Intermittent Fasting

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angie_nrs

angie_nrs

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OK, I didn't really know where to post this, but I guess this could certainly be considered frugal. LOL! You can definitely save money by going a day or two per week without eating.

I wanted to start this thread b/c I would love to hear who else is doing IF and how their progress is coming along. The main gist of IF (intermittent fasting) is to get your body to a state of fat burning (ketosis). I'll admit, I really didn't think this was going to work for me. I'm not a dieter.....never have been. When I feel like I CAN'T have something......I have to have it. So, I just don't diet. I just try to clean up my eating instead. Well, I have been doing IF for a few months now and I feel like it is working rather well for me. My clothes are looser, I feel like I have more energy, and I have lost some weight. I know I have lost FAT. I workout 4-5 days per week typically and I can see a difference in the mirror. I'm pear shaped....so I was thrilled when I saw a difference in my hips, thighs, and love handle area. For me, IF has given me the maximum benefits of anything else I have done with the least amount of work.

So what do I do? I stop eating Sunday nights at around 5 or 6 pm and only drink water, tea, or black coffee until 5 or 6 pm Monday night. Then I repeat going from Tuesday night to Wednesday night. For any of you who think that sounds too hard, there are many other ways to go about IF. Some people have an eating window. Start with a generous eating window such as 7-8 hours of when you can eat.....like from 1 pm to 9 pm......and then don't eat anything (or drink anything other than water, black coffee or unsweetened tea) during the other part of the day. As you get good at it, make your window smaller. A 5 or 6 hour window is what many people feel is effective, but it's different for everyone. If it's getting too hard for you, widen your window back up or just try and do every other day until you get better at it. Whats great about IF is that if you're just not feeling it for some reason.....you can always break the fast by eating. Then you can try again whenever you want. There are no strict rules that you HAVE to abide by b/c there are many different ways in which to do intermittent fasting.

I do the 24 hour fast on Mondays and Wednesday because those are usually the two busiest days of my week so not eating is pretty easy. The key for me is to keep busy. The hunger comes in waves. Once you learn how to ride out the wave, you're golden! It really isn't that hard to ignore those hunger pangs and it DOES get easier the more you do it. I've also found that I don't get the incessant cravings like I did before. It's so great to be off that roller coaster! Plus, I don't have to give up any of my favorite foods. I just may have to delay when I'm going to have them.

If you're considering playing around with this, I would suggest the following books. I read them in the order I am posting them. These books will explain the science behind fasting, which is VERY compelling, even from an overall health perspective.

"The Fast Diet" by Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer- don't let the "diet" part of that title turn you off.....I almost didn't read this book since I don't DIET but this book was a great beginner book. It gives lots of advice on how to start along with tips and tricks to help you along the way. It started me on the 5/2 way of fasting which I still do today.

"The Complete Guide to Fasting" by Jason Fung (which IMHO is the leading expert on the subject) This is not quite as good as Obesity Code, but does focus more on IF then just on Ketosis in general. Again, some really good health information here including disease reduction in people who fast.

"The Obesity Code" by Jason Fung - This really explains the science behind IF and it is really interesting. The reviews on this book are truly though the roof! Reading this book once is not enough b/c there is SO much information in here. It is presented in a very readable way however. Reminds me, I need to read it again! If there is only ONE book you are willing to read on the subject, pick this one!

"Delay, Don't Deny" by Gin Stephens - This would be good for a beginner and it may have been more beneficial to me if I had read it before reading the more in-depth books mentioned earlier. It is a very quick read and can serve as a motivational book to anyone doing IF. It's more of an autobiography of the person who wrote the book on how she lost weight by doing IF.

I don't consider myself an expert at IF, but I would love to have a discussion with folks who are doing IF or who are interested in it. Let's share some experiences!!
 
I am a big fan of Dr. Jason Fung. Watching his videos and reading his books and white papers have dispelled so many false beliefs and misconceptions about fasting and the human body. False beliefs like 'your body will cannibalize muscle if you fast' and 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' and 'skipping meals in very unhealthy'. When in reality this 3 meals a day situation we find ourselves in is not what you body wants or needs at all. We should be eating when we are physically hungry and not eating when we are not. In the morning we should definitely not be eating or 'breaking the fast' until our bodies request food. So much of what people believe about "healthy eating" and fasting is based on junk science paid for by the food industry and even fictitious claims that people in the medical/diet/exercise community have just decided are true (to make $$$) without any valid scientific backing.

On a side not fasting is becoming huge with pro-athletes, bodybuilders, etc. because it greatly increases testosterone and HGH production, which helps build and maintain muscle, strength, etc. Entire pro and semi-pro sports teams are going keto and using intermittent fasting to improve performance.
 
Amish Heart said:
That sounds like it could work for me, but I have to cook for the family every night, and that would be my downfall think.
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I'm in the same boat, but it's an easy work around. You don't have to skip dinner:D I don't! I eat dinner Sunday night and then I eat dinner again Monday night and can still achieve the 24 hour fast. I eat dinner slightly early on Sunday (around 5) so that when dinner time rolls around on Monday night I'm good to go. Plus, it's not an exact science. If you do a 22 or a 23 hour fast, you'll still get the benefits.

You could also adopt the eating window program when you open your eating window around 3 pm (or what ever you choose) and close it at 8 pm (or whatever you choose). That gives you a 5 hour eating window and this program has worked well for many people. This still allows for dinner.

During the days when I don't do a 24 hour fast I still typically maintain a 14 hour fast. I stop eating at 9 pm (or so) and don't eat until 11 am or noon (or so). Since I'm sleeping most of those hours (and have never been a breakfast eater), it's really easy for me. Coffee is the only breakfast I need. But, on holidays or special occasions you can go ahead and have breakfast. That's the beauty of it. You can work it out however you want and choose whatever suits your needs.
 
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I eat small meals or snacks off and on all day. I stay at a healthy weight doing so. Nuts,olives,egg sandwich, greens, potato salad, carrots salad, sometimes I have pickled beets for breakfast or oatmeal, cerial oats. Bean burritos, pears,apples, plums, or eat pork and beans out of the can.
Try to use organics.
I find if I make 3 day supply of carrot and potato salads we can eat that to cure hunger during day. Last month I made way too much potato salad so to keep from wasting it we had it breakfast, lunch ,dinner and all in between for 3 days. It is a full course meal in itself,but not good everyday. Also eat fruit cake and chocolate candy.
I have to worry about gettign too skinny more than gaining.
 
Before I was married I was fasting 1 day a week or so, once went 7 to 10 days fasting, lost 20+lbs on that fast.... it's easy once you get past day 3. Wife thinks that you need food every day so hard to fast around her now, we have done some 18 hour fasts though.
 
Meerkat said:
I eat small meals or snacks off and on all day. I stay at a healthy weight doing so. Nuts,olives,egg sandwich, greens, potato salad, carrots salad, sometimes I have pickled beets for breakfast or oatmeal, cerial oats. Bean burritos, pears,apples, plums, or eat pork and beans out of the can.
Try to use organics.
I find if I make 3 day supply of carrot and potato salads we can eat that to cure hunger during day. Last month I made way too much potato salad so to keep from wasting it we had it breakfast, lunch ,dinner and all in between for 3 days. It is a full course meal in itself,but not good everyday. Also eat fruit cake and chocolate candy.
I have to worry about gettign too skinny more than gaining.
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If that works for you, you should definitely stick with it. Those meals/snacks you mentioned all sound pretty healthy to me. I don't see any processed foods in there, which I think is the sticking point for many folks. I would have a hard time giving up pizza and beer from the local tavern. I'm also known to visit a fast food joint about once per week. McDonalds fries are my favorite! I know....bad! But I know I can do that in moderation and still be OK. I'll be honest, I certainly have room for improvement in my diet.

According to Dr. Fung, he mentioned in the Complete Guide to Fasting that there are some folks who should NOT fast. They are folks who are severely malnourished or underweight, children under 18 years of age, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. Caution should be used by those who have gout, are taking meds, have type 1 or 2 diabetes or have GERD. Even though he states caution should be used, he also states that those with Type 2 Diabetes are likely the ones who would benefit the most from Fasting as it could actually eliminate the need for their meds and cure the underlying condition all together. He emphasizes the caution, b/c they need to be evaluated more closely to titrate their med doses down while they progress to a healthier state.

One thing that has stuck with me is the effects of autophagia in fasting. By autophagia, I am referring to the cells in the body that eat other cells. This is a normal process by which the healthy cells feed on the unhealthy cells and eliminate them. A survival of the fittest if you will. I can't remember which book precisely I read this in, but due to the increased length at which the cells go without constant food, this process takes place, which helps to eliminate mutated cells from proliferating. This is why cancer risk is lessened in those who routinely fast. Those mutated cells aren't allowed to continue on unchecked. The constant sugar/food source is eliminated thus the cells die or become food for the healthy cells.

In addition to Sentry's list I will add a few more myths about IF:

*fasting makes you tired
*fasting burns muscle
*fasting causes blood sugar to plummet
*fasting causes your metabolism will slow

All of these are FALSE!

I'll share some of my personal experiences that disproved many of the myths. I completed a 54 hour fast last month. Here's what I posted when I did this in the Keto thread from the other forum:

So I tried the 3 day fast and only made it thru 2.25 of them, or 54 hours. I'm OK with that since it's well over the 26 hours that I have done before, so I set a personal record. I did a 24 hour fast on Monday, like I usually do, ate dinner Monday night and had a light lunch Tuesday. So, I figured I might as well give it a shot. All in all, I did over 3.25 days of total fasting this week. It's a step in the right direction for sure. I got so much stuff done! It's amazing how much you can do when you aren't fixing, eating, and doing food cleanup all the time. Plus, I was only able to sleep for 6 hours last night....not entirely sure why but woke early and well rested, so I got up. I had some coffee and off I went to organize my canned food cases by expiration date and contents and also cleaned the basement, which it needed. I tried to keep busy doing something physical to keep myself distracted. It worked great until about 3-7pm.....those are my main eating times and when I struggle most with any fast. I limited live TV since I guess I just didn't realize before how many pizza commercials there are.:mad: My strength was good, my workouts were good, my disposition was good....although I was home alone.:rolleyes: I figured it would be much easier to give it a try while the boys were at hunting camp. I'm sure it helped.

The only things that were bothersome was that I was COLD! I was hoping for a hot flash, that never happened. In the evening after about 7pm or so, I would have to wrap up in an electric blanket while reading or watching TV and had to warm my bed up too, which is not typical of me at all. I usually like it cool. Our house is 69 all the time so it wasn't a heating issue. I could feel the cold when I would touch my arm or leg.....it was like it just radiated from me. I don't think my lap dog appreciated it much either.:D I got lightheaded a few times (nothing major) with quick level changes but I think it was b/c I wasn't drinking enough fluids. I was lifting a lot of cases of cans and was doing a lot of climbing stairs, bending, stacking, etc. and I noticed I had some episodes of esophageal reflux, (which is not typical for me) at the 48 hour point. I also noticed it when I did my kickboxing workout a bit later in the day....usually quickly moving from a low position to a standing one. It's just not something I typically deal with at all.

All of that said.....it really wasn't that bad. I think the worst part was getting through the "cues" that I subconsciously link to food. My tummy was growling a few times and it was uncomfortable at times, but certainly not unbearable. Distraction was the key for me!

Doing a longer fast is a great way to test yourself and also to break a plateau! I was stuck at a weight at that point and after that fast I dropped weight! I only weigh myself about once per month. This last month with Thanksgiving and all the holiday treats, I maintained my weight loss without losing more, but actually dropped almost 2% body fat. I know the body fat scales aren't very accurate, but I can tell by looking in the mirror that I have lost fat. I have more muscle definition and I haven't changed my workouts. My shoulders (which are my weak spot) are looking great and I can see more muscle definition in the abs. I'm not sure if I gained muscle or lost fat or both.....but I like the results either way.
 
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@angie_nrs

Amazing how much more you can get done if you're not bothered to eat, isn't it?

IMHO 5-6 hrs a night sleeping while fasting is normal

The cold is the worst part of fasting, especially if you're not doing it in the summertime.

If you don't have much to do fasting is downright boring.
 
Millions of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Pagans and others have been fasting for centuries and some how despite what modern medicine and some nutritionists claim they somehow survived it. We would all be better off if we remembered that food is fuel for our bodies. When the tank is 3/4 full you do not NEED to run to the fuel pumps just because it is 12:00pm and your employers designated that time as for your 2nd meal of the day.

My wife does intermittent fasting every single day. She drinks coffee with fats in the morning, skips lunch completely and then eats a healthy (keto) dinner. She rarely eats after dinner unless she experiences actual physical hunger.
 
angie_nrs said:
If that works for you, you should definitely stick with it. Those meals/snacks you mentioned all sound pretty healthy to me. I don't see any processed foods in there, which I think is the sticking point for many folks. I would have a hard time giving up pizza and beer from the local tavern. I'm also known to visit a fast food joint about once per week. McDonalds fries are my favorite! I know....bad! But I know I can do that in moderation and still be OK. I'll be honest, I certainly have room for improvement in my diet.

According to Dr. Fung, he mentioned in the Complete Guide to Fasting that there are some folks who should NOT fast. They are folks who are severely malnourished or underweight, children under 18 years of age, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women. Caution should be used by those who have gout, are taking meds, have type 1 or 2 diabetes or have GERD. Even though he states caution should be used, he also states that those with Type 2 Diabetes are likely the ones who would benefit the most from Fasting as it could actually eliminate the need for their meds and cure the underlying condition all together. He emphasizes the caution, b/c they need to be evaluated more closely to titrate their med doses down while they progress to a healthier state.

One thing that has stuck with me is the effects of autophagia in fasting. By autophagia, I am referring to the cells in the body that eat other cells. This is a normal process by which the healthy cells feed on the unhealthy cells and eliminate them. A survival of the fittest if you will. I can't remember which book precisely I read this in, but due to the increased length at which the cells go without constant food, this process takes place, which helps to eliminate mutated cells from proliferating. This is why cancer risk is lessened in those who routinely fast. Those mutated cells aren't allowed to continue on unchecked. The constant sugar/food source is eliminated thus the cells die or become food for the healthy cells.

In addition to Sentry's list I will add a few more myths about IF:

*fasting makes you tired
*fasting burns muscle
*fasting causes blood sugar to plummet
*fasting causes your metabolism will slow

All of these are FALSE!

I'll share some of my personal experiences that disproved many of the myths. I completed a 54 hour fast last month. Here's what I posted when I did this in the Keto thread from the other forum:

So I tried the 3 day fast and only made it thru 2.25 of them, or 54 hours. I'm OK with that since it's well over the 26 hours that I have done before, so I set a personal record. I did a 24 hour fast on Monday, like I usually do, ate dinner Monday night and had a light lunch Tuesday. So, I figured I might as well give it a shot. All in all, I did over 3.25 days of total fasting this week. It's a step in the right direction for sure. I got so much stuff done! It's amazing how much you can do when you aren't fixing, eating, and doing food cleanup all the time. Plus, I was only able to sleep for 6 hours last night....not entirely sure why but woke early and well rested, so I got up. I had some coffee and off I went to organize my canned food cases by expiration date and contents and also cleaned the basement, which it needed. I tried to keep busy doing something physical to keep myself distracted. It worked great until about 3-7pm.....those are my main eating times and when I struggle most with any fast. I limited live TV since I guess I just didn't realize before how many pizza commercials there are.:mad: My strength was good, my workouts were good, my disposition was good....although I was home alone.:rolleyes: I figured it would be much easier to give it a try while the boys were at hunting camp. I'm sure it helped.

The only things that were bothersome was that I was COLD! I was hoping for a hot flash, that never happened. In the evening after about 7pm or so, I would have to wrap up in an electric blanket while reading or watching TV and had to warm my bed up too, which is not typical of me at all. I usually like it cool. Our house is 69 all the time so it wasn't a heating issue. I could feel the cold when I would touch my arm or leg.....it was like it just radiated from me. I don't think my lap dog appreciated it much either.:D I got lightheaded a few times (nothing major) with quick level changes but I think it was b/c I wasn't drinking enough fluids. I was lifting a lot of cases of cans and was doing a lot of climbing stairs, bending, stacking, etc. and I noticed I had some episodes of esophageal reflux, (which is not typical for me) at the 48 hour point. I also noticed it when I did my kickboxing workout a bit later in the day....usually quickly moving from a low position to a standing one. It's just not something I typically deal with at all.

All of that said.....it really wasn't that bad. I think the worst part was getting through the "cues" that I subconsciously link to food. My tummy was growling a few times and it was uncomfortable at times, but certainly not unbearable. Distraction was the key for me!

Dong a longer fast is a great way to test yourself and also to break a plateau! I was stuck at a weight at that point and after that fast I dropped weight! I only weigh myself about once per month. This last month with Thanksgiving and all the holiday treats, I maintained my weight loss without losing more, but actually dropped almost 2% body fat. I know the body fat scales aren't very accurate, but I can tell by looking in the mirror that I have lost fat. I have more muscle definition and I haven't changed my workouts. My shoulders (which are my weak spot) are looking great and I can see more muscle definition in the abs. I'm not sure if I gained muscle or lost fat or both.....but I like the results either way.
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Angie we do sometimes eat a store bought pizza. We buy a couple a month of plain cheese thin crust and add our own olives, onions, Jalapenos, mushrooms,sometimes but seldom meat.
Mostly we snack.
I know my SIL granny lived to be 105 and she ate whatever she wanted,but always had a garden till 101. So Who knows that is good or bad for us. I felt bad for her in the old folks home she left her family very well off. SIL got about half a million alone.
 
*Andi said:
When I travel I go vegan ... veggies and more veggies...lost two pounds on the first trip and 1 on the last... :lil guy:
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My hubby and yours must be related! I get to stop at truck stops, easy in and out for us but the food is crap. I started to take along yogurt n fruit, egg frittata, cheese n crackers. Stuff I can eat while driving or on a break.
 
angie_nrs said:
OK, I didn't really know where to post this, but I guess this could certainly be considered frugal. LOL! You can definitely save money by going a day or two per week without eating.

I wanted to start this thread b/c I would love to hear who else is doing IF and how their progress is coming along. The main gist of IF (intermittent fasting) is to get your body to a state of fat burning (ketosis). I'll admit, I really didn't think this was going to work for me. I'm not a dieter.....never have been. When I feel like I CAN'T have something......I have to have it. So, I just don't diet. I just try to clean up my eating instead. Well, I have been doing IF for a few months now and I feel like it is working rather well for me. My clothes are looser, I feel like I have more energy, and I have lost some weight. I know I have lost FAT. I workout 4-5 days per week typically and I can see a difference in the mirror. I'm pear shaped....so I was thrilled when I saw a difference in my hips, thighs, and love handle area. For me, IF has given me the maximum benefits of anything else I have done with the least amount of work.

So what do I do? I stop eating Sunday nights at around 5 or 6 pm and only drink water, tea, or black coffee until 5 or 6 pm Monday night. Then I repeat going from Tuesday night to Wednesday night. For any of you who think that sounds too hard, there are many other ways to go about IF. Some people have an eating window. Start with a generous eating window such as 7-8 hours of when you can eat.....like from 1 pm to 9 pm......and then don't eat anything (or drink anything other than water, black coffee or unsweetened tea) during the other part of the day. As you get good at it, make your window smaller. A 5 or 6 hour window is what many people feel is effective, but it's different for everyone. If it's getting too hard for you, widen your window back up or just try and do every other day until you get better at it. Whats great about IF is that if you're just not feeling it for some reason.....you can always break the fast by eating. Then you can try again whenever you want. There are no strict rules that you HAVE to abide by b/c there are many different ways in which to do intermittent fasting.

I do the 24 hour fast on Mondays and Wednesday because those are usually the two busiest days of my week so not eating is pretty easy. The key for me is to keep busy. The hunger comes in waves. Once you learn how to ride out the wave, you're golden! It really isn't that hard to ignore those hunger pangs and it DOES get easier the more you do it. I've also found that I don't get the incessant cravings like I did before. It's so great to be off that roller coaster! Plus, I don't have to give up any of my favorite foods. I just may have to delay when I'm going to have them.

If you're considering playing around with this, I would suggest the following books. I read them in the order I am posting them. These books will explain the science behind fasting, which is VERY compelling, even from an overall health perspective.

"The Fast Diet" by Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer- don't let the "diet" part of that title turn you off.....I almost didn't read this book since I don't DIET but this book was a great beginner book. It gives lots of advice on how to start along with tips and tricks to help you along the way. It started me on the 5/2 way of fasting which I still do today.

"The Complete Guide to Fasting" by Jason Fung (which IMHO is the leading expert on the subject) This is not quite as good as Obesity Code, but does focus more on IF then just on Ketosis in general. Again, some really good health information here including disease reduction in people who fast.

"The Obesity Code" by Jason Fung - This really explains the science behind IF and it is really interesting. The reviews on this book are truly though the roof! Reading this book once is not enough b/c there is SO much information in here. It is presented in a very readable way however. Reminds me, I need to read it again! If there is only ONE book you are willing to read on the subject, pick this one!

"Delay, Don't Deny" by Gin Stephens - This would be good for a beginner and it may have been more beneficial to me if I had read it before reading the more in-depth books mentioned earlier. It is a very quick read and can serve as a motivational book to anyone doing IF. It's more of an autobiography of the person who wrote the book on how she lost weight by doing IF.

I don't consider myself an expert at IF, but I would love to have a discussion with folks who are doing IF or who are interested in it. Let's share some experiences!!
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I used to IF , I did 16/8. Then I started doing IF with keto. Now I've discovered "carb nite" ( which is a trademark system but I don't recall the guys name that wrote the book.) It's basically keto with a cheat night... literally, like you can only eat your carbs at night.) Now I still probably fast for 12-14 hours daily but more because I'm just used to not eating a whole lot in the AM. I do have heavy cream in my coffee though. It's heaven when. I get out the espresso maker and froth the cream.
 
Dawn Hill said:
Fasting will make you look 10 years younger.. at least I think so . No one thinks I am old enough to have a 23 yo child.

But I did read that being in ketosis triggers your body to make HGC. And that is so good for you.
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Anytime blood sugar / insulin levels remain low for a period of time natural human growth hormone and testosterone production increases. IIRC this is because our pre-modern day natural impulses think food is in short supply and we need both strength and recovery to hunt for more food. The increase in Ketosis is why keto it is one of the only diets that allows one to burn fat and gain muscle at the same time. Fasting increases both HGH & testosterone even more, which is why bodybuilders often fast for 18 or so hours before a heavy workout.
 
Sentry18 said:
Fasting increases both HGH & testosterone even more, which is why bodybuilders often fast for 18 or so hours before a heavy workout.
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Isn't it interesting how not too long ago the dominant advice was to eat protein rich foods/drink before &/or after the workout? It seems the tried and true industry advice has drastically changed in a relatively short period of time. I remember the common recommendation was to eat 6-7 small protein/vege rich meals throughout the day to prevent your body from going into starvation mode. I found that I was hungry all the time when doing that! Of coarse the response of the experts was "it's b/c you're building muscle and that will increase your appetite and will cause you to gain weight......but don't worry it's muscle". It was just too much pre-planning and too strict to work for me long term. It seemed like I thought about food ALL the time! It was exhausting. For me, IF is easy.......which is what I love most about it.

I'm still fasting 20-24 hours at least 2 days per week and don't give it much thought at all. I even find myself fasting on the days I don't normally fast if I'm busy. I know I won't melt away if I don't eat and usually don't get hungry anyways. It's just not a big deal anymore. I've actually not been focusing on food to the point that I forget to plan my meals. I have to change that. Even if I only eat 1 meal a day (which is typical) I should make sure it's a balanced meal. I really have to focus on the quality of my food now b/c I do like my junk food.:oops: It's just that with IF, I don't pay the price for eating it, at least in terms of weight gain.

Another bonus is that I don't eat as much as I used to at a sitting. I feel like I am satisfied much sooner than I was before, which makes it much easier to eat less.

I do also think that it helps retain youth. I got comments at my last physical.....oh, you lost weight. Oh, you're XX years old? Sometimes I still get carded (they're supposed to ask for ID of anyone they think is under 40 now) but I think the cashier just wants to make my day. That's quite alright.....I'll take it!:p
 
If I had $1 for every time the experts (especially in the area of diet, nutrition, weight loss, exercise, health, etc.) were blatantly wrong or their opinions guided by the food / exercise industry rather than science, President Trump would have come to my house and personally asked for a campaign contribution. It baffles me how easy it is a buy advice and professional opinions. For almost the entire history of mankind we have eaten natural whole foods, keto/paleo with periods of intermittent fasting. And we're still here.
 
The only time I have ever purposely fasted is when I had an struggle with something that needed some thought, meditation, and lots of prayer. That way any time I thought of eating I would pray instead.
When we moved from Alabama to Tennessee I weighed 218lbs. I'm 6'2" so that's not toooo bad. My back was killing me and stomach hurt,etc. I got on the scale at the Dr. Office Monday night and weighed 182.5 lbs. All I did was cut out trash food. Not eating out at fast food, Not much ice cream(my personal stumbling block), sodas, that kinda stuff. I eat lots of carbs. I wish I could cut down but I love breads, beans etc. Did I say I like bread! Lol
Wasn't really ready for that big of a difference but I'm glad something worked.
 
gumpy said:
The only time I have ever purposely fasted is when I had an struggle with something that needed some thought, meditation, and lots of prayer. That way any time I thought of eating I would pray instead.
When we moved from Alabama to Tennessee I weighed 218lbs. I'm 6'2" so that's not toooo bad. My back was killing me and stomach hurt,etc. I got on the scale at the Dr. Office Monday night and weighed 182.5 lbs. All I did was cut out trash food. Not eating out at fast food, Not much ice cream(my personal stumbling block), sodas, that kinda stuff. I eat lots of carbs. I wish I could cut down but I love breads, beans etc. Did I say I like bread! Lol
Wasn't really ready for that big of a difference but I'm glad something worked.
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Oy yeah. Forgot to add that I've been clearing land and preparing to build a house. Lots of work helps!
 
Fast food packs on the calories. I've don't eat it, even when we have an all day car trip, I pack a lunch for everyone. My stomach feels better with real food in it. I'm with you, Gumpy, I love bread. I make my own and our own butter, and its great. Throw a slice of thick ham on it and I'm good to go.
 
Amish Heart said:
That sounds like it could work for me, but I have to cook for the family every night, and that would be my downfall think.
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I eat Keto and still cook for the family. Everyone eats the same meat (main dish) and veggies. I sometimes cook a carb-y side for the girls and K but only when I can handle not eating it. On days that I 'IF' I make sure there is a frozen meal in the freezer for the family and K cooks. Makes it easy to step out of the room and clean the toilets or fold laundry while the family eats and I don't eat. Not to mention I just don't feel like eating.
 
Grimm said:
I eat Keto and still cook for the family. Everyone eats the same meat (main dish) and veggies. I sometimes cook a carb-y side for the girls and K but only when I can handle not eating it. On days that I 'IF' I make sure there is a frozen meal in the freezer for the family and K cooks. Makes it easy to step out of the room and clean the toilets or fold laundry while the family eats and I don't eat. Not to mention I just don't feel like eating.
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This is how we do it as well. The wife and I eat Keto, the kids eat essentially just low(er) carb. While we stay below 20 carbs the kids probably exist in the 75-150 carb range, which is still far below the average carb consumer. When I do intermittent fasting it's usually just one-meal-a-day while my wife will go for 2-3 days in a row, other than fat in her coffee and perhaps bone broth. Of course those stretches for her usually cover a very busy time in her life as well. It's nice to know that food does not have to be a high priority and you can survive just fine without eating for days if you have a little body fat and keep up your hydration.
 
Sentry18 said:
my wife will go for 2-3 days in a row, other than fat in her coffee and perhaps bone broth. It's nice to know that food does not have to be a high priority and you can survive just fine without eating for days if you have a little body fat and keep up your hydration.
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I don't know if you're wife has to deal with this, but if other people around you know what you are doing or how long you have gone without eating, there IS pressure (by others) to eat something. Others think this is unhealthy b/c they have been conditioned to think that way. They don't know about the health benefits of IF. I'm just mentioning this b/c for someone new to doing this, I would recommend that you not tell your co-workers or non-home family members what you are doing.....at least right at first. Now, since I've been doing it for so long, I wouldn't let anyone talk me out of it. I ask them "have you tried it?" The answer is always NO. Well, then how can you lecture me on something that you have never tried or researched?

What I also find very helpful (even now) is to remember that hunger isn't a constant feeling. It comes and GOES in waves. So, once you get used to ignoring hunger pangs it becomes easier.....especially when you know you only have to do it for a short period and it will go away. Once you recondition your body not to automatically become hungry at noon (or whatever schedule you have been on) then you will learn to recognize true hunger and not just conditioned hunger. But, even true hunger can be ignored. It takes some time to get used to, but eventually it just becomes second nature.
 
angie_nrs said:
I don't know if you're wife has to deal with this, but if other people around you know what you are doing or how long you have gone without eating, there IS pressure (by others) to eat something. Others think this is unhealthy b/c they have been conditioned to think that way. They don't know about the health benefits of IF. I'm just mentioning this b/c for someone new to doing this, I would recommend that you not tell your co-workers or non-home family members what you are doing.....at least right at first. Now, since I've been doing it for so long, I wouldn't let anyone talk me out of it. I ask them "have you tried it?" The answer is always NO. Well, then how can you lecture me on something that you have never tried or researched?

What I also find very helpful (even now) is to remember that hunger isn't a constant feeling. It comes and GOES in waves. So, once you get used to ignoring hunger pangs it becomes easier.....especially when you know you only have to do it for a short period and it will go away. Once you recondition your body not to automatically become hungry at noon (or whatever schedule you have been on) then you will learn to recognize true hunger and not just conditioned hunger. But, even true hunger can be ignored. It takes some time to get used to, but eventually it just becomes second nature.
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My wife is a very positive and pleasant woman, but she is not someone who is willing to receive 'pressure' from anyone. Most of the time she will skillfully avoid ever sharing any personal information with anyone. If she gets trapped somehow she will usually just cut them off before they even get going and say something like "I am so sorry if I gave you the impression I was soliciting opinions on how I choose to live". And like I said, she is so positive and pleasant they don't even know how to take it. But yes, people often feel like their thoughts, opinions and outright ignorance should be put on public display as much as possible.

When you are on keto and fasting, you rarely if ever experience hunger pangs of any kind. Or cravings for that matter. Most of which are caused by rising and falling blood sugar and insulin, which is rare on keto.
 
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