The science of intermittent fasting

[Afro_Vacancy]

If you're 155 lbs at 180 cm tall do you really need to lose more weight?

Are you male or female?

 

[Senku]

If you're 155 lbs at 180 cm tall do you really need to lose more weight?

Are you male or female?

male

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I'm doing another multi-day fast, I'm not sure how long yet.

Wednesday, August 17th, 85.3 kg, 188.1 lbs, after one night of fasting
Thursday, August 18th, 83.7 Kg, 184.5 lbs, after 36 hours of fasting

So I'm tracking ~2.5 lbs below the three-day fast I did 16 days earlier, which went like this:
August 2nd, 86.8 Kg, 191.3 lbs, after one night of fasting
August 3rd, 84.6 Kg, 186.5 lbs, after 36 hours of fasting
August 4th, 83.6 kg, 184.3 lbs, after 60 hours of fasting
August 5th, 82.3 Kg, 181.4 lbs, after 84 hours of fasting

This is my second go at a longer-term, though of course I'm not long-term yet as it's only my second day. If it works well this might be my long-term regimen: one fast of 3 or 4 days every month, indefinitely.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

Wednesday, August 17th, 85.3 kg, 188.1 lbs, after one night of fasting
Thursday, August 18th, 83.7 Kg, 184.5 lbs, after 36 hours of fasting
Friday, August 19th, 82.7 Kg, 182.3 lbs

So I'm tracking ~2.5 lbs below the three-day fast I did 16 days earlier, which went like this:
August 2nd, 86.8 Kg, 191.3 lbs, after one night of fasting
August 3rd, 84.6 Kg, 186.5 lbs, after 36 hours of fasting
August 4th, 83.6 kg, 184.3 lbs, after 60 hours of fasting
August 5th, 82.3 Kg, 181.4 lbs, after 84 hours of fasting

I tracked about two pounds lower than my last three-day fast. Anyhow, this fast stops at 60 hours (24 hours less than last time), as I have certain things to do today.

My chin and cheekbones look a lot better at 82 Kg than they do at 85 Kg, but I didn't lose 3 Kg of fat, I lost 1 Kg of fat and 2 Kg of water. It will mostly come back, and lets me know what I need to do.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

This is an interesting article I tracked down this week. It includes studies on each of yeast, mouse, and people. This is unusual as normally they'd break that up into three separate papers, but it does come off as more convincing this way. That's the first way in which this article is noteworthy.

The second is that a "fast-mimicking" diet, ~800 calories a day, for five consecutive days, once a month for three months. For the other 25 days of the month, eat as you normally would. This does confer a lot of the same benefits as genuine fast. Maybe not with the same amplitude, but in the same direction. This includes a ~5% reduction in body fat coupled with a very small increase in lean mass, and decreases in inflammation and blood glucose.

This is arguably the easiest fasting protocol with documented evidence in the literature.

They argue that periodic fasts may help with stress resistance, lifespan, adiposity, cancer, inflammation, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, ageing, immune and cognitive regeneration. We'll need more article to be sure

There are now more advanced studies directly investigating whether or not fasting is an effective aid in anti-cancer treatments. They're under way. I think by the same authors.

http://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(15)00224-7

 

[buckthorn]

May 21st, 2016, 88.3 Kg, 194.7 lbs
May 28th 2016, 88.6 Kg, 195.3 lbs
June 4th, 2016, 87.2 Kg,192.2 lbs
June 11th, 2016, 87.3 Kg, 192.5 lbs
June 20th, 2016, 87.1 Kg, 192.1 lbs
June 25th, 2016, 85.6 Kg, 188.7 lbs
July 2nd, 2016, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 9th, 2016, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 17th, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 30th, 84.3 kg, 185.8 lbs

Jesus man! Good for you! You're really taking control of your business despite all the crap you have to deal with.

I started a kind of "fast" and was wondering your opinion. I wake up around 7-9 and will have one meal consisting of lean meat or eggs and veggies. I then will have a light snack around 12-2, also consisting of either nuts, eggs, lean meat and veggies. That's it. I drink a LOT of water throughout the day. Mind you, I am 5'9" ish and 190 friggin lbs, so that's why I am doing this. One year ago, I was 165. I do have a good amount of muscle, but no where near 190lbs worth haha. Watcha think? I want to be 170 by December. Note - my metabolism is sh*T

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

Jesus man! Good for you! You're really taking control of your business despite all the crap you have to deal with.

I started a kind of "fast" and was wondering your opinion. I wake up around 7-9 and will have one meal consisting of lean meat or eggs and veggies. I then will have a light snack around 12-2, also consisting of either nuts, eggs, lean meat and veggies. That's it. I drink a LOT of water throughout the day. Mind you, I am 5'9" ish and 190 friggin lbs, so that's why I am doing this. One year ago, I was 165. I do have a good amount of muscle, but no where near 190lbs worth haha. Watcha think? I want to be 170 by December. Note - my metabolism is sh*T

Hey, thanks for the interest !

Is this what you're eating everyday? In which case it's very likely to make you lose weight, though how much depends on the portion size which I can't ascertain from your post.

You are at the very least following an 8-hour eating window, albeit an unconventional one where you eat breakfast and lunch where eating lunch and dinner is usually standard. That shouldn't matter, maybe it does but I don't think so. The main reason people have dinner is for social reasons.

There are a few issues though. The first is I don't think your meats need to be "lean" for one. Fatty acids can be very good for you, and I think grass-fed beef has a better fatty acid profile than corn-fed beef. Alternatively you can pour olive oil, cheese, or butter on your meats, in modest quantities. Garlic, onion, ginger, spices, and herbs are your friends if you have time.

The second issue is that losing 20 lbs in the next 10 weeks is ambitious. I think you'll lose weight on your plan, but it's difficult to lose that much weight. If you want to accelerate the process, your options are weight lifting or high-intensity interval training (would have to be before food), and a few harder fasts spaced wherever you can. Like if you have three days off, somewhere, where you can just lie down and read, do a 3-day fast. I did a two-day fast.

ETA: If you're going to commit, please make this thread a more happening place by posting a diary like I have.

And take your weight first thing in the morning before food or drink, to be more precise.

 

[kj6723]

ETA: If you're going to commit, please make this thread a more happening place by posting a diary like I have.

I'm still doing the one fairly large meal a day + constant flow of protein. I've been sticking to it Monday-Friday. Saturday I have approx. 3 meals and allow myself to snack, and Sunday I eat like 2 meals.

Combined with working out 6 days a week, I've been able to maintain 8-10% bodyfat (I haven't measured it, but this is an estimation based on vascularity, striations, etc.) I would really like to be able to maintain 6-7%, but I feel like this would be quite difficult. I'm trying to come up with ways in my head to possibly create a higher calorie deficit without making myself miserable. Maybe I could cut down the size of some of my meals Monday-Friday...I don't know, it's quite difficult to hold back when it's the only real meal I eat in a 24 hour period. I'm only interested in making a change if it's something I'll be able to sustain for the long term.

I'm also about to start back to school full time, and I don't know how the constant hunger throughout the day might affect my ability to concentrate, study etc. I guess we'll see

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I'm still doing the one fairly large meal a day + constant flow of protein. I've been sticking to it Monday-Friday. Saturday I have approx. 3 meals and allow myself to snack, and Sunday I eat like 2 meals.

Combined with working out 6 days a week, I've been able to maintain 8-10% bodyfat (I haven't measured it, but this is an estimation based on vascularity, striations, etc.) I would really like to be able to maintain 6-7%, but I feel like this would be quite difficult. I'm trying to come up with ways in my head to possibly create a higher calorie deficit without making myself miserable. Maybe I could cut down the size of some of my meals Monday-Friday...I don't know, it's quite difficult to hold back when it's the only real meal I eat in a 24 hour period. I'm only interested in making a change if it's something I'll be able to sustain for the long term.

I'm also about to start back to school full time, and I don't know how the constant hunger throughout the day might affect my ability to concentrate, study etc. I guess we'll see

I've had a binge since my last 48-hour fast. It's my last week in Canberra and I've hung out with people a lot, several going-away celebrations with different groups of friends. Next week I have a three-day academic conference (lots of networking to do), then 3 days of meeting relatives in Los Angeles. So it's two weeks of cheat meals basically lol, I'll have to be careful.

Luckily I still fit in all of my size 34 pants, which I have only bought recently after working my way down from size 40/42. I own 5 pairs -- I want to work down to size 32 or even 31.

If you want to drop 3% of body fat, which means about 5 lbs for you, the easiest way might simply be a 5-day water-only fast. It will be gone, and then you just have to maintain. You're 5 days off, it's not even a huge journey.

 

[kj6723]

I've had a binge since my last 48-hour fast. It's my last week in Canberra and I've hung out with people a lot, several going-away celebrations with different groups of friends. Next week I have a three-day academic conference (lots of networking to do), then 3 days of meeting relatives in Los Angeles. So it's two weeks of cheat meals basically lol, I'll have to be careful.

Luckily I still fit in all of my size 34 pants, which I have only bought recently after working my way down from size 40/42. I own 5 pairs -- I want to work down to size 32 or even 31.

If you want to drop 3% of body fat, which means about 5 lbs for you, the easiest way might simply be a 5-day water-only fast. It will be gone, and then you just have to maintain. You're 5 days off, it's not even a huge journey.

Dropping 6-8 pant sizes is quite an accomplishment, congrats! It's more motivation to stick with something when you're actually seeing results.

Maybe I'll try a 3 day protein only fast and see where it puts me. I'll be working out, so I want to make sure my muscles are still getting fuel for repair

3% is super excessive lol...I'm pretty sure that's like, bodybuilding competition day level, where the entire body is vascular as f*ck. Even 6-7% is lower than pretty much any ripped dude you'll see is likely maintaining. Very few people go below 8% for an extended period of time...I think 6-7% is a good goal for myself, maybe 5% if I'm really ambitious

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I honestly suggest no protein, and no exercise. That methodology is studied so you know what you're getting into.

 

[kj6723]

I honestly suggest no protein, and no exercise. That methodology is studied so you know what you're getting into.

Just edited my post right before you posted btw

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

3% was a typo, I meant 6%, as in you drop 3% to get to 6% from 9%.

Anyway, the reason fasting works is the hormonal response: massive drop in insulin and c-reactive protein, increase in HGH, and for that matter increase in autophagy and BDNF. That might still happen if you take ~100 grams a day of proteins and BCAAs, no idea. Working out might also make you f*****g hungry.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I'm currently travelling, so doing 36-hour fasts is inconvenient as part of travelling is meeting new people, networking, trying out the local food scene, and so on.

I am therefore sticking to an approximate 8-hour eating window, which in practice means no food before 1200pm. Today I broke my fast with some mixed tree nuts, a glass of unsweetened soy milk, a few strawberries and figs, but I had a lot of food afterwards as I'm travelling.

The morning, I weighed in at 84.1 Kg (185.4 lbs), unfasted. I'll see how much damage in a week or two when I buy a new scale.

Next week my travels are over so I'll try and schedule a decent fast, hopefully at least 2 days. Within a month I'd like to try a 5-day fast.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

May 21st, 2016, 88.3 Kg, 194.7 lbs
May 28th 2016, 88.6 Kg, 195.3 lbs
June 4th, 2016, 87.2 Kg,192.2 lbs
June 11th, 2016, 87.3 Kg, 192.5 lbs
June 20th, 2016, 87.1 Kg, 192.1 lbs
June 25th, 2016, 85.6 Kg, 188.7 lbs
July 2nd, 2016, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 9th, 2016, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 17th, 85.3 Kg, 188.1 lbs
July 30th, 84.3 kg, 185.8 lbs
August 4th, 83.6 kg, 184.3 lbs
August 5th, 82.3 Kg, 181.4 lbs
August 9th, 82.9 Kg, 182.7 lbs
August 18th, 83.7 Kg, 184.5 lbs,
August 19th, 82.7 Kg, 182.3 lbs
September 5th, 2016, ---

I sort of fasted yesterday, I had a small amount of nuts (~150 calories?) a medium cappuccino and a small latte, so around 350 calories. However I didn't take my weight this morning as there is no scale in my apartment. I did buy one today so I'll have my weight taken down tomorrow. So far today I have consumed no calories.

I'm weary of finding out how much damage there's been from my last two weeks, which involved a lot of food-oriented food activities. If it says 190 lbs I might cry.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

September 5th, 2016, ---
September 6th, 83.8 Kg, 184.8 lbs

So I did gain weight in my two weeks of bingeing (around 3 lbs), it's bad but not as bad as I worried. At least my pants are feeling loose again today. I have not yet decided if I'll be fasting again today.

There might be an error since I'm using a different scale -- no way to know.

 

[kj6723]

So I didn't end up doing the protein only fast or a water fast, however, I have been holding back slightly more in my evening meal, and eating less binge like over the weekends(still allowing myself to splurge a bit, but not quite as much as I had been.)

I have to be at least bordering on 7% now. Cheekbones even more prominent, the vascularity in my calves has increased, and although I've had veins between my abs and my groin for some time, today I noticed a vein very slightly starting to pop just below my 6 pack that wasn't there even a few days ago, as well as a vein running up each of my inner thighs. These are unprecedented levels of vascularity for me.

I want to see how low I can go, but I'm not sure how long I will be able to sustain this. Although I am not miserable on this diet, I do miss eating until I am full. I don't enjoy that pleasure right now, as I've been consciously stopping myself from continuing to eat. However, I do eat a significant desert every day, and I think that is helping me deal with it psychologically.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

So I didn't end up doing the protein only fast or a water fast, however, I have been holding back slightly more in my evening meal, and eating less binge like over the weekends(still allowing myself to splurge a bit, but not quite as much as I had been.)

I have to be at least bordering on 7% now. Cheekbones even more prominent, the vascularity in my calves has increased, and although I've had veins between my abs and my groin for some time, today I noticed a vein very slightly starting to pop just below my 6 pack that wasn't there even a few days ago, as well as a vein running up each of my inner thighs. These are unprecedented levels of vascularity for me.

I want to see how low I can go, but I'm not sure how long I will be able to sustain this. Although I am not miserable on this diet, I do miss eating until I am full. I don't enjoy that pleasure right now, as I've been consciously stopping myself from continuing to eat. However, I do eat a significant desert every day, and I think that is helping me deal with it psychologically.

Congratulations on making further progress on an already impressive physique. And you're doing it with a daily dessert which is incredible.

In terms of how low you can go, I'm pretty confident the physiological limit is around 3-4%. Competition bodybuilders get to 3%, you never hear about 1%. Further, within fasting studies, fasting stops working at around 4% bodyfat, and your body switches from metabolizing fat to metabolizing lean mass for energy.

How low do you want to go though? IMO, the bodybuilders at 3% BF look ugly, so there's a point below which one should stop cutting fat. You might also end up with a wardrobe full of size 26 pants from an era where you had a weight you couldn't maintain. I

Just checked this reddit on whether or not women find vascularity sexy, a common view is that they like seeing veins on forearms:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomen/comments/3mkso0/do_you_find_vascularity_attractive/

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I just found out that Martin Berkhan, one of the people most responsible for the current wave of IF, has an interesting twitter feed.
https://twitter.com/Martinberkhan?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

Also saw this article:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/06/intermittent-fasting-and-stubborn-body.html
Intermittent Fasting and Stubborn Body Fat
It's the first piece of writing I've ever seen make a competent case for changing the distribution of body fat on the body. Apparently intermittent fasting (for ~16 hours) is more effective at targetting "stubborn" body fat.

 

[kj6723]

Congratulations on making further progress on an already impressive physique. And you're doing it with a daily dessert which is incredible.

In terms of how low you can go, I'm pretty confident the physiological limit is around 3-4%. Competition bodybuilders get to 3%, you never hear about 1%. Further, within fasting studies, fasting stops working at around 4% bodyfat, and your body switches from metabolizing fat to metabolizing lean mass for energy.

How low do you want to go though? IMO, the bodybuilders at 3% BF look ugly, so there's a point below which one should stop cutting fat. You might also end up with a wardrobe full of size 26 pants from an era where you had a weight you couldn't maintain. I

Just checked this reddit on whether or not women find vascularity sexy, a common view is that they like seeing veins on forearms:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskWomen/comments/3mkso0/do_you_find_vascularity_attractive/

I guess I'm just kind of testing my limits right now...really no specific goal in mind. My transplant is the first week of January, and surgeon's orders are no exercise for 1 month post op, so right now I'm leaning toward kind of just eating whatever I want between December and the 1st week of February, and then going hardercore again with exercise and diet...hopefully start seeing some nice hair gains as my physique is once again peaking...this is all speculative and very far in the future though lol, but I do think I will take a break from worrying about what I eat starting in December and continuing until I resume exercise post op.

For now I'm going to stay the course as long as I can stand it...maybe I'll make it to December or maybe I'll break next week. Guess we'll see lol

I could probably fit into size 26 pants now. For years I've been buying 29's and 30's because most stores don't sell anything smaller, and I have to wear a belt to keep them from sagging.

I think forearm vascularity is essential for pulling off the "exceptionally fit" look, and if you're wearing shorts a lot, vascularity in the calves is also a good look. 8-10% should be good enough for this...moreso towards the lower end for the calves. I do think 6-7% is better, although very difficult and unrealistic for most people to maintain. I agree that 3-4% is probably too much....the vascularity is freakish, and the face also starts to look more gaunt than strikingly handsome at these levels