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Intermittent Fasting

vagabond_drifter

vagabond_drifter

Greenlighter
Joined
Dec 1, 2012
Messages
19
Location
Canada
I recently started IM (intermittent fasting). I can't believe what a difference it makes in my overall sense of health and well-being. I sleep better, have a good appetite (not too hungry, but still enjoying food) and have higher energy overall. I've also dropped some stubborn fat that was resistant to everything else. I also feel more engaged when I train martial arts and crossfit. :D

Has anyone else experimented with IM?
 
I never tried it on purpose, but in the past 2 years I only ate in a 6-7 hour window on some days. Didn't notice anything tbh.
 
I've heard it's both amazing and BS. Tried it but it wasn't for me. My metabolism is too fast and I don't have the stomach to eat 2500-3000 calories in a short window. That's not fun to me; it's work.
 
im going to start eating all my food in an 8 hour window, see how my body responds to that, and maybe over time reduce it to a 6 hour window over time.

i think i could benefit from giving my metabolism more time to relax on a consistent basis. i sometimes have the urge to water fast for 1-2 days, so this might curb my hunger for fasting which has some negative impact on my ability to exercise.

i used to have dinner before 6pm and not eat after then, and the frequency of remembering my dreams increased quite a lot.

im curious if anyone else who has done intermittent fasting has noticed that they remember their dreams better, if you stop eating early evening/late afternoon.
 
Intermittent fasting, depending upon timing and preference of macronutrients, can also be referred to as a "Warrior Diet". When I was living in a different state a few years ago I would practice my own form of intermittent fasting and this form eventually lead to my routine for my altered ketocyclic carbohydrate manipulation scheme.

For intermittent fasting I would only consume fruits upon waking up for the rapid conversion to readily available glucose. This was necessary due to my multiple vitamins I would take in the morning. The rest of the day I would simply maintain a good hydration protocol and would only consume fruit/non-starchy vegetables to ward away hunger pains. However, I would integrate crucial carbohydrates only an hour or so before weight training. 25-30G of complex carbohydrates via granola would be plenty for my energy needs. I recommend BCAA consumption throughout the day especially with a focus on leucine.
Only "real" meal was consumed when I got off work which was around 10:30-11:00 p.m every night and at that moment I would go into an immense overfeed. I'd eat until the nausea was too much to handle. Take a break. Then go back at it one more time before I went to sleep for the night.

Only recognizable effects I remember was the ability to maintain a lower than normal body fat percentage and my G.I flares from IBS were dampened because I really only consumed one taxing meal a day. I was also able to maintain 190-195 LBS consistently sitting at 6' 4''. I have done the body fat calipers, but I think I'm either too depleted when I do it or I go about it wrong. i usually get 9-10% with standard calipers, yet I possess vascularity on my stomach and legs.
 
if your eating from waking -> 11pm, i don't get how that is a form of IF
 
I would eat as soon as I would wake. I personally wake up every morning with extreme hunger pains regardless of how I adjust my diet. Also, have you ever tried to take 50mg of zinc picolinate and 4 grams of B5 on an empty stomach? It is one of the most gut wrenching stomach pains I have experienced and puts a major damper on my day. So I would wake at 8-9 a.m and I'd eat a couple bananas with my daily supplements. I then would not consume anything until either dinner if I wasn't working out or I would consume my necessary carbohydrates for fuel before a workout. Technically yes, this isn't true intermittent fasting because I would not allow myself to deal with annoying hunger pains for more than 30 minutes. That being said someone who would partake in full blown intermittent fasting would have an extremely difficult time getting a productive work out in and I couldn't fathom how I could maintain my desired weight and LBM.
If you hover around complete carbohydrate depletion majority of the week with a little glucose here and there you are achieving close to the same results as what a strict fast would produce in terms of lipolysis. Those small little bits of carbs I would consume through the day would have absolutely no chance of being converted to fatty acids for storage due to my body being in a "sponge" like state and rapidly absorbing and utilizing any nutrients it encounters.

EDIT: I applaud you if you are able to successfully go through the day without being fazed by the annoying hunger pains.
 
Now that I'm looking back on it. I would consider it more to be intermittent feeding more so than intermittent fasting. The desired effects are the same. You are trying to put you body in a state where it prioritizes lipolysis for daily energy throughout the day. Increasing insulin sensitivity to harness more of an anabolic surge during spikes. Improving lipid profiles and blood pressure readings.

The real question I guess is considering your build and daily activities what is your TDEE, roughly?
 
i guess everyones body will react to it differently. but i don't really get hunger pangs, maybe my body is more suited to short and longer fasts. i can start eating at about 12pm and finish eating at 6pm, i will feel a bit hungry before i fall asleep, but thats about it, and the longer i do that kind of regime, the less i feel hungry at night.

i go for a 25-30 minute run at about 7 or 8am in the morning.
 
I think that is where our contradiction is at between ours. Obviously everyone is different like you stated and we probably have an extremely different workout protocol (when I'm not being a lazy punk) If I don't get proper nutrition before one of my workouts I will inevitably throw up/dry heave by the trash can in the middle of the gym from dizziness. I mean sometimes I would still vomit even if I did eat. That usually only happened on legs or back.

My dieting experiments got pretty strange a few years ago along with my workout programs, but when you live in a state that is basically a tundra year round and the closest city was 70 miles away the mind begins to do strange things.

How successful has your IF been besides the improvement and noticeable lucidity with your dreams? Are you trying to lean out your body fat or improve blood panels?
 
well in the past it was mostly an unconscious leaning towards ending my feeding at around 6pm, i would usually eat whenever i wanted in the morning.

but it is just very recently that i have committed to following a 6-8 hour eating window, so i can't comment on any differences just yet.

i find its a lot easier to meditate on an empty stomach, its something thats important to me so i find it worthwhile to have all my energy to be able to dedicate to meditation in the morning and at night.

i want to clear out any toxic accumulation in my digestive tract and body in general, from past poor diet choices and relatively sedentary lifestyle. iv noticed that fasting helps to clear up my skin and make me look healthier so thats a plus as well. im already relatively thin, but i wouldn't mind having more lean muscle. i find that theres psychological benefits from creating a goal for myself and being committed to it, and being able to see that i have kept to my goals, helps to build discipline i think (although that might be the wrong word for it). also due to focusing my attention on something else when i have a craving to eat, theres a conscious effort in being present with what i am trying to do for myself.
 
You explained it perfectly fine. It creates a feeling of self worth and an inner appreciation and gratification for the trials and tribulations you set forth for yourself and accomplished. It took me a while to really zone in and fully comprehend how my body functions and what it responds to. I've been weight training since i was 15-16 years old from high school, but I have to say I didn't really get the program down until the last 2-3 years. Just remember to set realistic goals. I used to always tell myself, "Alright by the end of this year...I'm going to gain 20 pounds of muscle." In the realm of reality I was just setting myself up for failure until I realized the importance of short term goals.

Honestly, if you get the nutritional part of a balanced regime locked down then its smooth sailing from there. Most people enjoy the challenge of getting into a gym, throwing heavy weights around, or beating their time on the mile from last week. As soon as they get into the kitchen though they are completely clueless and as a result will hinder their progression towards their goals and ultimately lose the motivation from diminished returns.

If you still have issues with cravings then you should check out carbohydrate cycling. If you get your caloric intake on point and get your TDEE average down you can try weekly caloric restrictions with subsequent refeed days to keep your ghrelin, cortisol, and leptin in check. I'm honestly thinking about creating a little thread with a how-to on understanding the importance of specific metabolic hormones and their relations to consistent progress in one's diet.
 
interesting, is that somewhat related to the 2/5 diet, where you do 2 days a week of having about 500 calories?

iv been realising the realistic goals detail for myself recently, its starting new habits which i have been avoiding for most of my life thats the difficult part, i think journaling might help me create new 10 minute habits to start.

i eat porridge most mornings so that is usually a pretty good sustaining carbohydrate to last me a good portion of the day, i usually try to minimise my intake of some carbohydrates like potatoes/bread/pasta, but i seem to tolerate porridge pretty well and its good for living on a budget.
 
Woah, 500 calories? I honestly don't believe in heavy caloric restrictions, but if one benefits from it and would prefer it over cardio then by all means go for it. I think going down to 1800 calories in a day is a little risky.
I posted a thread related to my diet outline that I follow at this moment in time. The caloric amounts are lower than usual, but I'm also in super lazybumtastic mode lately. I've just been doing a ot of stretching and I'll do some light calisthenics.

The title of the thread was called "Cyclical Ketogenic Carbohydrate Manipulation" that protocol has been my staple for the last year or so.

IMO, if someone wants to create a caloric restriction then I generally would prefer carbohydrate manipulation. You should always keep protein intake consistent regardless of any dieting protocol. Protein is the building blocks, however having carbs with protein is also beneficial because carbohydrates are protein sparing and can help prevent the catabolic procedure that breaks down your precious protein into amino acids for fuel.
 
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theres an interesting documentary on the topic of fasting, with the narrator/guide being skeptical about fasting at first and giving the experience a shot, its pretty informative if you ever want a good doco to watch.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvdbtt_eat-fast-live-longer-hd_shortfilms

The documentary behind the 5:2 Diet. Michael Mosley explores the science behind fasting and whether it can really help you live longer, look younger and stay slimmer. Michael also tests out the science of fasting on himself - with life-changing results.
Click to expand...
 
Definitely going to scope that out before work tomorrow. I'm in a haze at this moment in time, but I have no desire to go to sleep. I'm going to work on a little beginner guide to understanding leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, insulin and its significance on metabolic efficiency.
 
I've been thinking about doing a fast myself. My friend did one for 11 days once, never felt better she said. I eat healthy but still eat chocolate and drink coffee. Want to do an all juice fast.

Since my thyroid's been removed I don't have a fast metabolism like I used to. Could probably do it! :)
 
Smoky said:
I've been thinking about doing a fast myself. My friend did one for 11 days once, never felt better she said. I eat healthy but still eat chocolate and drink coffee. Want to do an all juice fast.

Since my thyroid's been removed I don't have a fast metabolism like I used to. Could probably do it! :)
Click to expand...

Do you take a synthetic analogue that would replicate the thyroid's natural activity?
 
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