I started intermittent fasting for life extension and am unintentionally losing weight! (work out, calories)
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CSD610 has posted "I personally feel fasting is very unhealthy in the long term and the only way to lose weight or maintain your desired weight is to eat as healthy as possible all the time not just a few days each week."
I am in good health and i don't eat "healthy" just a few days a week. As I have written in prior posts, my diet tends towards high protein, low sugar all the time. Who would want to blow 300 precious calories on a candy bar? But I am not fanatic about carbs or fat, or anything dietary for that matter. I ate half a grass-fed porterhouse and a green salad with bleu cheese dressing yesterday (see the Food forum for that post). Then a couple of beers at a party last night.
"Your body needs nutrients daily in specified amounts..."
That does not mean that you have to intake them daily. I feel strongest the morning of fast days as the food from the day before is fueling my body. Our bodies have the amazing capacity to store stuff. That's why we get fat.
"... and moderation with anything is key to long term weight goals and good health."
I agree. Intermittent, or alternate day fasting, IS moderation!"
and Heartsong: GOOD LUCK! Give it a try- what have you got to lose but a few pounds? And you'll have a lot more time (and money) for other stuff to boot.
PS..Stepka.. you made an excellent point about diet "plans". If they don't feed you, what can they sell you?
I rarely drink commercial soda, either sweetened or dietetic.
I have two mugs of black coffee in the morning and club soda or ice water to stay hydrated.
I will sometimes drink crystal light lemonade heavily diluted with club soda.
Do most people find it hard to drink only coffee or tea or water for 24 hours?
I rarely drink commercial soda, either sweetened or dietetic.
I have two mugs of black coffee in the morning and club soda or ice water to stay hydrated.
I will sometimes drink crystal light lemonade heavily diluted with club soda. Do most people find it hard to drink only coffee or tea or water for 24 hours?
I would dehydrate really fast if I drank too much coffee , I'm sensitive to caffeine so two cups is my daily max..
I did a little reading on this subject, some people still eat on the "fasting days" but keep the intake to under 500 calories.
This reminds me of a diet I was on a long time ago, it was a clinic diet where I went in everyday and got weighed and they gave us a vitamin pack, we ate 500 calories a day for 6 weeks.
I lost the 25 lbs I was hoping too, but I was hungry ALL the time.
There is some experimental animal research suggesting that caloric restriction will prolong life. However, I have not seen the research on starvation on odd/even days. I think you're screwing with your metabolism and may actually put undue stress on your body via induction of an inflammatory process that could actually trigger heart disease and cancer.
Instead of alternate day starvation, look into caloric restriction. Still better, read Irving Yalom's book "Staring at the Sun" and just enjoy life!
Actually I believe it does the opposite. Your body expends a lot of energy digesting, so on fast days, your body is free to clean itself out and that energy can be devoted to other tasks. I think it's a wonderful thing to do for yourself. I have a book on natural health for animals, that is talking about doing this for them once a week or so. It's another way of aiding detox. After a fast day, dogs are supposd to exhibit more energy than usual.
I have not tried this, but it makes sense.
Edgar Cayce recommended days of only eating apples, apparently they have something special about them that helps clean out the body.
I rarely drink commercial soda, either sweetened or dietetic.
I have two mugs of black coffee in the morning and club soda or ice water to stay hydrated.
I will sometimes drink crystal light lemonade heavily diluted with club soda.
Do most people find it hard to drink only coffee or tea or water for 24 hours?
No. I drink lots of coffee, I think it may kill my appetite. I don't get hungry until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I am training myself to drink a healthy smoothie in the morning, which fills me up. I don't like to drink water, but I make myself. I will not touch a soda, they are very bad for you. Juices are artificial, unless you make them yourself.
So it's water, coffee, and health drinks for me. I know the coffee doesn't fit, but I love it and am totally addicted to it.
I've been doing alternate day fasting for 2 weeks and I really, really like it. On the 'fast day' I try to keep it to 500 or under, sometimes I have gone a little over,but no big deal. Last week I was under all week as I experimented a little bit.
Like you tjarado, I don't weight myself - messes with my head in an unhealthy way, but all my clothing is noticeably more loose.
Belly fat signals that there are high levels of insulin in your system, and fasting lowers insulin. This is the primary reason I chose alternate day fasting - being diagnosed with insulin resistance. The weight is especially coming off my middle - waist has returned - and am very pleased with this indication that this is helping my health, besides the vanity aspect.
Also this gives me the freedom to skip breakfast which I always want to but have felt I should not. So on a fast day I will take a bag of raw almonds or walnuts with me, eat a small lunch of some soup or half an avocado, or some hummus. Then no dinner, but have had a small glass of red wine a couple of times. =)
On the eating days I expected to be really hungry, but I'm not. I still skip breakfast and then have a salad and eat a regular dinner. I ate some ice cream on saturday night (an eating day) but just a regular serving. I think it did make the next morning fast a little tougher though - some hunger pangs where usually I am not having them.
There is a book coming out next month about doing a 2-day a week fast (called 5:2 fasting). It's called The Fast Diet. Going 4:3 as tjarado is planning is also popular.
Catknapp - I mentioned coffee as one of the things I drink during the day, not to stay hydrated, but because i like it, so i drink it. I wanted to be honest and not give a false impression that i was a purist, goody-two-shoes kinda gal. I drink plenty of water, plain or fizzy. I fizz filtered water with Sodastream because i got sick of schlepping crates of soda in and recycling them out.
Asitshouldbe - if I ate only 500 calories a day, EVERY day, i'd be hungry all the time, too. Why do it if you don't need to?
I am only hungry for 2-3 hours on the fast days. All other times I am satisfied, not grumpy, and don't obsess about food.
perries - you sound as if you've 'got it'! I also have had a glass of wine on my fast day without going over 500, but it's very rare, and only if i am unusually un-hungry, because it costs 150cal. Good luck.
I eat a small but healthy breakfast...my main meal is lunch and I have a green smoothie for dinner. I rarely snack, eat no sugar and only 1 or two pieces of gluten free bread every 10 days or so. I snack only if I work out (doctor's advice.) I eat avocados, nuts, and seeds (and no added fat), limited fruit and large amounts of organic leafy greens and vegetables of every kind. I eat tofu, beans, legumes, quinoh (no rice). I am slender and healthy and I don't need to or want to fast. My body is not overworked by the foods I eat... I believe that when properly fueled with whole, organic and healthy foods our internal systems don't need a break....they are meant to do a job and if we don't overwhelm our systems with big portions or fill our bodies with junk, our bodies don't need to fast. This is what works for me.
I am glad that you found a diet that works for you. I would take no pleasure in skipping meals and frankly I see no reason for it.'
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