Intermittent fasting: is there anybody out there?

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Edit: reading failure, never mind

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Anyone know any good recent studies on long term BMR reduction? I remember reading the starvation response maxed out at around 10% if that.

Activity naturally drops, including fidgeting, but there isn't that much the body can do to drop BMR itself.
 
As someone who never really enjoyed breakfast, this kind of routine fits me pretty well and I have been doing it for some time. My eating time is between 11am - 7 pm for all heavy meals and I do have a half glass of protein milk with 1 scoop casein protein before bed. My workout routine is 5-6x ppl per week after work. Been seeing steady results for a few months now, dropped bf% while gaining muscle weight.

The thing to remember is that IF isn't really a diet, its a structured eating plan. You still need to plan out your meals appropriately so you are getting the correct protein/carbs/fat split and getting your daily needs of vitamins and minerals or else you will run into problems. If you want to see even better results then you should push your workout to a time when you can workout in the fasted state and then eat a large meal afterwords. Also try to aim most of your fats and carbs during the day with mainly lean protein and low GI carbs at night, like a sweet potato.

My daily diet generally consists of:

First meal at 11am = Non fat greek plain yogurt mixed with 1 scoop whey protein powder mixed with fresh fruit of some kind, normally grapes. 1 energy bar, normally a cliff bar or something similar.

Lunch = Normally leftovers from the night before, always some sort of carb + protein and little fat. Stuff like homemade pepper steak, chicken/broccoli/rice (the stereotype workout meal), chicken/brown rice quinoa pasta/brocolli, basic stuff like that.

Pre-workout meal = granola and unsalted sunflower seeds.

Post-workout = Protein shake with 1 cup protein milk, 1 1/2 scoop whey protein, 1 cup spinnach, 2 tablespoons peanut butter powder, 1 banana.

Dinner = Pretty much the same as lunch.

I allow myself one cheat meal per week, normally takeout of some kind but I try to keep it from being anything too crazy.
 
The acid thing is very interesting.

There are meant to be a huge amount of benefits to fasting: insulin/glucose regulation, immune system improvements, repairatory boost...

But is potential acid damage worth it? Lots of doctors and nutritionists don't seem bothered by the risk?
 
But is potential acid damage worth it? Lots of doctors and nutritionists don't seem bothered by the risk?

I've heard of that opinion before. But I'm more inclined to believe it's a higher potential problem for 5:2 type of schedule as oppose to 16/8. It feels like with 5:2 you are constantly asking your body to adjust to extremes hence the stomach could be producing acid on schedule on the two days you don't eat. With 16/8, your body kind of know the rhythm. I also don't drink black coffee while fasting, I feel it's really harsh on the stomach. Just my opinion, I have nothing to back it up.
 
Been doing it for about 3 months after reading about it on GAF and have had great results after stagnating with just working out and calorie counting prepping for vacation. 3 other family members have been doing it too, and every single one of us have positive experiences. Granted, none of us are really overweight and for some, it was shedding vanity pounds but results are results. It's been easy to get into the rhythm as well. I eat whatever I want within reason, but I just can't eat as much as I used to during my 8 hour feeding window and that naturally cuts calories. It saves you money, time and effort and you don't have to restrict the types of food you eat and buy. At the very least, it's at least worth trying to see if it's something you can handle. The only effort involved is waiting 16 hours. You prepare less food, buy less groceries, spend less money. Barrier of entry is ridiculously low. Give it a shot. You may like it.
 
I used to do 5:2, but now that I'm at an healthy weight, I only do a weekly 24-hour fast from thursday 6pm to friday 6pm.

Pros:
-Easyest way to cut 10-15% from weekly calory intake
-Save money on food
-Black coffee on an empty stomach makes me feel super alert/productive
-Makes me feel "light" before the weekend

Cons:
-Last 2-3 hours can be hard; you start to feel cold
-Sometimes give me a headache

The bold sucks. I also work in a basement where they crank the AC all day.

For headaches, according to Dr. Jason Fung adding salt to your diet [coffee/water] while fasting will get rid of headaches. I tried it and it and have had zero headaches while fasting. That's one less hurdle to overcome. If I only didn't despise black coffee it would be easier. At least I've started using light roast and it doesn't have that burned coffee taste so it's at least palatable.
 
Skip breakfast, sometimes lunch.

If you're not already on a ketogenic diet, I would imagine IF is much tougher.

When you're fat adapted you get hungry less.

I've been doing IF for almost 2 months. I did 2 weeks of water fasting a week ago as well
Yep.
 
How have I never heard of IF, yet somehow all of GAF has done it with great success?

I seriously need to get on this! I think I'm going to try 16:8 for 10 days and see if anything comes of it.
 
Be warned, the first week or so sucks.

Edit - On a related note, I used to suffer badly with hypoglycaemia. IF fixed it completely.
 
I think I probably overdid it for a first time fasting. I fasted for 36 hours. I'm feeling pretty lightheaded and dizzy today. :/

Maybe I'll try keto or something instead and try again in the future. In hindsight, I probably should have stuck to 24 hours. Idk what I was thinking.
 
I think I probably overdid it for a first time fasting. I fasted for 36 hours. I'm feeling pretty lightheaded and dizzy today. :/

Maybe I'll try keto or something instead and try again in the future.

That's pretty normal I think. 3rd day is usually when the body finally switch modes; it's the worst day imo. After that it was a breeze to switch to IF for me. (I did 4 days fast and then IF.) But eating clean (close to keto but doesn't need to be strictly keto) makes IF more sustainable. Every time you feed the body regular carb from simple grains, starches, sugar, etc it craves for more later.
 
I do a 20 or 21 hour fast daily..

Love intermittent fasting; best thing i've ever done for my body and feeling great!
 
That's pretty normal I think. 3rd day is usually when the body finally switch modes; it's the worst day imo. After that it was a breeze to switch to IF for me. (I did 4 days fast and then IF.) But eating clean (close to keto but doesn't need to be strictly keto) makes IF more sustainable. Every time you feed the body regular carb from simple grains, starches, sugar, etc it craves for more later.

Yeah. I kind of immediately went back to carbs and starch because that's all I had around: rice and plantains. But next week I'll try to do low carb and maybe shorter fasts.
 
I think I probably overdid it for a first time fasting. I fasted for 36 hours. I'm feeling pretty lightheaded and dizzy today. :/

Maybe I'll try keto or something instead and try again in the future. In hindsight, I probably should have stuck to 24 hours. Idk what I was thinking.

Why are you fasting for such long intervals? Just start with 16/8.
 
Why are you fasting for such long intervals? Just start with 16/8.

It was some youtube video I saw that said you should do it for more than a day and that it feels great after the first day. He wasn't totally wrong: I felt fine until this morning. Like I was hungry, but no other side effects.
 
I think I probably overdid it for a first time fasting. I fasted for 36 hours. I'm feeling pretty lightheaded and dizzy today. :/

Maybe I'll try keto or something instead and try again in the future. In hindsight, I probably should have stuck to 24 hours. Idk what I was thinking.

Fasting like that is not normal and should be rare. It does have some interesting health benefits, esp wrt immune system, but you shouldn't really be doing it.

Intermittent fasting is like 5:2 (what you want 5 days a week then five hundred calories 2 days a week) or only eating between so many hours a day.

What you did is just regular old fasting. No wonder you felt crap.

Also if you feel dizzy or weak ever during fasting stop and eat something immediately. You should be feeling hunger but never dizziness.
 
So I guess you can never have a night out on this? I have been doing the 12pm- 8pm eating this week to try and it has been going well. My friends want to go out tomorrow night but a shot of gin has 90 calories!
 
Fasting like that is not normal and should be rare. It does have some interesting health benefits, esp wrt immune system, but you shouldn't really be doing it.

Intermittent fasting is like 5:2 (what you want 5 days a week then five hundred calories 2 days a week) or only eating between so many hours a day.

What you did is just regular old fasting. No wonder you felt crap.

Also if you feel dizzy or weak ever during fasting stop and eat something immediately. You should be feeling hunger but never dizziness.

Right, well I mean it was a learning experience. And I only did it because I got some conflicting advice on youtube... some saying to do with for 2-3 days. It's only afterwards did I realize that maybe I should have looked around a bit more.

But I would have definitely stopped if I felt any of the side effects while I was fasting. They only came up this morning, after I had already broken it.
 
I've done deficits with two meals a day and some three. Either method, I'd make sure to keep ephedrine + caffeine on hand.

And if you're prone to say, depression, you should reconsider heavier calorie deficits in general... and/or supplement with vitamins (i.e. 5htp, tyrosine, etc.), although there's no guarantee they'll have any effect. It's, I believe, due to the lack of carbs (especially when combined with regular exercise, which can lead to bodily wear and tear).
 
It was some youtube video I saw that said you should do it for more than a day and that it feels great after the first day. He wasn't totally wrong: I felt fine until this morning. Like I was hungry, but no other side effects.

It feels great after the body switches to ketosis state; otherwise no imo. The first time I did a long fast, the transition day -- the 2nd half of 2nd day and first half of 3rd day -- was low energy and lightheartedness. By the end of 3rd day, I went for a walk and I felt more energy than I did before the fast. The 4th day I went for a hike and felt like I could run up the hills. The second time I did fasting I was fine after the 2nd day. It's a bit different for everyone for sure and your physical state before jumping into a long fast.
 
So I guess you can never have a night out on this? I have been doing the 12pm- 8pm eating this week to try and it has been going well. My friends want to go out tomorrow night but a shot of gin has 90 calories!

You can do whatever, just resume the protocol the following day and/or move your window.

If I eat my last meal at midnight, the next one can be as early as 4PM, but if you can wait past then, it's gravy. IF will blunt your cravings and hunger pretty quickly. It can get to the point where you need to remind yourself to eat at times.
 
I do this accidentally cos I forget to eat sometimes. Barely avg wt so you score +1 anecdote points.
So I guess you can never have a night out on this? I have been doing the 12pm- 8pm eating this week to try and it has been going well. My friends want to go out tomorrow night but a shot of gin has 90 calories!

You can subtitute sleeping with eating, wouldn't recommend fasting and staying up all night.
 
It's all really interesting.

I'm a naturally skinny, very low BF and high metabolism. I realize now that on top of that, I've always been on IF naturally. So I always wondered why I could never put on weight but now I understand.

But here's the problem : I started bouldering about a month ago, and I really need to put on muscle mass. Just by bouldering sure I got my arms refined a bit, and my forearms took most of the change, but chest and shoulders / back are still quite non-existant. Can I basically bulk clean (as in lean muscle mass) while still being on IF ? I'd like to keep those eating habits because it's just always been natural and works well for me. I'm a freelance graphic designer so I work at home and I get so absorbed by work that it's pretty easy to not even think about eating.

I plan to do some lifting in between the climbing sessions.
 
But here's the problem : I started bouldering about a month ago, and I really need to put on muscle mass. Just by bouldering sure I got my arms refined a bit, and my forearms took most of the change, but chest and shoulders / back are still quite non-existant. Can I basically bulk clean (as in lean muscle mass) while still being on IF ? I'd like to keep those eating habits because it's just always been natural and works well for me. I'm a freelance graphic designer so I work at home and I get so absorbed by work that it's pretty easy to not even think about eating.

I plan to do some lifting in between the climbing sessions.

Calorie surplus/deficits still matter, just eat a surplus and get plenty of protein. You will have to consciously consume enough in your eating window.
 
Calorie surplus/deficits still matter, just eat a surplus and get plenty of protein. You will have to consciously consume enough in your eating window.

Yeah was about to say, calorie surplus doesn't change but even during a normal eating throughout the day I've always had a problem ingesting a lot of protein (especially since I chose to drastically reduce animal products), eating so much calories and required proteins in such short window seems impossible to me. Like I literally cannot see how that can be done for me.

I've read quite a bit about protein requirements, especially for muscle growth and there seems to be a debate. It seems the amount of proteins required for muscle growth tends to be really exagerated (especially in gym rats / heavy lifting dudes which will tell you that anything less than 250g of protein a day will result in zero gains, which seems completely insane to me), but even say on a more reasonable target of 150ish grams of proteins on a very low to no meat diet seems really hard to pull off for me. That's where I struggle, getting those macros on IF.
 
Yeah was about to say, calorie surplus doesn't change but even during a normal eating throughout the day I've always had a problem ingesting a lot of protein (especially since I chose to drastically reduce animal products), eating so much calories and required proteins in such short window seems impossible to me. Like I literally cannot see how that can be done for me.

Protein powder shakes, cut sufficiently with enough water, are pretty easy to down quickly. Not too filling as well. I have a coffee flavored one to break the fast, one an hour or so out from lifting, and one right after.

there's an entire website dedicated to IF gains: http://www.leangains.com/
 
Protein powder shakes, cut sufficiently with enough water, are pretty easy to down quickly. Not too filling as well. I have a coffee flavored one to break the fast, one an hour or so out from lifting, and one right after.

there's an entire website dedicated to IF gains: http://www.leangains.com/

Yeah, I wish it was possible to do it all naturally AND with as minimal meat as possible but I guess I have no choice but go the protein supplements route.
 
I've been doing this inadvertently because my wife went to study abroad overseas for half a year and without her regular schedule and shopping instinct I just exhaust the entire food supply and easily skip meals before I even think about grocery shopping

I must have lost seven pounds over the last two weeks
 
I do keto and I find the whole meal skipping to be quite easy to bear.
I never really get massively hungry like I used to when I was 'glucose dependent' and I never have those energy dips you get when you're hungry or when you've eaten a big meal.
 
Started it up again with some light exercising in the morning during the fast window. I usually go about 12-14 hours, eating my last meal by around 9:30-10pm and not eating until around 1-2 pm the next day.

It's only been a few days, but my desire for food dropped significantly. It's pretty interesting to see this happen, even though I've done IF before in the past so I know what to expect. I also don't feel any issues with energy, as my exercise routine has increased the past few days naturally after initially starting IF.
 
I'm down 11 pounds since June, and that's taking into account that I haven't always been 100% strict with the routine( on weekends I'll probably consume more alcohol or eat 3 meals a day, or I'll occasionally eat something light like crackers with peanut butter within the fasting period). But the past few weeks, my body feels like it's completely adapted to skipping breakfast and my window is typically 12-8, occasionally 1-9 if I take a later lunch.
 
20:4 has been easy for me since I get free meals at work. Breakfast at 8, and lunch at 12. Only water after that. I don't exercise but I think I might try walking for an hour from today forward, and cut out rice (it's Asia so a bit hard) to start and see if that speeds things up. Also, have a week holiday coming up where I will water fast again for 7 days.

Let's do this!
 
Been doing this for a little over a week now. Messed up Saturday night by getting drunk, but made sure to fast 12 hours from my 3am pizza to 3pm the next day.

I can't tell if I'm looking better of if I'm imagining things.

I've been putting a teaspoons worth of milk/creamer in my coffee. I've also been chewing sugar free gum that tastes really sweet. Could these be fucking things up?
 
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