Intermittent Fasting
 

Hello, I just downloaded an IF book and I'm gonna start reading. It's called "2 Meal Solution"

I wanted to hear some thoughts from you guys about IF. Any tips, advice, precautions, etc? I'd love to hear it all.

I practice IF, although I do my own version. I think it's great for working with your personal preferences/cravings and also with using your "problem eating" in your favor instead of working against it.

For example, I enjoy larger portions and also eating/snacking in the evening. Well this goes against all conventional diet "wisdom" which says I should be eating 6 mini-meals, two snacks, never eat past 6pm, ALWAYS eat breakfast and all that other stuff that got me over 300lbs by following LOL

So, now I eat *very* little most days, or fast entirely until around 5pm when my feeding begins. I typically eat between 5-10pm and I eat around 1300-1600 calories in that time frame (I calorie cycle too, averaging around 1600 per day). This allows me to eat what I want, how much I want (within reason), it works with my cravings and natural desire to eat (in the evening) and helps me not feel at all deprived.

IF is also great for me with holidays and special events. If I have a wedding to attend where there will be delicious food and drink (wine and such), I can fast the day before (24 hour fast) and then indulge without thinking or counting or stressing and I still average 1600 calories for both days.

I think a good tip too is not to be rigid about it. For example, some days I fast all together until say 5pm -- other days I am super hungry so I will just eat very lightly during the day -- trying not to exceed 500 calories so I can still have around 1000 calories in the evening. Other days I fast entirely for 24 hours so I can go to an event or have a holiday meal or simply so I don't have to *think* about what I'm eating the next day.

For others, they may be ravenous first thing in the morning so their eating window may be in the morning/afternoon. For others, they may have a small breakfast, then fast from say 9am until 6pm then have a big dinner. Others may fast until 2pm, have a big mid-day meal, then nothing else until breakfast or lunch the next day.

You just have to tailor it to work *with* your cravings and desired eating times -- not be too rigid about it. For me, I have to count calories too (some people don't) because I can easily fast all day then eat like 3000 calories depending on what I eat lol. So, I set a calorie average (say, 1600 calories) then calorie cycle during my eating window -- which is typically from 5pm-10pm.

It totally works for me :) Hope that helps!

I totally agree with 35X35 that IF allows me to eat according to my own natural rhythms and desires instead of following what the experts have decreed as the best way to diet. My window is noon to 8 PM and I do this every day. I have forced myself to eat breakfast for years because I was told that it was the most important meal, etc. Well, with IF I'm losing weight more easily, but the really big thing for me is that after almost 2 months I'm still on it. Normally by this time I'm bored and tired of trying to track everything, etc. But for some reason this is working for me.

I do count calories and carbs as well as I am extremely carb sensitive. I'm in my 60s so by this point in my life my metabolism has slowed down on its own by about 40% of what it was in my teens and early 20s. So, I eat around 1200 calories a day and try to keep carbs at between 75-80g per day.

Again, this works for me. Some people would go nuts with this approach. I think the important thing with all weight loss efforts is to find what works for you and that you know you'll be comfortable with the rest of your life.

I've done it for a few weeks and I love it.

I spent years doing the 6-meal thing and all I did was cook & think of food.

With IF, I can eat one big meal and then not have to think about food (I do 2 meals, my main post workout and then a shared dinner with my husband/kids).

I love it. I feel like the OLD ME (a slimmer girl who wasn't overweight because she just didn't think about or care about lots of food). I feel a better relationship with food coming back.

I'm nursing so it makes life easier to not have to prep meals too (I have severe oversupply, I don't think IF would work well for a 'normal' nursing mother)

I like IF, too.

Thanks for sharing. This is actually the main reason why I wanna do it, my relationship with food is a very unhealthy one right now, I have days where ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT is food food food and it is becoming very stressful and taking the attention and energy from the things I should be paying attention to, like every other aspect of my life.

I'm glad to hear it's been working for you guys. I think I'll definitely get started with it.

Do you guys mind if I use some of your responses as quotes for a blog post?

I have been at it for about à year off and on, mostly on. I like it for the most part. Be sure to give your body time to get used to it. Start gradually.

go ahead :)