The FastDay Forum

[carorees]

Varady has indeed been studying ADF for a long time but the individual studies reported by her in the scientific literature have not been long term studies. The participants only followed ADF for 2-3 months. However, they're the best studies to date. My current area of interest is the number of people who have been using IF in some form whether 5:2 or 4:3 maybe combined with an eating window on non-fast days who have run into problems with weight loss stalling. There are many factors involved in such stalls, but I think that too much fasting can cause cortisol levels to increase worsening insulin sensitivity and slowing weightloss. Fasting is mildly stressful on the body and so if you have other stresses in your life, you can over do things. So, my comment about Varadys published studies being relatively short term was aimed at pointing out we don't yet know what effects following 5:2 or ADF for years might have. There is, in fact, one study of ADF in young lean women that showed temporary worsening of insulin sensitivity (resolved on stopping fasting) but that study involved no calories on the fast days. Hopefully, the 500/600 cal meal used in Varady's studies is enough to prevent the cortisol rise. I understand that she has done some longer studies but they don't seem to have been published yet.

I think 4:3 or ADF for a few months to lose weight is fine but I'd be wary of getting to a situation where I needed to do it for ever to keep the weight off. Your plan to drop back to 5:2 or 6:1 is sensible I think.

[carieoates]

@jujube I'm doing 4:3 this time because the 3 non fast days on 5:2 are just too many, by day 3 I'm over eating again. You're right about the science, just makes me feel better that I picked 4:3
Dee

I tend to agree with your experience that three non fast days in a row don't work for me either. I fast and exercise mon, weds and fri.

Last week (Friday) I got invited to a dinner at a club with an all you can eat smorgasboard. anyhow i managed to miss my day 3 of fasting for that week and boy did it impact my trend weight - up 3 more notches in Libra despite some mindful eating on the weekend.

It certainly has confirmed in my mind why i need the extra, third day of eating 1/4 TDEE eating for every 7 days.

Looking forward to Tuesday and Friday of fasting this week. (Did one yesterday too)

[janeg]

Interesting observatns @carorees
8 have been 4:3ing for ages now bacause I likenthe rhythm of it and, to my way of thinking, allows me to not calorie count.
However, due. to circumstances with work and travel, I am back to 5:2 just now, all be it with massive increase in activity.
It will be interesting to see what the scales and tape measure declare at weigh in day in April.
That will help me decide wether tonstick with 5:2 or 4:3.

Happy early birthday Justdee! Enjoy your cake!

Question: What made you guys decide to do 4:3? Was it because you weren't losing or not losing fast enough on 5:2? For me it was the science. All the science was really done on alternate day fasting or 4:3 (2 cheat days were allowed per month in Varady's study, and that averages out to fasting 3 x a week). The only science on 5:2 was The 2 Day Diet by Dr. Harvie, and that was 2 consecutive days of fasting at 650 cals with a portion controlled Mediterannean diet for the other 5, which is different than 5:2. So I decided to go with the form of fasting most of the studies supported.

I am so hopeful this will work for me. This is it for me; there is no Plan B. I HAVE to make it work!

@jujube I started 4:3 because 5:2 didn't work for me or my husband.It might be age related though...we're in our sixties. Since 4:3ing we've lost the approx. 1lb per week and we're quite happy. Occasionally we do ADF if we've been naughty! If we have to stick to 4:3 to stay slim, then that's what we'll do. No problem. The alternative of going back to being overweight isn't an option.

Hi guys hope you don't mind me joining this tent . Started last week but I am doing I think 4:3 with min wed and thurs fast days although may need to swap due to work lunches. Finding it pretty easy and my appetite has seriously dipped. I fast all day with a small apple and satsuma at say 1pm ish . My diet is largely vegan as I am recovering from some serious ops a few years ago and trying to build up my immunity . Let's see how it goes . Great to see all your inspiring successes x

Welcome @Justme and I have found that 4:3 works the best for me having tried ADF recently (I was hanging out in that tent for a little while) & 5:2 to begin with. I hope you have as much success with 4:3 as I have (and my hubby too). Good luck.

I do 4:3 most of the time on M, W, F and occasionally do 5:2. I like the flexibility and the variety. I often adjust the schedule to suit my upcoming plans. Sometimes I eat a little more on the third fast day but usually, even so, I am under 600 calories. Definitely do less than 500 calories on the other two fast days. I love the plan because there are no rules. i have been doing this for over a year and even with 3-4 pounds of holiday weight gain, now mostly gone, I love that I have not gained back the 12 or so pounds I have said good bye to. My old "low" point is my new "high" point and I hope to move that set point even lower this spring and summer! As time has gone by I have moved more and more to only eating dinner on fast days. I find it to be easier and probably better for me. I also rarely eat breakfast any more on feed days. i am just not hungry in the morning, so I figure, why bother? My biggest challenge is I sometimes overdo it on feed days, but I have kept most of the weight off, it bothers me because I would still like to drop 5 more pounds. My BMI is around 22 -23 so I could stand to loose a bit more. Good luck, good fasting to all!

I do 4:3 most of the time on M, W, F and occasionally do 5:2. I like the flexibility and the variety. I often adjust the schedule to suit my upcoming plans. Sometimes I eat a little more on the third fast day but usually, even so, I am under 600 calories. Definitely do less than 500 calories on the other two fast days. I love the plan because there are no rules. i have been doing this for over a year and even with 3-4 pounds of holiday weight gain, now mostly gone, I love that I have not gained back the 12 or so pounds I have said good bye to. My old "low" point is my new "high" point and I hope to move that set point even lower this spring and summer! As time has gone by I have moved more and more to only eating dinner on fast days. I find it to be easier and probably better for me. I also rarely eat breakfast any more on feed days. i am just not hungry in the morning, so I figure, why bother? My biggest challenge is I sometimes overdo it on feed days, but I have kept most of the weight off, it bothers me because I would still like to drop 5 more pounds. My BMI is around 22 -23 so I could stand to loose a bit more. Good luck, good fasting to all!

Well done on oyur progress @renaissancelady46 with 4:3. something so good about how you choose days of the week for being careful rather than watching the clock 7 days a week which i think is how 16:8, 19:5 and fast-5 go.

Me too about not breakfasting after a fast day.. the person i met during the week that had his own personal style of IFing said that he just likes to keep himself hungry.. just like cavemen

and your point about eating just dinner on fast days is just what happened to me. started with the breakfast/lunk and light snacking when i first started IF in April 2013. then dropped the snacking then dropped the breakfast and then the lunch too. so now unless my concentration is poor first mouthful is about 4pm on a fast day.

i love this that you said

My old "low" point is my new "high" point

Hope you dont mind me borrowing it for my profile signature

I'm back to 4:3 after the completion of my ADF experiment. It went reasonably well (still not to target, but as close as I've been in awhile at +0.5kg). I think I prefer the flexibility of 4:3, though.

I've still not completely gotten past this phase of wanting to eat a lot of crap on non-fast days, so I'll keep up something like 16:8 (I've realized at least a soft-boiled egg for breakfast is necessary for me to feel well--for whatever reason, I was really dragging when I didn't eat any breakfast) on non-fast days to cut out unnecessary calories.

I do 4:3 too. I started on 5:2, then hit a plateau, so tried 4:3 & it kick started the weight loss again. It suits me better as there's not the big gap between fasts. I fast on Tues, Thurs & Sunday. I tried 5:2 a little while ago again, but I think it will be more useful for maintenance for me!

I do Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday too....it's great! Happy fasting folks!

[carieoates]

I'm going for it this next 6 weeks. Seriously going for it. I'm fed up of not reaching my goals. Tonight my tum feels nice and empty. 4.3 please work your magic on me.

Good luck, @carieoates!

Hi I am back after a long long break
Am doing16/8'and have decided to do 4/3 instead of 5/2 as I have put on all the weight I lost last year...,, I only had a few kilos to lose but it was such hard work getting it off and now it's all back
So will keep reading the posts and updating ny progress,,to keep me on track
What do you all think about back to back fasts?
I fasted yesterday but may have gone a bit over so think I will fast again today