I’ve read through the FAQ and Wiki but still have some outstanding questions due to conflicting information I’ve found.
I’m a 29yo woman who’s 163cm tall and currently weighs 68kg. I’m postpartum, and pre-pregnancy I weighed 54kg. I’d love to get back to that point, but would be happy to weigh 60kg or less. CICO isn’t a good idea because I have severe OCD and had some disordered eating behaviours as a teen. Exercise can be tricky to fit in around babycare but I try to do 250 pushups a day and go on a walk if I can.
I’d like to do IF because I feel like it would fit in best with my lifestyle. However, I’ve found some conflicting information, namely about fast windows for women. I’ve seen websites stating that fasts for longer than 14 hours aren’t recommended for women, and as such, 12/12 was recommended.
Is there much evidence backing this? Similarly, is a 12/12 window likely to accomplish much? It might limit my calorie consumption as I sometimes snack at night and early in the morning.
I’m uneasy about doing a diet plan that might adversely impact fertility permanently as I’d like to have another kid, but am not looking to do so for at least a few years.
If you are using IF for weight loss then that incorporates CICO, IF just helps you get there easier by typically removing a meal.
12/12 is just a standard eating cycle so no real benefit there. As a female I do anything between 16/8 to OMAD depending on my day.
If you have a history of ED you should absolutely consult your Dr first before trying IF
I am not aware of any evidence backing the idea that IF can negatively impact fertility. And certainly not in any permanent way. There are a lot of websites out there with weird ideas based on pretty much nothing, as far as I can tell. They point to studies involving long-term fasts (like 72+ hours) and very low-calorie diets (like 400 calories/day)… but IF is neither long-term fasting nor very-low-calorie. So I don’t think those studies really apply.
I mean… 16:8 IF is literally just skipping breakfast and cutting out late night snacking. As long as you are getting good nutrition and eating a reasonable number of calories in your eating window (don’t go below 1200), it should be fine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nJgHBbEgsE&ab_channel=CrossFit%C2%AE You mind find this talk by Jason Fung super helpful with regard to your questions. 12/12 is really not going to get you into fat burning mode. Most people I have read about recommend at least a 16 -8, which allows your insulin levels to drop and TURN ON THE conduit to burning your body fat.
If you have an history of ED consult your doctor and therapist first, you might need some support in the beginning. Also look at Dr. Berg and Dr. Jason Fung on Youtube they have tons of videos and books regarding IF for women and the scientific research behind it.
I do 18/6 or 19/5 and IF actually helped with my cramps and cravings during my period but I am kind to myself and take it easy while I am on my period so sometimes increase it to 16/8 or skip a day or two. The key if you skip it is to get back at your regular schedule the next day. With this (and reducing carbs and sweets) I still lost 14kgs in 5 months