The FastDay Forum

I just came across this article from Brad Pilon, author of Eat Stop Eat, posted in July 2013. Perhaps many members here have read this already, but I thought I'd post it anyway, as a reminder for especially newbies like myself to not over do it!

http://www.niashanks.com/2013/07/intermittent-fasting-doing-it-wrong/

A few key statements from Brad:

...in my opinion IF is best used as a replacement for traditional dieting and excessive exercise for the purpose of weight loss, not an addition to it.

... fasting, dieting and exercise are all forms of stress. (Excessive dieting can cause stress and damage). If you’re going to implement all three into your life it needs to be done with balance and a heightened level of stress-awareness.

Lowered levels of reproductive hormones, lethargy, exhaustion, metabolic disturbances all happen to both sexes when you abuse dieting and exercise

If you’re going to make intermittent fasting work for you then you need to be aware of your stresses and not be afraid to admit when something doesn’t feel right.

I myself am pretty new to this woe, 1 month in of doing mostly 16:8 with a couple of full fast day, and still learning my ways. I don't want to be having early menopause or sth like that since I still plan to have a child in a couple of years. So as much as I love how quickly I'm losing weight now, my main priority is health. This article reminds me to not fall into the "I wanna lose weight quick" mindset and ignore my health.

Happy reading everyone!

[carorees]

Excellent article...thanks for posting.

I'd like to add this excerpt as an important point:

 my general rule is the longer the fast the longer the recovery time that’s needed before the next fast.My rough template looks like this:
[if you're fasting...]
5-7 times per week – fasts should be between 12 and 16 hours long.
3-4 times per week  - fasts should be between 16 and 20 hours long.
1-2 times per week  - Fasts should be between 20 and 24 hours long.
1-2 times a month – Fasts should be between 24 and 72 hours long.

Its a good article. The number of times we get newbies, especially younger ones, coming on to the forums and complaining that they aren't losing enough weight when they are doing WW or calorie restricting on 'normal' days PLUS fasting on 3 days a week. All they moan about is tiredness, fainting and slow or non-existant weight loss. Yet when the more knowledgeable among us or the old hands point out that they aren't eating enough they don't believe us.

Thanks for this! I love to read IF stuff!
Loved how Nia said for us notto get on our " huffy bikes" in defence of IF! :0)
BUT was very dismayed by this as i have health probs related to low thyroid and exhausted adrenals :0(
"A little over a year ago I was diagnosed was thyroid problems and hormonal ugliness, most of which was (go figure) an unhealthy cortisol rhythm. I sought out the advice of three different Naturopathic doctors in order to get things under control and every single one of them told me to stop fasting for the sake of my adrenals and thyroid. Fasting increases cortisol levels which, in turn, increases blood sugar levels. Breakfast is now imperative for me (along with substantially increasing my carbohydrate, but that is another story.) and my hormones and thyroid have been creeping in the right direction."
Maybe i need to have brekky on fast n repair days then fast til next dys brekky? Would that work, Anyone? Longtimers,Carorees,Moogi any advice pls?

The best advice I ever had for adrenal exhaustion was to get to bed by 10pm. I did get a consultation by DR. Myhill, the inventor of the stone age diet, because she lives only 5 miles up the road. Her advice for me included dumping the breads and getting to bed early as 1 hour sleep before midnight is worth more than 2 hours after midnight. http://www.drmyhill.co.uk/

As for having breakfast and fasting till breakfast the next day I see no reason why you can't. So have a breakfast, fast till the next days breakfast and maybe not eat again till dinner, would give you the same routine as someone who starts the fast after their dinner and fasts till dinner the next day. Its the 24 hour fasting period that's important, not whether its am or pm start.

Thanks so much Julie for link and all the useful advice x are you a CFS sufferer too x will go and look at Dr Myhill ' s site now x

I was borderline, but mine turned out to be low Testosterone (which is one step away from Adrenal Fatigue). By topping up the Testosterone, to a woman's level it gave my adrenals a backhand boost, as the adrenals then didn't need to struggle to sort out the testosterone plus the rest of the body as well. Plus very low B12.

I looked into it all fairly deeply and went on a vitamin supplement binge as well to 'feed' the adrenals and thyroid as much as possible so they weren't struggling with any kind of lack. I still take Lugol's Iodine to support the thyroid, a good quality multi-vitamin and extra B12 to keep everything topped up. I am hoping that once my weight is sorted out the strain on my body will be much less and normal food will give me all I need.

Thanks for that. Very good article. I think everyone should be shown this when they start. Doing 5:2 we really need to leave old dieting habits behind us and look at it through fresh eyes. I'm enjoying cooking things I've avoided for years, I'm feeling healthier and losing weight. I find this WOL so easy.
Dee

Hi again julie..Hope youre feeling better for it x goodness knows we will try everything to get that elusive thing back - good health.
It is beyond price but we dont realise that til we lose it
Thanks Julie..here's to our future wonderful wellbeing!
So glad i can still 5:2 in another way! Will check out with my gp also

Pps thoroughly confused now Julie coz have just read that short term fasting is great for the adrenals!
Gahhhhhhhhh! Who to believe..
will just press on with usual fast after all..
I am feeling better for it so it cant be doing the dratted adrenals that much harm!

Short term fasting is going back to what our bodies were made for. I can't see it doing as much harm as stressing about the weight, 'that' business meeting, a death or happy occurrence in the family, kids, or even shopping brings.

Thanks so much for linking to that great article Dee!

Any science to support the claims?

The low fat diet sounded good until it became the cause of the obesity epidemic.

Hi simcoeluv! Which claim are you referring to?

Thanks for posting this article! It really was gently informative. It confrims for me that as long as I stay level headed about it, this WOE could be a permanent solution for reducing the size of my bum