Intermittent Fasting

Risssa · 08-26-2010, 12:28 AM

I've been trying intermittent fasting for the past few weeks and it has been going well.

I am wondering if anyone else has heard of it or tried it? Thanks.

miamimelting · 08-26-2010, 06:01 AM

I've been doing a shake fast for the past 28 days! I've lost 20 lbs. It is medically supervised. Like anything if you don't figure out why you eat then you will gain the weight back. It doesn't matter how you lose it, it matter what you are going to do to maintain it. 95% of people gain it back...simply because they lose it and don't have a plan of keeping it off. The program I'm with has a 6 week transition back to food and then 6 months or more of maintenence classes. It will take me a little over 4 months to drop 80lbs. Which has been easy so far. It will be much harder to maintain.

Risssa · 08-26-2010, 02:07 PM

I am referring to a form of fat loss and muscle building, not a "spiritual" or "religious" experience.

It is a form of eating based on paleolithic eating style.

If you have tried it, are doing it, or know anything about it please post!

I've only been using it for the past two weeks, and its been a great supplement to my lifestyle.

Thanks!!

srmb60 · 08-26-2010, 02:16 PM

Mark Sisson talks about it in his book "Primal Blueprint" and on his website.

As I understand ... it has more to do with carefully planning meals around periods of fasting rather than seeing how long you can go without eating which is what I think people understand fasting to be.

The term "fasting" is probably one of those words that can be ill-used and ill-understood.

kaplods · 08-26-2010, 02:57 PM

Skipping meals has generally been a bad idea for me, because if I go too long without eating, my hunger runs amok, and I overeat. However, after reading Primal Blueprint, I realized that I didn't have to time meals on a rigidly timed schedule either.

In the past skipping meals were usually an attempt to postpone eating as long as possible (and inevitably resulted in out-of-control bingeing).

I think there may be something to intermittent fasting - but I suspect it would work best within the framework of a lower carb primal diet. I don't think it would work very well with a high carb diet because of the blood sugar spikes that would likely occur.

ohmai · 08-28-2010, 03:09 PM

Can you give us an idea of what your results are like, Risssa? I'm interested in trying this as well.

Anonymia · 08-29-2010, 03:17 AM

I practice an Intermittent fasting lifestyle, granted due to stress and etc I've not done so for awhile...

Ever heard of Fast5? That moreorless represented my eating habits except in my case it's Fast-3 - Fasting for 21 hours and an eating window of three.

Personally I find that once you've started, it becomes a habit but once you slip and start to extend your eating window more and more... It's much more harder to get back on track.

I love intermittent fasting, now if only I could regain the willpower to stay on track...

This type of lifestyle change isn't the best for those whom have stressful lives and tend to be emotional eaters.

ddc · 08-29-2010, 07:15 PM

I followed Fast-5, well I did a Fast-6, from last Oct til this March and lost 18 lbs. of my creeping maintenance weight that I let get out of control.
Over the summer, I've gotten lax with my snacks and regained 5 lbs. I've gotta get back on track.
I really like it. I don't have to worry about eating so much. Saved me some money and I lost weight.

Risssa · 08-30-2010, 01:39 AM

I fast for 18 hours and have an 8 hour eating window. I eat two meals a day and training fasted in the morning (with the protein supplement) works great for me.

My attention and energy is better. And one of the perks is I've been able to reduce my attachment to food and being afraid of being hungry. This is such a huge milestone. It allows me to look at food, as food and not as a source of comfort. Now when I think I am hungry, I have some water and usually I am thirst. I do not feel weak or that I am starving myself. 24 hour fasts are still tough. My goal is to 24 hour fast once a month. For me this is much about the reducing calories as it is about reducing my emotional dependency on food as it is the health benefits.

I follow a combination of leangains by Martin Berkhan and Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon. Google these guys if you want information. I really like how they are since and research based. IFing (intermittent fasting) is right now not an issue for me. I am trying to bump up my intake of fruits and veggies right now.