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!.

Day 1: didn't eat until 1pm and I was hungry like the wolf but I did it. DH too and I was glad that (for once) he was supportive. We both have fat to lose. Most of my clothes don't fit :-(. I felt a bit dozy and lightheaded before eating but nothing insurmountable.

I find it so interesting how our understanding of metabolism in evolving: I was brought up to believe that skipping breakfast was a cardinal sin and never to be attempted by a decent person!

V grateful for all the insight and contributions on this thread.

Can I ask a question, and forgive me if this has been answered previously. Has anyone tried this way of eating and given up because they felt so ill - sick and migraine type headaches? I have tried 16:8 and 5:2 and have given up as I felt so awful. I don't mean hungry, just really dreadful. I wondered if that disappears after a while.

@BradleyCooperwillbemine I've been doing it for years. I can't quite remember but think I felt quite rough the first 2 weeks as my body adjusted to it. It does take some getting used to. Generally though I just feel so much healthier! Even if I didn't lose weight I'd still eat like this because I feel good and it has many other health benefits. I think it's important to eat enough in the 8 hour window. I hear of some people fasting 19 hours or so and then eating minimal calories. I don't think that's sustainable and you wouldn't feel good, I'd feel weak. I eat well when I can. Just about to sit down to a cream tea. I did feel very weak on 5:2 but 16:8 works for me because I'm not deprived.

Thanks Sally for replying. I shall give it at go. I was watching a Dominique Sachse video who is a big fan of 16:8 and she suggested trying to push breakfast to say, 9am for a week, then 10 for a week and so on until you can get to 12. I think this may be the way to go for me.

I have been doing this for a few months now, I have had a very difficult relationship with food and my weight for my whole life, as I guess many of us have.
For me, although I have lost weight, and need to for health reasons, what it has really brought to me is a peaceful relationship with food which is such a relief. I dont constantly think about food I enjoy it and really hope this is it !

feelingdizzy I think I’m starting to get to where you are at. I have lost weight and am now well within healthy BMI, I’d like to lose a bit more, but more importantly, I feel like I now have a better relationship with food and this is also sustainable.

My weight has not budged since the initial 2.5lbs last week. Now on day 12. What am I doing wrong? 😟

Totally agree about the peaceful relationship with food!

I’ve been MIA for a few days. Had a naughty weekend (although did stick within my fasts) so gained a lb over the weekend 😳 but now I’ve been back on track for a few days, lose that pound and luckily lost another half a pound so I’m down to 185.6lb which makes my total loss in 12lb in about 6 weeks which is fine for me as I have PCOS so I always lose weight slowly.

My weight loss seems to have kickstarted again - 184.6 today so another pound gone, 13lbs off in 7 weeks.

Fitted into a pair of jeans yesterday that were definitely too tight in the time sat so I’m starting to see the difference. I need to get to 175lb to be back to ‘healthy’, I started at 197.

Too tight in the past*

my weightliss had also stalled, possibly pmt related.
back on track now. one more kg to go until pre-lockdown weight.

Well done both of you. My scales have also shifted having been stuck for some days. Down half a kilo! Hurrah

I've been following this plan for a month now, fasting for a minimum of 16 hours, but usually 18. I've been amazed how easy I found it, but for the first 3 weeks I didn't lose any weight at all. After reading about clean fasting I decided to stop drinking herbal tea during my fast time as the tea I like is quite sweet. That has been massive for me, I've lost 4lbs in the last fortnight.

I have a lot to lose so it's a small start but I really feel like this could be a sustainable way to lose weight

I agree it’s very sustainable, I’m not thinking ‘how long do I have to do this for’ all the time!

I'm down 6lb now. started at the end of May.

My loss seemed to stall for a few weeks so I've upped to a 17-18 hour fast most days, with 2 20hr fasts per week. I've also dropped my milk in my coffee and stopped adding lemon to water during fast times. Just black coffee and plain water for me now.

Can anyone tell me more about clean fast? I drink loads of water, but I had been drinking peppermint tea when fasting which I now understand is no good, and I have moved to black coffee (instead of having a bit of almond milk).

My problem is I can’t drink black coffee in the afternoon/evening - what can I drink between starting my fasting window and bedtime?

@Pinkvici22 yes it’s absolutely fine to have milky and calorific drinks during your eating window. I broke my fast with a costa iced mocha the other day! It’s just during your fast you can’t add any milk or sweeteners.

Sorry I misunderstood your question!

You could try chamomile tea? That should be ok?

herbal tea is fine during fasting window. as long as you don't add sugar or milk.
I like chai tea (basically spices), fennel, or roibos

I had been drinking peppermint and liquorice tea and having the odd coffee with milk.

Clean fasting is drinking only water, black tea or black coffee during your fasting time. I don't like black tea or coffee but I'm getting used to them. The article I read about it was on one of the other fasting threads:

www.ginstephens.com/all-blog-posts/does-a-clean-fast-really-matter

Thanks for the replies - snappy it was that article that made me think I shouldn’t be drinking peppermint tea.

Weigh day today and annoyingly I’ve stayed the same again...

the article says

what can you have during a clean fast? A clean fast includes plain (unflavored) water, unflavored sparkling water and mineral water, black coffee, and plain (unflavored) teas.

my take is that unflavoured herbal teas are fine.

I googled 'scientific research clean fast' and found articles in scientific American and Harvard medical site, both last year, discussing the human research that's been done. The conclusion seems to be that the jury's out on any health benefits that you wouldn't get from losing the weight in some other manner. From which I take that flavoured herbal teas are fine, and the doctor (Michael something) who started to popularise intermittent fasting in 2011 in the UK says that broth, herbal teas and a tiny bit of milk or cream in tea/coffee is fine.

www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/not-so-fast-pros-and-cons-of-the-newest-diet-trend

www.scientificamerican.com/article/does-intermittent-fasting-work/

I'm more inclined to trust these sources than a non-scientist who has a book to sell.

Yeah, I've read that herbal tea is fine, but my experience is that I lost no weight while drinking it. As soon as I stopped the weight started coming off.

Well I fell off the wagon and gained 1.5lb in 24 hours. I guess I was just maintaining when sticking to it religiously. Will her back innit tomorrow... story of my life when it comes to diets 😖