Last April I started posting about what I learned and my experiments with Intermittent Fasting. Although Intermittent Fasting (IF) can be done several ways, what I do is pick one day a week and go 22 hours without food. Not only has it leaned me out, but I now have far more discipline over hunger. I can delay meals whenever I want and I’m no longer a slave to frequent feedings or low blood sugar.
For more background on the motivation and reasoning for IF, I encourage you to check out the following posts.
- Intermittent Fasting – Fears and Motivations
- Intermittent Fasting – Adventures in Not Eating
- Intermittent Fasting – Tips and Advice
- Intermittent Fasting – Overcoming Objections
This post is about all the feedback I’ve received from people that have read my posts and decided to try Intermittent Fasting for themselves. The response has been amazing. I know 3 people that have fat loss in the 25-35 pound range. I also know people that have had some moderate fat loss as well as individuals that have gained focus and have taken control of their hunger signals.
I’d love to hear some feedback if you’ve tried Intermittent Fasting and what it has done for you.
I’m not sure about the fat loss part, I was doing it more for the “let the body heal itself” general health benefits. I have been doing IF 1-2 times per week since early April 2009 and have not had a cold or sinus infection (or any similar issue) since then …. I call that success!
Thanks for intro to IF, MAS
I’ve done fasting similar to yours about 4 times now but it hasn’t become part of my routine. I completely agree that it is a great way to get control of your appetite/hunger and to focus the mind. It’s somewhat difficult to work into the schedule for me some days but it’s a rewarding experience on the whole.
IF has definitely benefitted my health, but since reducing my workouts my pant sizes have gradually slipped upwards. I have now officially undone over a year’s worth of work in a matter a month or so.
Don’t start it if you’re not going to change forever otherwise it will feel like training for a marathon, but never running it.
I disagree with Matthew. Reducing your workouts and IF are unrelated. I’d look at the food you are eating the rest of the week. You may need to adopt a lower-carb approach.
As of the end of January I had lost 23 pounds over 5 montsh, eating low-carb/high protein but had been stuck, stuck, stuck for well over a month. I found IF and began on February 1. I do a daily fast of about 18 hours and continue to eat low-carb/high protein.
In 23 days I’ve consistently lost about 3 pounds per week and just dropped another pound this morning. I’ve also lost about 6″. While I realize that there is no way I could have lost 10 pounds of fat, I am being told by some ‘experts’ that this is mostly water weight.
While I have a general understanding of glycogen and lost water when you deplete glycogen stores through fasting…how can I consistently be losing water weight? I’m very confused and would love to be able to tell these ‘experts’ that they’re full of it!!
Any help would be great…I love this blog!
Forgot to add…I’m eating about 1500 calories a day, exercising moderately and I estimate my BMR + exercise is about 2000 calories.
@Elizabeth – Since you were already following a low-carb diet, my guess is you already lost your water weight before you even started IF. My advice to you is to stop focusing on pounds and calories. All that matters is inches. If your abs are flat it really doesn’t matter what you weigh. And you really shouldn’t care what the experts tell you. Actions speak louder than words. Our obese Surgeon General is living proof.
Thanks, Michael! My abs are getting flat and my clothes are fitting better…one idiot told me, “of course your clothes fit better–water takes up space so when you lose it your clothes will fit better”.
…and I loved the post you linked!