@roethlisburger. Like many I don’t practice IF by using less calories on some days. Instead I go 16 hours without eating. 8 pm to noon is when I don’t eat. Since I was never hungry in the morning but ate then because I was told it was good for me IF has been very easy. It has really helped with my glucose level especially.
^A 500 calorie day is starving yourself.
Just like @maya54 mentions, some people find it easier to just skip a meal in order to restrict total calories instead of trying to carefully control the size of each portion. In addition to this, it seems plausible that there is some additional.health benefit from fasting periods over a more evenly spread out calorie intake to make it worthwhile a try if it fits into the individual’s lifestyle and preferences.
Here’s a high quality study in people, not rodents, which shows women who ate a larger breakfast had more weight loss and improved glucose levels compared to women who ate a smaller breakfast.
@roethlisburger : the study shows that assuming the same total daily calorie intake, a larger breakfast rather than filling up on dinner before bedtime is the better choice. That totally makes sense. Actually I wonder how this relates to Ramadan fasting, one would think there should be studies given a relative large number of people following this sort of practice.
I tried for many years to watch my weight eat a big breakfast because it as supposed to be better. I was hungry all damn day. While I was losing a little weight I was miserable and couldn’t stick with it. My glucose levels were pre diabetic. In July I began IF. Waiting til noon or 1 to eat has changed my life. I’ve lost close to 40 pounds and almost never feel hungry. This eating pattern matches my natural hunger. At doc last week and my glucose levels were well below what they were eating a big breakfast.
And I’ve lost around 60 lbs. over 3 years (and kept it off another year or more) by not eating until after 12 noon. Works for me!
I like to start early and end early - eat 8-4pm or so. It is so effortless, and no problems with getting to sleep on a full stomach! I like the simplicity of this approach; no fuss, no muss, no limiting anything except the time at which you eat. The thing is, this is NOT a new idea. My mother always told me that it is best to eat any rich, sweet or heavy foods at lunch and have a light early dinner. Another old saying was eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. In recent years the science said it didn’t matter when you ate your food or took your medicine - but it turns out it does matter!
Interesting, for those who skip breakfast, how much do you eat for lunch compared to dinner? One would think it’s still better to keep dinners small, but perhaps not?
“Interesting, for those who skip breakfast, how much do you eat for lunch compared to dinner? One would think it’s still better to keep dinners small, but perhaps not?”
I eat only about 300 calories at lunch. Thus I eat most of my calories at dinner. I eat between 1400 calories total ( most days) to about 1600 ( Saturday nights or Sunday nights with special plans). Since giving up breakfast I find this very very easy. I eat mostly lean protein, vegetables and olive oil with a small chocolate treat every day. I have little interest in “ good carbs” so mostly stick to a relatively low in carb diet. My Saturday/ Sunday extra calories are spent on “ bad carbs” bread, potato etc…
I’ve lost about 40 pounds in 5 months.
Congratulations @maya54 on your success and being persistent over 5 month, that’s impressive. I suppose it also shows the timing is less important than the overall net calories.
Overall net calories are of course critical to weight loss. But being able to stick with a diet long enough to lose the excess weight is just as critical. As this thread shows, different approaches work for different people. Whether it’s counting calories or WW points or carbohydrate grams, intermittent fasting in one or another format, or weighing in daily or weekly or just going by how your clothes fit, if it’s working for you over the long-term, it’s the right diet.
^A 500 calorie day is starving yourself.<<<<<<<
The fact is, most of us could do with a bit of moderate starvation.
Finally something that works for me! I’m down 11lbs since 1/2. Funny, last year I went to boot camp regularly, watched my carbs, cut out dairy and gluten, for 6 weeks and only lost 2 lbs.
I’m on my 2nd week of it, so won’t know how I feel for awhile. I’m doing it more for insulin watching as I am pre-diabetic. I’m intaking the same amount of calories, but my first meal of the day has no carbs. I read that is good for this, also.
For weight loss, DS who is also doing it, said that if you can exercise before the first meal, that is good. You are burning fat, instead of the food you just ate.
I find I start getting a little hungry at the 14th hour. 30 minutes until my first meal, I am ready to eat!! It’s becoming easier though.
@conmama, are you following 16-8 or 18-6? I am trying to fast 14 hours before drinking tea
I’m doing 16/8. I typically have my last meal at 6 pm, so 10 a.m. is my first meal. Not much far out than how I usually ate. But the extra 2 hours supposedly really helps insulin levels. My first meal is usually Kroger carbmaster yogurt, 1/2 cup of fiber cereal and blueberries. I still drink coffee when I get up with sugar free creamer. I’m not giving it up.
@conmama That’s my window as well, 10-6. Today I didn’t eat until 2, I wasn’t hungry.
@partyof5 , did you have a big dinner last night? That’s a long time not to be hungry. Are you eating the same amount of calories that you did before IF?
@conmama I did have a big dinner, a steak dinner. Now that I think of it, my window ended later because I knew we were going out. Thanks that makes sense. I’m still ending at 6 today so that I can get back on schedule.