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I have been intermittant fasting for a month now and the results are fantastic. The mental clarity alone is worth it, let alone the weight loss and general well

I have been intermittant fasting for a month now and the results are fantastic. The mental clarity alone is worth it, let alone the weight loss and general well being (better sleep, better digestion) I only eat for 4 hours a day, some days 1 meal and grazing, other days 2 meals, but nothing outside those hours except water and tea (with no milk) I feel fantastic, I'm never going back to any other food schedule. The downside was that the first week was incredibly hard, I felt dizzy and had spells of intense anger, but I distanced myself from those I love so as not to accidentally explode at them and just got through it, now after nearly a month, it feels normal and I just feel great. Highly recommend it.

hnrodey 5y ago
What are you eating during your four hour feeding window?
- malux85 5y ago
  Vegetables, steak and fish. I try to avoid carbs
- matwood 5y ago
  I'm not a no carb person. I've tried no carb and it's just too hard to get the energy I need for my activity levels (I know it can be done, but I also like to do things I can maintain for years). But, I do think about my carbs. Meals consist of cooked veggies (my trinity is peppers, onions, mushrooms) or standard salad. Then some type of protein like fish or chicken. Carbs I'll add if I think I need them that day. Rice or I'll cut up potatoes and sauté or oven roast with rosemary and a little OO. I'll also graze on something like hummus and raw veggies and mix in some pretzels. I avoid sweets though.
  - hnrodey 5y ago
    fwiw I've had better success with low carb diets and energy for workouts when in full blown ketosis (as measured by blood meter). Otherwise, you're kind of in energy purgatory if you simply go low carb.
    - 11235813213455 5y ago
      low carb is a good idea for people more sedentary (who commute with a car), in my case I ride a bike almost every day, so I really need glucose/fructose and carb
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
matwood 5y ago
IF is great. I've been doing the 8 hour window (basically skip breakfast) for years. When I started I was also an eat as soon as I get up person. It took about a week to get past that feeling (headaches, agitation, etc...). Now, I don't ever really get hungry. I get up, work out, train BJJ, work, etc... all before lunch and have plenty of energy and clarity. I leaned up which was fine, but I've had to add some grazing in to stay at my goal weight.
MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago
I know this is rude but what was your weight before you started? In my experience and what I've observed, people who chant praises of weight loss techniques always fail to disclose that they were overweight/obese (in the technical bmi sense). It isn't hard to lose weight when you're in that category at all. Everybody who is in the obese category can lose 20-30 lbs in about a couple of months without question simply by maintaining a decent sized caloric deficit. Intermittent fasting was not what caused you to lose weight. It is just a fad esoteric movement that instructs you to have some self restraint. Kinda like a religion. The one tried and true, definite till the end of time means of losing weight is a simple caloric deficit. Eventually with intermittent fasting you will hit a wall because you still consume the same amount of calories and your body will adapt to the schedule. It will consume your energy over the course of time as opposed to immediately which will halt your weight loss. I speak of this as someone who essentially did intermittent fasting unintentionally. I would skip breakfast and not consume anything besides coffee until 12:00. My last meal would be before 20:00. So essentially I'd go 16 hours without eating. I couldn't lose weight because after I got done exercising, I gorged. I replenished every calorie I burnt off on top of the residual I also could consume for the day. My stomach expanded to be able to hold the large amount of food intake too. Once I ate smaller portions over the course of the day, not only did my caloric intake shrink (because I helped shrink my stomach back down to size before feeling full), but I couldn't eat as much. So I felt "gorged" on 400-600 calories. Don't listen to that "2000 calorie" rule. That is for people who exercise significantly or have physical labor jobs. When that number was created, it was assumed people worked physically. If you have a sedentary job, you do not need more than 1200 calories a day and can very easily get your nutrients with just that alone. If you exercise, it gives you an additional reason to eat more and more opportunities to replenish said nutrients.
- malux85 5y ago
  It’s not rude I don’t mind, I started at about 115kg, and I’m about 105 now, in about a month. I will also add a wee disclaimer: I’m also exercising a lot too, I walk 7km every second day, so no doubt that’s contributing. I’m happy with the weight loss, but really the mental clarity that comes with IF has made me a much better programmer, I’m 36 now, and I feel like I have the energy and mental clarity like I was 18 again. Even if IF didn’t give me the weight loss, I would do it for the mental clarity alone. Yeah I totally get that IF isn’t for everyone, I have been overweight my entire life, since very early childhood and I tried many different things, the smaller meals, cutting out carbs, vegan, no sugar, and they all worked to some degree, but the weight and bad habits always came back. IF has been so positive for me, I just thought I’d share my story for others who may want to try it, It sounds like you eventually settled on a method that works for you, so that’s great! Human bodies and society is so complex, I have no doubt different methods will work for different people…

hnrodey 5y ago

What are you eating during your four hour feeding window?

malux85 5y ago
Vegetables, steak and fish. I try to avoid carbs
matwood 5y ago
I'm not a no carb person. I've tried no carb and it's just too hard to get the energy I need for my activity levels (I know it can be done, but I also like to do things I can maintain for years). But, I do think about my carbs. Meals consist of cooked veggies (my trinity is peppers, onions, mushrooms) or standard salad. Then some type of protein like fish or chicken. Carbs I'll add if I think I need them that day. Rice or I'll cut up potatoes and sauté or oven roast with rosemary and a little OO. I'll also graze on something like hummus and raw veggies and mix in some pretzels. I avoid sweets though.
- hnrodey 5y ago
  fwiw I've had better success with low carb diets and energy for workouts when in full blown ketosis (as measured by blood meter). Otherwise, you're kind of in energy purgatory if you simply go low carb.
  - 11235813213455 5y ago
    low carb is a good idea for people more sedentary (who commute with a car), in my case I ride a bike almost every day, so I really need glucose/fructose and carb
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

matwood 5y ago

IF is great. I've been doing the 8 hour window (basically skip breakfast) for years. When I started I was also an eat as soon as I get up person. It took about a week to get past that feeling (headaches, agitation, etc...). Now, I don't ever really get hungry. I get up, work out, train BJJ, work, etc... all before lunch and have plenty of energy and clarity. I leaned up which was fine, but I've had to add some grazing in to stay at my goal weight.

MeinBlutIstBlau 5y ago

I know this is rude but what was your weight before you started? In my experience and what I've observed, people who chant praises of weight loss techniques always fail to disclose that they were overweight/obese (in the technical bmi sense). It isn't hard to lose weight when you're in that category at all. Everybody who is in the obese category can lose 20-30 lbs in about a couple of months without question simply by maintaining a decent sized caloric deficit. Intermittent fasting was not what caused you to lose weight. It is just a fad esoteric movement that instructs you to have some self restraint. Kinda like a religion. The one tried and true, definite till the end of time means of losing weight is a simple caloric deficit. Eventually with intermittent fasting you will hit a wall because you still consume the same amount of calories and your body will adapt to the schedule. It will consume your energy over the course of time as opposed to immediately which will halt your weight loss. I speak of this as someone who essentially did intermittent fasting unintentionally. I would skip breakfast and not consume anything besides coffee until 12:00. My last meal would be before 20:00. So essentially I'd go 16 hours without eating. I couldn't lose weight because after I got done exercising, I gorged. I replenished every calorie I burnt off on top of the residual I also could consume for the day. My stomach expanded to be able to hold the large amount of food intake too. Once I ate smaller portions over the course of the day, not only did my caloric intake shrink (because I helped shrink my stomach back down to size before feeling full), but I couldn't eat as much. So I felt "gorged" on 400-600 calories. Don't listen to that "2000 calorie" rule. That is for people who exercise significantly or have physical labor jobs. When that number was created, it was assumed people worked physically. If you have a sedentary job, you do not need more than 1200 calories a day and can very easily get your nutrients with just that alone. If you exercise, it gives you an additional reason to eat more and more opportunities to replenish said nutrients.

malux85 5y ago
It’s not rude I don’t mind, I started at about 115kg, and I’m about 105 now, in about a month. I will also add a wee disclaimer: I’m also exercising a lot too, I walk 7km every second day, so no doubt that’s contributing. I’m happy with the weight loss, but really the mental clarity that comes with IF has made me a much better programmer, I’m 36 now, and I feel like I have the energy and mental clarity like I was 18 again. Even if IF didn’t give me the weight loss, I would do it for the mental clarity alone. Yeah I totally get that IF isn’t for everyone, I have been overweight my entire life, since very early childhood and I tried many different things, the smaller meals, cutting out carbs, vegan, no sugar, and they all worked to some degree, but the weight and bad habits always came back. IF has been so positive for me, I just thought I’d share my story for others who may want to try it, It sounds like you eventually settled on a method that works for you, so that’s great! Human bodies and society is so complex, I have no doubt different methods will work for different people…