Intermittent Fasting

[thailazer]

Happened across a YouTube video the first week of January by a cardio-vascular research fellow by the name of Dr. Jamnadas. He has several videos on how Americans have gotten too used to eating frequently and eating poor foods like sugars and processed foods. His basic premise is

(1) greatly reduce sugar,
(2) avoid processed foods like cereals and breads,
(3) increase the time between meals or skip meals, and
(4) do intermittent or longer term fasting.

Too many sugars too frequently and your body spikes insulin and you store fat.

So I started casually following his approach as I had already eliminated excess sugars, and went to one slice of toast with my morning eggs. The hardest thing to stop eating was corn chips and cereal as I had gotten into the winter habit of snacking on them which is part of the psychological trap we fall into regarding eating. Started skipping meals, and drinking ginger tea and water to avoid getting hungry, replaced some meals with nuts or fruit, and did a few 18 hour fasts,

The first thing I noticed a few days after changing my habits was that I would wake up without the normal aching I thought was part of being 67 years old. Now almost 8 weeks out:

Weight Loss: 15 pounds
Blood Pressure: Running below 120/75 consistently. (First time in 25 years as I have been Pre-hypertension with the docs warning me I might have to start medication for it every visit.)
Man Boobs: Gone
Heart Burn: Hardly ever happens.


I still enjoy sugar with my coffee and my Chardonnay but overall happy with how this is all going. Do a search on YouTube using Dr. Jamnadas and you will find plenty of motivation. I love the enthusiasm he brings to the topic.

[Troy]

(1) greatly reduce sugar,
(2) avoid processed foods like cereals and breads,
(3) increase the time between meals or skip meals, and
(4) do intermittent or longer term fasting.

I agree with the first two but not sure about the last two. Eating less, but more frequently is a method that many believe is better and I have found eating small meals often like the Thais has helped me.

I have to agree about the comfort foods and snacks in the winter. It is something that I am very guilty of and it takes a lot to get out of the habit.

I have been eating very small breakfast and lunch, which has really helped but then I blow all the hard work in the evenings with comfort food at the moment.

[TTraveler]

I agree with Troy. Losing weight is simply about being active and reducing calories to what below what you burn. The more active you are the more you can eat and still lose weight. I think Americans are just too lazy in front of their TVs and computers. The Rock eats like 7k calories/day and I have seen some days where he eats like 10k. It is about being active and eating what your body needs, not what your brain wants.

[AntRobertson]

Intermittent fasting works but only because it's just another form of calorie restriction, it's no magic bullet.

Really it doesn't matter when you eat of how frequently as long as you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.

If IF works into your lifestyle and you can do it consistently then by all means but it's certainly not the only option.

[AntRobertson]

The Rock eats like 7k calories/day and I have seen some days where he eats like 10k

I doubt he's on that high a calorie intake routinely.

He's certainly on a shit-tonne of PEDs though.

[thailazer]

Intermittent fasting works but only because it's just another form of calorie restriction, it's no magic bullet.

Really it doesn't matter when you eat of how frequently as long as you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight.

If IF works into your lifestyle and you can do it consistently then by all means but it's certainly not the only option.

Watch more of the videos Dr. Jamnadas puts out and you will find it is much more than calorie restriction. There are several processes that get invoked when fasting on a regular basis. It has been pretty educational.

[AntRobertson]

Everyone fasts on a regular basis when they sleep that's why it's called break-fast.

Anyways we will have to agree to disagree on this one.

Nothing wrong with IF just nothing special about it either in my opinion--I'm technically doing it now via lifestyle change funnily enough.

[Fondles]

I started on a IF diet about 12 months ago.
Soon it became on OMAD diet.
In 12 months I lost 60kg's.

[Iceman123]

I started on a IF diet about 12 months ago.
Soon it became on OMAD diet.
In 12 months I lost 60kg's.

That weight loss is extreme. What weight were you at the start?

[Fondles]

That weight loss is extreme. What weight were you at the start?

124kg.

[katie23]

I did the 16:8 intermittent fasting for 2-3 months and lost ~3 kilos. I couldn't sustain it since I kept getting hunger pangs & thinking about food during the hours of the morning that I haven't eaten yet. During that time, my eating window was 1000H - 1800H or 1100H to 1900H.

I switched to a more sustainable diet (for me), which is eating less. For breakfast, I usually have coffee w/ milk with 3 tsp of oatmeal in it, plus an egg (boiled or fried). I eat a normal lunch and a smaller dinner. I sometimes have cheat days or vary from my diet when I visit my mom. I don't eat rice in the evenings anymore. Still eat it for lunch, though - can't live without it.

From a BMI of 23.5 (I felt very chubby then), I'm now at a BMI of 20.2. I feel better and clothes from ~10 yrs ago have fit me again. (I know that BMI is not the end-all & be-all), but I'd rather not say my height & weight here. In total, I've lost 6-7 kilos, which is a lot on my frame.

When I have hikes, I don't restrict myself from food since I know that I'll use the calories anyway.

Dr. Erik Berg (also on YT) advocates for the keto/ no-carb diet. I can't totally eliminate carbs - I like them too much - but I've decreased my carb intake.

I also exercise most of the time (zumba or jogging). For weight loss/ weight control, I'd say do whatever works for you and don't deprive yourself too much. If you're always thinking about food durung the times when you're fasting, it's not good for your mental health either.

Good luck to everyone!

[reinvented]

Ant's right i believe
Missus does it 5 days a week, and it works for her

done it in the past but not worked out where the beer fits in

[thailazer]

I did the 16:8 intermittent fasting for 2-3 months and lost ~3 kilos. I couldn't sustain it since I kept getting hunger pangs & thinking about food during the hours of the morning that I haven't eaten yet. During that time, my eating window was 1000H - 1800H or 1100H to 1900H.

I switched to a more sustainable diet (for me), which is eating less. For breakfast, I usually have coffee w/ milk with 3 tsp of oatmeal in it, plus an egg (boiled or fried). I eat a normal lunch and a smaller dinner. I sometimes have cheat days or vary from my diet when I visit my mom. I don't eat rice in the evenings anymore. Still eat it for lunch, though - can't live without it.

From a BMI of 23.5 (I felt very chubby then), I'm now at a BMI of 20.2. I feel better and clothes from ~10 yrs ago have fit me again. (I know that BMI is not the end-all & be-all), but I'd rather not say my height & weight here. In total, I've lost 6-7 kilos, which is a lot on my frame.

When I have hikes, I don't restrict myself from food since I know that I'll use the calories anyway.

Dr. Erik Berg (also on YT) advocates for the keto/ no-carb diet. I can't totally eliminate carbs - I like them too much - but I've decreased my carb intake.

I also exercise most of the time (zumba or jogging). For weight loss/ weight control, I'd say do whatever works for you and don't deprive yourself too much. If you're always thinking about food durung the times when you're fasting, it's not good for your mental health either.

Good luck to everyone!

Katie... How old are you? I have only been hungry a few times and feel like older folks just don't get hungry that often. I have to say though that I was went almost 24 hours as friends were late for dinner and it almost killed me I as so hungry by the time the food came.

I agree that completely eliminating carbs is hard, but keeping them limited is important. My feeling on this new lifestyle is that the 18 hour fasts I am doing are what is really contributing to the healthier feelings and improved parameters.

Rice and potatoes are completely off my diet. Eggs in the morning are great with my single slice of whole grain toast. I find that I am eating larger portions at meals since the period between meals is longer now. Speaking of that, I need to find a big Ribeye for tomorrow dinner after an 18 hour fast!

[AntRobertson]

I
I switched to a more sustainable diet (for me)

This is the absolute key here: the best diet is the one you can consistently maintain.

On that though, eliminating any macro—whether carbs or fats—from your diet isn’t a good idea because, for one, deprivation simply doesn’t work and for another there’s just no good reason to do so. Carbs/fats don’t make you fat, eating in a caloric surplus makes what.

A diet that excludes anything is by definition not a complete diet.

[cyrille]

Oldest form of weight loss.

Exercise doesn't come close in effectiveness.

And hey, it's now got a name complicated enough to suggest it's a magic bullet.

If 'The Rock' is inspiring a lifestyle change then that change might not be for the best.

Consuming fewer calories - - - > weight loss.

[Airportwo]

[cyrille]

That's...odd.

[sabang]

I all but eliminated added sugar from my diet a long time ago. Plus I average one meal a day, and rarely snack. Guess I am on the Doctors side.

Still gotta bit of a pot gut though.

[Airportwo]

The first thing I noticed a few days after changing my habits was that I would wake up without the normal aching I thought was part of being 67 years old.

I read a good quote recently "if people spent as much time taking care of themselves as they eventually do being ill, they would be far healthier" I'm the same age as you, never been to a doctor, never weight watched never taken any of Big Pharmas crap, took responsibility for my own health, worked for me, long amused me when I was younger how people licked to mock when I ate healthy, most of them are dead now. If people just stopped eating breakfast, especially the utter crap they consume, they would notice a huge difference, give the body time to clean and regenerate.

[happynz]

I could easily cut out evening meals. When I was working in Saudi I normally didn't eat an evening meal nor did I snack. I always had a healthy breakfast with salads and proteins. Lunch was usually a basic sort of sandwich. Thursday nights would see me throw out good habits and I'd drink more than several glasses of wine (I know how much sugar goes into the wine and it's a f'n lot, lol).

[Shutree]

avoid processed foods like cereals

I assume he is talking about the sugared confections that you buy in cardboard boxes? Whole grain cereals are generally highly recommended in most versions of a 'healthy' diet. I usually eat muesli or rolled oats at breakfast. I then undo some of the good with some honey.

[thailazer]

I assume he is talking about the sugared confections that you buy in cardboard boxes? Whole grain cereals are generally highly recommended in most versions of a 'healthy' diet. I usually eat muesli or rolled oats at breakfast. I then undo some of the good with some honey.

Those whole grain cereals are considered processed food and need to be avoided. Just too many calories concentrated there. Eat a cob of corn.... 100 calories. Eat a handful of corn chips and it is like eating 20 cobs of corn. So.... Stick with real food.

Thanks Airport Two for that image! Autophagy is what I keep trying for as that seems to be the sweet spot. I think it actually starts at about the 18 hour mark.

[Airportwo]

I assume he is talking about the sugared confections that you buy in cardboard boxes? Whole grain cereals are generally highly recommended in most versions of a 'healthy' diet. I usually eat muesli or rolled oats at breakfast. I then undo some of the good with some honey.

Whole grain cereals, you mean GMO cereals? most are, great for boosting the insulin levels, sure Big Pharma companies will recommend you eat the crap, do you still trust them to give you good advice? Get some eggs down you if you must eat breakfast, but then you have been told that it gives you high cholesterol, you may want to research that a bit further ....

[Airportwo]

Before people started stuffing themselves with utter crap, so called processed "vegetable oils" & 7/11 "food"

[DrWilly]

Googling on the inter webs or watch fitspo influencer videos on TikTok is not research…