Last year, around July I began a 16:8 intermittent fasting window. I am 6’3” and I started at 257. My lowest weight while fasting was around 232 but I plateaued around 236. The past few months it seems that my fasting hasn’t been effective because I’ve gained 6 pounds to put me at 242. Occasionally I only eat once a day because of my work schedule and I still can’t seem to lose any weight to at least get back to 236. I’ve been thing about extending my fasting window but I know it will be tough. Any other tips for me to see results again?
Pair it with a ketogenic diet, get a solid workout routine, change up your fasting days and eating windows, and make sure you’re keeping up with your water / electrolyte intake. Your body WANTS you to get in a groove, so it can keep track of routine. Mixing it up and keeping it confused will end your stall(s).
Those 6 pounds or so are always going to come back when you relax and start making carbs a part of your routine.
Count calories, eat less junk and more whole foods. Eat no bread or pasta and drink no beer. That’s how you’re going to kickstart yourself back.
18’s are harder than 16’s but not to death. If you really want to see if you can manage OMAD or a partial OMAD you can do a protein shake / protein shake / OMAD week in an 8 or a 6 hour window. You will barely scrape by but that will try the water weight back off and get your body ready to be cutting again.
It’s easy to out-eat your TDEE. So you have to watch what you’re eating basically all the time.
Your metabolism has likely adjusted to your calorie deficit, so you may need to reduce your overall calorie intake or create a deficit through working out, especially lifting. I’d pick option 2 personally but ultimately up to you.
By working you mean lose body fat? It has to happen as BMI calorie needs drop. Exercise will have a minor effect, I suggest a shorter eating window, or longer fasting period, or looking at macros, possibly shaving off carbs sugars fat. At some point adjustment becomes necessary with any substantial loss.
I think about all the food I want to eat and put it into MyFitnessPal before I even order/cook my meals. If you cook more foods rather than eating prepared foods, I’d suggest a food scale as well. It’ll help you gauge your micro/macro nutrients too. Do a little research on how our bodies prioritize macronutrients, that’s helped me come a long way on my journey and taught me to prioritize protein goals.