I have not decided what maintenance I will follow after that fasting 5 or eat stop eat. But, fasting 5 worked for me for years, before I even knew it had a name.
Fasting is not the same as intermittent fasting in the context that we are discussing although technically by definition it would be intermittent fasting.
Fast 5 refers to eating during only five hours of the day. Example - fast until 3:00 PM and eat until 8:00 PM. It does not refer to five days of fasting.
Eat stop Eat is a 24 hour fast. Stop eating at 8:00 PM on Monday and don't eat again until 8:00 PM on Tuesday.
Hey everyone. I've declared this "vacation week" since I'm going on a cruise this Sunday. So pretty much all week, I've been 70% doing IF. LOL. I've still been maintaining my weight loss since I started which is great. When I get back from my cruise, I'll get right back into IF because I do love it.
I feel energetic in the morning, but after I eat lunch (which is normally 400-600 calories since I eat a big dinner and a decent-sized dessert), I feel fatigued.
Is this normal?
Assuming your meal has a decent number of carbs than yes - this is referred to as a carb coma. The more insulin sensative you are the less you will be put into a carb coma and the more carbs will energize you and the opposite is true.
You can enjoy the carb coma or reduce carbs. As you get leaner you'll become more insulin sensative.
Not much to report on my IF journey, but I did want to say a special thank you to JohnP. I am *really* enjoying the leangains site. One of the best resources anyone has referred me to!
Interesting, I'll have to compare the two. The Fast-5 ebook is free, so that's the one I'm reading first. So far I've found that I like 6-8 hours more, but not starting until later so that I go to sleep before I get hungry again. I exercise most days of the week, usually in the evening for an hour, hour 1/2. It works out perfect to eat a decent sized lunch, mid sized dinner post workout, and snack in the later evening. I need to start tightening up on my food choices though. My calorie numbers are good, but their quality is only so-so... Not awful, just getting a bit high on the carbs for me.
What is an example meal for lunch that would lower the carbs?
I currently eat for lunch:
-100% wheat bread sandwich with deli-sliced chicken (4 slices) and sharp cheddar cheese w/ spicy brown mustard
-Low-fat flavored yogurt (the 100 calorie ones)
-Navel orange
-Side salad (with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, no dressing)
What is an example meal for lunch that would lower the carbs?
I currently eat for lunch:
-100% wheat bread sandwich with deli-sliced chicken (4 slices) and sharp cheddar cheese w/ spicy brown mustard
-Low-fat flavored yogurt (the 100 calorie ones)
-Navel orange
-Side salad (with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, no dressing)
That looks like about 55-65 grams of carbs. Not many by my standards but you'll have to experiment. For one day I would just try a very low carb lunch. Increase the chicken and throw it + cheese in the salad. Add some dressing so you don't gag due to lack of taste. Match calories.
If it is the carbs messing with you I'd suggest going to the low carb section of this site for meal ideas. I have no clue.
omg, i am surprised but so glad you guys are still going strong. There have been lots of questions about whether or not this is good for your body. I know John P has talked about the insulin issue. Whether you know it or not this could have been your problem all along.
If you are normal and eat 10 mg of glucose it might take say 1 g of insulin to clear that glucose from your bloodstream, if you are resistant, your body compensates and says send 10 g of insulin to clear that 10 mg of glucose. Once it hits your blood stream you are rapidly hypoglycemic, so the hunger hits you hard!
I noticed when I was a teenager and I would eat breakfast before school. A bowl of cereal, whole wheat toast, and an orange...by 10 o'clock, i was ABSOLUTELY starving. I would get the shakiness, and crankiness, and would buy candy to make it go away. The candy made it go away, but again my body would be flooded with insulin making the problem worse.
There were days, i didn't have a chance to eat breakfast, because I was running late...and I could go all the way to lunch time, without that very uncomfortable feeling.
it wasn't until i was in my 20s and very FRUSTRATED with my weight not budging despite my healthier lifestyle...and I found a book called the carbohydrates addict's diet, that i learned of insulin resistance. Because the insulin load for your next meal is actually programmed by your last meal, it made sense. i tried it, started to lose weight and found I could go 5-6 hours between meals.
Then, because of special circumstances in my life, i thought about fasting and prayer...i found the book by DR. Bragg about apple cider vinegar, and i was intrigued. my mom had a couple of books by Bragg and one of them was about fasting. Although, this was listed in Bragg's ACV book. I had a full load, i had to work alot, and i had alot of stress, but i tried it anyways...and began the 24 hr. fasts...i was amazed how easily i lost weight! i didn't count calories because i ate all healthy food for the most part, and i just kept dropping the weight from a size 10 to a size 6.
the amazing thing, is Bragg never mentioned about ascetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar and insulin resistance, but since his day many studies have been done about how ascetic acid improves insulin sensitivity.
During my 24 hr fasts, i would make a bottle of water, with 2 tbsp of ACV and 1 tbsp of raw honey, i would sip on it all day...especially when i felt a little weak..and instantly would be energized. the next day i would eat a normal healthy day for me...weight loss was automatic.
back in 2008 when i posted my pics from just a 2 week fast 5 course, people were amazed about how restructured my body looked, BUT there was still a lot of negative comments on that woe.
i am so glad a thread has been created. And all of you are finding something that works for you.
For the christians that are reading this. Jesus said not "IF you fast" but "WHEN you fast" . this might be the thing you need for weight loss to get your breakthrough.
I'm done with my first week, though I had a house guest from out of the country for a few days, so I took him to some touristy restaurants where I wouldn't have eaten otherwise. Though I was pretty successful with an eating window of 2-7ish (some days 1-6, some 3-8), I now need to work on actually eating healthier food.
This should be easier this week. I'm hoping to see that I've lost at least a teeny bit in a week or two.
Let's keep this thread busy!
...the amazing thing, is Bragg never mentioned about ascetic acid, the main ingredient in vinegar and insulin resistance, but since his day many studies have been done about how ascetic acid improves insulin sensitivity.
That is interesting although it only appears to increase insulin sensativity in insulin resistant individuals.
For everyone having a drink or two a day also increases insulin sensativity.
lol, John are you suggesting a glass a day? the studies show that insulin resistant subjects have the most benefit, but there does seem to be some benefit for others...and still some help for diabetics as well.
lol, John are you suggesting a glass a day? the studies show that insulin resistant subjects have the most benefit, but there does seem to be some benefit for others...and still some help for diabetics as well.
No it was more of just a joke. I don't drink very often. I'd rather use my calories elsewhere.
I'd simply reccomend insulin resistant folks go low carb.
Shhh, John. I was going to tell my flatmate that's the reason for the wine tonight. "I'm not drinking, I'm increasing my insulin resistance!"
Mariarose - Glad you're doing well! I'm in the same spot, I have the window down, now it's just what I put into the window... Hope the scale tells you good things.
