Introducing intermittent fasting

[StuntNun]

This thread is for Bootcampers that are interested in introducing intermittent fasting. There are a myriad of health benefits from fasting and it is particularly useful for anyone who is likely to be insulin resistant (diabetes, prediabetes, PCOS). It can also be useful for reducing overall calorie intake if you are hoping to lose weight more quickly, you are in an extended stall, or are close to your goal weight and weight loss has slowed.

If you're like me and you've never skipped a meal in your life then fasting may sound daunting but it really isn't difficult. It only takes a matter of days to get used to the feeling of hunger rising and then passing again. If you already miss meals or find yourself not feeling hungry at breakfast time then it will be even easier to introduce intermittent fasting, you're just formalising something that is already happening.

You should wait until you are at least two weeks into Bootcamp to start fasting and some people may need to wait for longer. Once you are fully adapted to burning fat your hunger levels rise more slowly and you have access to your fat reserves to get you through a longer fasting period without much hunger.

The method that combines best with low carb is intermittent fasting 16:8 where you have a minimum of three 16-hour fasts per week. This is usually by missing breakfast so if you have finish dinner at 7 p.m. then you don't eat again until at least 11 a.m. the next day. You can also miss dinner and fast from lunch to breakfast instead but most people find that less convenient; it depends on your lifestyle.

The easiest way to introduce fasting is to give it a try. Make a note of what time you finish eating and see when you get hungry the next day. If you're naturally getting hungry after 12 hours then aim for 12.5 or 13 hours for your first fast and build up to 16 hours gradually. It's fine to have a cup of tea or coffee (with milk not cream) during your fast period. At your usual breakfast time you will probably feel hungry. Have a hot drink and/or a big glass of water and usually the hunger will subside and then rise again later in the day. You don't need to fast every day to get the health benefits so if you're particularly hungry one day then just have breakfast and aim to fast the next day instead.

Captain I know! And there was us thinking he was just eccentric! (He was that too).

I fasted for 17 hours too . 7pm last night until 12pm today. I could have lasted a while longer but I was very excited about the lunch that I had packed for myself and I don't want to eat my dinner too late this evening. DS doesn't have an after school/evening activity so it means we can eat together. Also I'm sleeping better than I have done for years and over the last fortnight I've got used to having 8 hours or so sleep. I get stroppy if I don't get at least 7 hours .

Can someone tell me the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar please? I friend mentioned to me last week that she was having it. Does it reduce your appetite?
(having typed this I'm now wondering why I didn't just google it!)

I have googled.

I'll google too. Do we have to drink it for the benefit. I use it in my French dressing. Doesn't have the mother in though.

Had lunch at 2pm yesterday, so 17 hour fast and then managed 16 hour fast today without too much trouble. Had a chicken and avocado salad and felt absolutely stuffed! All the water helps too.

How many should fast days should we be aiming for and is it ok to do them consecutively?

A minimum of three days per week but you can fast every day if you like. I do think it's important to have two meals a day though to make sure you're getting enough micronutrients.

I'm aiming for a relaxed every day. If I want breakfast I'll eat, or if it's more sensible to eat early because I'm travelling etc, then I'll eat, but I hoping fasting will be my default, while completely accepting that some days I will just fancy breakfast - and in which case, I'll eat it.

That's my plan too Ilove. I don't intend to let myself feel deprived. That way lies danger.

Thanks StuntNun - am most certainly having the two meals! Just surprised that the last two days I have been peckish by lunchtime but certainly not ravenous or lightheaded.

Think I am going to do same as ilove, if I'm hungry, I will have breakfast. To be honest, during the week I have been doing 12 hour fasts by default as I have a late dinner then don't get breakfast until I'm at my desk at 9.30/10, so it's just been a case of extending it a bit.

I shall certainly be having breakfast at the weekend - egg and flax-bread soldiers here I come!

I intend to aim to do it Sunday evening - Friday evening. That way I get a chocolate/ alcohol treat in on Friday and Saturday nights. I rarely eat breakfast, even at the weekend, but will treat myself to earlier creamy coffees then.
We finished dinner by 7pm last night, which is early for us, so I could break my fast at 11am. However, DH won't be home until gone 8pm, so the eating window is a bit long. It's also going to be tricky as I have a meeting 12.00 - -13.00, then am interviewing at a different site 14.00 - whenever. I'm hoping my meeting will finish early and I get chance to eat then.

The benefit of ciderapple vinegar with mother is that it has lots of good gut bacteria in it. Good to rebuild after antibiotics etc, essentially it is probiotic.

So will it be labelled with mother in the ingredients or is it a specific type of cider vinegar?

That's what I do as well Cherries. Somedays I'll be hungrier in the morning, especially if I've had more carbs the previous day.

Very it will say that it's unfiltered and it contains the mother. It's usually called cyder vinegar instead of cider vinegar. It looks murky at the bottom of the bottle.

Non fast day for me as I had a creamy coffee at 7am. I needed something as I leapt out of bed eager to do my C25K run/walk. I'm not really hungry now though so won't have any food until lunchtime. Then dinner at 7ish tonight.

Thank you Stuntnun

Flummoxed I found it in sainsbury with the rest of the vinegar. Brand is aspalls and it is unpasteurised and unfiltered, if you read the back it mentions the mother.

Thanks yddraigoldragon

Just enjoying my lunch. Had an interesting insight this morning though. I got hungry about 10am, and it was if a panic button went off. I was thinking 'must eat, must eat before I feel ill'. Then I stopped, took a breath, and said, ok, so you are in your own house. There is lots of food available, and you can eat at any time. Just sit with the hunger rather then panicking. So that's what I did, and the hunger faded, came back about an hour later, faded again. This is a totally new experience for me - I felt hungry, but I didn't get the shakes, or start sweating. I was able to continue pottering about just fine. I was simply - a bit hungry.

Just having lunch, so I did a 17.5 hour fast. Was hungry at 9.30am and thought i wouldn't last, but drank more water and it went away. Was pretty much okay after that.
ilove yes, great insight.

Oh, I'm also enjoying my post lunch creamy coffee. I never used to have one then because I would have already drank my creamy coffee quota by about 10am.

I was amazed the first time I let myself get hungry and I didn't die! Before I went low carb I would be doubled over with pain when I was hungry, I just couldn't take the chance. I didn't actually join Bootcamp to lose weight (although that was a welcome benefit) but because I was hungry all the time and craving carbs/sugar constantly.

Hi I just did nineteen hours. Brilliant game ndight Ilove. Slightly more hungry than yesterday but easily able to put it off (by saying I'll just do this first then have something) till in the end I surprised myself by realising if I didn't eat it would be too late to be ready for dinner. Again I was peckish but not desperate. It's a very liberating feeling. Turned yesterday's left over veg into bubble and squeak and had it with two fried eggs.

I used to take breakfast to work with me as I can't face eating first thing. If I have been busy and missed eating, I felt hungry but it passed after a few minutes and could be over an hour before I felt hungry again. That said, it wasn't often that I missed breakfast

Lovely dinner eaten, teeth cleaned and ready to fast until at least 12.30 tomorrow.

game ndight I meant insight.