The FastDay Forum

http://theconversation.com/health-check ... fail-20066. Here's Dr Amanda Salis today.

Thanks for the link Sallyo! I am a Salis fan so look forward to reading
How are you Sally..hope all good with you and the family xx

Thanks for the link Sallyo

an easy to read explanaton of the famine reaction and why not to keep undereating or fasting too much.
good excertp

Research shows eating more and undergoing a period of weight maintenance (rather than continuing efforts to lose weight) can deactivate aspects of the famine reaction. In particular, it can block the reduction in metabolic rate that creates those tiresome weight-loss plateaus.

This intermittent approach to weight loss – eating less overall but sometimes eating more – may improve the efficiency of weight loss. It may also reduce the drive to eat large amounts of food when you’ve lost some weight, by taming the hunger pangs of the famine reaction.....

We still need to determine the optimum timing of intermittent energy restriction for different people. But if you’re on a diet and start to experience mounting, nagging hunger (a sign of the famine reaction at play), eat the types and amounts of (mostly healthy) foods that make you feel genuinely satisfied.

Yes, I thought it was a very clear explanation. It absolutely supports the 5:2 way of eating. No starvation and no guilt about eating what you feel like on the other days.

Does that mean we should eat loads on feast days?

Bean

No, I don't think that's what it says. But I think we should be relaxed on feast days and not act as if we are 'on a diet'. That's the way to reassure your body that there is no famine and it's safe to lose weight.

It gets confusing doesn't it but since I've bean doing ADF the weight is finally starting to shift. And yet, you'd think the famine reaction would slow things down since there are more fast days

Bean

The feast days probably hold it at bay.

[Debs]

Congratulations Sallyo, well timed for the weekend! Good luck, I shall be thinking of you!

I think the article is saying that it may not be good to do too many fast days back to back. I would never put two together.

And not to eat less than 1/4 your TDEE. I have read some people boasting eating a mere 200g on a fast day. That cant be good. and it sets in the famine effect I guess. and you lose less weight.

Yes, and not to diet continually. Let your non- fast days really be days when you eat what you feel like . Listen to your body. Which isn't eating lots of unhealthy food.

Thanks Sally good to read and well worth it for food for thought when weightless stalls

[carorees]

And not to eat less than 1/4 your TDEE. I have read some people boasting eating a mere 200g on a fast day. That cant be good. and it sets in the famine effect I guess. and you lose less weight.

I don't think that a single fast day with less than 1/4 of TDEE or even no calories would trigger a famine reaction. In fact, the scientific studies suggest otherwise. However, too much fasting or dieting can do so. I think that it is not acute calorie restriction (i.e. occasional fasting), but chronic calorie restriction (i.e. normal weightloss diets or too frequent fasting) that triggers a famine reaction. So, ADF might be problematic, particularly if the feast days are not really feast days, 16:8 could be a problem if you end up undereating every day, 5:2 combined with 16:8 or any pattern of fasting or dieting which does not include periods of eating at least up to TDEE or beyond could trigger a famine reaction.

I think that whatever pattern of intermittent fasting you follow, you should be aware that if you don't have some feast days (or "wey hey weekends" as we call them) you may trigger a famine reaction.

Do you think it's calorie restriction per se or weight/fat loss? My impression is that it is not clear at all what our bodies are actually sensing.

Also, am I the only one annoyed by the fact that Amanda Salis has introduced yet another name for this phenomenon into the mix? Her research is great, I just hate the confusion...

I think she's talking about the famine reaction triggered by losing weight. Obviously it's connected to calorie restriction though. That's how you've lost so much weight. If you are having a famine reaction and you keep on restricting calories, you will exacerbate the problem . That's why intermittent fasting , be it ADF, 5:2 or 4:3 , works so well . You have days off calorie restriction to reassure your body that there is enough food and you are not in a famine situation.

I don't get what you're saying about two different names? Is that in the video?