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??

@snoken I think I'm just doing it properly now as opposed to how I was doing it in the first week. Initially I was stuffing myself as soon as my eating window closed, eating carbs and then craving more, squeezing three meals into my eating window as I was worried I'd get hungry otherwise. And I think my body was a bit shocked the first few fasts and went into 'starvation mode' possibly?? After 2 wks I think my body has now adjusted to me eating differently. I know now that I only need two good meals so I look forward to them and plan what I'm going to eat and I don't panic that it's not enough. If I get hungry in between I have a soup or healthy snack and that fills me up but I don't eat three full meals or any snacks as I know I don't need to (I do often have a healthy-ish pudding with dinner, though, usually greek yoghurt with fruit etc). I now get fuller quicker and don't experience a lot of hunger while fasting, even if I go for 17 or 18 hours, which is very different to the first few days!

I also think I'm not 'scared of' fasting or being hungry now as I was at the start. Now I know it's my routine and it works and I'm used to it!

I don't do a totally clean fast though as I love milk in tea and couldn't go without that in the morning (and a few other times a day!) I definitely feel I can see progress despite that. So will carry on doing it that way.

I do think exercise is a challenge though as @Imobsessedwithsuccesion says. I did go for one run but felt quite weak and out of breath, Truthfully I haven't had much time anyway recently and also had an injury which prevented me from doing much but am going to try doing some weights tomorrow about 12 hours into my fasting window so will let you know how it goes!

I have not stuck to it very well over the weekend and even when I have there has been too much chocolate in my eating window. Looking forward to getting back on it tomorrow.

I mix it up with exercising in my eating window and while fasting and haven't found much difference, although I tend to run rather than lifting weights so a bit different. Just try it and see what works for you. If you go first thing, you might not feel much different as it could only be a few hours longer than you'd normally have not eaten for unless you eat before the gym.

Back on the plan after falling off it over the Easter weekend. Can’t believe how awful I felt eating carbie stuff.

Im trying to see this as a long term plan rather than a diet. Will weigh next week.

Great thread - have lost 1/2 stone doing a fast from 7-10 but you’ve inspired me to start trying 7-11 & start thinking of calories I’m eating during the window to lose the final few stubborn pounds.

I fell completely off the wagon Saturday- Monday!! New day today so back on it and won’t weigh myself for a week 🙈

Brilliant thread. I'm a newbie to this but I want to eat like this long term I'm doing 12-8pm and finding it fine at the moment. I have switched to black coffee (which I find surprisingly okay) I used to have 3-4 cups of coffee with milk previously so that's a fair few calories there. I'm trying to stick to 1200 cals a day which is much easier with the smaller eating window. I'm 5ft4 and 10st 3Ib. My target is 9st7Ib so not loads to lose but I'm peri so it's stubborn! I have a weekend away in 5 weeks and a Greek holiday in July so would love to be at my target weight by then. So many inspirational posters on this thread. Good luck today everyone!

I've just started. We have a lot going on so fasting window has to jiggle a bit but it's generally from 7pm. Last night we had dinner late so window started at 8.30pm and I'll fast until 12.30pm today - but I will have a splash of milk in my tea. I won't get through with out a decent cuppa.

Alongside I'm drinking less booze, trying to make better food choices and exercise more - but not really reducing my calories like I was before. Will see what happens!

@Leopardpj Thank you for the advice. I think this week will be better for me, this weekend was a bit heavy on the food front, but I am back to eating normally now and no more Easter eggs! Was probably not so smart to start during Easter. I do still eat my normal breakfast, lighter lunch and normal dinners, but I find there is no room for snacking inbetween so I am hoping this will make the difference. If I lose 0.5kg per week I'll be done in 6 weeks and after that it's just a matter of maintaining.

Great thread! I'll join 🙂

I started IF at the start of this month and have been aiming to do 18:6 with an eating window of 1-7pm. I am currently breastfeeding 12week old DC3 so I'm going easy on myself and listening to my body and some days I have a shorter fast. I also ate my own body weight in hot cross buns over the Easter weekend 😅

My goals:
Goal 1. Get down to at least 64kg (what I weighed before DC3) but hopefully 60kg (what I weighed before DC1 and DC2). I weighed 69kg at the end of March, will re-weigh at the end of this month

Goal 2. Lose the extra layer I've gained on my belly, bum, thighs so my old clothes fit comfortably again.

Goal 3. Rein in the snacking. Usually I am a chronic snacker and have a very sweet and carby tooth, I want to be a more mindful eater.

I have never dieted before but have always been quite active, however, after DC3 was born I have a pelvic floor prolapse so I am avoiding high impact activities like running. While he is little I'm also struggling to find time to go swimming, I have bought an exercise bike but again, need to find time to do this too 😅 so figured while I'm not very active I should get my diet under better control.

Looking forward to hearing how everyone else gets on!

Hi all, I'm still on the wagon, but after cruising the first few days I found the Easter weekend difficult due to (1) juggling social things/other people's preferences (damn them!) (2) insomnia wave - fasting until 11.30am a bit more difficult when awake since 3am or 4am, which possibly relates to (3) I'm getting a bit snacky.. Trying to see this as an early bump in a long road

Also I don't really feel like exercising, as PP have said. It could be the school holidays - before I did this I was in a pretty usual routine of coffees/no breakfast, swim/gym (not every day!), late breakfast at 10.30am-ish, but that structure (and maybe motivation linked to that) is gone now. Again perhaps a small bump

Writing this has just reminded me that someone was on Rangan Chatterjee's podcast recently talking about IF and women's health, and how approaches to fasting should change depending on cycles/menopause etc.. now if I could just remember what was said..

Hey all! Lovely to have some new company!

Definitely indulged a bit too much over the weekend like most of us and finding it harder today as a result … but I think it’s fine, am in it for the long haul after all!

I did attempt some weights this morning @Imobsessedwithsuccesion and although it was a pretty poor performance (haven’t done it in ages!) I don’t think it was particularly affected by fasting. I think the key is to keep doing it even if you’re finding you can’t lift as much etc - Jason fung says you’ll only lose muscle by not using it… so although it’s not a big risk, obviously it’s good to ensure you’re not fasting to lose muscle!!

interesting that you noticed a diffference in how you felt after eating carbs @sheepdreams … I’ve been noticing the same. I would never go full Keto or cut them completely as it wouldn’t be sustainable for me but I’m definitely more mindful now of needing to structure meals around protein and plants as I feel so much better for it.

One nice side effect is how much better my skin feels as a result of all the water I’m drinking in my fasting periods (largely out of boredom!!)

I’ve found scheduling in something that feels like a treat in the evenings- like a bath/ face mask - helps distract from evening cravings!

Also, bit off-topic but I have also just invested in an air fryer/ pressure cooker thing to help me eat better/ cook proper meals quicker to stay within my eating window … and it’s been a revaluation! I did spiced chicken thighs in there last night with only a tiny bit of oil and they were so unbelievably delicious and crispy!

Thanks for the insight OP. I did weights this morning with my PT and doing them again tomorrow. Not ideal but fitting round my week.

I'm going to do my tooth whitening in the evening to stop me from chomping 😂

@LeopardPJS I've also noticed my skin is a lot better. I normally drink nowhere near enough water, so finding IF great for getting me to drink more.

I'm also loving not feeling bloated. I love my carbs and will never give up pasta, but even with keeping the carbs but not snacking on an evening, I'm feeling loads better.

Weighed again this morning, and I'm down 3.5lbs in the week and a half that I've been doing it, even with the dodgy Easter Weekend.

I'm off work at the moment for the Easter Hols but actually think I'll find it easier when back at work next week as I'm busy teaching all morning so no time to snack and hopefully I'll be able to keep up the water intake.

Hello All, just found this thread & thought I’d add my experiences. I started this regime about a month ago largely by accident! I was late getting to food shop & found myself with no cereal, bread or milk in the house and I couldn’t get out until the afternoon to replenish. So, no breakfast. I am looking to lose weight as that same weekend the date of a posh frock do I want to attend was announced. I have a dress I would like to wear, but it’s currently too small. I also read about 16:8 that same day.
So, means motive & opportunity all in the space of one morning!
I’m now a few weeks in & finding it fairly smooth. I am really, really surprised that I can do without food till 12pm without any major hunger pangs. I do have an Cu of tea with milk most mornings, but have enjoyed sampling anll manner of fruit/herb teas. And, I’ve been able to exercise (brisk walking) in the early am, again without drama.
I track my food & maintain within ~6000Kj (about 1400 kcal) during the week with a LOT of latitude at the weekend. For me the main benefits are:

1. previously having even a light breakfast (2weetbix) at 7 ish seems to set me up for needing more food at 10.30 ish. This carb craving doesn’t seem to happen now. I do have a decent amount of protein with my lunch at 12-1.
2. I can have a more or less normal dinner with DP (not full on deep fried, or massive creamy pasta every night, but some eating out/takeaway, occasional wine). So, no major
3. ‘closing the kitchen’ at 8 has been a great Mental tool & stops a lot of mindless snacking in front of the TV. I am a notorious chocoholic (probably what’s responsible for my weight gain!)and I haven’t felt the need to gorge so far. I should also say that I am a bad emotional eater, but at the moment I don’t have any issues giving me grief, so that resolve is yet to be pressure tested.

I’m 5Kg down and would like to lose a further 10Kg this year. I’m 173cm (5’8”), current weight 85Kg and I’m 61. That would leave me at the top of the healthy BMI range and into most, if not all, of my wardrobe. As I see it, the 8 hour window helps me manage my energy intake and maintain a deficit, without feeling like I’m making a huge sacrifice, or feeling deprived. So I think it should be sustainable. A friend of mine tried 5:2 but found the fast days too hard and tended to over compensate on non fast days. This, by comparison, seems to be very straightforward. good luck all!

What a great loss @Pebbleinthesand well done!

Thanks for sharing @DontForgetTheYakMilk sounds like it’s really working for you

I struggled a lot yesterday getting back on it after a weekend of excess and school holidays/ no routine etc. I caved and ate an Easter egg at 10pm!! I felt absolutely rubbish after both emotionally and physically so hopefully that’s enough to stop me doing it again.

I don’t know whether to wait until 2pm to have my shake or whether just to have it at 12pm. I might see how I go. Trying to be a bit kinder to myself but have a lot more to lose than most on here (at least 5 stone!) and I’m impatient to get going.

@DontForgetTheYakMilk - I am with you on breakfast. When I eat breakfast (usually between 9-10.30) I am RAVENOUS by lunchtime. Whereas fasting, I can make it until lunchtime, so I am naturally cutting down the calories I am consuming as I don't eat three meals in my 8 hour window. I am also finding that 'closing my window' at the end of the day stops mindless nibbling and wine drinking!

@DontForgetTheYakMilk I think we may be very similar in aims and build. Same height and aiming for about 74kg to get me at the upper end of BMI range. I don't know that I will manage any lower than that but that should allow my clothes to fit and feel slim in myself.
I'm exactly the same with breakfast. Two weetabix and I'm ravenous by midmorning but I'm managing fine to last out until lunch time with fasting.

@CornishGem1975 I'm the same with naturally managing to cut calories because I only have 2 meals in my window. I've also found the same to be true for shutting the kitchen at 8pm. Last night I started fasting at half 6 after I finished my tea because I didn't feel the need to snack, which isn't like me at all.

Anyone else experiencing headaches? Not sure if it's just the headcold that I can't seem to shift or fasting that's causing it.
Desperately hoping it's not the IF because I feel so much better in every other respect but my heads been pounding since Saturday 😕

I did for the first couple of days, it has since stopped. Persevere and drink more water is my advice.

Thanks @Snoken. I'm doing quite well at drinking plenty in my fasting window but don't drink anywhere near as much once I'm eating so could be that as it seems to be worse in the afternoon when I'm able to eat.

It was exactly like that for me too. My eating window is 10.30am-6.30pm and around 3-4pm the headache would come.

It was Dr Mindy Pelz on the podcast. My friend recommended her book to me, Fast like a girl. Basically you vary the length of your fasts based on the phase of your cycle, and any specific health goals. It makes so much sense to me - I always struggle with fasting the week before my period and feel like I fail. So planning on following her advice to see if it works better for me. I’m only 2 days in but feeling positive!

This is so interesting @weknowfrogsgotralalalala .. am definitely going to listen to this as I definitely feel the fasting was harder in run-up to my period than it was after! Can you summarise any of what is said in the book about fasting with regards to specific times of the month?

@Leopardpj basically there are three phases, with varying lengths of fast, and from day 20 you shouldn’t fast (have attached (hopefully) a screen shot of days. And she also advocates 6 types of fasts ranging from 13 hrs to up to 3 day water fasts. And she then has more specific plans if you’re trying to conceive, address gut health, and post-menopause.