The FastDay Forum

[carorees]

Yes, I think that a fast day after doing 16:8 can be tough if you are using 16:8 to cut down on calories because you're already in a calorie deficit situation when you start! As jmousey says, Monday is a good day to do it if you tend to be more indulgent at weekends. The other thing is that you don't have to go straight down to 500 cal if you find it daunting...you could start with having an 800 day, then next time go down to 700, then 600 etc.

However, as 16:8 is working well (2kg in 3 weeks really is awesome) you don't really need to add in a full fast day if you don't want to, so another alternative is to think of the fasting period as being the important thing so rather than sticking to a set calorie count, consider having one or two days a week with a much shorter eating window, so instead of 16:8 do a 20:4 or a 22:2, and don't worry about the calories.

There is no 'one size fits all' with intermittent fasting...you have to try different ideas and see what suits you bearing in mind that the basic premise is to extend the time when you are not eating and in so doing cut down on calorie intake.


Good luck!

Hello jmousey & carorees, thanks for your comments.

It's true that I don't have too much weight to lose, so I am aware that it will get harder and I can possibly hit a plateau at some point. Now that I've read your advices, I think I will keep doing 16:8 for now, do it for up to 5 days in a week (weekends are usually time to have fun with the husband so I tend not to fast on weekend).

If in a few weeks from now I feel like weight loss is stalling, than I'll do the fast (800 - 700 cals sounds much better ). Monday seems like a good day to fast indeed after weekend indulgence .

Thanks a lot ladies, I'll be checking in!

I'm experimenting at the moment with 5:2 and 16/8. I've just received the 8 hour diet book and couldn't put it down (only received it yesterday and I've read it!! If anything my reading has improved ha ha.
Anyway, I did a fast yesterday and succoumbed to 6 crab sticks which filled me up. I had a late breakfast today at 11.00 so my last meal will be 7.00pm. Just cooking some pasta so that I can fill up on that. I have an awful lot of weight to shift hence why I'm trying both. I use to love having breakfast but now I don't even think about it.

[Tracieknits]

Hubby and I are experimenting with 16:8 this week.

Normally, the morning after a fast day I am two pounds lighter than the morning after a feed day. Well this morning, after three days of 16:8, I am at a post fasting-day weight. So I'm not sure if I've lost two pounds. Unfortunately, hubby says he is up two pounds.

So there's our very unscientific results so far this week >.<

To be honest, I like it a lot. I've never liked eating first thing when I wake up, and waiting until noon is no big deal at all

I'm on week 2 of experimenting with 16:8. I can do it, but it does feel like a restriction. But I can work it round meals out etc

Like you Tracie I tend to lose approx a kilo after a (liquid) fast, but always gain every other day I don't fast, so I'm not that optimistic I can lose over a week. But I'll try for a couple of weeks with Monday liquid fasts and 16:8 every other day, and report back

... at lunch the real eating gets going with beer/wine at lunchtime, followed by 'fika' at 3pm with coffee and cake, then happy hour at 6 with nibbles and then a dinner of usually fish and potatoes with more wine and sometimes snaps! I suspect I won't be losing any weight during this time though! I think one can fit an awful lot of calories into 8 hours if alcohol is included!

Caro - really looking forward to hearing how 16:8 works for you on vacay. If you come back having lost weight, sign me up for that eating plan!
Who knows though, you might be very active as well without realizing how many cals you're burning walking about.

[carorees]

@fitfunk Full report in my blog! Enjoy!

I'm going to have a go too as my weight loss had stalled and I was very comfortable with my fasting. Time to shake it up a bit, I think.

@carorees is that every day including weekends?

[carorees]

Yes, pretty much every day, BBT053. I am a bit more lax at weekends but still usually only have two meals. It depends on what the rest of the family are doing.

[Debs]

Hi Carorees, I left a message on your blog but wasn't sure if you'd see it. I was just interested in whether you are only including carbs from pasta, bread etc in your 'under 150g' of carbs on 16:8?
Ta
Debs

[carorees]

Hi Debs

Yes, all carbs from any source. I use the calorie count app to track calories which also gives me the fat, carb, protein breakdown in grams. I don't track every day, but on days when I think I might be getting close to the 150g mark I enter a rough estimate of what I've eaten before deciding whether I can have a potato at dinnertime! I know that if I cut out breakfast and don't have more than one slice of bread at lunchtime then I will have enough room to have either a piece of cake/dessert or some starch with dinner! The high carb breakfasts that I love mean an extra 50g of carbs if I have them, so by skipping breakfast I can bring my carb intake down very easily.

I have been on 18/8 for two weeks. Havent lost weight...However people keep telling me i look slimmer....dont know why. My sleep patterns are WAY better so will keep at it . Really wanted to loose weight though

@pisces, although this is a generalization, many find they don't lose on 16/8 (an eating window of 8 hours per day--EVERY DAY), but that it works for maintenance. Strangely enough, although I have gradually moved to eating later in the day on normal days as well as on light days, when I "do" 16/8 (formally restrict myself to eating only during those 8 hours), I am much more inclined to overeat. One of the best things about 5:2/Fast Diet etc, is its flexibility. Just try different options till you find one that works for you. We often recommend that newbies try "plain" 5:2 for at least a month before trying other options (see the Fasting Library for info). If you don't give each option enough of a trial, it's hard to determine whether or not it worked for you. If you go to the Introduce Yourself tent and tell us a bit about yourself, we can be pretty helpful.

Hi @pisces

It seems to be the general experience on this forum that people do not lose weight on 16/8, but they can maintain. I think for 16/8 to work you have to be very careful what you eat in the 8 hours. If calorie tracking every day does not appeal, there is the option of shortening the eating window to say 18/6 or 19/5.

[carorees]

Just popped by to say I'm still doing 16:8 (or 17:7 or 18:6 or 19:5...it varies from day to day) and still maintaining just below target.