I’m new to this and was considering on starting 16:8 IF. But I have a question, is an 8 hour window for eating actually necessary? Can I just limit my calorie intake to have less than I actually need?
I find having a eating window where I eat reasonably (1or2 “regular” meals) rather than counting calories is easier for me. I have found my appetite has gotten smaller and I feel satisfied with less food. Another benefit for me of not eating for a set time is learning self control.
Hunger pangs actually go away after a few minutes.
Another plus: Food tastes really good after a fast.
I always have a calorie deficit and am not overweight but I had digestive issues and bad acne (at 46 years old) so I started OMAD and lost 10 lbs of inflammation and my acne has cleared up. I opened my feeding window to 20/4 to be able to eat enough but it’s still important for me to give my digestion 20 hours rest. I haven’t felt this good in years.
If you are insulin sensitive then a calorie deficit should work. But if you are insulin resistant , then it’s necessary to lower your insulin to lose weight. For that, you need to fast.
My suggestion would be to try eating calorie deficit without fasting for a week or two. If it doesn’t work, then switch to IF.
I was insulin resistant. Even a 16 hour fasting didn’t move the needle. It’s only when I started OMAD, I started losing weight. So experiment and see what works the best for you.