I haven't tried this lately, but some years ago I had great success simply by skipping dinner 2x a week. So, I guess in effect I was "fasting" for about 20+ hours between lunch one day and breakfast the next.

Might try that again. Thanks for the ideas. CJ

I am excited to see a thread about IF. I started IF this week. Well actually last week by accident but not consistently. I was working on final projects and studying for exams that I didn't find time to eat during the day and ate once I got home.

I have been trying the 6 meals per day plan and found it to be too time consuming. Also, I was always thinking about food. I would think, "I have only 20 minutes until my next meal. Man I'm starving." And this would go on all day!! I was always thinking about the next meal. Also the portions were small so it never left me satisfied. It is too soon to tell whether or not it will work for me, but it is working into my lifestyle quite well.

I go 16 hours fast/8 hours eating time.

Example of my schedule if anyone wants some details.
9pm - 1pm: Fasting
Water, Tea, and Coffee with splenda or stevia
Thermogenics

1pm: Break Fast
Salad or Sandwich

3pm: Snack
Almonds or PB & Crackers

5pm: Pre-Workout Shake

6pm: Work Out

7pm: Post-Workout Shake & Banana

8pm: Dinner
I eat whatever here, but nothing to extreme like a deep dish pizza. I find that I can go out to dinner with friends and not feel to restricted.

My caloric intake has not change with this plan. I love it so far and do not find myself to be as hungry as I was on the 6 meal plan. I do think that it depends on the individuals though. Just wanted to share.

Isn't that essentially just the same thing as a typical breakfast skipper?

You are right it is in a way essentially skipping breakfast. It is kinda of the faux paus because we were taught to never skip breakfast. In current nutrition standards it is drilled in our heads to eat 6 small meals a day. Now instead of eating all day I eat 2 big meals in between certain hours. In the fasting time whether you do 16 or 18 or 20 hours your body is burning the stored glycogen. I started it because eating 6 meals a day just did not work for me. I was eating at 7am than every 3 hours after wards but was still hungry in between those times. This one I don't get hungry even when it's time to break the fast. It's not a novel idea by any means. It works for me, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it will work for others.

I do hear you on feeling like you're always thinking about food on the mini-meals type plan. I'm still balancing that out. I definitely do simple snacks rather than mini-meals, at least usually. The fasting idea is certainly interesting to me. But at present, I think maybe a once a week raw day is as close as I might get, or possibly a juice fast once in a while.

Hey guys, no info about weight lifting?
Brad Pilon says it is necessary for IF but I haven't been able to include it in my routine because all the info I have found out weight lifting routines and exercise were too complex and confusing or even looked dangerous for a newby who doesn't want to be a body builder.

Can you please help me?

You can always look through Oxygen Mag or Fitness Rx for Women for routines. They usually have great weight lifting routines there. I found one that I really like right now from one that I incorporated with my cardio. I am usually out of the gym within the hour.

My weekly routine
Saturday
3 miles on the trail
Plyometrics

Sunday
Rest Day or Low Impact Cardio - Walk for 30 minutes

Monday (3 sets 15 reps each exercise)
10 minute warm up - Elliptical
Barbell chest press
Cable Flys for chest
Standing should press with dumbbells
Front Lateral raises with dumbbells
20 - 25 minutes of cardio

Tuesday
Ab/Core workout
3 miles on treadmill

Wednesday (3 sets 15 reps each exercise)
10 minute warm up - Elliptical
Smith machine squats
Dumbbell lunges (15 reps each leg)
Lying hamstring curls
Deadlifts
20 minutes treadmill routine for glutes

Thursday (3 sets 15 reps each exercise)
10 minute warm up - Elliptical
Widegrip pulls
One arm ros with dummbbells (15 reps each arm)
Barbell bicep curls
Concentration bicep curls
20 - 25 minutes of cardio

Friday
Rest Day or Low Impact Cardio - Walk for 30 minutes

Hi Motorama,

You're right about weight training being a necessary part of Eat Stop Eat, but it is difficult to work in to your routine without getting bored.

Personally, I invested in some small hand held weights and wrist and ankle weights to use at home, but if you prefer the gym, the instructors there could really help you come up with a personalised weight routine just for you. I hate gyms so I incorporate my weights with the Wii fit cardio exercises and I would recommend this to anyone.

As for specific exercises, it is a good idea to check out women's fitness mags for ideas, like beingaimee said. If you have any yoga experience, you can incorporate weights there to improve muscle definition and endurance too.

Hope this helps! I know it's not too specific :)

My stepmother fasts regularly (not to lose weight) for energy and cleansing her body. Our bodies were designed to be able to withstand famine, after all. I do not fast because I am still breastfeeding. However it is something I would like to try. Again, not for weight loss purposes. I don't want to tie that into any weight-results-oriented expectations. I'd prefer to wait until I am at or near goal, and use fasting as a traditional method to cleanse.

Hi there...what I have been doing that I LOVE is the Turbulence Training program from Craig Ballantyne who also works with Brad Pilon and recommends the ESE method. It is an interval based program that is always changing so it keeps you from getting bored as well as challenges your body in new ways also avoiding plateaus. Check it out!

Hi everyone, just thought I would drop by and ask about your progress with ESE, how are you all finding it?

I am now only a couple of lbs off my goal weight and am very excited to start maintenance after years of weight loss.

I hope your all seeing similar success!

Sarah x

I am thinking about ordering this e-book. Is there a support group on here that people are posting in? I hope to lose about 20 lbs. Have most of you had success that have tried it?

Hi Steph,

As far as I know this is the only thread specific to eat stop eat, but it's not been very active recently. Have a read through previous posts to see what people have had to say about it and you can of course pm me if you have questions and I'd be happy to help if I can :)

I've been on the program for around 7 months now and I've lost just over 50lbs, so I would recommend it, and I do consider it a good choice of program. Of course you should only try it if you think it would work with your lifestyle, as there are plenty of other diets around that could be right for you :D

Hope this helps!

I know this thread has not been very active in a while, but I figure what the heck. Here is what I have found; yes, it can work, but when I do eat, I still have to watch it. So what I've been doing is having a heathy dinner every night and 2 or 3 days per week I do not eat until dinner the next day. On most of the remaining days, I try to keep my calories under 1500 or so. On the weekends, I go out to dinner and try to be kind of careful, but I don't obsess over it. It seems to be working - my downfall is that when I do "blow it" I have difficulties getting back on track. Oh - and I used to drink a lot more wine - I have cut WAAAAY back.

Thanks girls! I did order the book and read it on the plane this week (traveling for business). I am going to give it a try. I try counting calories also, so hopefully I will see some results. I am a big afternoon snacker, so I think that will be my only tough time, but we will see. Planning first fast for Friday.