Health Benefits of Intermittant Fasting and OMAD (one meal a day)

[win231]

I'm recovering from food poisoning - likely from contaminated chicken. 101 temp, and the other two adventures that go with it - vomiting & the runs. I haven't wanted to eat for the past 3 days & I lost 6 lbs that I didn't really have to spare.

That's what I call a "Forced Fast."

 

[Catlady]

I'm recovering from food poisoning - likely from contaminated chicken. 101 temp, and the other two adventures that go with it - vomiting & the runs. I haven't wanted to eat for the past 3 days & I lost 6 lbs that I didn't really have to spare. That's what I call a "Forced Fast."

When I did my (rare) 72 hour detoxing fast that is what I lost, 6 lbs in 3 days. I'm going to do it again in January but only for detoxing, not to lose. Hope you're feeling better soon.

 

[fancicoffee13]

THAT is what I am presently doing. I fast for 22 hours and take 2 hours to eat my main meal and dessert or fruit and a small snack. I eat from 5-7 and stop eating after 7pm.

You are doing great. You do realize, though, that once you start eating regular for 2 days your weight loss will slow down. I eat regular on Sundays and right away gain 1-2 lbs. I don't mind really, but I seem to have hit a plateau and not losing more weight. I'm hoping it's just a plateau and I'll start losing again soon. If not, I won't cheat on Sundays anymore until I reach my goal weight. Sigh!

No, I didn't realize that, however, as I stepped on the scales I did notice it slowed a lot. Ok, so I do want more time to eat my one meal so I will take more time, eat slower maybe allowing a "break" to eat more. I am going to eat on the OMAD during the week Monday - Friday and then go back to regular meal times on Saturday and Sunday. I will see how that goes.

 

[Catlady]

No, I didn't realize that, however, as I stepped on the scales I did notice it slowed a lot. Ok, so I do want more time to eat my one meal so I will take more time, eat slower maybe allowing a "break" to eat more. I am going to eat on the OMAD during the week Monday - Friday and then go back to regular meal times on Saturday and Sunday. I will see how that goes.

Do you want to eat regular on weekends because you want to be able to socialize? If that is the reason, one guy I read about does the ''time restricted diet''. He fasts 18 hours and then is free to eat 6 hours, this gives him plenty of time to meet with friends and have a meal and drinks for 6 hours and still enjoy himself without feeling guilty. He does try to not overindulge during those 6 hours of socializing. The critical thing is that you HAVE to fast for at LEAST 12 hours for your body to run out of sugar/carbs and start eating the fat cells. So if fast more than 12 hours you start losing weight but the longer you fast and the less you eat the more you lose.

If you would rather eat regular on weekends and fast the other 5 days, that is okay too. See how it works out. Just remember, better to lose slowly than to lose too soon and too much and end up with bags of loose skin.

 

[Invictus]

I had mentioned in one of my comments that resistance training was the key to longevity...So I thought I'd leave this here for anyone who might be interested. https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/...5N7FMIGAaLnAuqfLJwxMOvgFJbtXpCGq0YgZfdsFT4cvU ...Oops I meant to post this on the aging thread...Sorry about that guys and gals...Still great info though.

 

[fancicoffee13]

Do you want to eat regular on weekends because you want to be able to socialize? If that is the reason, one guy I read about does the ''time restricted diet''. He fasts 18 hours and then is free to eat 6 hours, this gives him plenty of time to meet with friends and have a meal and drinks for 6 hours and still enjoy himself without feeling guilty. He does try to not overindulge during those 6 hours of socializing. The critical thing is that you HAVE to fast for at LEAST 12 hours for your body to run out of sugar/carbs and start eating the fat cells. So if fast more than 12 hours you start losing weight but the longer you fast and the less you eat the more you lose.

If you would rather eat regular on weekends and fast the other 5 days, that is okay too. See how it works out. Just remember, better to lose slowly than to lose too soon and too much and end up with bags of loose skin.

Actually, I miss eating, or am hungry. I have been toying with this idea of this diet. I looked on the website and they want you to fast and pick a 4 hour window to eat during one of those hours only. I really want to be able to eat say lunch and supper during a 4 hour window, that is if you are actually allowed to eat during those 4 hours and still lose weight. Do the calories remain the same (1400-1700)? I usually fast for at least 12 hours and then have a small lunch or supper, drink plenty of liquids during the day. I am losing about 4 pounds in 2 weeks.

 

[Catlady]

Actually, I miss eating, or am hungry. I have been toying with this idea of this diet. I looked on the website and they want you to fast and pick a 4 hour window to eat during one of those hours only. I really want to be able to eat say lunch and supper during a 4 hour window, that is if you are actually allowed to eat during those 4 hours and still lose weight. Do the calories remain the same (1400-1700)? I usually fast for at least 12 hours and then have a small lunch or supper, drink plenty of liquids during the day. I am losing about 4 pounds in 2 weeks.

When I reach my goal I plan an eating window from 12pm to 8pm. That will give me a 16 hour fast (so that's 4 hours of my body eating fat cells). At noon I can have breakfast or a light lunch and at 6-8pm I'll have my dinner. I think that will work ''for me'' and maintain my weight loss.

I don't count calories, that's the biggest reason why I love this diet. I ''try" to limit bread and other starches but am not fanatic about it. Last night I made a focaccia and ate HALF of it (I was craving bread so badly). I topped it with roasted peppers marinated in olive oil and cider vinegar and sprinkled it with grated parmesan and had green salad with a little cheese. I haven't had bread in two weeks and it was heavenly. Until I get to my goal weight I'm sticking to the 22 hours fast. THIS time I am serious about losing that extra weight. My health and my ego demands it!

You said = I usually fast for at least 12 hours and then have a small lunch or supper
You won't lose any weight that way, because at 12 hours your body will be getting a new supply of carbs to replace the carbs it just finished, it has not had any time to enter ketosis (eating the fat cells). You have to fast MORE than 12 hours, the longer the fast past 12 hours the greater the weight loss.

 

[Keesha]

High protein is not hard on the liver or kidneys if you're a healthy person...That silly pseudoscience has been debunked in many scientific studies...I've been eating a high protein diet all of my life and I'm in perfect health at 53 years of age...And most adults are deficient in vitamin D, and the body needs vitamin D, especially vitamin D3, to absorb calcium...If you're deficient in vitamin D you can take in all the calcium rich foods and all the calcium supplements you want, and you wont absorb any of it...
"Eating a high-protein diet doesn't appear to harm the kidneys or liver unless there is pre-existing damage and dysfunction. It's possible that dramatically increasing protein intake in a short timespan can lead to adverse effects on the liver and kidneys, but evidence for this is lacking. Bone health also appears to be either largely unaffected by eating more protein."

https://examine.com/nutrition/can-eating-too-much-protein-be-bad-for-you/

I had a long post written out in my notes but I can no longer use my notes or any other means of adding anything to this site except for photos .

I disagree with your comments about a keto diet of high protein , high fat and the potential damage it can have on the kidneys especially newcomers.

A keto diet is based on approximately 70 to 80% calories from from fat, another 20% from protein and 5% or less from carbohydrates.

The keto diet is HARD on the kidneys. You don’t HAVE to have kidney disease for this diet to be hard on the kidneys. The diet isn’t selective. It doesn’t care whether you are young or old. It’s hard on EVERYONE’S kidneys, but especially the diseased and older ones, like seniors have.

Fatty foods like butter and animal fats increase blood pressure while the higher proteins put extra stress on the kidneys by adding more uric acid. This increases the body’s level of calcium and throws the balance off.

Diets high in protein and fats may increase the risk of gout which is a painful type of arthritis.

Something that can greatly help this is by drinking lemons and water. The citrate breaks down the calcium molecules preventing them from sticking together .

Too much fat can raise chronic disease risk. People on high fat diets are more at risk of developing atrial fibrillation which can lead to stroke or heart failure.

It can also be a risk to type 2 diabetes. While a low carb diet is known to be beneficial, the keto diet might be too restrictive in sugars to be beneficial. It can cause episodes of hypoglycaemia where blood sugars levels fall dangerously low.

Seasoned keto dieters might well be educated enough regarding these pitfalls but the average person doesn’t know enough about these things which is why it’s only professionally recommended for a maximum period of 6 months.

For those who wish to do this for longer periods of time you are best consulting with a professional to help you. It’s not as simple and clear cut as it may seem.

 

[Invictus]

I had a long post written out in my notes but I can no longer use my notes or any other means of adding anything to this site except for photos .

I disagree with your comments about a keto diet of high protein , high fat and the potential damage it can have on the kidneys especially newcomers.

A keto diet is based on approximately 70 to 80% calories from from fat, another 20% from protein and 5% or less from carbohydrates.

The keto diet is HARD on the kidneys. You don’t HAVE to have kidney disease for this diet to be hard on the kidneys. The diet isn’t selective. It doesn’t care whether you are young or old. It’s hard on EVERYONE’S kidneys, but especially the diseased and older ones, like seniors have.

Fatty foods like butter and animal fats increase blood pressure while the higher proteins put extra stress on the kidneys by adding more uric acid. This increases the body’s level of calcium and throws the balance off.

Diets high in protein and fats may increase the risk of gout which is a painful type of arthritis.

Something that can greatly help this is by drinking lemons and water. The citrate breaks down the calcium molecules preventing them from sticking together .

Too much fat can raise chronic disease risk. People on high fat diets are more at risk of developing atrial fibrillation which can lead to stroke or heart failure.

It can also be a risk to type 2 diabetes. While a low carb diet is known to be beneficial, the keto diet might be too restrictive in sugars to be beneficial. It can cause episodes of hypoglycaemia where blood sugars levels fall dangerously low.

Seasoned keto dieters might well be educated enough regarding these pitfalls but the average person doesn’t know enough about these things which is why it’s only professionally recommended for a maximum period of 6 months.

For those who wish to do this for longer periods of time you are best consulting with a professional to help you. It’s not as simple and clear cut as it may seem.

Did you read this? https://examine.com/nutrition/can-eating-too-much-protein-be-bad-for-you/ I never told anyone to do the Keto diet, I do and recommend intermittent fasting, not Keto...I said high protein won't hurt healthy people, and it won't...All the medical professionals I know and read about agree, and science proves this fact...But do what works for you...And healthy fats are great for you and actually improve your overall health...Plus they're so dam tasty!

 

[Keesha]

Did you read this? https://examine.com/nutrition/can-eating-too-much-protein-be-bad-for-you/ I never told anyone to do the Keto diet, I do and recommend intermittent fasting, not Keto...I said high protein won't hurt healthy people, and it won't...All the medical professionals I know and read about agree, and science proves this fact...But do what works for you...And healthy fats are great for you and actually improve your overall health...Plus they're so dam tasty!

The main thing I’m disagreeing with is that high protein only damages already damaged kidneys. I completely agree that healthy oils ARE great for the body.

I’m not arguing that you don’t know what you are talking about. You ‘clearly’ do. What I’m trying to emphasize is that newcomers might not know all the information needed to follow through on a low carb diet , in a healthy way.

Many people still think lard and olive oil are equal fats and with the new rave about low carb and keto to lose weight, it can be not only misleading, but damaging.

 

[Invictus]

Oh I'm not trying to argue, it's just a interesting discussion to me...You made some valid points...I did Keto for 90 days and lost a lot of body fat and got ripped, but being Italian I missed all my pasta and carbs. ..So I switched to intermittent fasting so I could enjoy carbs again...It works well for me as I'm still very muscular and have low body fat percentage at 300 lbs...People just need to experiment to see what works best for them and their lifestyle, and should always have a doctor monitor their health with regular blood tests...Good discussion Keesha.

 

[Invictus]

Many people still think lard and olive oil are equal fats and with the new rave about low carb and keto to lose weight, it can be not only misleading, but damaging.

Oh and you are absolutely correct about this...When I was on Keto some people who were living on pounds of bacon everyday attacked me for eating too much vegetables. ...They call it dirty Keto...They eat nothing but bad fats and crappy foods all day and night...That's crazy!...I didn't do dirty Keto, I did healthy Keto with lean meats, healthy fats, and plenty of green veggies...And even though my vegetable intake put me way above my daily carb limit of 25 grams I still lost body fat.

 

[Keesha]

Oh I'm not trying to argue, it's just a interesting discussion to me...You made some valid points...I did Keto for 90 days and lost a lot of body fat and got ripped, but being Italian I missed all my pasta and carbs. ..So I switched to intermittent fasting so I could enjoy carbs again...It works well for me as I'm still very muscular and have low body fat percentage at 300 lbs...People just need to experiment to see what works best for them and their lifestyle, and should always have a doctor monitor their health with regular blood tests...Good discussion Keesha.

Oh for sure. My brother in law lost over 100 pounds also. He’s not quite at the ripped stage but is doing very well. He was monitored by his doctor.

He married an Italian who is one of my best friends and I understand about Italians and their pasta.

I agree. People need to experiment and discover what works best for them and have a qualified doctor monitor their progress. That’s great advice Invictus.

Good discussion indeed.

 

[Ladybj]

With all the worrying we do about eating all "the necessary foods" I invite you to google "neophobia". I have a perfectly healthy daughter who has NEVER eaten a fruit or vegetable in her life. It baffles me.

I agree.. my husband eats whatever he wants and he is only on 1 med at the age 57. I am the "neophobic". I try to eat healthy most of the time.

 

[Ladybj]

Oh and you are absolutely correct about this...When I was on Keto some people who were living on pounds of bacon everyday attacked me for eating too much vegetables. ...They call it dirty Keto...They eat nothing but bad fats and crappy foods all day and night...That's crazy!...I didn't do dirty Keto, I did healthy Keto with lean meats, healthy fats, and plenty of green veggies...And even though my vegetable intake put me way above my daily carb limit of 25 grams I still lost body fat.

I could not imagine eating pounds of bad fat My body would not like me... especially my tummy.

 

[Invictus]

I agree.. my husband eats whatever he wants and he is only on 1 med at the age 57. I am the "neophobic". I try to eat healthy most of the time.

Genetics also play a big part in health...I knew people who ate healthy and exercised all their lives, didn't smoke, didn't drink, and still succumbed to heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, etc...It just ran in their families and they unfortunately carried the same bad genes for those diseases...I knew people who never exercised ate too much, smoked, drank too much, and lived to be in their late 90's, and died from natural causes due to the aging process...My Grandparents were all like that.

 

[Catlady]

but being Italian I missed all my pasta and carbs.

Oh, you're Italian! Paisano! I was born in Abbruzzi, where are your people from in Italy?

 

[Invictus]

My Grandparents on my Mothers side were from a small village in northern Italy, and my Grandparents on my Fathers side were from Sicily...My parents were both born and raised in NYC and I was too.

 

[win231]

Oh I'm not trying to argue, it's just a interesting discussion to me...You made some valid points...I did Keto for 90 days and lost a lot of body fat and got ripped, but being Italian I missed all my pasta and carbs. ..So I switched to intermittent fasting so I could enjoy carbs again...It works well for me as I'm still very muscular and have low body fat percentage at 300 lbs...People just need to experiment to see what works best for them and their lifestyle, and should always have a doctor monitor their health with regular blood tests...Good discussion Keesha.

HA! You think you're ripped? Check out my photo from yesterday:

 

[Keesha]

 

[fancicoffee13]

When I reach my goal I plan an eating window from 12pm to 8pm. That will give me a 16 hour fast (so that's 4 hours of my body eating fat cells). At noon I can have breakfast or a light lunch and at 6-8pm I'll have my dinner. I think that will work ''for me'' and maintain my weight loss.

I don't count calories, that's the biggest reason why I love this diet. I ''try" to limit bread and other starches but am not fanatic about it. Last night I made a focaccia and ate HALF of it (I was craving bread so badly). I topped it with roasted peppers marinated in olive oil and cider vinegar and sprinkled it with grated parmesan and had green salad with a little cheese. I haven't had bread in two weeks and it was heavenly. Until I get to my goal weight I'm sticking to the 22 hours fast. THIS time I am serious about losing that extra weight. My health and my ego demands it!

You said = I usually fast for at least 12 hours and then have a small lunch or supper
You won't lose any weight that way, because at 12 hours your body will be getting a new supply of carbs to replace the carbs it just finished, it has not had any time to enter ketosis (eating the fat cells). You have to fast MORE than 12 hours, the longer the fast past 12 hours the greater the weight loss.

Oh, I see. Thanks for the answer. I am back to exercising. I was on the exercise bike for 20 minutes yesterday. I am through with physical therapy on my total knee replacement. I plan to do more of the workout stuff as my knee allows. Just walking and stepping up and down off a curb or step is still a major goal. I am at almost 3 months after the surgery. I see my surgery doctor today, and hope what he says is encouraging.

 

[fancicoffee13]

Genetics also play a big part in health...I knew people who ate healthy and exercised all their lives, didn't smoke, didn't drink, and still succumbed to heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes, etc...It just ran in their families and they unfortunately carried the same bad genes for those diseases...I knew people who never exercised ate too much, smoked, drank too much, and lived to be in their late 90's, and died from natural causes due to the aging process...My Grandparents were all like that.

And it just makes me think, is it just the medicine world that is inventing all these medications to make huge amounts of money, when we could just eat sensibly and enjoy the foods we grew up on. Forget about going sugar free, gluten free and all that stuff. I would really like to go back and eat all that delicious food, in right proportions of course.

 

[Jaylee]

And it just makes me think, is it just the medicine world that is inventing all these medications to make huge amounts of money, when we could just eat sensibly and enjoy the foods we grew up on. Forget about going sugar free, gluten free and all that stuff. I would really like to go back and eat all that delicious food, in right proportions of course.

About seven months ago, I gave up all forms of sugar for Lent. Not just sweets, or sugar in my coffee - I read labels after learning all the different names for any form of sugar so I could avoid it. It was HARD to find foods I could have. I definitely couldn't have anything with a bar code on it.

I wasn't fat when I started, just a jiggly size 8, with a decent amount of tummy fat that I decided was simply part of the aging process. I was also sick all the time with something that I now believe was Metabolic Syndrome. Anyway, after 3 months with no sugar, I was a size 2, my energy went through the roof, I slept like a baby, and my 2-3 times per week migraines were gone. So was my tummy. So I started researching what happened to me, and it's fascinating - the way the body will heal itself if given the chance.

In the past few months, I've gone low carb. I eat as much protein as I want, with the fat, but my carbs come only from fruits and vegetables. I do allow myself some sugar in my coffee (carefully measured), but other than that, I drink lemon water. The result: Now I'm a size 0-1 and my BMI says I'm underweight, so I'm adding calories wherever I can. Things like nuts, eggs, cheese, and whole milk. I feel thirty years younger. But I also do a cheat meal every 11-14 days, because life without pizza and ice cream is just sad.

Anyone else indulge in cheat meals? My next one is on Thanksgiving. You can bet I'm planning a really decadent (but small) dessert for myself LOL. No alcohol, though - I just don't tolerate it well anymore.

 

[Catlady]

You can bet I'm planning a really decadent (but small) dessert for myself LOL. No alcohol, though - I just don't tolerate it well anymore.

For me that would be Tiramisu, what is yours? I drink 3/4 cup Sangria with main meal, they claim red wine keeps your veins uncluttered.

 

[Keesha]

How tall are you Jaylee?