One Meal A Day - Intermittent Fasting

[Telekarster]

There is something I've been noticing, and don't want to derail the thread, but it is interesting and relevant I think. Lately my wife and I have been binge watching old TV shows like Honeymooners (outside of Ralph ), Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, etc. Street scenes etc. Also, occasionally, I'll come across some old street footage of NYC, San Fran, etc. from the 70s and 80s. In all these cases it seems the majority of people look to be in their ideal BMI etc. Then, we go out to dinner or to the store etc. and the contrast in what I see in people is stark. It just makes me wonder why? Was food quality better then? Did we simply eat less in those days? Were we more active then? Anyway, I digress. Just sayin' this has been my observation and it just seems to me that something has changed over the years, and perhaps there's a clue here...

 

[SixStringSlinger]

It doesn't take all that long (5 or 10 minutes) but if you had lived your life (like me) such that you never did that, or you felt that it was a terrible experience to be avoided at all costs, you might have an overly dramatic view of it. IMO those hunger signals are not a warning that you are about to die. They are a signal that you should probably get up and go out of your cave and start running around trying to find something to eat, because it may take awhile. It's not that big of a mental stretch for me to think that feeling hungry is normal and does not have to be resolved immediately every time it happens.

When I started IF these humps were difficult. Now I expect them and ride them out.

My GP and the nutritionist I consulted both agreed, "the best diet plan is the one you stick with". IF is described as a "lifestyle change". OK I bought the book from the guy and sent a copy to my brother who is getting heavier and is diabetic. There are no recurring fees. Pure IF doesn't even dictate what you should eat.

My experience definitely wasn't that bad, and even less so if I had something to do, so in my case, sleeping during my "first" fast of the day, working during the second (and it was a physical retail job; a desk job probably would have been worse).

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

I guess I've been doing this for years. More as a symptom of depression though.

Woohoo.

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

There is something I've been noticing, and don't want to derail the thread, but it is interesting and relevant I think. Lately my wife and I have been binge watching old TV shows like Honeymooners (outside of Ralph ), Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, etc. Street scenes etc. Also, occasionally, I'll come across some old street footage of NYC, San Fran, etc. from the 70s and 80s. In all these cases it seems the majority of people look to be in their ideal BMI etc. Then, we go out to dinner or to the store etc. and the contrast in what I see in people is stark. It just makes me wonder why? Was food quality better then? Did we simply eat less in those days? Were we more active then? Anyway, I digress. Just sayin' this has been my observation and it just seems to me that something has changed over the years, and perhaps there's a clue here...

More walking is my guess. There was a study done in the UK where they looked at various groups based on commuting compared with those who worked out. The people who took public transportation were actually pretty close to the people who worked out. Just the daily process of walking to the bus or train, using the stairs, etc. Not surprisingly the people who drove everywhere door to door were not doing so great.

 

[teletail]

And that's exactly what you do with intermittent fasting - so what's your point?

No, that's not exactly what you do with intermittent fasting. It's not the same at all. If you really don't know the difference, I could explain it to you, but I couldn't understand it for you.

 

[wrathfuldeity]

And women flirt with me

More walking is my guess. There was a study done in the UK where they looked at various groups based on commuting compared with those who worked out. The people who took public transportation were actually pretty close to the people who worked out. Just the daily process of walking to the bus or train, using the stairs, etc. Not surprisingly the people who drove everywhere door to door were not doing so great.

And another important health benefit...

As for exercise and flirting...shortly after trying/starting IF, got a rescue mutt chick magnet and therefore began walking 2-3 times a day for a total of at least 3-4 miles per day seven times a week.

As a side note, I also do a full day of snowboarding 1-2 times per week during ski season and have discovered IF really helps endurance, performance and mental agility while occasionally flying down the hill at 60 mph. So I eat a regular dinner the night before. The day of snowboarding, take my vitamins/supplements, 1 cup of coffee in the morning and then drink only water throughout the day and then have a normal dinner in the evening. The next day after snowboarding do the same thing...dinner in the evening. The combo of IF, basic keto, burst/interval sport/conditioning of ski/boarding and and walking the trophy mutt...haven't been in better shape since my 20's...now 63 with mininal aches and pains...especially after wrecking myself at 60 mph...lol...much fun.

 

[Cyberi4n]

Edited as I really can’t be bothered with ass-hats who think it’s fine to get personal with those they disagree with

OP: Good luck in whatever you choose to do, and ignore the grumpy naysayers on here, most of whom are far too stuck in their ways

 

[teletail]

Don't forget Dr. Robert

And Doc Johnson!

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

Animals have evolved to adapt to the food available. Humans included. Historically people further from the equator had less access to edible vegetation so naturally their metabolism was well adapted to animal sources, fewer vegetables. Get closer to the equator and things got a bit more varied depending on the culture. All those years of evolution didn't just change overnight because we fly food in from all over the world.

Everyone is different.

I like the one meal a day thing. In some other cultures that's pretty normal. Certainly very common in many parts of the world to have one large meal - and it's often in the middle of the day when we have a need for fuel and time to burn off the excess before bedtime.

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

As for women flirting, I've learned any notion of that is purely my imagination heading down the path of optimism. Occasionally with disaster closely in tow. But that's a whole other thread of despair.

 

[rghill]

+1000

And people still think that by eating 3 squares a day and constantly snacking they "get energy that helps them work" when all they're doing is constantly spiking their insulin and feeding their cravings.

Ridiculous.

Nothing gives you more energy than actual FAT burning and you can get to your fat "storage" when you DON'T eat ,the less OFTEN you eat the more fat you burn.

Not rocket science exactly

I think that the "multiple small meals" advice will not hold up well as people age and start to suffer from insulin resistance.

That was the main driver for me to go to low carb (low sugar) and IF. My blood sugar had come back high in my last lab test, and trying to do something to halt or reverse insulin issues before Type II develops.

That is also a good reason to look at keto, or at least low carb in general.

 

[Wyzsard]

Occasionally with disaster closely in tow.

Yep, true that.

 

[Blue Bill]

The more I learn about doctors, the more I like my dog.

 

[Nogoodnamesleft]

The more I learn about doctors, the more I like my dog.

Keep in mind not all doctors share the same opinion. Look at Ignaz Semmelweis - he discovered that disinfecting one's hands after handling dead bodies reduced the mortality rate in the maternity ward.

Was he rewarded for this civilization altering discovery? No. His colleagues were so insulted they had him committed to an asylum.

 

[Nubs]

In the past 6 months or so, I believe I have lost about 40 lbs. total. A lot of people at work complimented me on the weight loss, but it was totally unintentional. They would ask me how I did it, and I would sort of skirt the response because I didn't want them to know the real reason for my weight loss, which was soul-crushing depression.

To be completely honest, I simply felt as if I was not worthy enough to eat. I almost completely lost my appetite and basically would not eat. And if I did finally sit down to eat, I would lose motivation to do so and would never finish the meal. I threw away more food than I have ever done so, which further deepened the depression.

Something I read online during this time really resonated with me. Sometimes weight loss is not a good thing. What if I had a terminal illness which caused me to waste away? Nowadays, we are so programmed to think that weight loss is good. Not all the time.

Now I do like how much better my clothes fit, and will eventually need to buy thinner jeans. And I can't remember the last time I was under 200 lbs, but here I am at 195. I suppose you could classify it as fasting to lose weight.

But the real advice I would give someone is - quantity over quality. IMO it's not what you eat, it's HOW MUCH of it you eat. Now that doesn't mean McDonald's and Cokes every day...there definitely needs to be variety and nutrition in your meals. But don't go stuffing your face EVERY meal, cuz that won't get it done. Eat until your satisfied, not until your full and get into the routine of exercise. I walk my dog twice a day, so those 5 miles we do every day definitely factors in.

Good luck man! I know you can do it!

 

[Ironwolf]

These shows were made in the periods before and during the "fat is bad" "you must only eat low fat" changes in American society. When this happened, in order to make food taste satisfying and desirable, fat was replaced with sugar. Result? A nearly instantaneous transition to an obese culture.

 

[Novak]

What works for me is just don't eat the first meal before about 11:00 AM and be done with eating (last meal) by about 7:00 PM. Don't snack while watching TV. Easy on the weekend beer; alcohol is harder to digest than other foods because it has to go through your liver. Get a little exercise in the AM before you eat; that way your metabolism can only burn stored fat because your last meal has been fully digested.

I started this program Jan. 4, weighing 233 pounds. This morning I tipped the scales at 195 1/2. When you lose it slow like this, it doesn't come back as fast. Full disclosure: my wife used to own a weight loss clinic.

YMMV

 

[Archtops]

I went from 206 to 166 by counting my calories, exercising 30 minutes a day 6 days a week. I stopped eating all dairy.
First meal of the day was important as it jumpstarts your metabolism so you burn calories off your fat instead of your muscles.
Actually was able to start surfing again which is why I wanted to exercise and dump the weight.
Years later I’m 189 lbs. due to OE and pandemic habits.

 

[dougstrum]

My dad had a couple of phrases about food. I believe both are true~

One was "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day".

The other he'd say to my mom about us boys "When they're hungry they'll eat".

 

[koen]

a bloated pig like Oprah

Seriously?