Hello,
my weight loss efforts have not been going too well lately so I decided to try this whole thing out and try to not eat for a day, but I have a few questions.
Firstly, would you guys recommend I just go a whole day without a meal, or should I have dinner today if the last time I ate was yesterday evening?
Secondly, is it a good idea to still have coffee or sugar free chewing gum? More precisely, I consume caffeine pills (since I loathe the taste of black coffee and anything else is not diet friendly), I chew gum because it helps me feel like I’m eating something without actually eating. But I don’t want to fool my body at the end of the day.
Edit: last question, is it a good idea to still work out even when fasting or should I just rest? I cycle 10km a day on the exercise bike, highest difficulty, try to keep around 27-31km/h
You need to consult a doctor before embarking upon any weight loss regimen.
My general advice for beginners is to just go as long as you can. If you start to feel physically ill eat a reasonable portion something healthy and restart the clock. Keep a journal of your intake and intervals. Remember that no one is perfect!
Once you find a base line for what your body is comfortable with, (say 10 hours) do that pattern purposefully for a couple of weeks. Then push it to 10 and a half. A month later go to 11.
Intermittent fasting isn’t a diet, it’s a lifestyle. We accustom our bodies to go for long periods of time in-between feedings. We eat well in order to encourage muscle development.
This is not the same as just starving yourself until you can’t stand it anymore. Our ancestors ate like this. Do it in a pattern so that your body doesn’t think that there is a food scarcity problem. If you go about this all higgly piggly and trigger the famine instinct then your body will actually fight to keep fat.
So be consistent. Just do what is comfortable and slowly Increase it to your goal. This way the weight will stay off.
Hugs!
Black coffee is fine to have, but sugar free gum could be a problem. Artificial sweeteners cause an insulin response, which will reduce your bodies ability to draw energy from glucose/fat stores. Especially if you are chewing it all day long. To mix that and fasting could make you tired, as the body is unable to find the energy it needs, as it is blocked from accessing stored energy, and no food to draw on since you are fasting. I don’t know about caffeine pills as I don’t know what else might be in them. Usually they have some kind of fillers. If you find black coffee too bitter, a pinch of salt cuts through much of the bitterness. It is a common practice in places like Turkey and Scandinavia.
“…try not eat for a day.” - and you’ve never done IF before? Don’t be silly. If you’re considering 23:1 (OMAD) you should work up to this by gradually limiting your eating window. Try starting with 16:8 (8hr eating window) and go from there. If you’re serious about your health and weight loss, please take it easy and build an IF schedule that is sustainable. As for exercise, it’s totally up to you. Listen to your body and go from there.
Tbh i don t find gum helpful at all. It stimulates hunger imo. When i fast i drink only water as i am not a coffee drinker, but if you do it for weight loss, not for its health benefits, i don t see issue. I am at my 37 hours out of 72 hours(i want to do a 3 day fast…the most i ever did was 5 days).I think what you meant is that you want to do OMAD, which 23:1 fast. You fast 23 hours and eat 1 hour. But be aware, even if you eat once a day, you have to be in a DEFICIT. You should get a fasting app to learn more
My recommendation, do the following fast lengths for three days each (3 days worked for me, you may need more or less):
16 hour for 3 days
17 hour for 3 days
18 hour for 3 days (a lot of people have success with 18 hour, so this might be all you need, listen to your body)
19 hour for 3 days
20 hour maintenance
Edit: Agree with reducing exercise. Consider some lower energy exercise like yoga.
I really recommend reading Delay Don’t Deny. It’s a quick read.
During fasting just have water or green or black tea you brew yourself. Not sure on the caffeine pills, maybe try to cut back on them? No to the gum for sure - it will be easier to fast without it after you adjust. (Bitter tastes ok, sweet or sour tastes are not).I mostly do water with one espresso or iced espresso.
Exercise is great for you and helps decrease stress and prevent weight regain. Listen to your body. It might take it awhile to adjust to fasting but eventually you will be fine.