Intermittant fasting....

First question - why are you doing it? From the research I've been reading, the way to use IF is determined by what you want to get out of it.

LL
 
I've done alternating day fasting, and have had some good results. As for the intermittent fasting, my understanding is that it is very time specific (types of meals, types of exercise, time period of the day of fasting and sleep schedule). It's pretty plan intensive if done right vs I just took every third day off and stuck to water.
 
I've done alternating day fasting, and have had some good results. As for the intermittent fasting, my understanding is that it is very time specific (types of meals, types of exercise, time period of the day of fasting and sleep schedule). It's pretty plan intensive if done right vs I just took every third day off and stuck to water.

The plan I am looking at is alternate day fasting, one day you eat 500 calories (one meal, several meals, however you want to do it), the following day you eat 75% of your normal calories. Rinse and repeat. The articles were pretty encouraging, and moreso if you add any type of exercise.

What I don't know is that after 12 weeks (the suggested timeframe), what's next? How long to wait before you do it again? I plainly need to do some more research.
 
As far as I know you can do it indefinitely as long as you're healthy. I'd suggest checking blood sugar levels while doing it. Apparently us older dudes have to do that shit now...

But fasting is nothing new, what you don't want to do is intermittent fasting, lose weight and then go back to normal. You will gain weight fast. I would go with your plan, stay on top of sugar levels, and then when you hit target weight, go to a scheduled diet fasting from 5pm to 5am. Obviously cheat when you want, but not go back to the normal diet that got you where you are.
 
I've done alternating day fasting, and have had some good results. As for the intermittent fasting, my understanding is that it is very time specific (types of meals, types of exercise, time period of the day of fasting and sleep schedule). It's pretty plan intensive if done right vs I just took every third day off and stuck to water.
How did you deal with the blood-sugar crash?
 
I have a lot of experience with it, like a lot. Anecdotally, I've never experienced any of the purported "health benefits" not in recovery, mental acuity, autophagy, nothing. Now, I'm youngish so it may just be negligible for me. It's primarily an easy way to restrict calories and not hate yourself. It's a lot easier to eat 2x 1200 calorie meals and enjoy yourself than it is to eat 3x 800 calorie meals and eat like a bird. Or you could even eat like a rabbit for lunch, and then, fucking splurge at dinner and likely stay within your daily calories. Plus, after a week or 2, you won't even miss breakfast (as long as you eat breakfast food occasionally because we all know breakfast food is the shit). Also, I think Alternate Day is kind of a bitch. Once, I get 500 calories, I naturally want more. I've done a 40 hr fast multiple times (just 16/8 but skipped a day), and I'd say it felt easier than Alt Day.

Any time I catch myself getting fat, I go back to 16/8 fasting with 2400 kcals a day using a bit of an If It Fits Your Macros approach with 35% Protein, 35% Carbs, 30% Fat. Did this for the first time the summer of 2014 in the middle of nowhere Mercury, Nevada where I could only go to the grocery store once a week which was an hour away, so I could only eat what I bought so I literally couldn't cheat on it. Went from 205 to 175 in 3 months and kept a 285 bench. Now training fasted and how fasting affects your training could devolve into a whole thread in and of itself.

Check this out. Not for the book. Look into the articles.
 
Last edited:
I’ve been doing it pretty consistently for 15 months with pretty solid results(dropped 23kg and kept it off).

Intermittent fasting for me is 18/6/5.

18 hours fasting
6 hours eating
5 days a week

Lots of water on wake-up and throughout the morning.

2 cups of coffee, 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon.

Keto based nutrition(low carb, no sugar, heavy Mediterranean) between 3pm and 9pm:

Afternoon snack at 3pm
Dinner 5pm
Snack before 9pm

Weekends I throw in breakfast, and on occasion cheat meal(s) in a single day for exceeding targets.

It has worked really well for me, but different strokes for different folks.

I do take some non radical supplements, and have a nerd interest in nootropics/cognitive enhancement.

Anecdotally, I believe the lifestyle changes I’ve made(including 2000k’s of rucking on the beach this past year) have really worked for me across the board. Although the shoulders are getting sore.

I definitely feel mentally sharper(with a strong year of work produced) beyond just the physical.

Good luck.
 
Give it a shot, I do it formally sometimes by using the ZERO app (tracks your fasting times) but most often I just don't eat anything from dinner until lunch. It's an easy way to drop a few pounds and to remind yourself that it's OK to feel a little hungry.
 
I'm on One Meal A Day, so fasting more or less around 23-24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I'm also zero carb.

Down to 195lbs from 240lbs in about 4 months. Energy is great and health is great. Don't know how much of this is due to IF.

Either way.. I just don't like microwaved steak
 
Back
Top