Giving intermittent fasting a try page

[PrimalHunter]

I'm trying to take my body fat from what I'd guess is 16%, down to around 10%. To that end, I'm giving IF a shot.

While I'm far more fat adapted than I used to be, I can't understand why everyone finds it so easy to go 24 or 36 hours without food. So I'm starting with baby steps.

My natural eating pattern was 9 hours of fasting / 15 hours of feeding. By skipping breakfast but keeping everything else the same, I switched to 13 fasting / 11 feeding. That's a considerably shorter feeding window, not to mention the calorie reduction.

But even this modest change wasn't easy to make. At first I was miserable in the morning. Irritable, unable to concentrate, counting down every minute until lunch.

Today, almost two weeks later, it's a lot easier. I'm still hungry when I first wake up, but it's more like I'm just detecting hunger rather than feeling obsessed with it. I'm also having an easier time focusing on other things, which takes my mind off food.

My plan is to try this for a while longer, get fully comfortable with it, then maybe think about moving to 16/8.

[primalrob]

your body is used to eating at certain times, so it is releasing grehlin (the hunger hormone) at those times. it will get easier. you might also want to try a longer fast at some point just to get a good handle on what your different hunger signals are.

[Nigel]

If you're intermittent fasting every day, that's not my definition of intermittent. Have a look at this:-
P1 Horizon Eat, Fast and Live Longer - YouTube

[Sambo712]

I've just started IFing too, and have already seen great results (I'm talking like 2 days!)
I would advise having some coffee or tea in the morning without any sweetener, that is what really makes the difference for me. Sometimes I even use heavy cream in my coffee, I know it's high calorie, but it won't stall the effects of the fast, which mark said in one of his posts. I'm about to go try bulletproof coffee to start my fast today (Coffee with butter blended up in it) Good luck man, keep it up!

[IcarianVX]

I drink a LOT of water when it gets bad. I am to the point now where I fast (about) 20 hrs with 4 hours of eating (2 meals usually). Some days are better than others.
I did do a 40 hour fast once and it was surprisingly easy, especially the 2nd day/morning.

[PrimalHunter]

My understanding is that occasional all day fasts, alternate day fasts, and relatively brief daily fasts all fall under the category of intermittent fasting.

Yeah, I heard that your hormones get used to it, and it becomes easier. It's 3:00 now and I haven't eaten yet today. And I actually felt much hungrier early in the day than I do now.

I don't drink coffee, but maybe I'll try drinking more water.

[Sambo712]

How about green tea? That is supposed to be good for general health, and it carries a little caffeine.

[PrimalHunter]

Although I thought I was getting used to it early on, I really wasn't. I went back to feeling hungry and woozy on 13/11 or even 12/12 fasting. But changing my workout timing helped a lot.

I used to go to the gym at 9 pm, and have one post-workout meal. When I started going to the gym at 5 pm and having two post-workout meals, I felt a lot better. I immediately went to 16/8 and found it pretty easy. I've been doing that for two weeks now, and I'm just mildly uncomfortable mid-morning when hunger kicks in before fading out.

I'll need to give it more time to see what effect 16/8 will have, but the 13/11 did take some fat off. I just wish it didn't have to come off my ribs first.