Intermittent fasting, anyone want to join me?

[achillea]

Anyone watch Horizon last night want to try fasting for weight loss and general health?

www.bbc.co.uk/mobile/iplayer/episode/b01lxyzc

I might try 6 days on and 24 hours off has anyone tried this and does it work?

OK I am going to do it from September also, Tuesday and Thursday will be my fast days but I am going to try and bring those in significantly under 500 calories, I have been low carbing for the past 6 weeks and have lost 1 stone, but I have 2 more to go. I also come from a family with a history of breast cancer so am keen to try this from a health point of view.

I plan to try for a baby end of September. I do have some weight to lose. Do you think IF would be okay to do beforehand? Surely it would be beneficial? It might even help with hormones? What do you think?

Wow Leonie! That's amazing!

I've been thinking of making a concerted effort to lose weight for my health as, now into my 40s with 2 young kids I'm starting to think about what state I'm going to be in when they're teenagers... I'm at least 2 stone overweight with a BMI of 29 and this programme came just at the right time as I'm looking for a new way of eating for health that I think I can stick with.

I've found Weightwatchers to be very useful over the years (online only) but after about 3 months or so, invariably I go back to my bad old ways (big portions - you're so right on that LeonieDelt. What appeals to me about IF is not just the weight loss that happens (most likely as a result of eating fewer calories I'd guess) but the brain and body benefits - the thought of the body being able to go into 'repair' mode. The blood tests Michael Moseley went through are the beginnings of the proof that this could be a way of eating for health, for life.

I'm a bit scared about fasting however - even the 500 calorie a day version - but I'm hoping I'd get used to it. Particularly with the motivation of a very real and very fast benefits to your brain and body - that thought would help me ride those hunger waves!

A couple of things on my mind: 1) does anyone know how one would go about getting the blood tests on demand? Do you just go to your doc? Do you pay for them? 2) This works for Moseley but there's no guarantee that it will work for everyone so if I do it for health benefits (as well as weight loss) I'd been keen to monitor my bloods.

I'm interested in this idea and would love to do it. Am only a few pounds overweight but have trouble with sluggishness and minor health niggles.

However, I have a question (one which bothers me with any diet, tbh). It's to do with how it would appear to my children. I have two dds aged 13 and 11, and our family has a dreadful history of eating disorders. I haven't had these issues myself, but I worry about my dds as they are already very slim and quite fussy eaters. We do eat together for family meals and they would definitely notice if I was fasting. Although I really do need to watch my weight, any time I cut down my portions, etc. one of them usually remarks on it . Does anyone have any thoughts/experience of this?

I tried fasting today, a demanding day at the office was fine, however, looking after my dc while hungry has made me decide to give up. Being hungry is not unpleasant, but it means I lack patience

NotLike, that's an interesting question. Someone with teenagers probably has better advice, but could you say something like you watched a program at how to avoid getting old prematurely and although you think it's a bunch of quackery (is there such a phrase?) you're giving it a go. Teenagers generally think they're invincible so it won't occur to them they need to try it.

Just wanted to add something about my lifestyle here as it might be useful: I go to a yoga class every morning very early and we are not meant to eat for at least 12 hours beforehand - any food past 7pm in the evening really affects the practice. A good many practitioners make lunch their main meal and fast from then until the next morning's breakfast most days a week. I usually have a salad or some fruit in the evening as I can't cope with nothing with a job and a toddler to put to bed!

Anyway, just wanted to say that your body adjusts really quickly and soon eating nothing/just soup/fruit in the evening is easy. You're also very hungry for breakfast and lunch so eat large meals then and burn them off throughout the day.

Good luck to all!

I've just watched it on iPlayer - fascinating. I'm a scientist so approach all of this with a sceptical head but I'm convinced enough to give it a go.

Ok so I started early. We were away and routine was out anyway so it seemed lile a good time to try and see if I could survive a day on just tea and coffee. It wasn't so hard and I have done fasting every other day for a week, having 400 cals for intake and milk in drinks.

Today was my third fast, and I feel fine but a bit emotional because I am having to confront my feelings instead of reaching for the biscuits. Blood sugar drop made me tired today, physically not mentally. The hunger isn't so bad, the tricky bit is ensuring the family gets fed but miraculously they have taken an interest in cooking which has kept me out of the kitchen and out of trouble!

Suits me so far but I need to keep a close eye,on calorie intake. Ready meals may be the answer. I think I will continue now as it isn't that hard.

I have started too (last Wed actually) and have tried to stick to 500 every other day. Interestingly I am not that hungry and on the days I can eat whatever I like I haven't felt like stuffing myself with chocolate. I am having a cholestrol test next week so it will be interesting to see if my levels have dropped. I haven't weighed myself so don't know if I have lost any weight yet.

I've found the same Harlot. I sat salivating while other had tea last night (I had lunch instead) and this morning, after 20 hours without food I wasn't even hungry. I am learning the difference between greedy hunger and real hunger.

On fast days I feel the greedy hunger, when you smell or see food and want to eat it and could oh so easily kid myself that I am hungry, but I know that really I am not properly hungry. I'm also not craving sugar.

Alternate day seems the best for me as it is easy to stick to. I don't trust myself with anything more complicated than that.

I tried to watch the programme but it's left iplayer.

I read the newspaper article on it and was intrigued, it does chime with me for health and spiritual reasons (I don't want to grab chocolate every time I need comfort!)

So, it's 5 days a week normal eating, then 2 days a week (can be apart or together?) of only 600 calories, so some drink, fruit and a light meal once a day?

I presume the days can change each week to fit different schedules?

I want to try it. Need to lose a stone and get some self-control back with food.

You could also do alternate day fasting. The idea is to eat 25% of normal calorie intake for one day. I am finding that quite easy because I know it's just for a day, but others prefer two days a week.

The presenter lost a stone in 5 weeks but did an initial 3 day fast. I'm heading for 3 stone in 6 months with bit of luck.

I started the 5:2 plan this week, I did 600 calories on Monday and tuesday split into three (small) meals. I plan to continue this for life now, I feel like i've finally found something that makes sense. I will though next week cut down to 500 calories on Monday and Tuesday and then see if I can get any lower in the weeks to follow. I want to lose weight but thats not my motivator, it's the living longer and healthier part I like, losing weight as a side effect is a real bonus though.

Here's what I had day one:-

Sachet of Porridge 216 Cals, 1 Slice Of Bread 100 Cals, Half a Cup A Soup 35 Cals, Low Calorie Hot Chocolate 39 Cals, 1 Quorn Sausage 70, A Whole Tin Of Ratatouille 118 Total For The Day 578

Here's what I had day two:-

BREAKFAST 30g Frosties with 125ml Semi Skimmed Milk = 172 Cal LUNCH Tortilla Wrap Filled with Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato, Red Onion = 118 Cal I added a slice of Edam = 79 Cals and 2 Teaspoons of Salad Cream = 31 Cals TEA Tortilla Wrap Filled with Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato, Red Onion = 118 Cal Slice of Edam = 79 Cals and 1 Teaspoons of Salad Cream = 15 Total for the Day 612

My choices were based on what I actually had in the cupboard and what I thought I could get the most on my plate for least amount of calories. The half a cup a soup on day one was becuase I started it and didn't like it so had a hot chocolate instead.

For those of you who missed the programme the whole thing is on you tube split into parts.

How did you feel pdb?

My DH and I have been doing this for two days a week. I spread my 500 calories across the day.

THe first day was ghastly--I had a headache and felt snappy. Second day not as bad. The only trouble that it's hard for us to find days that work as low calorie days for both of us. I'm worried I'm going to have to go to tennis lessons on a 500 day and I don't know how to manage this: save most of the calories until mid-afternoon and have a few left for when I return?

Abra you will be fine for the tennis lessons. Save the food for when you feel hungry later. Have tea and coffee with milk as that fills you up.

I've been having 400 calorie dinners and saving 100 for drinks.

Alternate day is good because it just rotates around whatever you are doing, makes me think less about it. I keep forgetting to eat even on my off days!

Thanks achillea--I was worried about feeling a bit faint.

It is easier to do it when you're busy, though: you forget about food.

It's been amazing to me to realise just how ignorant most men are about calories. For years and years I've been warning my darling husband that too much rice pudding with cream WOULD have an effect on his abdomen. That he really does not need 'a pudding' with lunch AND with dinner.

Did he take any notice? No.

It was only when he happened to hear the interview on Radio 4 that he paid attention, watched the full documentary on Horizon and scared himself witless. Good. That sounds cruel, but he needed a shake-up. He was eating like the young subaltern he used to be a very, very long time ago: playing masses of sport.

I started joining in with the fasts to support him as I thought I owed him that having nagged him so much. I don't need to lose weight myself but I do have a potential cholesterol problem building, and my blood pressure can be up and down. So it will be good for me too. :)

Thanks, at the moment I think 2 days a week is more achievable than every other. It'll take a while to reduce my comfort eating psychologically.

I stopped and bought soup on the way home and plan tomorrow to be a 600 calorie day. Right now with small kids and a job I need easy food so a tin with calories on the outside will get me started better than having to make soup.

I do like water though and often choose to drink it, and I'm not a tea or coffee drinker so the drinks side is very easy.

Off to research how many calories in my sachet of porridge ... I threw the box away ages ago!