I don't know about this

This topic contains 10 replies, has 7 voices, and was last updated by viking55803 8 years, 10 months ago.

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Gingerella

6:43 pm
6 Jan 16
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Hi, all!

I’m new here and new to IF, though I suppose I’ve done it before without knowing. I’m confused about following this diet, because I would do it to lose weight (I need to lose ~40 kg, that’s 88 lbs or 6 stones, according to Google lol). Initially I was so excited about trying IF, because it is easier for me to not eat at all than to eat tiny bits. I also have a pretty busy schedule – sometimes – and there are days in a row when I get just one meal down: dinner. However, I am a binger and can pack my calories in one meal easily. That tends to be a problem, especially when I have a rough day or I’m down with the blues.

I am confused about doing this, though, because I know the weight loss happens from calorie restriction, not from the fasting. I’m also confused about which program to follow, I was thinking ADF but it might trigger my binges.

So why do people who want to lose weight follow IF? This is what I came here to ask. I am sorry if this has been asked before, it probably has; I browsed some topics but obviously not the entire forum. My fellow losers (and bingers, if you’re out there): what has IF given you that other diets out there have not? Why do you do it and stick with it?

Thank you in advance for your answers!

klaudiak

7:11 pm
6 Jan 16
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When I know its my fasting day, I just don’t think about food, get worried about what to eat or count calories. It’s just so easy love it

atcgirl

7:18 pm
6 Jan 16
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I’m no good at denying myself food, this way I only have to do it twice a week. Also by consuming zero calories until a small dinner on fast days I find it much easier than eating little bits during the day – it’s as if my digestive system never gets going and is content to stay that way.

Pot-bellied Heron

9:21 pm
6 Jan 16
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We all like a good gorge. That’s why we’re on an intermittent fasting diet. Just don’t go too mad and you’ll be fine.
I’m on ADF and I find around 100 calories on fast days is enough to counter any hunger pangs.
I’ve never been on any other diet (except a month on Atkins to lose a stone) and this suits me fine. Whatever happens, I’ve only got a day to wait.

SweetTooth55

9:49 pm
6 Jan 16
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Hi Gingerella, Like you, I find it much easier to not eat at all than to stop while there’s still tasty food on my plate and I’m still hungry. I broke up with my BF last summer after a long relationship during which I put on 25-30 pounds. Between Aug and Nov on this diet, I lost 15 pounds. I gave myself the holidays “off” and now I’m back to shed the last 10-15.

The plan works for me because it’s pretty flexible. You say you are considering ADF as well as the 5:2. There are also a number of motivated people on this site who are trying a kickstarter month of 4:3, which is nearly ADF. There’s nothing magic about how many days you fast in week; it’s up to you, your goals and your timetable. And for that matter, you can change your mind mid-course if what you’re doing isn’t working for you. If 3 days of fasting per week leaves you feeling weak and tired, then switch to 2. If you start to feel good again, you can switch back to 3. If you can find a little time to read some of the threads here, you’ll see that everyone has different challenges and different solutions!

I don’t have a scale, so I keep a running tally of the calories I don’t eat on fast days, as compared to my TDEE (1700 cal). You’d be amazed how fast that number climbs. After a few weeks, I was at 5000 calories saved, and I missed a fast day (long story). Anyway, I was able to fast the next day, still beginning at the same 5000. So missing a day didn’t make me feel like a failure or give me an excuse to fall off the wagon completely.

I find the written log keeps me focussed even when I slip: So I eat 700 cals on a fast day rather than the recommended 500, instead of “saving” 1200 cal, I’ve only saved 1000. Not great, but not a disaster either: after the faulty fast day, I’m still 1000 calories closer to my goal. So when I mess up, its not completely demoralizing. I just pick up fresh again on the next fast day, and try to not make the same mistake. I also find that by recording my food and calories on the fast days, I learn what *does* work which makes everything that much easier.

It also matters to me that this way of eating means I can still have chocolate cake! Or ice cream. Or pizza. Only on the normal eating days and not all on the same day! Many other diets forbid certain foods. I’m sorry, but I can’t imagine a life that doesn’t have the occasional hot fudge sundae in it. For me, the secret has been not to have any of those goodies in my house because I won’t stop eating. I make an outing with friends to the pizza parlor, or go to the grocery that sells single slices of cake. But the point is, I can still have those things fairly regularly.

Finally, I like 5:2 because it works for me. Even knocking off over the holidays, I only gained 2 pounds back over 6 weeks. This plan has shown me my pitfalls and the generous-spirited people on the forum have provided ample suggestions for how to avoid the traps.

Hope this helps, Gingerella! If you decide to give it a try, don’t be too hard on yourself if you have a rough start the first couple of fast days. As another poster wrote elsewhere, treat yourself as you would another – with kindness, compassion and encouragement. Best of luck!

Gingerella

12:09 pm
7 Jan 16
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Thank you for the answers, everyone! I am still reading and researching about IF, trying to decide the best course of action for me. I think it could work in my case, I tried doing it last week, doing a 0 cal fast day, which wasn’t as hard as I thought. I tried doing 1:1 for 4 days but I think it’s too dangerous and as a matter of fact it did cause some binges. I’ll try to regroup this week and start again on Monday. It seems I got the flu now, so it’s out of the question right now.

@sweettooth
I think I need to start slow, maybe do 6:1 for 2-3 months and then increase my fasts to 5:2. So on second thought, no ADF for me right now. I shed fat quickly because I’m big and on some days I’m fairly active, so I don’t need to cut too much from my calories. I also don’t want to lose too much too fast because, well, boobs (I lie, of course I want to lose it all and lose it ASAP, I am so impatient sometimes, but I know it’s wrong). I’m concerned about my moods and binges. So even though it’s so tempting to go at it full throttle, I won’t. I’ll bide my time and take it slow, think long-term not short-term. It’s so not me, though.

SweetTooth55

6:04 pm
7 Jan 16
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Hi Gingerella, You’re already trying a few approaches and seeing how they do and don’t work for you. That’s a terrific start. It is wise of you to be thinking long-term. The goal for everyone here seems to be finding an individualized plan s/he can live with. Good luck in whatever you choose! And I hope you feel better soon.

viking55803

7:05 pm
7 Jan 16
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Dropping into this forum is a great idea. Very few other ways of eating are as simple and straightforward as 5:2 intermittent fasting and as you click around on this forum the results are generally very good and the problems very few. When I say simple, I mean it. I can explain this diet to anyone in a few minutes: they don’t have to read (although the FAQ section on this website is highly recommended!)

For me the main attraction is not about losing weight, it is about improving my health. As a Type 2 diabetic, I’ve already made all of the major changes, including regular exercise. However, intermittent fasting actually improves the underlying problem with Type 2: insulin resistance. So does exercise, but winter have a real impact on at least outdoor exercise.

I also had cardiac bypass surgery three years ago, so again intermittent fasting has been shown to improve all aspects of my risk areas due to metabolic disease.

My wife has joined me in the 5:2 plan, and she just mentioned last evening that it has helped her recognize portion size even on non-fast days. Once you see what 200, 300 or 400 calories actually look like on your plate, it is consciousness raising. So two days/week, I plan my eating VERY carefully – looking up calories and nutrition, experimenting with tasty choices, preparing the food the day before etc. Other than that, I’ve never counted calories.

Although weight loss goals for me are very minimal, I’ve still dropped an inch on my waist in a couple of weeks. At my age (67) keeping muscle mass is very important since aging is accompanied by sarcopenia (muscle wasting) and less muscle reduces metabolism. All of the evidence suggest that this method causes fat loss without muscle loss.

Hope this helps you in your search for a healthier life!

Gary
Duluth, MN USA

Gingerella

4:26 am
9 Jan 16
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Thank you for the answers and encouragement, guys! I have decided to give it a go, so I’m joining you in the quest for a healthier life.

WellfedOne

5:26 am
9 Jan 16
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I think we all tend to make this more complicated than it is. Assuming you eat below your TDEE on non-fast days, following a 5:2 plan results in restricted calories. Any time you restrict calories, you lose weight. Other than the fact that it provides a framework to follow, this diet is no different than the diet your boring old MD might recommend: Eat less food. If you can’t stick to a daily 1200 calorie diet, then sure: Eat nothing one day and 2400 calories the next. But there is no magic in the fast, or the 5:2 formula. Weight loss happens when you consume fewer calories than you burn; however you can make that happen is going to provide the same result.

viking55803

11:39 pm
9 Jan 16
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Welfed: The science (so far) says that intermittent energy (calorie) restriction is superior to daily energy restriction is several ways: it decreases insulin resistance and increases fat metabolism among other benefits. Weight loss may be the same either way, but IF weight loss is almost all fat rather that muscle and fat. That’s a big plus if those findings pan out.