Intermittent Fasting

falipey

falipey

falipey

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Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone here practices any kind of intermittent fasting?

It is something I have researched a lot and started seeing good results from. More difficult versions also sound quite good from a long term health perspective (24 hour fasts - modified alternative day fasting).

At the moment I am using 12-8 leangains style eating. I haven't exercised in a while but I am going to add it in from tomorrow.

If weight loss stalls I will look to add in longer fasts on non-workout days.
 
I tried the 5-2 diet for a while and it worked pretty well. 600 calories/day for 2 days, then whatever you want the other 5 days. I didn't go crazy on the other 5 days though, just ate normal calorie consumption (1700 or so, probably more on weekend days).

The fasting days I found tough, but if you make them non-sequential it is not so bad.
 
I've found it quite easy on a high-protein (and potentially high-fat), low-carb diet to skip meals for 24-48 hours. I wasn't particularly trying to, it just felt natural.

However when eating carbs I find it pretty tough.
 
Crimefighter said:
I tried the 5-2 diet for a while and it worked pretty well. 600 calories/day for 2 days, then whatever you want the other 5 days. I didn't go crazy on the other 5 days though, just ate normal calorie consumption (1700 or so, probably more on weekend days).

The fasting days I found tough, but if you make them non-sequential it is not so bad.
Click to expand...

I think there are a couple of things to note here (from my experience and friends who have tried):

1. Definitely non sequential days make it easier.
2. Not eating is easier than eating less i.e. on 600 kcal days having one meal in the evening of 600 kcals is easier than eating three of 200 kcal.

I also think fasting seems to work better with the body than a straight calorie deficit. Periods of higher and lower calories with either a surplus or a deficit over a week seems to make me lose weight / gain muscle better.

I need to get back into shape now and it is my go to strategy.
 
I started intermittent fasting about a month ago, I fast for 16 hours and have an 8 hour eating window. I'm finding it really easy as I used to eat breakfast quite late (about 10:30ish) so I'm only waiting an extra 90 mins before I eat (12-8pm eating window).

I've lost half a stone in the last month, I was losing weight before I started intermittent fasting so I don't know how much of the weight loss is attributable to that. The best part about it for me is splitting my calories between two meals, it makes managing calories so easy :D
 
I used to be a strict Leangains-er but some of the stuff Martin Berkhan came up with ended up veering into unsupported-by-science land. That said, I still naturally fast anywhere from 12-16 hours and although my cals/macros are consistent day to day, having a period where I was doing the calorie/macro cycling helped teach me a lot about food choices and how to make it easy to hit protein/carb/fat goals.

Main thing is it just teaches you to not be a slave to having to eat at x time because you feel like you're supposed to or everyone else does and that you don't have to shovel food into you as soon as you wake; eat when it suits you to eat (common sense still applies).
 
I fast all the time, usually consume all my days calories between 12pm and 5pm, high fat, adequate protein and low carb is my diet of choice.

Also do a physically demanding job and train brazilian jiu jitsu 4 times a week, always have enough energy and never feel hungry so it works fine for me. Gone from 114kg to 81kg in a year so can't complain :)
 
I've been doing the "warrior diet", a form of intermittent fasting, for the past 8 days (my goal is fat loss). I'm eating between 8 pm - midnight. I consume 5g BCAA 3 times per day during the fasting period. I also consume black coffee, loads of green tea and plenty of water. I do weight training and cardio 3 times per week between about 6 - 7:30 pm.

I do feel a little leaner (possibly my imagination) but so far the only results I can really see is a little more muscle definition in my upper torso. My weight jumped up from 91 to 95 kg almost overnight and has stayed there for the last week. I'm hoping it's just water retention.

I don't eat loads in the evening, no more than about 1000 (reasonably "clean") calories which is loads less than I should be consuming really (originally planned to eat around 2000 on this diet) but despite looking forward to eating most of the day, I feel full very quickly.
I used to eat around 10 am, 12 pm, 4 pm at work and then have a good-sized evening meal followed by the occasional naughty late night snack (probably around 2500 calories in total during the course of the day).

I feel a little stronger with certain weight training exercises but the cardio is a little harder. I usually do my cardio prior to weights and it's basically just an extended (30-40 min) warm-up but it is quite intense. This evening I'm planning to change my routine to a brief 10 - 15 minute warm up and cardio after my weights. I've heard that might be better for fat loss.

I'll continue as I am for another week and then maybe look at making some dietary tweaks.
 
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Calories are king, regardless (for the most part) of your nutrient timing/portioning.

If you're not loosing you're not in a calorie deficit. Joe publics ability to guestimate calories is woefully poor.

Also note that if you're eating late evening your AM weight is likely to be higher due to the timing of your bowel movements changing.

Why do you think you would you be retaining water?
 
I agree, calories are king. I followed a 40/40/20 diet for about 1 year several years back and would plan my meals meticulously using a spreadsheet I adapted from John Stone's Two Wires Thin website. That was when I had an office job and could eat what I wanted/when I wanted. Because of that experience I think I'm pretty good at estimating my intake -although you're right I probably should take a closer look at my present calorie intake. I just didn't want to get too hung up on calorie specifics this time around.

At the moment I'm weighing myself at the gym in the evenings before I start my workout. Ordinarily I don't pay attention to my weight as such, just gauge progress by how I feel and how my clothes fit etc.

One of my mates suggested it might be water retention and it just seemed like a convenient excuse to cling to for now :)
 
Fair doos.

Weigh yourself AM, naked, post 1 &/or 2, before showering or ingesting anything if you want a meaningful more regular measure :) remove the variables and it'll be more consistent and reliable.
 
Weighs self sans clothes most days after rolling out of bed, going for a 1/2 and does a weekly average crew. My diet is pretty varied and I don't always get to eat at the same times so things like sodium in my dinner can vary which will have an effect on weight the next morning, although it tends to be relatively consistent.
 
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