Starting 16:8 diet tomorrow... anyone fancy joining?

[Leopardpj]

I'm starting the 16:8 diet properly from tomorrow after trying it out a couple of days last week and finding it seemed to suit me OK. Would love it if anyone doing the same would like to share experiences??

My 'kitchen closed' at 6.15pm this evening so technically I think I can eat from 10.15 tomorrow but I'm going to see if I can last until midday and eat 12-8 on weekdays. I don't think I'll realistically be able to do it on weekends but am going to try to stick to the general principles of not snacking in the evening/ eating more 'mindfully'...

I have a stubborn half a stone to lose which I've never managed to shift since having my second dd (who is now 3).

I've always dismissed this diet before as I love breakfast/ brunch so much! But I'm now changing my mentality on it and saying I'm basically delaying my breakfast not ditching it. I'll have a big brunch style meal around 12 and then a decent dinner before 8.

I'm hoping it'll suit me as I am not someone who eats loads of sugar/ junk but I do love my food and hate diets - just the idea of being restricted makes me miserable but if I feel I'm just 'delaying' food I feel loads better. My big weaknesses are milky hot drinks (I'm probably going to allow myself a small splash of milk in tea in the morning that'll make it a lot more bearable for me!) also buttered toast, cheese, and snacking on the kids' tea leftovers at 5pm....

Be so lovely to have some company but if not I can always chat away to myself I guess!!

Also planning to listen to some Jason Fung podcasts which are supposedly v helpful!

Anyone else doing similar??

Sorry @Iizzyb Just wanted to say I meant 100 calories of broccoli were not the same vs 100 calories of cookies (not 100 grams). Otherwise my whole post doesn't make sense, sorry... maybe the hunger is affecting my brain slightly this morning... time for a mug of my weird boiled marmite drink 😂

Oooh I'm definitely going to check out your quinoa granola @SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox ! Thanks for the tip!

Hello!!

Some great posts here.

I've been fasting almost a year and have slimmed RIGHT down. Over a stone.

The best thing is realising how little food we actually need.

If I have a bad day and eat more than usual, or at times I wouldn't normally eat, I just get back on the bandwagon the next day and let hours and hours go by.

I hope you all come to enjoy the feeling of an empty stomach and the bodily changes that it brings. I think it's a really wise way of living and am glad its spreading to people. The sugar companies are happy to entice us at every turn, but the people are wising up.

I heard that when hungry, the body uses its cell stores for energy, and starts with the poor quality cells. I love this thought.

@SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox thanks- I need something where I see results quickly otherwise I get demotivated and ruin my own diet I’m terrible! VLCD and intermittent fasting is the only way for me!

Hi, I'd like to join a bit late. I really need to stop snacking in the evening, I also find that eating late and drinking tea late can give me bad heartburn. Until I stopped drinking I didn't have a sweet tooth but now I'm obsessed with chocolate and biscuits so I hope the zero tolerance will take that away.

Hi @something2say - yes, agree with all that. 👌
Proliferation and ready availability of poor quality food benefits food company ceo's and share holders mostly - but not us!

Based on my reading around and listening I also heard about the poor quality cells getting used when fasting, so it causes pruning of cells which then leads to a rebuild cycle once you eat again so keeps things in good condition, but as I understand it it has to be an extended fast for that level of bodily reaction to occur. Not sure I'm up for 4 days or whatever it is... But happy to go into my deeper energy reserves on a 36 hour.

Great to hear of your longer term success. As someone still wet behind the ears on this I am encouraged by heating you have adopted this as a lifestyle which is supporting your health aims. 👍 I would love to be able to say the same in a year... Thanks for coming on here and cheering us, who are only just begun, on. 😊

Self knowledge is everything isn't it! Once you know what makes you tick you can identify the right strategy. It is an advantage being mature for that reason. 😁

What is VLCD? Very limited calorie demand? 😬

Hi, hope you find it hopeful, how frustrating to get a grip on one bad habit only for it to morph into another one!

I am optimistic for you though because your gut bacteria has a strong influence on your cravings, so that might be why cutting alcohol switched you onto sugary cravings... Once your gut is a better environment for helpful gut flora you might find they fade away naturally.... I'm see if I can find you a link on info on this. 😊

This one is fascinating and touched on this topic: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3cszv75?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

Sorry, have hogged the thread enough (on annual leave so enjoying the freedom to indulge). Back to DIY now and someone else can get a word in edgewise. 😁

Wow! This is one of the best threads I’ve watched in MN! so much info!

I’m just eating from midday to 8.00 pm and I feel very good although I can’t run more than 5-6 km.

Any runner here that can share training/fasting routine?

@SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox Very Low Calorie diet :) I do 1200/day

Welcome @Pokerprincess ! Delighted to have as much company as possible, this thread is really spurring me on!

Well done for giving up alcohol, although annoying that it's left you craving sugar! I am actually finding with fasting that because I'm really hungry, it's proper, satisfying food I'm craving after a fast- things like eggs, fish, meat etc. I do like sweet things but I try to keep to eating them in small quantities after a meal, rather than on their own as snacks as I read that the latter spikes your blood glucose a lot more.... something which made sense to me as I know I get that horrible sugar high and crash if I have, for example, a chocolate croissant and a coffee, or a load of biscuits with tea. I don't get it if I have a bit of chocolate after my dinner when my stomach is full. I also tend to eat less of the sweet thing. For me this works really well and has the added benefit of making me feel like I'm not really on a diet or depriving myself. I'm just eating the things I like to eat at times that it makes sense and serves me best to eat them.

I'm feeling pretty good today, occasional hunger pangs but enjoying seeing my fasting hours tick up on Zero! It's my first day fasting while working (had my day with the toddler yesterday so I think I was more distracted running around after her!) I think I'm going to break my fast soon after 11 with a Leon eggs, beans, greens and halloumi breakfast box, I'm getting quite excited about it! 11.15-7.15 ish seems to be the window that works best for me (although it does mean I have to cook dinner and have it on the table for my husband when he gets home at 6.45 like some sort of fifties housewife which is a bit annoying!)

I'm not going to weight myself until next week but I swear my stomach already feels flatter and I already feel sort of 'lighter'??

For anyone looking for a podcast this one is the best I've listened to so far - I feel like I sound like I'm obsessed with Jason Fung 😂but he explains it all sooo clearly and makes me feel really motivated! https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u2f2Rgtmp4QeXhjCGnILt?si=GeieDKLxTX6AkXtpi_W4pw

He makes the same points as you @something2say and @SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox about the food companies. Fasting is an intervention which is free, simple and available to everyone on earth and is proven to work... but no one is pushing it because there is no money to be made basically!

@monkeysmum21 I'm not a frequent runner but I do usually exercise 2-3 times a week and am curious about how those who have been doing this longer have managed to make exercise fit into it. I've heard it's best to do it at the end of your fast just when you're getting really hungry and then eat afterwards when your hunger returns a little while post-exercise. I can see this would be ideal but that would be tricky for me on my working days! How have you managed this @something2say ?

Thanks everyone for contributing to this thread, I'm enjoying it so much!

Leopardpj

I think I'm a less disciplined excerciser than you tbh...!!

I do free weights and floor work at home, and 3 songs trampolining every second day or so.

I am not running like I used to, as 48 now. Trampolining works better for me, and I fit it in when I can.

Have you looked online for some running communities?

A couple more things I wish I'd been aware of...

How amazing it is to slide on clothes that were previously tight and feel how much room there now is in them. Flat stomach, smaller hips and bum....less boob....

The weight loss really is remarkable.

Secondly, some days I just felt chronically HUNGRY. Days and days of eating very little led to that and the answer for me was, eat. Eat a lovely big tasty meal, and have pudding, and then lie around like days of old. Then get back to fasting as a lifestyle.

Finally, doing it when you're tired may not work. Getting enough rest is crucial. I think this is a massive issue for overworked women, and difficult to achieve, but worthwhile. Life too gets busy. The odd bad day won't hurt.

The results are a healthier, happier, slimmer more rested you.

It's so inspiring hearing from you @something2say ... massive congrats. I would LOVE for my clothes to feel looser and to fit into more of my pre-baby things again!

Can you share a bit more about what worked for you on 16:8? Did you always do 16-8 or longer fasts? How strict were you with it? Did you do it on weekends?What was your eating window and what sort of things did you eat? How careful are you about calories/ what you consume in your eating window? Any tips appreciated!

I've broken my fast and had my egg +halloumi+veg breakfast 😋 interested to see if this keeps me feeling fuller for longer than porridge!

Even now I am not that strict. Sometimes I break my fast at 11, not 12.

I also went through a stage where I ate shit and didn't lose anything. But I knew in my own mind and had to ask, well why are you doing this? Are you going to self sabotage?

So that behaviour had to go. It helps when you see progress....

At weekends, I fasted for even longer. Maybe until 4pm when I really was hungry. It's easier at home I think.

One meal a day is fine when you get used to it.

Re foods to eat, I'm not a foodie and nor am I cooking for a family so I have it easy. I can eat fish and salad. Just be sensible. And enjoy being hungry.

Good luck xx

I have long believed in this concept but recently I've been disorganised and not followed. I'll happily rejoin

I tried fasting and put weight on 🤦🏼‍♀️ don't think I did it right though. I ate what I wanted in my window. Didn't want to deprive myself by dieting after not eating for so long and it had the wrong affect 🤣 I should really give it another go when I'm in the right mindset though because I hear so many positive weight loss stories from IF

Thank you for the welcome everyone. I'm quite excited now and hoping that as @SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox says the sugar cravings regulate. I didn't eat until 11.00 today so will try and fit in a small lunch at 2.00 to 2.30. We eat generally eat quite late so I'm going to try fasting between 8.00 and 12.00. I don't post very much but am a very long time late lurker so bear with me not very good at tagging people for instance.

It can be a little bit grim for the first few days if you aren't used to it, but honestly I found it became second nature. Just be sure to drink plenty of water during the fasting period if you start to feel peckish :)

Welcome @EmilyGilmoresSass ! And good luck with it @Pokerprincess - so pleased you've decided to take the plunge and well done until lasting to 11!

I'm craving food SO much less today after eating protein for breakfast! I got a bit peckish at 3pm so just had chicken broth and a green cold pressed juice (both from Pret) which adds up to 230 calories... by my standards that's definitely more of a snack than a lunch so I'm stunned by how satisfied I feel!

I already feel like I'm responding more mindfully to my hunger cues. It's definitely showing me that I have been consuming way more food than I need. I used to walk into Pret and grab about four different things as I wanted to make sure I would be full up - ridiculous! And then I'd eat it all as otherwise it was a waste of money and I'd feel bad.

The last couple of hours in the morning are definitely the hardest part - I wish I liked black coffee but I really don't! - I'm hoping that period will start to feel easier as my body gets used to it, though, as everyone says.

Lunch was aubergine, a little cheese, boiled egg and some pecans. Well tasty, and I think that's all my calories for this low calorie day so I'm done until tomorrow morning now.
Tomorrow I'll eat normally but in the window, so not watching calories but limiting indulgence through time and mindful choices.

Still feeling enthusiastic. Wonder how long that'll last!? 🤔

I think your willpower is amazing @SoCunningYouCanStickATailOnItAndCallItAFox ! how do you feel?

I’ve managed to mess my eating window up today, I was working and then on my own doing both kids pick ups so by the time I’d sorted them out with dinner and cooked a healthy dinner for myself, it was 8pm … so I’ve ended up with a 9 hour eating window instead of 8 hours. Oops. This is why I really think I should do 12-8…. but I’m finding it so hard to last that long before eating in the morning!

Guess I’ll just have to start again tomorrow! I’ll be WFH so maybe it’ll be easier. I will aim to do the 16 hours of fasting anyway to get back on track. Inspired by all the amazing fasting veterans on this thread!

Yes, so glad some seasoned folk have come on this thread, feels like they're shining a light and have proven it is possible to keep going past the first wave of enthusiasm and novelty. Thank you @something2say @RollingInTheCreek @EmilyGilmoresSass

I didn't eat after lunch yesterday until 8am today (except to taste check a soup I made but I'm not counting a teaspoon!).
Was briefly tempted by hot buttered crumpets this morning but I know I'll be starving in an hour with that in my tummy - so opted for quinoa granola instead which will keep me full and be good for good gut flora.👌
I've had a background headache since Monday morning, not sure if that's the fast and down to blood sugar etc or because I'm maybe not drinking enough to balance out the moisture I'm not getting from food... I'm going to do it again next week and I'll try to drink more and see if it makes a difference. 🤔
Haven't got hangry once - which is surprising as I usually do if I don't eat, so not sure why that's different.
Today I'm eating normally, not calorie counting but within time window, since I started at 8 that'll be 4pm.

I don't think one hour will matter @Leopardpj , but good luck sticking to it today. Hope WFH helps 🤞

How is everyone else doing?

I’m in