Eating during limited hours

[GJM]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-fasting-cure-is-no-fad-11564676512

I have been +/- 168 pounds for the last 40 years. I get on the scale daily, and work hard at balancing intake with exercise to stay on my target weight. As you get older, that can take more effort. Without realizing it, I had been slowly moving towards the approach described in this article.

When I read this article early in August, I decided to try the 14 hour approach, and the results have been excellent. I maintain weight — well actually lost weight by eating what I did previously, but with the 14 hour program, am not hungry, and feel excellent energy. Effortlessly I dropped to 165 pounds, and am faced with an opportunity to eat more than I did previously, something that was totally unexpected. Besides the weight management benefits, the article suggests there are additional health benefits to this approach.

Might be worth considering.



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[Duke]

If you didn’t break your fast with a biscuit, no one will view your path as credible

:cool:

[Baldanders]

You know, I did this a couple of years back, and it worked pretty well, but then I started getting really hungry and eating sugary crap and I fell off the wagon.

Reading the article you posted, I think I see my mistake--I was packing my big meal in at dinner, with 200 calories or so at lunch. I may give it a retry with this new information in mind.

Thanks!

[Caballoflaco]

It’s interesting that lunch, or dinner as we call it, was often the big meal down here in the south for rural folks working on farms. It wasn’t true fasting because people did eat at breakfast and supper, but it was generally smaller portions.

ETA: after doing some quick internet research someone should call this the Roman diet and write a book, since they generally only ate one meal a day around lunch time. As we know the whole idea of 3 squares a day is fairly modern, and was rarely the historic norm.

[MGW]

I forget when I started this but I’ve been eating this way for at least a couple years. I skip breakfast, eat a fairly normal lunch and dinner. My last meal of the day varies between 6:00 and 8:00 and lunch is between 12:00 and 1:00 most days. Sometimes I have a light snack mid day if I get hungry. I’ve also found that a small protein shake before Jits helps me get through the workout without losing energy. I’ve tried a light snack of solid food before Jits but it doesn’t sit well for me.

The last few months I’ve had to up my calories a little bit and let myself eat a few more starchy foods like rice a sweet potatoes. My energy levels were dropping and I just didn’t feel like myself. The additional food has helped a lot.

I’m closer to 50 than 40 and I feel like I’m in great shape. Maybe the best condition I’ve ever been in short of a stretch in my early 20’s. I originally started eating this way to try and get my total cholesterol numbers down. I’ve never been over weight and always ate fairly clean but still had high total numbers. Ratios have always been good though. It’s worked a little. Keeps me just under the take meds or else your medically discharged limit. I absolutely refuse to take cholesterol meds.

[DocGKR]

I've been doing this for several decades.

Typically I'll have a banana about 0600, then work from 0700-1900 without eating much, if anything (occasionally I'll have a yogurt, apple, or protein bar mid-day if I am feeling hungry or hypoglycemic). Then I'll have a single large meal around 1930-2100.

I get significant postprandial fatigue and lethargy, so mentally I feel much sharper not eating during the day with the benefit that I can endure long surgical cases without feeling the need to hit the head....

[txdpd]

For me, one of the main benefits of fasting is being comfortable with being hungry.

I’m not starving, I just feel hungry. Easy to say, but there are powerful forces at work there.

[AKDoug]

I have a friend, he is a nutritionist. He jumped my shit when I called it intermittent fasting. He said, it's just skipping f*cking breakfast, in those exact words. He admits it works, but the forces he sees are the simple fact it's an easy way to take 200 to 500 calories a day out of your diet. Whatever it is, I've been doing it for the last 6 months and have lost 60lbs. We only eat between noon and 8 on most days. Summer's a bastard for me and my work schedule, so sometimes it's 9pm.

I miss bacon and eggs for breakfast, or other breakfast type foods, so I just eat them for lunch some days. I make a mean cornbeef hash using acorn squash instead of potatoes, topped with two fried eggs, and it's a common lunch for me.

[RoyGBiv]

I needed to eat less and breakfast was the easiest meal for my body to skip. Who knew I was a trend setter? :cool:

[BobLoblaw]

My parents tried to force feed me food in the morning from birth and didn't give up until I was out of the house.

Anyways, I started doing 16-hour daily fasts two years ago and shed 30 lbs like it was nothing (no exercise). I never stopped the 16-hr fast but if I'm planning a cheat meal, I'll extend it to a 23-24 hour fast prior. It seems to suppress a lot of the inflammation I typically receive from carb-heavy meals. About twice a year, I also like to cut my intake by 50% for a week. It gives me a mental reset to how much food is actually required.

[11B10]

First of all, thanks to George for the information, I will return to it. I believe I 've been very fortunate (wife says I'm just strange) because I'm 71, now sticking right around 205, with a high of 262 (a million years ago, when I had delusions of becoming a powerlifter). I was raised to always have a big breakfast while growing up in Pa. Dutch country. I just finished a load of eggs/toast/juice/coffee, will be leaving for the gym (65% free weights 35% machines - aerobic activity is outside the gym) soon, where I'll consume a protein shake during my workout. Then for lunch, another full meal (usually some variation on turkey/ham sandwiches/salad/soup between 12 & 1, followed by a full supper, usually including beef, between 6 & 7. It goes without saying that throughout the day, I add the vegetable and fruit of the day - whatever seems to be available. I've been extremely blessed with cholesterol levels that my Dr. says are commensurate with "young Asian men." I've also been able gain or lose significant weight without much difficulty by increasing/decreasing portion size. I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but it's worked for me.

[SAWBONES]

I've been doing this for several decades.

Typically I'll have a banana about 0600, then work from 0700-1900 without eating much, if anything (occasionally I'll have a yogurt, apple, or protein bar mid-day if I am feeling hungry or hypoglycemic). Then I'll have a single large meal around 1930-2100.


Ditto, for about forty years.
This has just has always seemed natural to me, except at midday I may have, if anything, a protein drink.

[MEH]

Interesting read. Never did any research but I stopped breakfast decades ago and sorta do this by default now. It was the only thing that kept the weight steady.

[Robinson]

This general method works great for me when I stick to it. Earlier in the year I lost ten pounds quickly that way, but I have since put at least three back on. I get hungry at night and want to snack later than I should. I need to get back to it and lose about ten more pounds.

[texasaggie2005]

I started a 16/8 fast around Thanksgiving last year and have seen great results, ~20lbs lost, when I stuck to it. I eat lunch at 11am, and dinner no later than 7pm.

[RoyGBiv]

My cheat time is around 4PM, then again around 9PM.... Something about the end of the day that makes me want to nosh.

We should start a "Healthy Snacks" thread... I could use some new ideas.

[Duke]

I wasn’t able to read the wsj article in whole being a non subscriber.


But if it didn’t say so - the morning (or after waking from your normal sleep cycle ) is ideal non-eating time due to hgh levels and other hormones that rebuild you during rest.

[Norville]

There is constant pressure to eat - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, birthday cake, happy hour, dinner, evening snack. No wonder everyone gains weight.

I was Paleo / borderline Keto for a couple of years, worked great until it didn’t. Added in some carbs, felt better but gained 5 lbs. Then last year I quit my full time job and became a consultant. Working from home half the time, I’d have black coffee and nothing until noon, then a small meal or protein shake, then exercise. Lost the 5 lbs. Traveling I’d eat breakfast, because it’s free for diamond members at Hilton. Gained back the 5 pounds.

So now on the road I skip breakfast 2 out of 3 mornings and don’t miss it, just like at home. I’ve also acclimated to fasted exercise, no longer needing a meal prior to make it through. The extra 5 lbs is about gone again.

Side note, mt mother in law adopted the same approach and lost 20 lbs and is maintaining that weight.

[littlejerry]

I'm intrigued by the fasting approach but I can't reconcile the chaloric intake and number of meals. Are you guys actually consuming 700-1000 calories in one sitting?

My weight fluctuates from 165-170 and I'm fairly active with 4-8 hours of vigorous exercise every week. 4-5 of those hours will be in the morning before eating. I'm fine during the workout but afterwards I'm typically running on empty.

Breakfast is often a blend of berries, spinach, almond milk and protein powder adding up to 250-300 cals. Lunch is usually 500-6000ish cals and dinner is similar. I fill in the gaps with apples, nuts, and berries.

[breakingtime91]

I used to fast 8-12pm. But during the school year I work out at 430am and hit a no gain in strength and growth plateau. I reintroduced a carb rich and protein rich and growth started again and strength. I do tend to eat healthier then most though

[Duke]

I'm intrigued by the fasting approach but I can't reconcile the chaloric intake and number of meals. Are you guys actually consuming 700-1000 calories in one sitting?
.

Yes. Many cases more

[littlejerry]

Yes. Many cases more

I tend to eat pretty clean: grilled meat, green veggies, beans, sweet potatoes, fruits, nuts. I often hit a limit on how much food I want to eat in one sitting since there aren't a lot of calories in most of it. It's hard for me to imagine eating 1000+ calories without resorting to bread, starch, sugar, etc to get enough calories. I guess high fat diets could work as well.

[Chance]

I wrote a little about fasting in this thread (https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?37741-Fitness-Avoiding-the-Slideback&p=909649&viewfull=1#post909649) and considered starting a dedicated thread to compare notes with other PFers, then GJM beat me to it. Since some folks can't read what's in The Coterie Club, long story short:

Read Larry Lindenman's post over at Point Driven Training (https://pointdriventraining.com/2016/01/01/point-driven-fat-loss/), then pick up a copy of Eat, Stop, Eat (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076134V88/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B076134V88&linkCode=as2&tag=ratio07-20) and The Complete Guide to Fasting (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MF8SC2X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B01MF8SC2X&linkCode=as2&tag=ratio07-20). I wish I had known about fasting years ago.

[Duke]

I tend to eat pretty clean: grilled meat, green veggies, beans, sweet potatoes, fruits, nuts. I often hit a limit on how much food I want to eat in one sitting since there aren't a lot of calories in most of it. It's hard for me to imagine eating 1000+ calories without resorting to bread, starch, sugar, etc to get enough calories. I guess high fat diets could work as well.

A few whole eggs, Large serving of chicken breast or salmon, unsweetened nut butter if you can digest it, 90% cocoa and mct oil if you can’t.

I don’t mix fats with carbs (carb cycling) but you can do a load of chicken and clean carbs (plain oatmeal and veggies) and get to 1k pretty quickly.



My use of IF is totally geared toward hormone advantage rather than calorie restriction so ymmv

[Chuck Haggard]

I wrote a little about fasting in this thread (https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?37741-Fitness-Avoiding-the-Slideback&p=909649&viewfull=1#post909649) and considered starting a dedicated thread to compare notes with other PFers, then GJM beat me to it. Since some folks can't read what's in The Coterie Club, long story short:

Read Larry Lindenman's post over at Point Driven Training (https://pointdriventraining.com/2016/01/01/point-driven-fat-loss/), then pick up a copy of Eat, Stop, Eat (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076134V88/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B076134V88&linkCode=as2&tag=ratio07-20) and The Complete Guide to Fasting (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MF8SC2X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B01MF8SC2X&linkCode=as2&tag=ratio07-20). I wish I had known about fasting years ago.


I came here to post links to Larry's site. His fasting and cardio blog posts are epic. Very highly recommended. His info allowed me to lose 65lbs in 10 months.

[Dog Guy]

For those who have had success with intermittent fasting (especially a 10/14 pattern) and who have a handle on the physiology: does a blurp of heavy cream in my coffee impact the fast if I plan to fast until 1000? Coffee happens somewhere between 0530 and 0830. Does the small calorie intake just slightly lessen the effect of the fast, or does any nutrition intake at all triggger an end to the physiological effects of the fast? How about a small amount of Monkfruit In The Raw, which is a "zero calorie" sweetener combo of monk fruit and maltodextriin? I asked the All Seeing Eye, but Lord Googlemort seems conflicted about his answers.

[Duke]

For those who have had success with intermittent fasting (especially a 10/14 pattern) and who have a handle on the physiology: does a blurp of heavy cream in my coffee impact the fast if I plan to fast until 1000? Coffee happens somewhere between 0530 and 0830. Does the small calorie intake just slightly lessen the effect of the fast, or does any nutrition intake at all triggger an end to the physiological effects of the fast? How about a small amount of Monkfruit In The Raw, which is a "zero calorie" sweetener combo of monk fruit and maltodextriin? I asked the All Seeing Eye, but Lord Googlemort seems conflicted about his answers.

Yes. The cream will stop the fast - thus negating the benefit

As much as it can be agreed upon it is the presence of insulin and an insulin response to foods or things recognized by your body as food that ends the fast.

Skip maltodextrin all together. Higher GI than table Sugar

As far as the benefits being less.... it’s one or the other as far as the info provides.

Fasting or not fasting is not the same as just eating less


Why not just have some discipline and drink the coffee black ?

[JDB]

I've been intermittent fasting for 3-4 years now. Not super strict, but usually eat first meal around 10 AM, end by 5:30 PM.

I lost substantial weight going increasingly lower and lower carb (well before I ever heard of Ketogenic diet).

Last 1.5 years I've been between 95-100% carnivore. That helped me immensely. I can tolerate come carbs, and my peak performance improves with may 100 grams a day. But I seem to recover and stay leaner by avoiding them.

Most of my diet is fatty meat. I find it filling enough that time restricting eating is much easier now than when I started. Fatty red meat seems more satiating.

[txdpd]

After reading this thread I went back to 3/21 on regular days or 4/20 on workout days and I’m down from 206 to 179.

It’s tough eating a lot of food before work and resisting the urge to snack before bed. When it’s time to eat I can stuff my face like a pig.

[guymontag]

I used to fast 8-12pm. But during the school year I work out at 430am and hit a no gain in strength and growth plateau. I reintroduced a carb rich and protein rich and growth started again and strength. I do tend to eat healthier then most though

I tried IF in college for a year a long time ago and then this past year (age<30). It did help with body comp but oddly that “energy boost” and “mental clarity” and “decreased inflammation” went away after doing it for about a year. I feel the same and sometimes better now with smaller meals and reducing portion size and increasing vegetables.

Greg Nuckols has research that IF does not decrease size and strength gains and Martin Berkhan can probably attest to that for the long term but everybody is different.

[RJ]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

[AKDoug]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

I honestly don't think a tablespoon of half&half in your coffee is a big deal. I don't look anything like Duke, but I have lost over 60lbs since February. I don't eat breakfast and try to only eat between noon and 8pm, so I guess I do some sort of IF. I tried to be disciplined and cut out coffee entirely, but I couldn't do it. I can't drink black coffee anymore (tears up my stomach) so I compromise with the cream. I don't do artificial creamers or sugar substitutes as I'd much rather not add another mystery food to my diet.

[Dog Guy]

Thanks for the feedback. I sort of figured that any "food" intake would reset the fasting adaptations based on some limited research I did regarding long term survivors of ship wrecks, plane crashes, etc. The consensus was that you're better off with no food than with tiny amounts of food daily since the tiny amounts keep your body from going into fasting mode, thus actually reducing your chance of survival. Tough to do a truly scientific study though. I wanted to make sure that the concept translated correctly to non-survival circumstances.
BTW, it's not a question of discipline. I like coffee with better than coffee without, so why not enjoy it if it has no or minimal impact?

[TXBK]

I love breakfast food, but I am hardly ever hungry before 1000. I pretty much survive off the caffeine/nicotine diet thru the morning and most of the day. Most days, I don’t eat anything until ~1900, and then I consume all of my daily food intake at one time. Eating just slows me down, and most days I have to perform at max capacity (mentally and physically). Many days I don’t even have time to defecate, so eating only complicates my work performance.

Thank you, GJM, for screen-shotting the article.

[David S.]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

Is you weight loss progressing?

Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good.

OTOH, if your adding 6 oz of creamer to your coffee. . . . ;)

[RJ]

Is you weight loss progressing?

Don't let perfect be the enemy of the good.

OTOH, if your adding 6 oz of creamer to your coffee. . . . ;)

Quite the opposite. I'll elaborate in the weight loss challenge thread.

[txdpd]

Unless you’re trying doing some very strict dieting and regular blood work, and trying to address a specific metabolic condition, worrying about creamer in coffee is dumb. Sneaking in calories is a dangerous game, but if it’s just some creamer, I wouldn’t sweat it.

[MGW]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

The only way to know for sure is to monitor glucose levels before and after. I can’t find it now but I seem to remember reading that bullet proof coffee didn’t cause an insulin response in people. I might have dreamed that though because I’ve no idea where that info is now.

[BobLoblaw]

IF is absolutely an all or nothing deal. Anything you put in your body that effects your insulin breaks your fast. It’s true that some cream isn’t that big of a deal but don’t kid yourself, you’re not fasting anymore and the benefits you get from fasting are significantly reduced if not completely on hold until your next fast. Putting yourself in a brief starvation mode is the whole point so just drink it black and starve a little.

[wvincent]

IF is absolutely an all or nothing deal. Anything you put in your body that effects your insulin breaks your fast. It’s true that some cream isn’t that big of a deal but don’t kid yourself, you’re not fasting anymore and the benefits you get from fasting are significantly reduced if not completely on hold until your next fast. Putting yourself in a brief starvation mode is the whole point so just drink it black and starve a little.

Alright, black coffee ok, but what about med's? I take an allergy med with a glass of water first thing in the morning. Can any med's trigger the insulin response?

[Duke]

Alright, black coffee ok, but what about med's? I take an allergy med with a glass of water first thing in the morning. Can any med's trigger the insulin response?

Water soluble no, oil soluble yes...

I save my krill oil till eating time

[AKDoug]

Since nobody here has the scientific equipment and lab at their fingertips, it's really tough to prove that some sort of starvation effect is actually going on within the parameters of that individual's efforts. Fasting, skipping breakfast, whatever... is a great way to remove unwanted calories from your diet daily. That's about it. The rest of the theory is simply a theory.

I lost 60lbs, and am still losing, by just eating in an 8 hr window, reducing my calories to 1400-1800 per day, and trying to get a balanced diet low in sugars and carbs. Cooking with real ingredients, available in my local markets, has been another key in my weight loss. No keto, no fasting; Hell I didn't even add any additional exercise outside of my normal physical activity. Everything I do is geared around being able to maintain that lifestyle change indefinitely.

Everyone is different, though, and all of our goals are different. Some folks start off at 180 and need to get to 170 to look shredded. Some of us are obese and are just doing it to get our weight down into a normal level to help our heart and other health risks. I would imagine that the perfection of what Duke and other's here practice is absolutely needed to look like Duke and the other shredded dudes, but if you're trying to knock off 30+ lbs so you can AIWB carry, a little cream (not creamer) in your coffee isn't going to derail your efforts if you are keeping track of your caloric intake.

[HCM]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

Did someone say Stevia ?


https://youtu.be/NP7Nszp4Iwg

[Tensaw]

I have an honest question. I last ate “real food” for dinner this past Wednesday evening. It is now mid-afternoon on Sunday. Since Wednesday evening I have ingested only water, some broth from bullion (with added salt), and coffee with MCT oil and coconut cream. The coconut cream has 168 calories per can (all from fat) and a can lasts me about five days. (Using coconut cream as a substitute for heavy whipping cream in an effort to get my HDL down.)

Is this legit fasting? If not, what sort of label would you put on it?

Having asked the question, I will say that my take on fasting at this time is a “do what works for you” approach. Certainly doing water-only is a more true fast, but the bullion and the coffee with coconut cream make the experience almost enjoyable (and much more tolerable than a water-only fast). Ultimately, these cheats, such as they are, enable me to prolong the process of not eating - that has to have *some* benefit, yes?

One of my main drivers for doing a fast is to gain the potential anti-cancer effects of cellular autophagy, along with some super-charged fat loss. The science on fasting, to my knowledge, still does not point to any definitive benchmarks for fasting to obtain the autophagy benefits - so for now, I’m doing it this way. If some good research can indicate that I am failing to gain the benefit of autophagy, I would strongly reconsider how I am going at this.

This is, I think, my fifth extended fast in a little over a year. Each fast has felt different. Two fasts back, I did water-only and bonked about three days in. Started feeling really bad and pulled the pin. Not sure if that was directly related to the fast, or if I had something else going on. Sitting here right now, four days in on this one, I feel pretty damn good. I’m a little reluctant to push into the coming work week, but I think I am going to do so. One day at a time. At this writing I am down roughly 10 pounds per the scale. Half of that will come back as water weight almost immediately. Overall, extended fasting has been a very good experience for me. It has changed my relationship with food and mostly feels good. I find it odd that I have not a lot of trouble doing extended fasts, but I pretty consistently fail at time-restricted eating. Weird.

[txdpd]

Insulin response to various non-food foods is pretty easy to check with a blood glucose tester.

If you take them on an empty stomach and if you have an insulin response, you’re blood sugar will drop. Just poke and test before, at 15, 30 and 60 minutes.

[Duke]

Fasting means no calories.

MCT oil and cream aren’t excluded simply due to being good sources of fat.


Either fast - or don’t


If your aren’t giving your digestion a break and letting hormones run their course longer after waking then you’re just eating less and being hungry. Sure that’s a caloric deficit but it isn’t a fast

[Grey]

Yup been doing this for a while, easy way to just cut calories out but ill do blacl coffee to keep the fast going till about 11am. The earlier comment about being used to being hungry is spot on, just a slight discomfort.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

[RoyGBiv]

No creamer in coffee in the mornings. Great. :(

Next thing you'll say is I should not put in Stevia either.

Should I not?

I had a similar question....

https://www.autumnellenutrition.com/post/does-stevia-break-a-fast-intermittent-fasting


Does it Break Your Fast?

Technically speaking... no. Because stevia doesn't contain any carbohydrates/protein that can cause an insulin response, it won't break your fast. However, just like what I discussed with Monk Fruit sweetener (https://www.autumnellenutrition.com/blog/what-is-monk-fruit-sweetener-and-does-monk-fruit-raise-blood-sugar), it doesn't mean that you necessarily want to use stevia all day, every day.




More sciency...
Effects of stevia, aspartame, and sucrose on food intake, satiety, and postprandial glucose and insulin levels (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/)


Stevia preloads significantly lowered postprandial glucose levels compared to sucrose preloads (p < .01), and postprandial insulin levels compared to both aspartame and sucrose preloads (p < .05)

.... later....

Stevia has been found to increase insulin sensitivity in rodent models (Chang, Wu, Liu, & Cheng, 2005 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/#R5)) and to have beneficial effects on blood glucose and insulin levels in human studies (Curi 1986 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/#R7); Gregersen, Jeppesen, Holst, & Hermansen, 2004 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2900484/#R11)), which suggests it may have a role in food intake regulation.

[CCT125US]

Last night my wife asked if I had heard about eating during limited hours. I mentioned this thread, and said I hadn't read through it yet. She informed me that my eating habits pretty much fall in line with the idea. My wife, along with several other folks have mentioned that I don't age, or gain weight. Granted I have been the same weight for probably 20 years, give or take. I am 5-0", 42 years old, and weigh 125 lbs. With the exception of some gray hair, my overall appearance hasn't changed much. However, I will be eliminating creamer in the morning, as well as reducing nighttime snacking. I already skip breakfast, and only snack several nights a week.

[willie]

Once I had a lard ass and big pot belly. Before each meal, I drank an 8 oz glass of water, had water with the meal, and drank a glass of water afterwards. Also, I cut out sugar drinks and bread and began walking everyday. In three months I lost 20 lbs with ease.

[Duke]

If you have success with fasting you should roll with it.



However if you have the discipline to truly remove unproductive calories from your intake - you can keep pretty fit even with just limited effort.

I’ve been on an extremely busy - and very uncommon traveling regiment with work lately (home 2 days in the last 18).

But being smart with my choices and being limited to only pushups, burpees and sprints, now that I’m back in my AO I’ve not lost much in ability and haven’t packed on excess fat

And forgive my yawn....truly I’m smoked tired lately.


44051

[texasaggie2005]

I started a 16/8 fast around Thanksgiving last year and have seen great results, ~20lbs lost, when I stuck to it. I eat lunch at 11am, and dinner no later than 7pm.

So, starting in the beginning of October I've started working out M/W/F at 0545-0630 with a local group of men. It's a fairly rigorous bodyweight / minimal equipment WOD style workouts.

But I'm finding myself gassed out earlier than I feel I should be. Albeit I fully recognize my cardio is in bad shape right now, and I could stand to lose some more weight.

How do y'all handle IM and morning workouts?

[RyanM]

If you have success with fasting you should roll with it.



However if you have the discipline to truly remove unproductive calories from your intake - you can keep pretty fit even with just limited effort.

I’ve been on an extremely busy - and very uncommon traveling regiment with work lately (home 2 days in the last 18).

But being smart with my choices and being limited to only pushups, burpees and sprints, now that I’m back in my AO I’ve not lost much in ability and haven’t packed on excess fat

And forgive my yawn....truly I’m smoked tired lately.


44051

Not sure if I missed it but have you ever detailed out your approach to nutrition and exercise all in one place? I've gotten a taste of it via Instagram but I'm sure I'm missing a lot of the story. Would be very interested to hear more about that. Thanks.

[Duke]

Not sure if I missed it but have you ever detailed out your approach to nutrition and exercise all in one place? I've gotten a taste of it via Instagram but I'm sure I'm missing a lot of the story. Would be very interested to hear more about that. Thanks.

I’m flattered by the interest - but truly nothing I do is that special so I assume folks don’t want to hear it.

Drink water, skip all sugar/alcohol/bread, eat meats and do a type of workout that you’ll stick to and fits in your lifestyle.


I’d be happy to offer more if there were specific curiosities

[RyanM]

I’m flattered by the interest - but truly nothing I do is that special so I assume folks don’t want to hear it.

Drink water, skip all sugar/alcohol/bread, eat meats and do a type of workout that you’ll stick to and fits in your lifestyle.


I’d be happy to offer more if there were specific curiosities

Thank you. How frequently do you eat during the day? Do you do any dedicated cardio or is that more so a function of your weight training (high reps, little rest between sets, etc?

[Duke]

Thank you. How frequently do you eat during the day? Do you do any dedicated cardio or is that more so a function of your weight training (high reps, little rest between sets, etc?


Shotgun info:

I’m eating often right now. Basically like a normal person but controlled macros

Been on a strict plan the last 6 weeks.

Current daily food is 6 whole eggs ( only source of fat) 6-7 cans of no sodium white albacore tuna (Mercury, I know) or equivalent amount of lean chicken breast, plain oatmeal ( 600-800 cals worth stacked around the workout) and either broccoli or Brussels sprouts. Both plain. Plain mustard or srriacaha only as seasoning.

I like circuit workouts liken to CrossFit so they usually have a metcon aspect.


I don’t at this point single out a time for dedicated cardio. But I do cut down 3-6 trees a week with an axe on my land and sprint up my range hill regardless of the workout.

There are no cheat days/meals/treats for me. I legit don’t want anything that most consider tempting, and I don’t waste my calories on things that don’t help me. Example - there are 130 calories and 26 grams of sugar in one “serving” of raisins...and no one eats a serving.

1/2 cup of plain oatmeal has 27G carbs, 150 calories and only 1G of sugar plus will help me build muscle and stay inline with overall food intake as I feel full.

My experience and opinion is that if folks totally cut out dairy, bread and Processed everything then the rest sort of handles itself.

Figure your Base metabolic rate and stick to it. Switch up the macros and keep the workouts the same until you see progress one way or another.

Then switch up the workout once diet is inline.


Bluntly I think most folk eat way too much and do way too little.

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I’m flattered by the interest - but truly nothing I do is that special so I assume folks don’t want to hear it.

Drink water, skip all sugar/alcohol/bread, eat meats and do a type of workout that you’ll stick to and fits in your lifestyle.


I’d be happy to offer more if there were specific curiosities

well, I'm out

[Duke]

well, I'm out

Pat Mac drinks IPA like a fish and he’s stronger, faster and older than me - so there’s more than one way

[TheNewbie]

Duke, I am impressed by your discipline.


I've packed on some fat, and while I think I am stronger, I am not strong enough to justify the extra pounds.

At 185, I would like to get down to 170.


One problem I have is that I feel HORRIBLE is I do not eat often. Like my vision gets affected and I do not function as well.

Now I do lift pretty decent and pretty fast in the gym, but I have been sensitive my whole life to not eating on a regular basis. Especially in regard to protein.

So I end up eating crap, like peanut butter and crackers.


It's my fault for getting a belly, but I sure wish I was not so affected by not eating.

[03RN]

I'd rather be big and strong

[TheNewbie]

I'd rather be big and strong

Me too, but I think I can maintain my strength and lose some fat. It's just a lot less fun not being fat. lol


I would like to dead lift 500 pounds one day. I am withing 100-115 pounds of that goal. Just not sure how likely that is for me, especially if I try to stay away from having a belly.

[RoyGBiv]

So, starting in the beginning of October I've started working out M/W/F at 0545-0630 with a local group of men. It's a fairly rigorous bodyweight / minimal equipment WOD style workouts.

But I'm finding myself gassed out earlier than I feel I should be. Albeit I fully recognize my cardio is in bad shape right now, and I could stand to lose some more weight.

How do y'all handle IM and morning workouts?
Are you also dieting?

[03RN]

Me too, but I think I can maintain my strength and lose some fat. It's just a lot less fun not being fat. lol

I would like to dead lift 500 pounds one day. I am withing 100-115 pounds of that goal. Just not sure how likely that is for me, especially if I try to stay away from having a belly.

I hate being fat. I don't need to be single digit bodyfat though. 12-15% helps me stay warm, avoid injuries, and get stronger.

I drink a bit of beer and use carbs quite a bit. I can reduce my carbine intake if I feel I'm getting to soft without changing timing or anything else.

Just eat clean.

[TheNewbie]

If I cut back on sugar and carbs I think I would be fine.

[texasaggie2005]

Are you also dieting?

Not really. I try to make more good decisions than bad when it comes to food. I don't eat out a lot, and tend to cook for the family. I try to stay around 1200-1400 calories per day.

[RoyGBiv]

Not really. I try to make more good decisions than bad when it comes to food. I don't eat out a lot, and tend to cook for the family. I try to stay around 1200-1400 calories per day.

Do you find that you're dropping weight with the new exercise routine? Might be not enough calories?

My wife is on a fairly strict diet the past 3 months. Before then, we'd ride bikes together 2-3 times/week, 5-8 miles depending on the weather/schedule. About 3 weeks in to her diet she decided to come along for a ride and was thoroughly wiped out about half way through. Headache, shakes... Low blood sugar. Cut the ride short and a meal fixed her up.

When I read your earlier post, that's what came to mind.

[Doc_Glock]

I've packed on some fat, and while I think I am stronger, I am not strong enough to justify the extra pounds.

At 185, I would like to get down to 170.

I did the same started lifting seriously, went from 170-185 over a few years. Now I am back down to 170 and 75% as strong, a hell of a lot faster and overall much much happier being strong for a lean body weight than carting around an extra 10% body weight for some rarely used max strength.

[texasaggie2005]

Do you find that you're dropping weight with the new exercise routine? Might be not enough calories?

My wife is on a fairly strict diet the past 3 months. Before then, we'd ride bikes together 2-3 times/week, 5-8 miles depending on the weather/schedule. About 3 weeks in to her diet she decided to come along for a ride and was thoroughly wiped out about half way through. Headache, shakes... Low blood sugar. Cut the ride short and a meal fixed her up.

When I read your earlier post, that's what came to mind.

I don't weigh myself, actually we don't even own a scale. But I have noticed my jeans are getting bigger. Damn, low blood sugar might be it. I do get headaches after a hard workout. I've always thought I had a blood sugar issue, but every time I've been tested, I'm in the normal range.

I guess I need to start eating something pre-workout.

[RoyGBiv]

I don't weigh myself, actually we don't even own a scale. But I have noticed my jeans are getting bigger. Damn, low blood sugar might be it. I do get headaches after a hard workout. I've always thought I had a blood sugar issue, but every time I've been tested, I'm in the normal range.

I guess I need to start eating something pre-workout.
For my wife, the warning signs are headaches and blurred vision. I'm glad shes's almost through with this part of her diet plan.
https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/hypoglycemia-overview#1

I'm sure there are folks here with better knowledge to suggest some proper foods for you pre-workout so I'll leave that for others.

[Duces Tecum]

I did the same started lifting seriously, went from 170-185 over a few years. Now I am back down to 170 and 75% as strong, a hell of a lot faster and overall much much happier being strong for a lean body weight than carting around an extra 10% body weight for some rarely used max strength.

Concur. I'm comfortable between 175 and 180. That weight seems to allow useful strength levels while maintaining a degree of endurance. That said, much of it depends upon the weight program selected. A good body weight program, rather than heavy weights, is my preference.

[RyanM]

I hate being fat. I don't need to be single digit bodyfat though. 12-15% helps me stay warm, avoid injuries, and get stronger.

I drink a bit of beer and use carbs quite a bit. I can reduce my carbine intake if I feel I'm getting to soft without changing timing or anything else.

Just eat clean.

In my (worthless?) experience, there is definitely a sweet spot between being fat, strong, and bulletproof and lean, weak, and injury prone. It's always a balancing act for me. I think your last sentence is spot on.

[GJM]

I briefly considered dressing as Duke for Halloween today, but it was snowing in Bozeman.

[GJM]

I briefly considered dressing as Duke for Halloween today, but it was snowing in Bozeman.

You only live once, so even with the cold, I went as Duke.

44278

[JHC]

You only live once, so even with the cold, I went as Duke.

44278

Paleo bitches! lol

44300

[GJM]

Paleo bitches! lol

44300

This thread has legs, but just a 43X down there!

[Duke]

You only live once, so even with the cold, I went as Duke.

44278

This is the best thing I’ve seen in a while.

[Duke]

Been doing a 24hour fast once every 3-4 weeks. Last time I broke it with a 900 ish calorie lean steak.

I think I prefer the longer occasional versus the daily restriction

44304

[Chain]

re: discipline, low BF, etc., you may have seen this from the Always Sunny guy who's gone from normal - fat - ripped over different seasons of the show, "just cuz" it mainly seems.
I know in this post he's probably trying to not seem braggy or whatever, but the tone of "it's impossible to do this for normal people" seems douchey
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DmrBZG2W4AA5jqK.jpg

[Maple Syrup Actual]

I kind of got the opposite vibe...he's sort of saying "look, comparing yourself to an actor who got ripped is pretty unfair and unrealistic...I have this giant infrastructure around me that allows me to do this thing but it's not normal and most people living normal lives would find it way harder."

[Doc_Glock]

You only live once, so even with the cold, I went as Duke.

44278

That is the funniest post on PF in a long time. Thank you.

[AKDoug]

I kind of got the opposite vibe...he's sort of saying "look, comparing yourself to an actor who got ripped is pretty unfair and unrealistic...I have this giant infrastructure around me that allows me to do this thing but it's not normal and most people living normal lives would find it way harder."

I get the same vibe. Very few movie stars maintain their ripped look for very long.

[JAD]

Man, pf turned into Grinder really fast.

[Duke]

Man, pf turned into Grinder really fast.

Some buddies and I used to text one another random workout pics on Monday’s.


It was dubbed “man meat Monday” and as you can predict.....it got out of hand at an alarming pace.

Wives were called. Children scarred. Pride and dignity destroyed...

It was a good time

[jetfire]

On PF, I believe we could call it "gunny bearz"

[HCM]

44422

[Duke]

If anyone is interested....though this doesn’t truly fit in the role of limited hours eating anymore - but the nutrition has been adapted for best results.


9 weeks of restructured Macros. lots of water. Lean fish, low Gi carbs. Whole fats. I’m happy thus far. More to come.



44626

[RoyGBiv]

Posted this in the wrong thread earlier... Apologies.

Intermittent fasting diets may add years to your life: study (https://www.foxnews.com/health/fasting-diets-add-years-to-life)

Requires subscription... but it looks like you can get 3 for free if you register
Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease (https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMra1905136)

Top 3 intermittent fasting diets on Google (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/popular-intermittent-fasting-diets)

[Nephrology]

Posted this in the wrong thread earlier... Apologies.

Intermittent fasting diets may add years to your life: study (https://www.foxnews.com/health/fasting-diets-add-years-to-life)

Requires subscription... but it looks like you can get 3 for free if you register
Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Health, Aging, and Disease (https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMra1905136)

Top 3 intermittent fasting diets on Google (https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/popular-intermittent-fasting-diets)


Just a caveat: take all nutrition research with a massive, shipping container sized grain of salt. It is generally of poor methodological quality. there are a few exceptions, but not many.

[RoyGBiv]

Just a caveat: take all nutrition research with a massive, shipping container sized grain of salt. It is generally of poor methodological quality. there are a few exceptions, but not many.

Agreed!
I figured the NEJM {second link} was a better than fox news source.

[Duces Tecum]

Requires no subscription:

https://www.gwern.net/docs/longevity/2019-decabo.pdf (https://www.gwern.net/docs/longevity/2019-decabo.pdf)

[Nephrology]

Agreed!
I figured the NEJM {second link} was a better than fox news source.

Indeed, but you’d be surprised how often the NEJM and JAMA put our steaming hot garbage too, and semi deliberately to boot.

[Mark D]

For a year or so, I did a 16/8 program and it was fine. Now I prefer a 20+hr fast once a week. It's more of shock to the system, which seems to help put me in ketosis. I also like the clarity and energy that starts about the 16 - 18 hr mark.

[Le Français]

I fasted for about 38 hours over Good Friday, and I think that was the longest fast I’ve done. The amount of clarity and energy I felt was welcome and a little surprising.

Right around the 24-hour mark, I performed an intense, 30-minute resistance training workout, and it felt like a great workout, with a strong pump and no feeling of dizziness or weakness during or after.

During this fast, I did find myself craving salt, and I had some salt dissolved in water (and a lot of fresh water).