16:8 - where am I going wrong? And questions

[dragonatetheparsnips]

So, I've been doing 16:8 since February, and don't find it to hard. I start eating at 1pm, finish before 9. Except I am not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong? I might be eating a bit more at lunch as I am hungry, but I am not snacking hugely between my 2 meals... I'm in my 50s if that makes any difference.

Also, I have a couple of questions. Firstly, is it OK to take medication during the fasting time. It's only antihistamines for hay fever but I am going to have a very sneezy morning all summer if not.

Secondly, I know people say to exercise in the fasting time, but what if this is a 4hr bike ride? I am scared I will faint! Do I eat breakfast on those days, or take a snack with me for when I think I am going to faint?

Thank you in advance..

[XenoBitch]

Another 16:8 person here.

I do my cardio exercise before I break my fast (10am). Have never felt faint or anything. The opposite... I feel energised.

If you are out on a 4hr bike ride, then take a snack just in case. You need to listen to your body too.

[Noisyprat]

If you are eating too manny calories for your needs you won't lose any weight. You need to work out your tdee and then work out what you need. Also eat more protein.

[DaisyQuakeJohnson]

It doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me. I calorie counted. I exercised. But the weight I lost was negligible.
I lost weight by changing focus to watch my carb intake.

[Noisyprat]

There are many benefits of fasting however using IM fasting for weight loss is essentially just cutting out a meal therefore you are actually having 2. slightly larger meals rather than 3 small ones. I use it because I find if I eat breakfast I feel hungrier during the day.

[KoblinsGiss]

This isn’t the answer you wish to hear but after having individually tried out IF, low carb, calorie counting and exercise - and all stalling after 2 weeks - I’ve finally had success (the stone I needed gone, gone in two months) by COMBINING all of this. So

1. time regulated eating between 1-9 pm
2. low carb eating prioritising lots of green veg and protein. No starchy carbs or veg at all.
3. Portion control by eating out of small bowls and plates and strictly limiting the amount going in.
4. Resuming running.

as I say, I had done all of these as informal strategies before. But it’s only when I combined them that startling results occurred swiftly.

[Libertybear80]

Try Noom instead. Fasting causes you to lose and gain but if you just adjust to eating more healthier food choices full stop it's more effective. I'm 55 fasting just helped me lose a few lbs then I plateaud. On Noom I'm down nearly a stone and can't see me switching back to over eating.

[fellrunner85]

Doing 16:8 doesn't mean you abandon all common sense - if you're out for a bike ride during your fasting time and really pushing it to the point where you think you're going to bonk, then have a gel or similar. If you're out for a 4hr pootle around, then it shouldn't really be an issue if you've fuelled properly the day before.

[dragonatetheparsnips]

Thank you everyone, I will ponder this. More protein, less carbs. Less food really.

@Libertybear80 My eating is pretty healthy as it is - very veg based and 9 out of 10 times cooked from scratch.

@KoblinsGiss Perhaps not the answer I wanted, but definitely makes sense. I put on weight if I don't exercise.

@fellrunner85 I think I would very much fall under your heading of pootle as the word bonk is new to me. But I have to go up and down hills because of where we live.

And yes, portion control is my achilles heel.

[turnaroundtouchtheground]

From what I have read and listened to (Satchin Panda on the Doctor’s Kitchen podcast this week) it seems that having the eating window earlier in the day is better so you need to not eat a good few hours before going to bed. Makes sense when you think about it.

how are you getting on now?

[LongStoryShorty]

I agree with trying to eat earlier in the day for example from 9am-17.00