Intermittent Fasting

[Ggreen]

I enjoy social eating. I can generally scrounge a healthy meal at potlucks. I skip the rolls and order grilled chicken or fish when we eat out. At home I prepare my meals separately and warm them up. My wife is pregnant so she eats whatever the baby wants lol. Success is easier with a plan, so prepping meals on Sunday is key to long term success.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I decided it was time to drop some weight again. I have tried many different "eat this instead" diets and nothing really stuck long term. I was told about the book "Obesity Code" by Jason Fung, a nephrologist (kidney doc). His believe is obesity is more than calories in/calories out, it's largely hormonal also. High levels of insulin lead to obesity. Especially a problem in Type 2 DM where high insulin levels lead to insulin resistance. The goal is to have longer periods with very low insulin to get your body to start burning fat and decrease sensitivity to insulin since the levels aren't as high all the time. It makes a lot of sense.

I planned on the 16/8 method where you only eat over an 8-hr period, and try to eat a decent low-carb regimen. In reality it's more of an 18/6 and sometimes 20/4. I'm doing it daily, some recommend a few days a week, basically whatever works for you. If I'm on a normal day routine I skip breakfast, try to eat around 10-11a and then dinner at six. If I'm working my evening shift I'll eat around noon, then dinner at 6pm, then nothing else until next day around noon. Surprisingly I'm not really that hungry between meals. I've still kept up the peloton riding.

After 21 days I'm down 13 pounds and feeling good. Definitely seeing physical changes also with the fat loss and more definition. Been trying to do some Mediterranean meals with Emeals app. I think it's a lifestyle I can continue with my shift work. I have stopped snacking on the crap at work, and I don't come home at 4am and drink beer/wine, eat junk and go to bed.

If you have type 2 DM he also has a book called the Diabetes Code where he talks about fasting to cure DM2.

 

[Tactically Fat]

Just this week, in fact, I've begun doing intermittant fasting for myself. I do NOT have a scale that I use at home (though we do have one) - but I know that I've lost weight. I do not know how much this week in particular, but in the last 6 months of lower intake - i'm honestly probably down at least 20lbs. Now - 20lbs in 6 months isn't all that much to brag about to be honest, but it's on the right track. From past history, I don't do so well with a rapid weight loss regimen.

I urge anyone with lbs to lose to give it a try. Pick one day a week; eat nothing after dinner, and then don't eat again until lunch time. Unless you're prone to hypoglycemia, you should be able to do it. It's OK to feel hungry. It ain't gonna kill you.

If *I* can do it - YOU can do it. I know you can.

 

[bwframe]

I've lost 40 pounds in a year and a half on the keto thing with intermittent fasting.

I'm not sure whether it's the weight loss, lack of inflammation or the absence of sugar consumption, but what seemed to be middle-aged daily joint pains have gone away. No longer do I get up in the morning and everything hurts.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Great job TF and bwframe!

 

[rw02kr43]

I really want to do this too. I'm way too big right now. I have a problem though. My boss eats out every day. He expects me to eat with him. Many days I'd be happy staying in or not eating at all for lunch. But it ends up we go out every day. Not only is it expensive, there's no way it's healthy.

 

[bwframe]

I really want to do this too. I'm way too big right now. I have a problem though. My boss eats out every day. He expects me to eat with him. Many days I'd be happy staying in or not eating at all for lunch. But it ends up we go out every day. Not only is it expensive, there's no way it's healthy.

You could make lunch the beginning of your eating window. Depending on where you are eating and how flexible they are, you could certainly make it keto also. Bacon and eggs, smothered in cheese. Throw a few pats of real butter on top, just because you can...

 

[Tactically Fat]

You need to tell your boss that you simply cannot afford it any more.

That or have him pay.

 

[Hohn]

You need to tell your boss that you simply cannot afford it any more.

That or have him pay.

Or ask him for a pay raise equal to the annual cost of the lunches.

It's a pretty sad lack of self-awareness when someone won't ask someone else how they feel or wish to go about handling lunch.

When I go out to eat for lunch it's 99% of the time Taco Bell. And if someone can't afford that or doesn't want to go, that's fine. And I only go there a few times a week at most. (2, maybe 3).

And nobody looks down at someone who doesn't want to go or brings healthier or cheaper food.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I fell off the bandwagon regarding healthy food and IF in the last 18h. Skipping dinner tonight and will do better tomorrow.

 

[bwframe]

Eat Less Red Meat, Scientists Said. Now Some Believe That Was Bad Advice.

 

[jsharmon7]

Day 2 of IF. I’m just doing the 16/8 version, so I eat between noon and 8pm. It’s pretty tough around 11am, but I stick it out. I’ll give it a few weeks and see how it goes.

 

[doddg]

I happen to run into this thread just now; I had previously read a little when it first started.
Back July 2018 I had a post on this thread.
The "IF" reference caught my attention this evening.
I fast on the 1st of the month for the whole day, which ends up being about a 36-40 hr. total fast (from after supper one day till breakfast 2 days latter).
I used to fast once per week for 24 hours: from supper to supper, and did so for months a couple of years ago.

I do allow myself coffee/tea (plain).
It is easier for me to eat nothing than a small portion of food.
I used to do liquid fasts, no solid food, and that worked well for me (V-8 juice was my friend).

Been reading about IF this evening online, and just now read a few back pages here: inspiring!

 

[bwframe]

Day 2 of IF. I’m just doing the 16/8 version, so I eat between noon and 8pm. It’s pretty tough around 11am, but I stick it out. I’ll give it a few weeks and see how it goes.

I'm certainly no expert at it. I find that for me, often the hunger pangs are psychological. Anticipation of the food window.

If I can't push it off the hunger issue with physical activity to take my mind off of it, often water and or coffee is helpful.

 

[hoosierdoc]

As of this morning I was down 14# in about 24 days. Really is the easiest diet change I’ve made. The hunger sensation is temporary and you can get
past it with willpower.

I need to do a better job of eating better foods when I do it. Need to increase eggs and meat. My wife is noticing which is nice

 

[doddg]

I have gone backwards in 2019.
I finally was consistently under 230# after years of talking about it, but since last end-of-year holidays: I blinked.

Month-days under 230#
J- 3 days (lowest 229)
F- 4 days (lowest 227)
Mr- 3 days (lowest 229.4)
Ap- 5 days (lowest 225.8)
M- 9 days (lowest 227.8)
Ju- 17 days (lowest 227.4)
JL- 11 days (lowest 224.6)
Au- 2 days (lowest 226)
S- 3 days (lowest 227.4)
O-
N-
D-
The above is how I judge my success/failure.

This Wednesday am = 227.4# (after fasting for 1 full day, ends up being 36 +/- hours, depending when you eat your supper the day before the fast & when you eat your breakfast the day after your fast.
When people talk about fasting for a day, they usually are talking about 24 hours, which means you could eat 1 meal per day: much much easier.
I used to do that for about a year (1 day/week), which is how I got under 230# and stayed there.
I need to get back to that some more, and now that I'm retired, maybe lunch only meal per day instead of supper.
Once per month total fasting for a day isn't getting it done, it was OK for maintenance until the holidays came.

My goal is to keep it under the 230 as many days per month as I can.
1 year ago I was never over 230# in a month, and I was 225ish#, and after fasting would be down 221-222ish (for a few days).
Never recovered from gaining a solid 5# during Xmas/New Years holidays.

I thought my new battle would be getting under 220# after 1-2 yrs. of under 230 consistently: I blinked.

My son (33 yrs. old) is having success on the carb-cycling approach.

 

[alabasterjar]

My wife is noticing which is nice

Don't worry, she'll get over it!

 

[Spear Dane]

I used to do liquid fasts, no solid food, and that worked well for me (V-8 juice was my friend).

Been reading about IF this evening online, and just now read a few back pages here: inspiring!

V-8 was not your friend. Not for a fast. It incurs an insulin response, which breaks autophogy which means you've negated most of the reason for fasting in the first place.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Don't worry, she'll get over it!

Hah, probably

I did IF for my work week, but I like food and a drink when I get off Friday morning. Figure six days is good enough. I need to focus on the weekends. Two parties this weekend

 

[alabasterjar]

Hah, probably

I did IF for my work week, but I like food and a drink when I get off Friday morning. Figure six days is good enough. I need to focus on the weekends. Two parties this weekend

I believe Dr. Fung discusses this in one of his YouTube videos on IF, that mixing it up is good for the body. It helps limit weight loss plateau. I generally do 18-6 IF 4-5 days a week, on rare occasions (maybe once a month) I'll skip dinner and go roughly 42 hours without eating. What is bizarre is that I really don't get hungry...I just miss eating food...