Why isn’t 18:6 working for me? Any tips?

[GinaJaffacake]

Hi, I’ll start by saying I’m only on day10 but I’ve used the Fastic app and stuck to timing carefully. My 6 hour window is 11.30-5.30 although on one day I ate until 6.30 but then fasted until 12.30 the next day. I’ve lost 1lb. I’m also recording everything I eat on MFP and I’m eating between 850-1200 a day. I’m being very careful to log everything including anything I drink. I’m drinking far more water than before but still only about 1l a day. I also drink both almond milk and coconut milk but I make sure I scan and log both.
Is it common to have a slow start? Anything else I should be doing. Thanks

Could people who are expert in this explain? I’m following with interest as thinking of starting 16:8 but weighing up effectiveness and efforts vs other options

I wouldn't call myself an expert but...

There is emerging science around the overall health benefits of intermittent fasting, Michael Moseley's a big fan if you want to research him.

As for weight loss - well, it depends on what you eat in those 8 hours. I can see how if you're normally a breakfast/lunch/dinner person then cutting out one of those meals is going to have a dramatic effect on your overall calorie intake. It may or may not be enough to put you into calorie deficit.

I'm more of a lunch/snack/snack/dinner/drink person so it's not a very effective weight loss tool for me

@3plantpots I have found through trial and error that 16:8 only works for me if I am careful with the carbs, so I'd only have something carby once a day like if I'm having a baked potato for dinner I won't have a sandwich/pasta at lunch.

I was sceptical when I first started as it seemed too good to be true, and it took me a while to start losing weight, but this way of eating made me feel so much less lethargic that I stuck with it, and a couple of months after I started the scales finally started going down, although my clothes had already started getting looser by that point so I knew it was working even though the weight itself took a while to shift. You might as well give it a go, nothing ventured nothing gained (or hopefully lost)!

But give it a good couple of months. Some people do start losing straight away though.

@Jennyz123 you have inspired me to give the intermittent fasting a go after years of deliberating!

I agree on the comments that it takes a little while and also that cutting out the shitty carbs makes a huge difference

You said you feel better though and that’s actually a big part of it...more energy and focussed...hold onto that while your weight adapts. The other thing is, as you stabilise your insulin through fasting, you should start to see your body composition change. So you may not see the scales change but your belly might be less bloated, your face too. You’ll feel it in your clothes.

In saying that, you seem to want more instant hit type of stuff so the best way to achieve that is to get your calories through protein and fat...not carbs and especially not through ultra processed carbs like white bread etc.

Also cut out seed oils completely (vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rape seed oil). Don’t ever go near those ‘slimming oils’ - absolute hell for your body.

There is growing evidence they inflame your body (amongst other awful things) and you won’t lose weight while inflamed.

Use olive oil and butter for fats.

That's amazing @sandgrown! Go for it 😀 for me the great thing is it honestly it doesn't feel like a diet apart from the weight loss! I don't even really think about it as fasting any more or 'windows' etc. - I just have my coffee in the mornings, lunch anywhere from 12 till 2 depending on how hungry I am and generally don't snack after 8/9. Lunch is definitely smaller than it used to be without the carbs, but I'm honestly not hungry afterwards now - especially if it's something protein heavy like eggs. And I never think about calories or anything at dinner- if I'm at the pub I'll have no problem ordering the burger and chips or a massive plate of pasta or whatever! And a pudding! And I eat all meals with my family - I have my coffee while they have breakfast - so I don't feel like I'm missing out when others are eating and my daughter doesn't have to see me eating adapted meals. When she's older, if she's interested I'll just explain that adults need less once they stop growing and I choose to have my 'less' at breakfast. It all just feels like less mental work than a diet. I really hope it works for you!

@hamstersarse

Also cut out seed oils completely (vegetable oil, sunflower oil, rape seed oil). Don’t ever go near those ‘slimming oils’ - absolute hell for your body.

There is growing evidence they inflame your body (amongst other awful things) and you won’t lose weight while inflamed.

Use olive oil and butter for fats.

This!

And add the olive oil or butter after cooking. Not at the start.

@Jennyz123 thank you . If I feel deprived I give up or any sort of eating regime . I think your approach would suit me. My weight has crept up and I know I need to do something but I love my food. I have just split with my long term partner and despite all the stress I haven’t lost a pound! I do keep treating myself to cake though.

It never worked for me either.

This is a really good book and explains the latest science about weight gain/loss.

Essentially, it's about keeping the key hormones insulin, grehlin and leptin (and a couple/few others I've forgotten the names of!) in balance, as well as upping your Omega 3 and cutting down on Omega 6.

Balanced hormones are achieved mainly through controlling insulin, which is about keeping your diet low in carbs. Calories from carbs are much more damaging than those from fat or protein. (A calorie is not a calorie is not a calorie).

And then inflammation enters the fray. As @hamstersarse points out, a lot of this comes from vegetable and seed oils, which are very high in Omega 6.

So if you're fasting, and your aim is weight loss, then it's important to keep your carbs low.

@BIWI, that’s interesting. I’ve cut back on the carbs yesterday and today but I’ve having nuts and seeds with full fat yoghurt for lunch and I had chicken with avocado and salad for dinner. I know that seeds, nuts and avocado are all high in omega 6. Does this mean I should be avoiding these?

[quote GinaJaffacake]@BIWI, that’s interesting. I’ve cut back on the carbs yesterday and today but I’ve having nuts and seeds with full fat yoghurt for lunch and I had chicken with avocado and salad for dinner. I know that seeds, nuts and avocado are all high in omega 6. Does this mean I should be avoiding these?[/quote]
I think if you don't go overboard it's fine to include these in your diet. It's more the highly processed seed oils themselves that you should be avoiding. It's hard to over eat things like nuts and avocados as they are so filling in small quantities (unless it's a bowl of salted cashews after a couple of glasses of wine!).

@Jasmine11

I think if you don't go overboard it's fine to include these in your diet. It's more the highly processed seed oils themselves that you should be avoiding. It's hard to over eat things like nuts and avocados as they are so filling in small quantities (unless it's a bowl of salted cashews after a couple of glasses of wine!)

Too true!

I’ve still not lost anything but I feel so much healthier and my clothes do seem slightly looser. 🤷‍♀️Because of this I’m going to carry on.
I still don’t understand why I’m not losing as I’m weighing and recording everything religiously and my daily calorie count is around 1000 most days but no more that 1250 on any day this past week. I’m also walking for 30-45mins each day. So even if I need to wait to see the weight loss benefits of IF, surely the much reduced calorie intake should be having an effect?

Because it's not just about calories!

@BIWI

This is a really good book and explains the latest science about weight gain/loss.

Essentially, it's about keeping the key hormones insulin, grehlin and leptin (and a couple/few others I've forgotten the names of!) in balance, as well as upping your Omega 3 and cutting down on Omega 6.

Balanced hormones are achieved mainly through controlling insulin, which is about keeping your diet low in carbs. Calories from carbs are much more damaging than those from fat or protein. (A calorie is not a calorie is not a calorie).

And then inflammation enters the fray. As @hamstersarse points out, a lot of this comes from vegetable and seed oils, which are very high in Omega 6.

So if you're fasting, and your aim is weight loss, then it's important to keep your carbs low.

There is a thread on this book, there are quite a few of us following this WOE and there are ideas for meals (Dr J doesn't do this in the book although there is plenty of information on what food to eat and what to avoid). It doesn't ban all carbs, just wheat products. It's OK to eat rice and potatoes for example. Here's the link to the thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/4245218-Why-We-Eat-Too-Much-Thread-2?noti=1&utm_source=watchedthreads&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-02-27&utm_term=Mumsnet%3A+New+message+on+thread+Why+We+Eat+%28Too+Much%29+Thread+2&rei=661255#108075659

And @BIWI is so right, a calorie isn't a calorie, the body treats different food in different ways.

On fasting, I do 16:8 every day just because fasting is good for the gut microbiome. I've never lost weight with it.

I appreciate it’s not just about calories but I thought I’d lose weight if I was in a calorie deficit. I haven’t had bread, rice, pasta or potatoes since I started. No crisps or sweets either. Apart from some cous cous for a few days, all my carbs have come from veg or coconut milk. I’m sleeping so much better but ironically this is causing me to feel very sleepy in the day. Not physically exhausted in any way just sleepy. It’s hard to describe as I have more energy but I’m also more sleepy.

To be fair, if your clothes are looser then that's a result, surely?

Your diet is not particularly strict, you are older, and you are not madly active.

Looks OK to me. Keep it up. You're doing brilliantly.

@GinaJaffacake

I appreciate it’s not just about calories but I thought I’d lose weight if I was in a calorie deficit. I haven’t had bread, rice, pasta or potatoes since I started. No crisps or sweets either. Apart from some cous cous for a few days, all my carbs have come from veg or coconut milk. I’m sleeping so much better but ironically this is causing me to feel very sleepy in the day. Not physically exhausted in any way just sleepy. It’s hard to describe as I have more energy but I’m also more sleepy.

I think it is normal on very low carb diets to feel very tired. Can you eat things like legumes (chick peas, lentils), wholegrain rice instead or cutting them out completely?

If you start adding in rice and legumes/pulses, it will very quickly stop being a low carb diet though!

I'd say that only 10 days in, this is about your body getting used to the change in diet, as well as fasting.

Better sleep is a hugely positive benefit, as it's also reducing cortisol, the stress hormone - which can also impede weight loss/cause weight gain.

Additionally, you have more energy - so this also confirms that you're making positive changes.

And - if your clothes are looser, then you must be losing weight. It's not uncommon for this to happen but for the scales not to register a loss.

I urge anyone who is interested in intermittent fasting to watch Youtube videos by Dr James Fung - he is a leading expert and has (often fairly short) videos that will cover all of the topics that have been raised in this thread including why you are not losing weight etc. There are so many Youtube videos from other people as well that will help you - find someone who you like and are happy to listen to - Dr Berg, Cynthia Thurlow, Thomas De Lauer - there is so much information out there x

Dr Jason Fung, I think?

Hi
I started if.eating between 2pm and 8.30pm. I found it quite easy after first 2 days Andy body felt south healthier.i only did it for the month and still felt my how my clothes fit changing but didn't see much change on scales.. however .I have been unwell last week and a half so havbt been doing it and I've weighed myself today and gained 5lbs and my body just feels very sluggish and just urgh..I would say if definitely works and I am back on it today. I find too that when I'm not doing it I constantly crave food esp sweet things but on it I have healthy lunch and a choc bar or something healthy that is sweet and then dinner with family and that fills me up until next day and I don't crave

Oh and I found I slept so much better.

@BIWI Yes! Sorry - it's Jason...I always call him James for some stupid reason :)