Panorama BBC shocked me big time......

MikeTV

I'm taking a bit of breather at the moment. I was fasting 2 days/per week (600 cals), but I found that it was causing a headache and a pressure behind the eyes, which I suspect may be blood pressure related. So last week I only fasted for one day.

I am attributing blood pressure to my caffeine intake, which was fairly high, even on fast days (and so fasting might have compounded it). But I will probably get it checked out properly. I am now down to about one small cup of coffee/day, instead of drinking cups of tea all day. This gave me a caffeine hangover initially.

Anyway, I'll try fasting again for one day this week, and see how I feel. After 6 weeks I've lost about 2 kilos. But I'm not looking to lose weight particularly.

stoomc

I have just noticed this- I don't think that's right. A fast is from 1 meal to the next.
In your example you quote, you wouldn't count sleep time either, that's not correct.

Desmo

Like you say, if it's working for you then it's all good I guess
I think you're probably just benefitting from eating less. IF isn't about stuffing your face when you're allowed to eat

nonumb

Indeed I don't stuff my face but don't go uber healthy of my off days. I do allow myself takeaways occasionally.

I'm terrible at being hungry so if I limit being hungry to a few days it works for me. My total calories are down a lot over the course of a week. My biggest pain is I drink a lot of milk at least 3 pints a day. So miss out on a lot of calories from milk.

I don't really need to lose weight I have a bmi of 22.5 but my family suffer from beer bellies badly. I'm naturally quite thin but any weight just goes on the stomach. Since I went to uni and got glandular fever, I've had a bit of a gut when I used to have a six pack. It totally destroyed my metabolism.

Hopefully by the time I get rid of the belly I'll be able to afford a gym membership and put on some even weight. Other health benefits are a bonus!

ldoodle

I think it's fasting for me; I have always lived/eaten healthily anyway; 6/7  fruit/ver per day - just looking in my lunch box I can see a banana, plum, grapes, apple and nectarine left, and have just had 2 carrots. Plus whatever veg for dinner tonight.

On the days I eat nothing has changed in terms of quantity, but I do find I get full up quicker now, and I imagine it will take less and less food the longer I fast for.

MikeTV

I think it's true, at least for the horizon diet - which is about only eating 600 cals a day, on fast days. It's not about 24 hour periods, it's about going a whole day on 600 cals (and on other days, eating normally). That was the point I was making. In other words, eating 600 calories on a fast day instead of 2500. Don't worry about the time between individual meals, it's irrelevent. Just eat 2500 calories on non-fast days.

dvdphile

That's how I remember the program too! There are too many people getting caught up in it being called a "fast". I suppose technically it isn't as you're still eating, but it's only 500/600 cals.

We've been trying it and calling it up days/down days. I think that makes it simpler! I've not lost much weight yet but haven't been strict enough with my calorie counting.

I think if you go daft on your up days and have like 4000cals it's not going to help in the long term. Yet, the program suggested you could eat junk food on your non-fasting days which I found a little bit irresponsible really!

MikeTV

Agreed - bingeing is never good, and fast food is disproportionately unhealthy - too much sugar, salt, fat, carbs, etc. But there's nothing wrong with it from time to time as part of well balanced diet. I think that's the point they were making. But I agree. Normal nutritional guidelines still apply.

nonumb

Well checked my weight and lost 4lbs since I started. May not seem like too much but my waist is narrower and I feel a lot better. Also I have not been too careful with off days.

Very happy!

MikeTV

Well done! That's similar to me. Dramatic weight loss is bad anyway.