Intermittent fasting

[1imaginarygirl]

Since I turned 40, I've been struggling with my weight. I've been running (both outside and on the treadmill, depending on the weather). I don't have a gym membership, so I've started bodyweight strength training using a TRX strap. I heard about intermittent fasting and I thought maybe that would give me a little weight loss boost. I started doing the 16:8 fast on Monday, so today is only day 4). Basically I'm just skipping breakfast and don't eat until after noon and then don't eat after 8pm. I thought I would be a lot hungrier, but I'm not really, and actually I feel less sluggish at work. I think I have more energy during the day, but I have been crashing pretty quickly around 9pm.

I also heard about the 5:2 fast, where you eat normally for 5 days of the week, and the other 2 days you only eat 500-600 calories. I'm terrible at counting calories, so I'm not ready to try that one yet.

Has anyone else tried intermittent fasting? What were your results?

[bshee58]

Haven't heard of this diet, but doing any diet task like the ones you're trying, you have to be careful, body has to adjust.

[1imaginarygirl]

Haven't heard of this diet, but doing any diet task like the ones you're trying, you have to be careful, body has to adjust.

Hmm. I don't know if I'd call it a diet. I'm not really changing what I eat, just when I eat. It's not anything drastic, like cutting out carbs or dairy. It's just a slightly smaller window of time during the day in which I eat. It's been surprisingly easy so far.

[sak4kat]

I actually did an intermittent fast for the first time in this last month.  I'm 42.  I signed up with Isagenix.  They're system recommends 1-2 days of intermittent fasting.  Any longer than that and the bodies cell's retaliate against you. Also during the fast they provide nutrition to eat every couple of hours to curb hunger pangs.  I stuck to the shakes for 6 days and then did a fast.  I was so scared.  But when it was over I was fine - mentally I was strong and focused.  I did another 6 days of shakes... looked forward to another intermittent fast day (They call em' cleanse days) Again it was a success.  I later chatted with another Isagenix user and he said he tells people to wait 2 or 3 weeks before doing a cleanse.  Oooops I jumped the gun.  At least now I know what to expect as well as have a better understanding of how often to cleanse (For me personally) I started the program on June 20th and have lost 3 1/2 inches in my waist.  Feeling like I'm 14 again with my energy and focus levels.

[monnee]

Doesn't do a body and mind good.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get you going. 

[1imaginarygirl]

I actually did an intermittent fast for the first time in this last month.  I'm 42.  I signed up with Isagenix.  They're system recommends 1-2 days of intermittent fasting.  Any longer than that and the bodies cell's retaliate against you. Also during the fast they provide nutrition to eat every couple of hours to curb hunger pangs.  I stuck to the shakes for 6 days and then did a fast.  I was so scared.  But when it was over I was fine - mentally I was strong and focused.  I did another 6 days of shakes... looked forward to another intermittent fast day (They call em' cleanse days) Again it was a success.  I later chatted with another Isagenix user and he said he tells people to wait 2 or 3 weeks before doing a cleanse.  Oooops I jumped the gun.  At least now I know what to expect as well as have a better understanding of how often to cleanse (For me personally) I started the program on June 20th and have lost 3 1/2 inches in my waist.  Feeling like I'm 14 again with my energy and focus levels.

Wow! That's great! I've never heard of Isagenix. Do you only consume shakes though? No "real" food? It may be good for losing weight, but I'd be worried about how healthy that is. And once you get down to your ideal weight, how do you transition back to normal eating without gaining all the weight back?

[1imaginarygirl]

Doesn't do a body and mind good.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day to get you going.

You don't have to skip breakfast on the 16:8 fast. That's just what I chose to do. You can choose when your 8 hour window is. Some people have theirs early in the day. I chose noon-8pm, because I prefer to eat dinner with my husband and a glass of red wine at night over eating breakfast alone at work. Dinner and wine are more important than breakfast in my world. Haha!

[sdenimandlace1]

My son has been reading about the Intermittent fasting, I think we will try it next month will lookup Isagenix.

[Tresbn00]

As a former marathon, and ultra marathon, runner I tried, seemingly, every diet plan known to human kind: three day hot dog diet, four day ice cream diet, five day potato diet, fasting, seven day soup diet to name a few and I hated them all by the last day of their period. The one diet that worked the best, and every time, was the Mayo Clinic diet which guaranteed a loss of twenty pounds in two weeks. I was pretty streamlined from all of my running so I did not think that twenty pounds was possible. In twenty five years of running I was able to lose twenty pounds before each race and the diet was reasonable (didn't starve me). I remember that every breakfast was half a grapefruit, piece of toast and a cup of coffee/tea, lunches were some what sparse, and dinners were all you can eat of different proteins every night (steal, fish, pork, hamburger, etc).

[mjoseph1]

i started doing this about 3 months ago and i noticed dramatic changes also went to a keto based diet for about 5 weeks, i do the 16:8 fast

[sbenkoski]

I think it's a bad Idea myself.   But i've tried many diets so who knows.

[teresa3200]

For the lat 3 months I try to stop eating by 6pm and don't eat the the following day until noon. It can be a little rough at times, but it's working for me and I have been losing weight.

[cateyes1]

Actually My Dr told me about this. He does it 1 day a week without eating anything

[Kiraleen]

My doctor suggested 16 hour fast/8 hours of eating to me. Didn't mention a program or company. I did it for a while before I went to the hospital. I may try it again.

[1imaginarygirl]

It's interesting to see that doctors have recommended doing this. Today I wasn't even hungry yet by the time 1pm rolled around. I did have a small lunch anyway because I was bored at work.