My own experience seems to point to good results of IF when combined with a low carb regimen. Don’t know about high protein but it seems it would be good too (at least better than lots of carbs during your eating window). I have also had good results when I exercise. My weight has dipped about half a kilo on mornings following rigorous exercise. And it’s my understanding that If and exercise is a completely okay combination (even exercise during the fasting window), as long as you’re not doing long distance workouts.
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Protein is neither here nor there; your appetite will decide how much you want, but don’t think of it as a source of energy. Humans have metabolic pathways to convert amino acids to energy only as a sort of waste-not-want-not disposal mechanism. Unlike obligate carnivores, we can’t use proteins to provide the bulk of our energy needs.
TL;DR: eat fat to provide energy. If you want to get that fat from meat, go for it. Do not attempt low-fat, low-carb, high-protein - you’ll feel awful.
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I’d rather go for intermittent feasting! It sounds better.
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Same thing.
Most days, I eat about one-and-a-half meals a day. My evening meal is enormous.
I have been working out fasted and I am surprised how much energy I feel.
I feel low carb always gives me the blues, regardless if high fat or high protein. I think the feeling is awesome when you really become fat adapted, but the way until there is a very difficult one. I have done that in the past but due to a recent healthy limitation had to give that up so I struggle to even think about those 2 weeks before I can be in that state again. You are right though, we are not made to have all our calories source from meat.
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It does take a while before you’re firing on all cylinders, certainly. For me, it wasn’t particularly difficult: a couple of days of feeling a bit rough, followed by a few months where my workouts were constrained. But in retrospect, it was worth it.
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Are you fat adapted now? Have you reached any plateau?
My performance is better than it ever was on a high-carb diet. I can actually go a full day on the farm - which is 7 hours of serious heavy work in hot sun - with just a good breakfast and a flask of coffee. I can run steady-state (aerobic, long-distance) at 10METs with peak power at about 14METs. My bf% was around 12-13% at the last check a year ago, and I don’t think it’s changed much since then.
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Quirks and Quarks (a weekly science show / podcast from CBC Radio that I highly recommend) has a generally positive segment this week about intermittent fasting: the audio is an interview with much of the same content as the linked article. For those who are already into intermittent fasting, there’s probably not much new here, but for those who don’t know about it - like me! - it was informative.
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Feel really great on those IF days. Energized and sharp. Hoping to bump up number of days per week.
I’m averaging 2 days a week 16-20+ hours/day IF in the last few months.
I make the decision daily if it’s going to be an IF day and then give myself option to cut it off any time during the day. Feels really flexible and lowers the stress and over-thinking of trying to stick to an exact schedule.
IF periods only coffee and water.
Workout days eat as necessary.
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I think the thing I benefit from the most doing IF is that I know feel some hungry anymore. At least the feeling of hunger doesn’t feel as strong and I know I can not eat and function without feeling terrible. I think it’s one reason people lose weight. They get more control of their urges to eat.
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Started on IF again last week. After staying away for about 7 months (lots of mountain cycling and so IF didn’t make sense), I decided to start again and I’m surprised by how easy it is to get right back into the 16/8 regime. I actually aim for 17 or 18 hours of fasting if at all possible, but I don’t fret it too much if I only make it to 16 hours of fasting. Hunger pangs come and go as usual, but again, I’m surprised by how easy it is to do this again.
I gained about 3-4 kilos after completing a big cycling goal. I lost about a kilo of that since starting IF last week. My goal is to lose only about another kilo and just maintain things after that. IF should allow me to eat carbs and other things I crave (like chocolate!) and still maintain my desired weight.
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On reddit there are lots of IF before and after pictures and I am constantly amazed by the huge difference.
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I know a guy that does one meal a day (OMAD) and lost about 20 kilos. He’s just trying to maintain his weight now so he has snacks here and there. From behind, he looks like a different person.
I only eat one meal a day out of choice now. I just don’t feel hungry the rest of the day.
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On reddit they lose like 200 pounds. It’s insane.
So are you skinny?
I’m not fat, but I’m not skinny. I don’t weigh myself, but the last time I was at the doctor I was 78kg. I just checked my BMI at 1.82m tall and it’s upper end of normal.
I think my body has just got used to one meal a day, which is a bit of a worry as if I start eating normally again I’ll probably balloon.
If you only eat one meal/day shouldn’t you be losing weight like crazy? Unless that meal is like … a feast.
I dunno, but then I don’t think nutritionists know either. The human body is a weird thing.
Wait until you’re 50 and you’ll see.
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