Intermittent Fasting, aka eating all the things a few hours a day

Despairagus

Jorf Beeboos ???
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
8,495
Reaction score
27,082
Points
1,263
Age
39
Gender
Female
oh i do keto, so i need extra electrolytes. meat and veggies don't have enough for me so i supplement sodium, potassium,and magnesium.
Oh word I did Keto for a while and enjoyed it a bunch... but I love to bake bread so it's a no-go for me. Forgot about the electrolyte thing with that!
 
  • Like
Reactions: savvy

Pleco

Friendly Neighborhood Rat
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
Joined
Jan 23, 2016
Messages
19,190
Reaction score
76,218
Points
1,588
Age
37
Gender
Male
It wasn't the last time, and it wasn't really hard yesterday... but my brain feels fuzzy AF. AND I can't drink coffee without milk b/c my dentist will murder me. Sticking with it is the hard part. I can do just about any diet at all for a month or so but then... meh I really like food :(
Are you doing IF to control your eating, lose weight, or for the other health benefits of it?

Because if you're trying to lose weight, there's nothing wrong with doing IF for a while and then abandoning it once you hit your target. Or just not being as strict with it. There's varying levels, people who do pure IF won't even drink coffee or tea, but if your goals are different you can be a little more flexible with it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: savvy

Despairagus

Jorf Beeboos ???
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
Joined
Feb 6, 2018
Messages
8,495
Reaction score
27,082
Points
1,263
Age
39
Gender
Female
Are you doing IF to control your eating, lose weight, or for the other health benefits of it?

Because if you're trying to lose weight, there's nothing wrong with doing IF for a while and then abandoning it once you hit your target. Or just not being as strict with it. There's varying levels, people who do pure IF won't even drink coffee or tea, but if your goals are different you can be a little more flexible with it.
Kind of a combination of many things. Husband already does IF basically, but not intentionally. Lose weight, yes, curb bad eating habits, yes. COOK LESS yes.

But also I remember the last time I did it and stuck with it for a while feeling like I had a ton more energy and much less idk bloaty and tired. So I'm chasing the not-bloated-energy-full dragon I guess.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pleco and savvy

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
Are you doing IF to control your eating, lose weight, or for the other health benefits of it?

Because if you're trying to lose weight, there's nothing wrong with doing IF for a while and then abandoning it once you hit your target. Or just not being as strict with it. There's varying levels, people who do pure IF won't even drink coffee or tea, but if your goals are different you can be a little more flexible with it.
Yeah, I do drink coffee in the mornings because losing weight is secondary to controlling my eating habits. I figure with better eating habits comes a bit less calories into my mouth lol
 

Pleco

Friendly Neighborhood Rat
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
Joined
Jan 23, 2016
Messages
19,190
Reaction score
76,218
Points
1,588
Age
37
Gender
Male
Kind of a combination of many things. Husband already does IF basically, but not intentionally. Lose weight, yes, curb bad eating habits, yes. COOK LESS yes.

But also I remember the last time I did it and stuck with it for a while feeling like I had a ton more energy and much less idk bloaty and tired. So I'm chasing the not-bloated-energy-full dragon I guess.
I'd do IF and just have coffee and milk in the morning, if it helps you with your day being less miserable.

Maybe later you can cut that out when you're much more used to IF. I've been guilty of this too but I think most people when they start new eating habits or a new diet, they go all out and then fail because nobody is perfect and we all fuck up at one point or another.

Just the act of having a much smaller eating window makes a difference, the rest you can build up to it.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
Whoops, ate four hours early today.

The world won't end tho, so that's cool. Tomorrow is another day..... at least I am trying to not beat myself up about it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Daniel and jan

Cara

ad space now available
Contributor
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
6,685
Reaction score
12,921
Points
1,163
Location
Mass.
Gender
Female
yesterday i wasn't hungry so i barely ate (like 700 calories) and my eating window was 7 hours because my new schedule messes me up.
today i was ravenous, so i ate breakfast (~500 cals) at 10 am and i'm interested to see how it affects me for the rest of the day.
i'm gonna try to stop eating at 6 and switch things up. make my body go all WHAAAA and confuse the heck out of it lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: savvy

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
i fucked up and ate breakfast again. i wasn't even hungry. being sleepy doesn't help. I will NOT eat before 12pm tomorrow. #selfcontrol
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
Alright, week two of staying steady.

I'm 16:8 and calorie counting 1400 calories a day. No drinking during the week but weekends are fair game. Honestly, no beer during the week is cutting at least 500calories a week from my intake. I might have one whiskey tonight, but am counting it in my calories - it's line dance lesson night y'allll and I got new boots to try.

I feel pretty good and not too obsessed with eating. I think fasting has been the best thing I've done - it's really suppressing and controlling my hunger. I am not obsessed with constantly consuming. This week has been a turning point because I've been able to control compulsive eating. I don't give in to snacks. I had plenty of time and didn't stop at Chick Fil A for breakfast. I *almost* don't want to. I mean, it's delicious, but I can wait for a specific day and time.


I've been toying with trying a 24 occasionally. Friday would be ideal, then I could eat my spinach pizza and beer with less guilt that night. Good reset for a weekend where I probably won't fast - I have a friend coming to town and we will be trying craft breweries and whatnot and I'm not gonna obsess about when I eat or how much to a point.

I'm keeping weigh ins to just Friday and Monday mornings, and my pants don't fit better but I don't constantly feel like derailing, so that's good. Last night I almost couldn't eat enough food to hit about 1400 calories - I don't wanna jump from what was around 2000 calories a day to less than 1000, that isn't healthy. But I like that I'm struggling to eat enough.


I also started working out in the mornings. Will keep up with strenuous dancing twice a week and my normal farm chores and dog walking. If I don't see a change in body comp in the next two weeks, nothing works and I am broken.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
I'm 18 hours into my first attempt at a 24 hr fast. Just to see if I could, more a mental thing than anything. My stomach is a bit upset, too acidic feeling.

I do have coconut water to consume later, i know some consider that a cheat, but I have to do a couple hours of manual labor at the farm before I can eat tonight.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
On my second 24 hour fast. It's not that hard, interestingly enough.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
So I might be addicted to fasting - but I also still love eating. I hope I can stick to this for a few months consistently. Honestly, fasting is perfect for the holiday season too and will help cut the constant snacking on cookies. I'm much better at telling myself I can't eat anything at all for 16-24 hours than to have one thing every hour. That opens up floodgates.

Have been doing a lot of reading about Human growth hormones and how cellular repair with fasting today. I did a 24 tuesday into wednesday, ate over an 8 hour period yesterday, waiting 16 hours today and after a work lunch today will delve into another 24 and eat for 8 hours or so tomorrow. I think I will stick to a combo of 16:8 and 24 for at least a month and hopefully see some results. I haven't even had time to eat dinner for weeks now, and trying to eat dinner stresses me out, so I've eliminated that most days of the week. That's more for the weekends.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
This is just me talking to myself, but I have been pretty consistently doing 16:8 if not closer to 20:4 or OMAD.

I lost 8 lbs in there but gained a couple back - ghost train is a hard time of year at my park because there is nearly unlimited pizza and candy.

This week I made some good, vegetable filled meals and have been back on the train. I really was aiming for OMAD, but I cannot eat enough in one meal to keep me satisfied for 24 hours. So it's been 16:8 kinda. Lunch, one small snack (fruit plus avocado) and then dinner of some sort. I'm doing really well avoiding breakfast unless it's a social activity. I did eat breakfast last Saturday - was exceptionally hungover and wanted to vomit, but Chick Fil A biscuits always revive me and I'm suddenly human after I eat them.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
This is mostly me talking to myself now, but! I started vegetarian keto yesterday. I also am cutting alcohol for AT LEAST two weeks, if not a month. We will see how long I can cut. It's already making IF easier to do. I managed to go to our bar last night and not eat the free, delicious pizza offered to me. I just ate two pieces of pepperoni off of my friends pizza. I also managed to not drink whiskey on whiskey wednesday. I notcied my energy levels were better around 2pm yesterday as well - we will see how today is, since I got a lot less sleep last night. My food has been cheese, sour cream, spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms, jalapenos, green peppers, and more cauliflower lol. I also bought some frozen shrimp to throw in when lacking, and I keep forgetting my eggs at my farm, but eggs too. I knew I gained 10lbs but the reality sucked last night when I got on the scale and I am the HEAVIEST I have been in 11 years. Despite dancing my ass off literally, I think it might be the alcohol. That has been the biggest increase the past year. Except the heaviest I was drinking was in october and I was 11lbs lighter. We will see.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vanyanka

Vanyanka

Thoroughbred of Sin
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
HIT Poster
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
34,905
Reaction score
81,247
Points
2,338
Location
The Jungle
Gender
Female
This is mostly me talking to myself now, but! I started vegetarian keto yesterday. I also am cutting alcohol for AT LEAST two weeks, if not a month. We will see how long I can cut. It's already making IF easier to do. I managed to go to our bar last night and not eat the free, delicious pizza offered to me. I just ate two pieces of pepperoni off of my friends pizza. I also managed to not drink whiskey on whiskey wednesday. I notcied my energy levels were better around 2pm yesterday as well - we will see how today is, since I got a lot less sleep last night. My food has been cheese, sour cream, spinach, cauliflower, mushrooms, jalapenos, green peppers, and more cauliflower lol. I also bought some frozen shrimp to throw in when lacking, and I keep forgetting my eggs at my farm, but eggs too. I knew I gained 10lbs but the reality sucked last night when I got on the scale and I am the HEAVIEST I have been in 11 years. Despite dancing my ass off literally, I think it might be the alcohol. That has been the biggest increase the past year. Except the heaviest I was drinking was in october and I was 11lbs lighter. We will see.

Good for you for committing to change and having a plan! Eggs are everything. Eat all the eggs. So jealous you have regular access to fresh ones. I know that alcohol makes me gain weight, much of it in the form of water retention/bloating, but also because I eat more when I drink.

I'm doing something similar. I'm a vegetarian and I'm going low(ish) carb for a bit. I'm also off the booze for at least a month. I sleep so much fucking better when I don't drink and my memory and ability to learn new things is much higher overall. My energy level also generally improves significantly when I'm sober.

I plan on starting 16:8 IF and gradually making my eating window smaller. I can't really do the OMAD thing because I take meds that need food to absorb properly. My body kinda naturally does IF so I just need to push it a little and be mindful of snacking.

I'm also going to start taking advantage of the gym in my complex for cardio and light weights. I want to start doing a bit of light yoga, as well.

I know this seems like a lot all at once but I was doing IF mostly until around mid-November so I'm falling back into the habit with not much effort.

Good luck to you (and me)!
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
Good for you for committing to change and having a plan! Eggs are everything. Eat all the eggs. So jealous you have regular access to fresh ones. I know that alcohol makes me gain weight, much of it in the form of water retention/bloating, but also because I eat more when I drink.

I'm doing something similar. I'm a vegetarian and I'm going low(ish) carb for a bit. I'm also off the booze for at least a month. I sleep so much fucking better when I don't drink and my memory and ability to learn new things is much higher overall. My energy level also generally improves significantly when I'm sober.

I plan on starting 16:8 IF and gradually making my eating window smaller. I can't really do the OMAD thing because I take meds that need food to absorb properly. My body kinda naturally does IF so I just need to push it a little and be mindful of snacking.

I'm also going to start taking advantage of the gym in my complex for cardio and light weights. I want to start doing a bit of light yoga, as well.

I know this seems like a lot all at once but I was doing IF mostly until around mid-November so I'm falling back into the habit with not much effort.

Good luck to you (and me)!
I haven't been really eating *more* when I drink, overall. I eat fast food Cookout after dancing for six hours straight on fridays, and I'm usually sober by then. I'm getting 12,000-27,000 steps a day on my fitbit and I'm super, painfully active, despite the weight gain. Alcohol weirdly gives me energy so I am worried about. But it also helps me sleep better at night if I have one drink. Last night I managed to dance without alcohol and was still super peppy, but I am actually worried without alcohol buffer this weekend I will feel every muscle pain while dancing both nights of a double header. I've been doing yoga everyday. Hike the dog once a week, walk two other times, and ride my horse 1-2 times a week plus farm chores 3-5 times a week.

I did 20:4 for a while before christmas and it wasn't too bad. It honestly might be easier with Keto, it was hard without keto. And yep still gained weight on 20:4 lol.

my body is really annoying. but I really like the way i'm feeling low carb/keto right now. It's only day two but the cravings are really cut down.
 

Vanyanka

Thoroughbred of Sin
Contributor
Crowd Pleaser
HIT Poster
Joined
Jan 11, 2016
Messages
34,905
Reaction score
81,247
Points
2,338
Location
The Jungle
Gender
Female
I haven't been really eating *more* when I drink, overall. I eat fast food Cookout after dancing for six hours straight on fridays, and I'm usually sober by then. I'm getting 12,000-27,000 steps a day on my fitbit and I'm super, painfully active, despite the weight gain. Alcohol weirdly gives me energy so I am worried about. But it also helps me sleep better at night if I have one drink. Last night I managed to dance without alcohol and was still super peppy, but I am actually worried without alcohol buffer this weekend I will feel every muscle pain while dancing both nights of a double header. I've been doing yoga everyday. Hike the dog once a week, walk two other times, and ride my horse 1-2 times a week plus farm chores 3-5 times a week.

I did 20:4 for a while before christmas and it wasn't too bad. It honestly might be easier with Keto, it was hard without keto. And yep still gained weight on 20:4 lol.

my body is really annoying. but I really like the way i'm feeling low carb/keto right now. It's only day two but the cravings are really cut down.
Bodies are obnoxious, especially if you're a woman with all those hormones thrown into the mix fucking things up. I understand what you mean about the alcohol making you feel energetic. I'm concerned about that as well and I'm prepared to have a slump for a bit but I'm hoping the increase in quality sleep from abstaining will help balance it a bit.

I don't really lose much weight from exercise unfortunately but I do think it makes me feel and look better. The actual weight loss seems to be almost entirely about diet for me.

My BIL is an evangelist for the book, "Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker" and he's transferred his fervor to me. It really brought home to me why I need to have a good, solid sleep schedule. Sleep deprivation ( and lack of NREM and REM sleep) makes it far harder to lose weight and just fucks your body and brain up in all sorts of ways. Anyway, I highly recommend reading it if you get a chance.
 

savvy

goin' down to the yee-haw
Moderator
Joined
Jul 29, 2017
Messages
8,903
Reaction score
27,482
Points
1,113
Age
33
Location
Virginia
Gender
Female
Bodies are obnoxious, especially if you're a woman with all those hormones thrown into the mix fucking things up. I understand what you mean about the alcohol making you feel energetic. I'm concerned about that as well and I'm prepared to have a slump for a bit but I'm hoping the increase in quality sleep from abstaining will help balance it a bit.

I don't really lose much weight from exercise unfortunately but I do think it makes me feel and look better. The actual weight loss seems to be almost entirely about diet for me.

My BIL is an evangelist for the book, "Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker" and he's transferred his fervor to me. It really brought home to me why I need to have a good, solid sleep schedule. Sleep deprivation ( and lack of NREM and REM sleep) makes it far harder to lose weight and just fucks your body and brain up in all sorts of ways. Anyway, I highly recommend reading it if you get a chance.
I will...but it might interfere with my sleep!

I felt so much better last week because I hardly went to work with the holidays and I slept 7-9 hours a night. It was great. Right now my schedule only allows 5-6 hours a night. I'm not sure what to budge on it other than quitting my job, lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vanyanka