aBitFat's Journal, 24 May 2019

Sounds like you are doing great!!! 

Hello! I start researching about IF and really interested. Any recommendations to start my journey? 

Wilslagera0821, I've read The Obesity Code and The Complete Guide to Fasting, both by Dr. jason Fung, a canadian nephrologist and that stuff really impressed me. You can also check his website https://idmprogram.com/blog/. If you look around, there are doctors against the principle of fasting, but from my point of view, all the arguments of Dr Fung add up and it makes sense. I did go pretty much low carb for most on January and part of February, then I started testing with intermittent fast in March and it feel right to me and it seems to be working quite a bit. If you have questions, feel free to ask, Ill try to answer to the best of my knowledge.  

I’ve just started intermediate fasting. I’m glad to hear your getting great results. How long was it until you started noticing a change ? 

@aBitFat - thank you very much for thr info and insights! Let’s do this 🤙 

@Shea, took a few weeks in the beginning (Jan-Feb), and it was very subtle. It showed with a belt that was loose. But the scale kept giving me the same weight. Then, when I started fasting (16:8 and 18:6), in March, the difference with my belt kept increasing, and the scale got the memo! :o) 

What does 18:6 and 20:4 mean? 

@fitgirl_megan, it refers to the fasting regimen. Its "number of hours fasting":"number of hours eating". That means that I fast for 18 or 20 hours and allow myself to eat for 6 or 4 hours. See today will be a 20:4 day. I ate from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm (lunched at 3:00, had dinner from 6:00 to 7:00) and my next meal will be at 3:00 pm tomorrow. 

When you started was your window larger and then gradually went down? I’ve read such great things about this - really starting to think I should consider! Thanks for posting about how it’s making you feel! 

@fitgirl_megan, totally! In fact for all of January and most of February, I just went for a really low carbs diet (almost no pasta or bread, limiting fruits and checking veggies for the lowest carb count). I think that it prepared my body for the metabolic inversion (MI) that you are looking for when fasting. What I mean by MI is when your liver stops "making" fat from your blood glucose, and starts "breaking" in the fat reserve to get the glycogen it needs to keep the machine running. That is when you start burning fat for real. This is also known as ketosis and can be obtained through a keto diet, but the fastest way is through fasting. In March, I started with 16:8 and sometime even 14:10. After a while, hunger pangs are easier to manage and I felt confident enough to stretch my fast. Before anything though, check with your doctor and listen to your body. If something doesn't feel right, break your fast and do what you need to get bette. You can always start over later. :o) 

I went through the same thing with great results. I was Leary at first but the more I researched it the more supportive literature I found. Really the only naysayers I could legitimize were sponsors of other diet plans. Not a nutritionist by any means but I know it worked for me. Check this out if you have 8 minutes. https://youtu.be/bHdoAhZyP3I 

you can keep track with myfast app. I love this app 

I fast for 24 hours every Sunday with great results, I just love how in control I feel. It creates such self awareness, you almost have to parent yourself through it.