because that will be the hardest bit. I get hungry in the evenings/sometimes at night so it’s not an easy way but I seem to do better with rigid time ‘rules’ than I do with calorie counting, so I’ll probably keep an element of fasting but perhaps with a low carb evening meal on light days.

I lost 2 stone a few years ago doing 16:8. I ate what I want during those 8 hours.

I’ve put a stone on during lockdown so am starting it again.

I did it every day and didn’t count calories.

I'm doing roughly 16:8 (I'm using the Bodyfast app and hours vary). The app told me that I can eat anything during fasting hours but I've cut out refined carbs and am using the fitbit app to log what I eat (I'm aiming for a daily 1,000 calorie deficit).

I've gone from 3 meals a day plus loads of snacking to one or 2 meals a day and no snacking. I still can't believe that I don't get hungry while I'm fasting. I'm doing plenty of exercise and still have the energy for it.

I've lost a stone in 6 weeks. I've also increased muscle mass in that time so must have lost more than a stone of fat.

I have lost 18lbs in 3 months. The first stone came off in about 7 weeks, but I think I've stalled since then - I think it's harder to lose now I've reached a healthy weight. Give it a try

I am doing same as @FredaFrogspawn ie 2-3 36 hrs fasts per week. Over time I've tried various forms of fasting eg 5:2 diet, alternative day fasting with 500 cals on the diet days, time restricted eating etc. But I find once I start eating its much harder to stop than if you didn't start in the first place - and it the longer fasts also make me feel quite clear minded once I get past about 24 hours. But @TheListeners is right - best to start off with shorter fasts to get used to it.

I have a question for those who've followed 16:8 to lose weight – do you do it every day? Or just a couple of days a week?

It's a way of life longwhiskers14 so you do it every day. You don't necessarily need to have the same 8 hour window every day though.

Your body gets used to using fat for energy and your brain learns the difference between hunger and just "Ooh I fancy a..."

It was explained to me that your body is either in fat storing or fat burning mode. Insulin makes it switch from burning to storing. Reducing the tume when your insulin is high (it increases when you eat and slowly reduces afterwards) means you spend longer in fat burning mode. So having periods of not eating is good for you (snacking/grazing is avoided), and not just because you reduce your calorie intake.

Thanks CrunchyNutNC, that's really helpful. Did you ever try 5:2? I'm wondering which one will be better for me.

I did try it longwhiskers but found 5/2 quite hard because I like daily routine and the idea of eating some days but not others was hard. I also found it didn't really help to reset my eating habits in the way that shorter daily eating window did.

I find it easy to skip breakfast, and hang off until lunchtime to eat. I'm used to it now and can go much longer, so sometimes skipping lunch. When I do eat it's rich tasty things, salmon in cheese sauce, things in a cream sauce, meat, butter, cheese etc. So for me skipping breakfast and sometimes lunch is a small price to pay for the things I get to eat later!

Thanks again CrunchyNutNC! I tried 5:2 eons ago but didn't get on with it – I found on my normal days I would binge myself silly. I have breakfast out of habit, often when I'm not hungry, so I do think I might cope better with 16:8. It's not about losing weight per se – although I could do with losing a stone for my BMI's sake – but having more energy and being fitter as I get older.

What kind of things do you eat in your 8-hr window? Do you calorie count? Because I really don't want to do that, I hate CC.

Sorry, I realised you did say what you ate in your 8-hrs, I missed that!

Long term weight loss is about making sustainable changes to your nutrition plan. There isnt a great deal of point doing something that will only be maintaned for a number of months for a year at best. It will not teach you any good habits.

Start with a balanced nutrition plan consisting of fresh meats/fish, fruit, veg, nuts etc and a limited amount of potatoes and rice. Cut out processed junk foods and fizzy drinks/alcohol.

There are no shortcuts to anywhere worth going. I have seen people start FAD diets at work more often than I care to remember. I can count on no fingers those who had long term success doing so.

Dawnlassie Are you saying you don't advocate fasting?

I don't calorie count longwhiskers, if my trousers start getting tight I skip a few lunches!

Tonight it's salmon fillet fried in butter and lemon, with lots of greens and cheesy mash, probably followed by home made ice cream (low sugar but full fat).

I have lost 45lbs in three months doing the V Fast 800 and I would definitely recommend it!

@Longwhiskers14
There are situations where fasting can be appropriate. eg sports people looking to make weight for example. For 99.9% of the population they are not relevant to their objective.

People tend to overcomplicate something ie weight loss which is essentially very simple. Cut out junk and eat an appropriate amount relative to your body type and basal metabilic rate. It really is that simple. Though some HIIT will always be a good addition.

CrunchyNutNC What about tea and coffee or should you not have those until you break your fast? I don't know if I can go until midday without one!

I have black coffee or tea. I love black coffee now, but for years I couldn't imagine drinking it.

I do two or three days' fasting, so I don't eat until dinner and then I have whatever I want, although usually I try to get in three or four different fruits or vegetables (but it's sometimes takeaway pizza). The other days, I have whatever. I have done variations of this since the Horizon programme that more or less launched the 5:2 diet. I lost 5 kg initially, stalled for a long time after a bereavement, and have since lost another 10 kg and kept it off.

If I don't eat, I find that easier than having two meals, although I sometimes do a 16:8 day. For me, it works best to change it up - sometimes fasting, sometimes 16:8, sometimes three meals. But no counting or cutting out food groups was really important to me!