16:8 does not feel like another shitty diet!. I managed to lose fat, have more energy and feel positive about life.

[sbh1991]

Hey,
I want to share my experience, I tried several diets in the past with little luck, I found them boring and I usually ended up caving in, binging on food and ending up back at square one.

However, I finally found the 16:8 fast really worked for me in losing weight.
I enjoy my food and more importantly I enjoy life without having to restrict myself anymore. Life is too short as they say!.

Weight loss can fill like a constant uphill battle, I know that feeling first hand. So, I would like to help where I can, let me know your struggles with the diet or what problems you have?. Happy to give tips or inspiration to others from my experience.

It is the little steps every day that add up to big results over time 😀. Let's all help and support one another!.

Sorry @Onthebrink67 I’ve not experienced this either, to begin with I was doing daily YouTube workouts during my fasting period and found it helped reduce hunger feelings but I realised I really don’t enjoy them so have focused on doing an hours walk a day instead. My tracking app says I’ve burned 1687 calories this week through my daily hour walking so I’m pleased with that!

Have woken up ravenous but forced myself to drink a glass of water as I’m terrible at drinking enough water. Going to crack on with some work to distract myself until it’s time to eat. Hoping to meet my sister and have a guilt free ice cream later!

Thanks @beachdreaming2020 and @skeletonskins. I’ve decided to have a no fast day but eat sensibly and see if that helps. From googling it does seem to be an issue for some people and not others.

Morning everyone!

I’m on week 3 and I don’t know what’s happened but I’m feeling so positive! I’m 16.5 hrs in and not hungry or grumpy at all. I had told myself I could have breakfast at 11 if I needed but I’m definitely going to push through to lunch now. I’ve got soda bread in the oven and looking forward to breaking my fast with a warm slice!

Weighed myself today and still 12st 5lbs but if it fluctuates I’m cool with that - I’m pretty sure this process is working for me. Also, I swear my rosacea looks better.

Off to play in the garden with the toddler and it think about food - have a lovely Saturday everyone.

Moo I’ve got rosacea too!!

I've been doing 16:8 for about 3 weeks now. Today I pulled on a pair of jeans that I haven't been able to for in to for ages. Such a good feeling!
My persistent craving for snacks has almost disappeared and I feel much better in myself. Really, really impressed with the results and it's so easy - I don't feel like I'm denying myself foods that I enjoy, I'm just now naturally inclined to eat less of them.

I’ve lapsed a bit today. TBH I just felt really hungry so I’ve eaten far too many cracker breads with butter (just a scraping) and grated cheese. I might have something a bit sweet now.

I had an 18 hour fast, mind, and I’ll have a smaller tea so not sure it’ll make a huge difference to my overall weight loss.

I just really felt like I wanted to feel properly full, you know?

@cheerfulpotato I’m totally with you on that today, I’ve eaten way more than I should in my eating window and now have gone the other way and feel uncomfortably full. I’m not feeling guilty about it though - the way I see it is I’ve eaten a lot less than I would have on a day like today pre IF, I’d have been having chocolate, probably a takeaway, all sorts really so even an indulgence day is healthier than my old diet!

I indulge quite a lot on 16/8. Some days I don't want to eat much and other days I can eat for England. I don't worry about it though. I just listen to my body and appetite. Doing 16/8 I feel I've become much more in tune with my body. I've noticed that even when I feel I've overeaten my weight remains pretty stable. I don't get much fluctuation on 16/8. It never goes up more than a couple of pounds.

Can I join please? I've been pre-diabetic on and off for the past four years, managing the 'off' by losing weight and low-carbing. I had success with the blood sugar diet (800cals per day) but stopped that when my hair started thinning out.

Thanks to lockdown boredom-snacking, I'm heavier than ever. I've been mindful of my carbs recently but I am still not getting on top of sugar cravings.

I think I need the discipline of an eating window. I certainly need the benefits of a fast, and 5:2 wasn't sustainable or practical for me.

I identify so much with breakfast 'waking up' my appetite, as lots of posters have said.

I could never manage the 5:2 but I find the 16:8 reasonably easy.

That's good to hear.

I'm going to start tomorrow, I'm thinking either 12pm - 8pm or 1pm - 9pm windows are the best fit for me.

Joining you if okay. I was so overweight before lockdown and more now. Feel horrible and utterly hate myself. Have done this before and need some control. Appreciate the support and success stories. Not sure I am brave enough to get on the scales but know I should.

I've started 16:8 3 days ago. Found it fine so far. Do any of you have a drink over the weekend? If so do you just have it in the eating window then stop, or do you have a flexible approach with your fasting times? I've had 2 gins tonight. Nothing since 8pm and that's fine but thinking ahead to normal more sociable Saturday evenings. Looking for experienced fasters to advise. Thanks

I have been trying to fast for the last 3 weeks. However, I’ve never been much of a breakfast person so 16:8 seemed quite similar to my normal day.

I started with a smaller lunch than usual and dinner at about 7, so more like a 18:6 with one smaller meal. This worked ok and I lost one pound in a week.

The following week, I was so busy at work that lunch couldn’t be eaten at 1, so it ended up being 3/4 before I got my first meal and then dinner at 7. This was tougher the first couple of days as my body expected lunch at 1 but then I soon adapted and wasn’t hungry until 3.

This week, I thought that as my lunch had become so late, I’d drop it altogether and just have dinner a bit earlier at 6. I honestly haven’t missed lunch and because I’d got used to not eating until 4 anyway, I wasn’t particularly hungry.

Sweet stuff has always been my downfall and I love dinner and pudding. This week, I have been ready to eat at 6 but because I’ve gone all day without (only water or odd milky tea), I have felt full really quickly. This has meant that I have had slightly smaller portions of dinner and pudding and not wanted to snack at all before bed. This week, I was 4lb down.

I don’t think I could have gone from 3 meals a day straight to this, but by easing it in, I feel fine now. I still eat quite a lot of cals in the evening (which was always what made me gain weight) but by missing the breakfast and lunch that I never really craved (was just habit or because I thought I should eat), I can enjoy the meals I enjoy without eating too many calories.

I don’t know much about fasting and it’s other health benefits but hoping that it may have other positive side effects. Might be worth a go for anyone who like me, loves a really big dinner and pudding.

Hi to all the newcomers.

@panicovernow I like a G&T at the weekend. If I'm drinking past my eating window then I try not to eat as well (often get the dreaded munchies when I've had a few drinks!) and I just extend my fast as long as I can the following day. But I don't obsess about it, which I think is the beauty of this way of eating. It's not every weekend, but even if it was that's only one day of the week that I might go over my calories but I can make up for it during the week.

I know I said I was starting tomorrow but it literally just occurred to me that this is fasting and I know what time I last ate - doh!

A true 16:8 would start my eating window tomorrow at 2pm, as I just finished a can of Pepsi Max and I want to do a clean fast.

I'm going to fast until 1pm and that will give me a good start, I reckon.

For what it’s worth I drink Pepsi max most evenings after my fast starts and I’m still losing although I know it’s a dirty fast!

Welcome to all people joining us, this has been the only approach I’ve ever ever managed to stick to and I’ve joined all kinds of weight loss approaches and threads on here in the past and failed after 3 or 4 days but this I’ve been doing like 23 days now which is a huge achievement for me! Take it a day at a time and you’ll begin to notice changes.

Hi to all the new people 👋

@justanotherneighinparadise I don’t think I’ve met another rosacea sufferer before. It’s horrible isn’t it? Mine only started about 3 yrs ago. Can’t get used to seeing my new face in the mirror the redness still surprises me. Did you find fasting helped at all?

Thanks for the thread. I’ve been following for the last few days, and it’s inspired me to try 16:8.

I was always a healthy weight until the birth of my first child aged 30, since then I’ve done WW, low carb, calorie counting with varying degrees of success (although I never entirely went back to my pre-kids weight). However since I had my youngest 5 years ago and going through menopause soon after that, I’ve been persistently 2 stone overweight and have found it so hard to lose anything. I just get so hungry and crave food if I’m calorie counting, and I find low carb really difficult around cooking and eating with the rest of the family.

This approach really appeals as no food is forbidden, and as someone else said upthread it’s lovely to feel full after a meal. So I’ve stuck at it for the last 2-3 days and feel fine.

May I ask, I eat loads of vegetables normally (I’m not a fan of fruit), but I worry that in an 8 hour eating window there’s less opportunity to eat the recommended 5 portions of fruit and veg each day. How do you manage this?

@Fishlegs I break my fast at 10am with a big fruit salad so that's 3 portions of fruit ticked off immediately. I don't only have fruit, then I have something else too (toasties, fried egg sandwiches or fish finger sandwiches are my favourite brunch!). My main meal (an early dinner) always has heaps of veg. I make veg the bulk of my meal. It could be a curry with lots of veg, a stir fry, a pasta gratin with loads of roast veg. Whatever meal I have I'll have plenty of veg or a big salad on the side. I always get my 5 a day. I think it's easy to do. Snacks between meals can be fruit or veg too.

Just noticed you're not keen on fruit. I wasn't either until I forced myself to have it. Now my mouth waters when I think of a slice of pineapple or a juicy nectarine! I often have an omelette for brunch with lots of veg on (mushrooms, spinach, courgettes, tomatoes, whatever I have to hand). I also like to eat an avocado as a snack with a dressing of olive oil and cider vinegar. So good for you.

I have been toying with this for a while and I manage for a couple of days and then crash.
Hope it's ok if I join you all. Will have a read of the thread and be back.

Well I am trying to start this today. I’m starving but holding out for 11 am. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, so it’s hard!

Keep busy Fruit, can you go for a walk or get cleaning something? I find it much easier when I’m distracted!

I do an hour on the turbo bike first thing then don’t eat until lunchtime. It’s fine. Then eat what I like at weekends healthier in the week. Started in 16/8 in Oct by jan I was 2 stone lighter and maintaining ever since. Bmi 21 at aged 46 and size 10 (was 14). So yes am thrilled !