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??

I'm just back from a big challenge- an all inclusive holiday! Amazingly I've weighed myself and have only gained a pound despite the amazing food and drink - I think due to troughing down a mainly Mediterranean diet and doing lots of walking, so overall am still 11lbs down from the starting point at the beginning of March.

I tried to eat a protein based breakfast as late as possible and then have an early a dinner as I could. That way there was usually time for a 13-14 hour fast. There was an amazing patisserie which I just had to outright ignore.

I also seem to have lost most weight from my middle which is a highly welcome development. What's still there feels a bit more wobbly rather than being a solid spare tyre.

I really want to keep going. Set myself the next target of 175 pounds by end of April.

That's super impressive! I found just a regular Easter weekend stunted any weight loss, a week abroad must have been quite challenging.

@whirlyswirly that's amazing, well done!

Thank you! As of this morning I'm back to pre holiday weight. So chuffed after years of low calorie eating and gym going just seeing my weight steadily rise. I haven't had any clothes feel loose for ages. I'm now a small 14 and aiming to get back to a 10-12. I've never been skinny.

Getting very used to black coffee too which I never thought would happen.

I went to see a nutritionist who was really supportive of this way of eating. Said to aim for as much protein and fibre as possible when I do eat.

Hi, can I join this please?! Think this could be something that works for me (although giving up my milky frothy coffee each morning might be a struggle). Think waiting till 12 to eat could be doable for me but feel I need to post here to make me accountable and force me to give it a real go for a couple of weeks!

I'm still sticking with it and it's achievable definitely. The first 2 weeks are certainly the worst but it helps to be busy. I don't think I'm any more hungry at lunchtime than I would be if I had breakfast, so that's quite interesting I think. I have a cup of tea with small amount of milk to start the day and that ritual helps to keep going on with it and almost fools me into forgetting I didn't eat anything. I know milk shouldn't be added, but I doubt it makes a huge difference really.

Please can I join? I started yesterday as going on holiday 3 weeks tomorrow (nothing like leaving it until the last minute 😂)
I dabbled with 5:2 around 8 years ago and it didn't work for me at all but this sounded as if it might! I've decided on 16:8 (12pm to 8pm) and no alcohol (until I go away!). I'm 51, perimenopausal, 5'3 and weigh 9.11. I'm only on day 2 but haven't it too bad (so far!). Took the dog out for a couple of hours this morning, got back just after 12 and had a Nature Valley protein bar and 3 scrambled eggs. We'll have a roast later but I'm going to lay off the potatoes and Yorkshire puds. Feel quite excited and positive about this new (hopefully) way of life. Good luck everyone!

Thank you for picking up the baton with this! A disadvantage of the hormonal coil is that I don't know where I am hormonally, though I know something is going on..

I had a degree of "flexibility" over the weekend (stressing about "will we eat before x?" seems not in the spirit of living life to the fullest! I think I'll just let go when it's social).

My digestion hasn't been as clockwork as usual, not sure what that's about but noting it in case others have experienced the same.

Still not exercising except a sudden desire to do yoga (three times last week!) but I'm going to make myself jog later today and swim tomorrow morning. I hear blokes on health podcasts talk about how they always exercise first thing and do 16:8, so that might be the answer, however as with the hormonal pattern above, I increasingly think "blokes on health podcasts" are on another planet!

Hey and welcome @Hellesbelles2 @user50and @LadyMargaretDevereux and others!

So I’m on week three of 16:8 and absolutely loving this way of eating. I feel so much better and it’s really driving me to make better choices about what I eat.

Weirdly although the scales haven’t moved that much, I’m not at all bothered as I can really see the difference - my clothes are looser especially on the waist and I just look generally slimmer and better which has given me a major boost to keep going!

Interestingly I think that hours 12-16 in the mornings are the hardest, i often feel hungry in that time, but I find it passes, and I often find by 16 hours I suddenly feel ok again and that I could in fact go longer (but have usually scheduled to eat then and it would mess up my day to go longer). It sort of makes sense if the consensus is that the switch to ketone production starts around 15-16 hours, and that’s supposed to make you feel better? I do think I might start throwing in some longer fasts having read up on the benefits. And relax the 16;8 on other days. Have others done any longer fasts?

I’m finding the major challenges are eating out - as I feel like I need to rush, and also that I really need to eat enough food to nourish and keep me going (which is not easily combined with “shall we get a few sharing plates”!!!) and also working - I do find it’s a a struggle to knuckle down to concentrate on work in the mornings if I’ve been fasting and am hungry. It’s so much easier if I’m with the kids/ out/ busy at the weekend. How do others find this?

Also really enjoying Fast Like A Girl - I am SO glad you recommended @weknowfrogsgotralalalala … I’m finding it so interesting and it’s making so much sense to me. I love the idea of tailoring what I eat to what my body needs hormonal my at different points in the month. Keen to start trying it out and will be fascinated to see if it makes a difference! Have others tried to eat in the way she suggests at all?

@LeopardPJS I’m tentatively starting to follow fast like a girl, so will be fasting til the end of the week, and it feels fine at the moment. I think the challenge will be the week of no fast and how that balances out. Next cycle I’m going to follow the food suggestions.

I’ve felt that it’s been more important getting into the longer fasts - 17hrs or do, and not having tea with milk in the mornings. It’s felt like a massive achievement not having a milky tea til the afternoon this week!

@weknowfrogsgotralalalala Yes I'm trying to work out what's likely to be more efficient / effective ... really going for it with some longer fasts towards the start of the month, or consistently following the 16:8 pattern. Fast Like A Girl seems to suggest the former, but the latter feels more achievable/ sustainable?! I'm getting towards the end of my cycle now so might try and row back on the fasts and then ramp it up again at the start of my next one and see if I can go longer.

Interestingly my biggest loss of weight so far was when I did it in the first week of my cycle, when I felt able to go longer (like 18 hours) and was also drinking TONS of water.

It's funny you say about feeling slimmer but scales not moving much. It's the same for me. I'm only doing 16:8 (no long fasts)but being totally strict with it. I don't have loads to lose but have lost 3-4Ibs quickly and then not much over the last week. Like you I can definitely see and feel a difference though. Clothes that were really snug before definitely fit better. I wouldn't think I'd see a difference with such a small loss?

@LeopardPJS she definitely advocates longer fasts before ovulation and just after, she also suggests varying lengths of fast so our bodies don’t get used to it.

I think ultimately it’s about what feels sustainable and works for us isn’t it?

I had written a reply but the page refreshed so didn't post.
I'm eating roughly between 1-7pm and fasting for around 18 hours. For some reason I seem to find that easier than a 16 hour fast, probably because it fits well around meal times and stops me snacking.
I'm finding it pretty easy actually so far, it feels quite natural for me to eat like this. I am having some milk in my morning tea though.

How is everyone getting on?

For me it seems that it wasn't until week 3 that any noticeable weightloss happened. I am now on week 4 and have lost 1 kg in a week, which is great compared to the 0.2/-0.3kg I have managed to lose the previous weeks. I just feel less and less hungry during my eating windows and I find I crave fiber-rich foods rather than empty calories.

I am now half way towards my goal of losing 3kg, but I think I will stick to the 16:8 even after I am done as it has really helped with my inflammation levels too.

Not so great this week, stuck to it fine the first week but been a bit half hearted this week. Seeing your message about seeing progress after a few weeks, might have given me the kick I need to get back on it wholeheartedly from now on...

@Hellesbelles2 I really do think it's worth perservering and just see how your body adapts to it. Give it a month at least I think.

Thanks Snoken. Am back on it today 100%.

Well done Snoken! Half way there is a great achievement. It sounds like this way of eating suits you.

I will be four weeks tomorrow, going to weigh then. The waistband on my leggings feels a little less tight... I think, or I could be imagining it 😅

I've been more mindful about what I eat and have been trying to eat more whole foods. Still eating an obscene amount of carbs and sweet stuff though. I don't usually feel hungry during my fast but once I've broken it I am ravenous and want to eat everything in sight.

Enjoyed the experience so far though:)

I am so glad to hear everyone's positive experiences with this!

I'm four weeks in now, and have lost five pounds in total, which might sound slow to some but actually I'm thrilled with this, for a number of reasons: one, I was finding it really hard to lose weight and have never found a diet that's worked (partly because I like food so much and hate the sense of depriving myself) two, I was in the healthy weight range of BMI albeit at the upper end so it wasn't going to be that rapid, and three... I'm really finding it so manageable! The first week or so was tough going and I found it hard not seeing the scales move, but I'm totally used to it now, I actually enjoy it and feel happier eating this way! I have more energy, and as for the way I feel about my body, it's honestly been transformative. I feel like I've lost more than five pounds- all my clothes are looser and I look so much better around the face.
I've found what works for me exercise wise (a weights session a couple of times a week at the end of my fasting window, plus trying to do a lot of walking every day, at least 10,000 steps) but for me what I love is that I'm losing weight sustainably and consistently, while just doing what I now feel is a really manageable and actually enjoyable way of eating - and without having to make time for five exercise sessions a week or whatever which I'd love if I could do but isn;t really realistic for me. But this is, because it takes no time. It actually saves time!

16 hours feels pretty normal to me now, but on one or two days a week when it works for me, I might throw in a longer fast, when I have a busy morning when I know I'll be too tied up on meetings/ zooms to eat anyway, and if you're busy the time flies and suddenly you've done 18 or 20 hours!
I did combine it with cutting carbs (not completely but reducing significantly the bread items in particular) and I really feel it has made me feel so much better. I never thought I'd say that as I'm the world's biggest toast lover ! But I think if I'm honest it's better as an occasional rather than a daily thing to eat. At the end of my fast I crave veggies and protein and fat (I am eating a lot of nuts, cheese and keto granola!)

I've found breaking my fast with an avocado drizzled with a good oil like MCT or olive oil with some salt and pepper, or bone broth/ a broth-based soup, is a good way to wake up the digestion a bit more slowly and manageably. I then eat a big meal a little while after.
Overall, I'm loving it!

Oh that's good, op.

I have lost my first stone today! I'm so pleased. It's gone from round my middle and I'm in smaller jeans. Nothing had felt loose on me for years because I was overweight but too stubborn to buy bigger sizes.

I'm going to aim for 6 lbs per month loss for the next 4 months and I think I'll be fine with that.

I'm also surprisingly enjoying it. It's so much easier than calorie counting and I'm just not going for the carbs when I do eat. I'm also nowhere near as hungry and miserable as I've been on low calorie diets. There's a bit of stomach rumbling between about 9 and 10am but it's not the full on hanger I used to experience.

I've totally switched to black coffee which has been a revelation. Any milk of any kind now feels sickly.

Agree that it saves time, especially in the morning! I used to poach eggs every morning - and would still be starving by 11am.

Now I have 10 mins extra in bed, grab my breakfast pot out of the fridge and run.

Fantastic progress @Leopardpj 🥳
Well done on cutting down on carbs, that's one area I'm struggling with. I am currently breastfeeding DC3 though so for now I am listening to whatever my body tells me to eat- which is a lot of carbs 😅

I weighed this morning and have lost 4.5kg (~10lb). I weighed in the morning before having anything to eat or much to drink, and after going to the loo so some of that is probably water loss 😄

This brings me down to the weight I was at the start of DC3's pregnancy, another 4.5kg and I'll be the weight I was after having DC1&2, which is a weight I'm happy to be at again.

Will weigh again in another four weeks :)
Happy intermittent fasting everyone.

Well done @whirlyswirly ! That's a great achievement 🥳 One of my reasons for doing this is also so my old clothes fit again. It sounds like you have a good plan going forward 😁

I've not stuck to it great this week, but I've been ill and it has made me quite hungry so I chose to listen to my body. I've probably had maybe 3 days off and 4 days fasting as normal this week.
I've not weighed myself but my clothes do feel looser, and I managed to put a skirt on that I've not been able to do up for a very long time!