I’m sure a lot of us have seen the documentary Michael Mosely did on Intermittent Fasting some years back.- If not it’s an interesting watch “Eat, Fast and Live Longer”

I’ve recently been doing a 16 hour fast to 8 hour feed windonw (not eating between 7pm and 11am). And have done previously. I tend to lose about 500g a week when I do it despite still enjoying takeaways and a few beers.

I thought I’d feel terrible, low on energy in the mornings etc- however I actually feel GREAT- full of energy in the morning, sleeping better and all round focus is higher.

I’m assuming this is generally lower insulin levels causing it. And whats been interesting is my immune system seems much more robust- I always used to be the first to catch a cold off colleagues and it often stayed with me the longest. I’ve now got loads of colleagues coughing and spluttering everywhere and I seem to have remained cold free!

It’s got me intrigued- I’m interested to hear from people and their experiences of different types of I.F.? Anyone been on this type of pattern for years?

I’m considering keeping the 16 hour window but throwing in a single whole day fast (like on 5:2) but a (6:1) with the 6 days on an 8 hour feed window.

Anyone else experimented with this?

My son’s been doing the 16/8 fasting thing – lost 8.5lb in 3 weeks and doesn’t seem to have suffered for it.

If it’s working as it is and you feel GREAT why change it?

Well I guess I’m curious as to whether I can get even better results.

Some of the research shows benefits for even longer fasting windows. So thought I’d maybe chuck one in a week. Now I’m used to the 16 hour window a 36 hour fast doesn’t seem so daunting. I’ll prob do 500kcals in that longer one when I try it.

Will probably try it in the new year- I can always go back to just the window I’m doing 7 days.

I did 5:2 a few years back and it worked great for me, as it fitted brilliantly around my work. I tried doing MFP and calorie counting but was doign a lot of travel and estimating / controlling intake in hotels, etc. was near impossible. I went from 16st to 12:13 in around 8 months.

Subsequently I cut back on the 5:2, doing more like 6:1, or 5:2 but at more like 800-900kcals on the fast days instead of the 600 ‘specified’ and maintained at 13-13.5 for ages, and then gradually let it go.

I went back to as high as 15, back down again to a bit under 14, and then back again to about 14:8 currently, and my clothes don’t fit properly. So after the next period, I’ll be back on it aiming to lose 1-1.5 st and get back to around 13.5 which suits me pretty good as a 6 footer.

I can’t really comment on the energy levels* or improvements on lifespan stuff Mosley claims; if that’s true then it’s a double bonus ‘cos really I’m just using it as a means to restrict calories across the week. But it worked and would have continued to work if I hadn’t stopped.

* they were better but is that really an impact of the regime or just te fact you are 2st lighter and think that you look and feel good as a result.

I’ve also been doing 16/8. First few days are a little hard but after a week or so I felt really good. I fast from 9pm until 1pm, going to the gym around 6:30pm I would normally have to force myself, but recently I’ve felt full of energy. I’m also restricting my kcals to around 1700, which is about a 400 – 500 deficit.

Also if I’m not hungry at 1pm I don’t eat until 2 or 3 but still stop eating at 9pm. Its surprising how much less I crave carbs / sugar since I’ve been practicing intermittent fasting.

how many days a week are you guys doing your 16/8? Or is it every day?

I do it everyday, if you don’t want to do it everyday then you can look at 5/2 which allows you to be more flexible for 5 days and just 2 days with quite a large restriction.

16:8 is supposed to be every day really. If you only do it a few days its a small amount of your week really.

I tend to let up on a weekend if I’ve got a big ride planned (carb load meal in an evening and then porridge at 6am).

I’m typing this counting down the next 30 mins until I can break my fast today… that’s something that’s actually quite nice; experiencing hunger. I don’t think we do a lot of that properly in western society and one of the reasons lots of sedate folks pancreases are stressed leading to type 11 diabetes.

that’s what i thought but a quick google didn’t stipulate that.

Never heard of this before. For years I’ve generally had dinner between 7 and 8pm, but I don’t eat anything in the morning until about 10am for a bowl of muesli. Otherwise if I eat at 7am before going to work I’m still starving by 10am so end up having breakfast twice. Does this count?

Anyway I’ve had a bit of a cold for 2 months, feel knackered and could do with losing a few pounds. Hope that helps 😁

If you didn’t eat past 6pm and didn’t eat before 10am then it would count yes, but as you don’t, then it doesn’t no. Your fasting window is only around 14 hours, I believe they recommend at least 16 hours, I could be wrong though.

Interestingly, what you are describing is the fact if you eat first thing in the morning (especially if it’s carbs) then your body releases insulin. Starts a hunger cycle.

By not eating first thing your insulin levels stay lower, then when you eat later on you truly are hungry and in my experience tend to feel fuller for it.

Cuts some of the calories out of the morning. Then not eating after 7pm can be hard as your body has been releasing insulin after meals and in my opinion this is the hardest bit (I’m an evening snacker).

The 16 hours with lower insulin levels is supposed to be really beneficial for a whole host of health reasons.

I think there is possibly an element of stomach shrinkage too.

I’m not long term on this though, so interested to hear people who have been intermittent fasting for years?

Is this not just “skipping breakfast” rebranded and with a bunch of millenial bating pseudo-science wrapped around it ? (if you have your tea at 6pm like a good Northern Brit)

Yes and not snacking after that 6pm or 7pm meal.

Never heard of this before. For years I’ve generally had dinner between 7 and 8pm, but I don’t eat anything in the morning until about 10am for a bowl of muesli. Otherwise if I eat at 7am before going to work I’m still starving by 10am so end up having breakfast twice. Does this count?

It’s the latest fad.

https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/intermittent-fasting-riding-at-start-of-fasting-period/

What Hels says, I never eat after dinner anyway, so I’d only be missing breakfast?.

Sounds pish.

I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now, mostly keeping to 12-6 for eating window but don’t sweat it if I miss it. I’d been using mfp and have slooowly been loosing the lbs. This has accelerated my weight loss quite a bit. I more attribute it to being easier to keep to my daily calorie intake than anything else. Not missing meals as such as I still consume what I should be. Hasn’t really been a problem hunger wise either and I expected it would have been. Also with working shifts I’d be eating at all sorts of times, now when I’m on nights I manage with a slight adjustment to when I eat. 7kg since October, whereas normally at this time of year I’d be putting some on.

How do guys fit this around riding/other exercise ?

I can’t imagine eating at 7pm, night ride with mates for an hour and a half – then not eating until 11am the next morning…. I’d be starving !

I can’t imagine eating at 7pm, night ride with mates for an hour and a half – then not eating until 11am the next morning…. I’d be starving !

That’s kind of the point though, you can’t imagine it because you assume you would be (and may be because of your ingrained habits); secondly, there’s nothing wrong with being hungry, we have evolved to avoid it and as a result overeat. Being hungry for a few hours really won’t kill you.

Is there an ap for this? It can’t possibly be a real thing unless you can tell your phone about it?

I think you share an empty plate on Facebook.

Folks that lose weight doing this 16:8 lark will be more careful with eating better and portion control, it’s this that will effect the weight loss, not the supposed fasting.

yes, but….. supposedly it also enables you to deal with being hungry better as well, and accepting that as a ‘normal’ or even healthy situation.

And if the ‘science’ is believed by not having breakfast you don’t get an insulin hunger spike and so don’t need elevenses and eat less at lunchtime too.

So yes, it is calorie control but also enabling that calorie control.

I suppose I probably do it, but without missing a meal, as I don’t eat between 1830 and 0700.

A lot of eating is ‘unconscious’ – you tend to snack out of habit. At least this fasting thing makes eating conscious, so you can better control it!

I tend to snack each day on a snickers, packet of crisps and a fizzy drink. Approx 500 calories a day. Cut this out and I loose 50lb in a year!!! Starting January 1st 2019.

It’s definitely curtailed my snacking, mfp had done this to some extent but sticking to a time frame has helped a lot more.

And if the ‘science’ is believed by not having breakfast you don’t get an insulin hunger spike and so don’t need elevenses and eat less at lunchtime too.

This is very apparent on my early shifts. I would start at 6 with a bowl of porridge and banana, by 9:30/10 I was starving again. Now I can quite comfortably go to 11 without feeling hungry.

I always get that with porridge, but eating my current breakfast of choice – 2 oat and fruit muffins which are made with porridge oats, I don’t? weird. Mibbe something to do with the oats in porridge being cooked/soaked and easier digested, whereas in the muffins they’re not.

I have these at 0700 and don’t have lunch til after lunchtime 5k run and shower at 1300. You eating real porridge K, or that microwave readybrek type stuff?

Real porridge cooked in the micro. Flahavens quick oats, two scoops and 4 of milk with a full banana. Even though it’s quick oats I don’t think it has the same stuff in it like the sachets.

Edit, it might have been the Aldi rip off stuff laterly, which I think is real porridge.

IANAE but I’d try dropping the banana and seeing if that reduces/removes the hunger spike

The thing is not having the porridge in the morning hasn’t had any negative effects. If I was walking about like a burnt oot shell or had massive hunger pangs I’d change it but it’s been totally manageable. Exercise wise I’m going to classes at the gym followed by a bit of strength work with no issues. Though if I was biking or walking for any length of time I’d probably take the breakfast.