Intermittent fasting experiences

Iwanttenofthose · 2022-02-09T21:26:09+00:00

New to the board so apologies if this has been discussed before. Just started intermittent fasting. The one where you fast for a period each day, not the one where you do 5 days off then 2 on. Eased myself in with 14 hour fasting period, now up to 16. Feel like I spend the first 4 hours of my fasting window continuously eating!! I eat breakfast and it barely touches the sides so within about an hour I'm either snacking or making a start on lunch. I think I'm still eating less calories overall due to not snacking or drinking alcohol in the evenings though as I generally make healthy food choices during the day even when I'm eating a lot of it. Anyone managed to stick with this long term? Did you do it every day?

Original poster

Iwanttenofthose · 09/02/2022 21:30

Clearly I mean the first 4 hours of my eating window, not my fasting window 😆

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crosbystillsandmash · 09/02/2022 21:48

What you're doing would never work for me! I'd just eat endlessly as soon as I could!
I'm currently doing the 5:2, not for weight loss particularly but to maintain the weight I've always been.
I'm 50 and finally reaching a point in life were I can't eat everything in sight constantly and remain below 9 stone. It suits me, business as usual 5 days a week and then 2 fasting days.
I've grown to enjoy the fast days and how ultra healthy the foods are that I eat on those days!

twolittleboysonetiredmum · 09/02/2022 21:54

I tried 16:8 and found the same - once I’d started I’d be totally starving for hours. Did it for about 6 weeks then gave up

TulipsGarden · 09/02/2022 21:57

Are you eating cereal as your first meal? You ideally need something high in protein to fill you up, not 'breakfast'.

Allaboutthebooks · 09/02/2022 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LargeInCharge · 10/02/2022 06:35

I started 16:8 on Monday and so far I feel it’s working for me.

I start my fast at 8pm (7:30pm last night as I’d finished eating) and break it at gone 12pm, drinking water during the fast.
As mentioned eat protein as it’s filling. I use my fitness pal to track macros and calories.
Try and avoid artificial sweetened things as it may trigger a hunger response and wait 20 minutes after eating so your brain can register that you’ve eaten.
I get the bulk of my daily steps an hour or so before breaking my fast to try to burn some fat.

Bessica1970 · 10/02/2022 06:41

It works better if you plan your meals to make sure you have a nutritious, balanced meal (I do better when I do OMAD) My eating window starts at evening meal time and closes straight after my dessert - so no snacking time. I don’t have the willpower to avoid snacking unless I do it this way. Also carbs make me feel hungry so I avoid them (except potatoes which don’t bother me).

Good luck

Original poster

Iwanttenofthose · 10/02/2022 19:13

Hey, thanks so much for all the comments. They've been very helpful.

Today was a much better day, I loaded up on scrambled eggs for breakfast, wasn't hungry at all for lunch so just had fruit, then early dinner with the kids. I think I need to basically swap breakfast and lunch so I have something more substantial to start with.

I didn't think much about healthy food choices but have definitely eaten fewer calories than I would have done on a "normal" day due to the shorter eating window.

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Original poster

Iwanttenofthose · 10/02/2022 19:14

@TulipsGarden

Are you eating cereal as your first meal? You ideally need something high in protein to fill you up, not 'breakfast'.

Great tip thanks, had scrambled eggs this morning and it was much better!

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Nattalie18 · 10/02/2022 19:31

Recommend the latest Rangan Chatterjee podcast about fasting. Interesting and explains how to build up to fasting and the benefits

Nattalie18 · 10/02/2022 19:31

open.spotify.com/episode/4XznesqwhJ7mWcoeRXQEyJ?si=RbtcEx9VS3-utojEJGWnAg

SingaporeSlinky · 10/02/2022 20:33

I’m fasting between around 6/6.30pm and about 11am and weirdly, I’m not even hungry in the mornings, even going to the gym on just water. Today I got home from the gym at 11am and had a coffee, then made 3 scrambled eggs with chives about 12pm. That lasted me until another coffee around 3pm, then dinner was spaghetti bolognese at 6pm.

I think I’ve just got used to it now, been doing it a few weeks so far. I know it’s early days, but if I’m not hungry now, I can’t see that changing any time soon.

I tend to eat either scrambled eggs, porridge or plain yoghurt with granola and nuts. Sometimes if I’m really not hungry I’ll have a banana and wait until I’m actually hungry and then have a late lunch.

321zyx · 10/02/2022 20:45

I 'fast' for 6 days most weeks from between around 19:00-20:00 to 12:00-13:00. the next day. Within the 'fasting' period I drink mugs of tea with milk (milk technically breaks the fast!) and sometimes wine in the evenings! I started just over a year ago and to be honest have found it fairly easy - I have learnt to accept feeling hungry at times and have come to realise that the feeling of hunger passes. This, combined with a more healthy diet, has led to me loosing (and maintaining) a 2 stone weight lose.

321zyx · 10/02/2022 20:48

.....oh, and also cutting down (but not totally cutting out) carbs

WouldYouHaveAproblem · 10/02/2022 21:00

I've been doing 18:6 for about 18 months and I lost the stone I put on during lockdown 1. I'm strict with it Monday to Friday as I'm in a routine. I'm more relaxed on the weekends and fast between 14-16 hours depending on what social activities I have.

Monday to Friday I eat between 13.00 and 19.00. In the mornings I only have black coffee. At 1pm I have a large bowl of fruit (normally grapes and plums) with two table spoons each of chia seeds, raw cashews and roasted pumpkin seeds plus two table spoons of 0% greek yoghurt. I'll have a milky coffee with that. In the afternoon I'll have 2 teas with milk and for early dinner I have some protein and veg or pasta and veg, followed by some dark chocolate and some dried fruit. I don't eat or drink anything after 7pm. And that's what I eat 5 days a week and rarely get hungry. On the weekends I'm a little more relaxed and will have some wine and nibbles in the evening - but sometimes I won't eat anything until late afternoon because I've slept later and am busy.

The main thing IF has done for me is that I'm focussing less on what I'm eating all the time (I've had a lifetime of yoyo dieting and calorie counting). I'm now 51, at the top end of my healthy weight and finally comfortable with how I am.

Original poster

Iwanttenofthose · 11/02/2022 10:03

@Nattalie18

Recommend the latest Rangan Chatterjee podcast about fasting. Interesting and explains how to build up to fasting and the benefits

Ooh I'll definitely give this a listen, thank you

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Original poster

Iwanttenofthose · 11/02/2022 10:06

@WouldYouHaveAproblem

I've been doing 18:6 for about 18 months and I lost the stone I put on during lockdown 1. I'm strict with it Monday to Friday as I'm in a routine. I'm more relaxed on the weekends and fast between 14-16 hours depending on what social activities I have.

Monday to Friday I eat between 13.00 and 19.00. In the mornings I only have black coffee. At 1pm I have a large bowl of fruit (normally grapes and plums) with two table spoons each of chia seeds, raw cashews and roasted pumpkin seeds plus two table spoons of 0% greek yoghurt. I'll have a milky coffee with that. In the afternoon I'll have 2 teas with milk and for early dinner I have some protein and veg or pasta and veg, followed by some dark chocolate and some dried fruit. I don't eat or drink anything after 7pm. And that's what I eat 5 days a week and rarely get hungry. On the weekends I'm a little more relaxed and will have some wine and nibbles in the evening - but sometimes I won't eat anything until late afternoon because I've slept later and am busy.

The main thing IF has done for me is that I'm focussing less on what I'm eating all the time (I've had a lifetime of yoyo dieting and calorie counting). I'm now 51, at the top end of my healthy weight and finally comfortable with how I am.

That's amazing well done! I find this really encouraging as my goals are similar, I've probably left it a bit late in life to aspire for the perfect body but I just want to sit comfortably in my healthy weight range and stop yo-yo dieting and basically stop thinking about diets all the time!

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FabriqueBelgique · 11/02/2022 10:11

I went from 14 st to 10 st a couple of years ago, with a mix of “one meal a day” and general intermittent fasting from after dinner to lunch time the next day.

What really helped me was these notes I had in my phone of all the benefits:

13 hrs - insulin levels go down (triggers growth hormone - lose fat, anti-aging)

15 hrs - ketones rise (body is now primarily burning fat), autophagy starts, hunger goes away, more mentally clear

17 hrs - autophagy - cells are repairing themselves by cleaning up

24 hrs - intestinal stem-cells rebooted, repairing inner lining of the gut, GABA kicks in - calm feeling, Dopamine receptors rebooted and repaired

Rodedooda · 11/02/2022 14:28

I've recently started, stalled a bit (covid!!) but I love being able to eat any type of food (obviously in moderation), and I get excited about lunch!

I've also downloaded gin Stephen's book fast feast repeat, and listened to a couple of her IF stories podcasts. Interesting & accessible. I'm retaining a degree of cynicism about ALL the health claims, but it's working and I'm finishing it manageable.

I try 18:6 most days, and have started taking black tea & coffee which I'm finding ok too.

I also love the Zero app (the free version) - it's divided up my overall weight loss goal into 10 milestones and I'm nearly at my first