The science of intermittent fasting

[kj6723]

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.

Rockin those elite level cheek bones

 

[kj6723]

Before I started my current run of the 1 meal a day diet, I was about 165 lbs with somewhat visible abs (I'm 5'6.5") Now I'm like 145 lbs and slightly stronger.

It's amazing how much body fat even a "skinny" person still has spread across their frame

 

[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.

I tried to do a ~36-hour fast yesterday but I somehow got noxious around ~5:00pm, so I had a bowl of high-fat yogurt with cinnamon, a bit of jam, and some chia seed / flaxseed blend, along with a small handful of mixed nuts, some olives and marinated vegetables. Maybe 650 calories r so. I'm not sure why I felt noxious -- might have been too much coffee. I should limit myself to 1 glass of coffee during fasts.

Anyway, I clocked in at
September 13th, 2016, 181.6 lbs, 82.4 kg
on the scale this morning. It's my record low for this year and likely since 2006. This was done without being fully dehydrated, without being fully fasted, and with a habitated digestive system.

My stomach is flat when I'm standing, not when I'm sitting, I think. But I still don't see my abs. I'm hoping to get to abs by the time I hit 170. All of my size 34 pants are loose, so I might be a 32.

 

[kj6723]

Last week I didn't allow myself a single cheat day, as in I just ate dinner 7 days/week, but I ended up binging last night. I'd guess I was rocking a pretty consistent 7% up to that point. Now I'm probably back at 8%. Again these percentages are guesses without actually measuring.

Here's me right now

(Stars are to hide my tats) this is with no pump or flex, although the lighting is good

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

What do you have for tattoos that you're so embarassed? swastikas? unicorns?

Nice figure bro. You are very fit.

 

[kj6723]

What do you have for tattoos that you're so embarassed? swastikas? unicorns?

Nice figure bro. You are very fit.

Lol well I'm not embarrassed of all of them, just a couple, but regardless they'd put me on blast if anyone who knew me in real life was browsing these boards

 

[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 3rd, 84.6 Kg, 186.5 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, ---
September 6th, 83.8 Kg, 184.8 lbs
September 13th, 2016, 181.6 lbs, 82.4 kg (following incomplete fast)
September 24th, 82.6 Kg, 182 lbs
September 25th, 80.8 Kg, 178.2 lbs

I'm doing a ~3.5 day fast now and it's very difficult and thus I think I'll do fewer fasts in the near future. In my three most recent fasting attempts, I was very close to fainting on the morning of September 6th after a 2-day fast. On September 12th, I was not feeling well and forced myself to have a ~650 calorie dinner. Today, at the near-completion of a ~3.5 day fast, I have spent large swaths of the weekend bedridden. I did not feel nearly this bad during my last 3-day fast, which was August 2-4. Incidentally I'm tracking ~5 lbs lower than I was at that point some ~6 weeks ago.

I'm not sure what the difference is. It may be that after all this cumulative fasting, I count 23 days over 5 months, I am low on reserve electrolytes. It may also be that it's a less efficient process at lower body fat stores. You can see above some ~17 lbs of weight loss over 5 months.

So all in all, I'm going to eat tomorrow morning, and then take an extended break from water-fasting. I might try five consecutive days sometime in October of eating ~800 calories a day, that method has been backed by studies and still allows intake of a lot of electrolytes. I might go back to doing a 3-5 day water fast in late November (two months from now), as I'll have two weeks of travelling during which I'll be eating excessively.

My BF% is still high, thus I think my issue is electrolytes. I'm going to work on consuming a lot of electrolytes in the next two months. A simple google search tells me to emphasize beans, green vegetables, nuts, soups, for electrolytes, so I'll do that. My kitchen stuff is still in the mail so I got to find a butcher that sells bone broth.

 

[diffuse_thinner]

I wish I could handle fasting. I've long wanted to do it for the health and weight loss benefits. 2 days ago, I started the day with 1/2 cup of berries with Greek yogurt and vowed not to eat again until the following morning. By about 5pm I was irritable and couldn't concentrate so I stopped. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten anything at all? I recall someone saying it is easier if you don't eat a thing rather than eating small amounts.

 

[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 3rd, 84.6 Kg, 186.5 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, ---
September 6th, 83.8 Kg, 184.8 lbs
September 13th, 2016, 181.6 lbs, 82.4 kg (following incomplete fast)
September 24th, 82.6 Kg, 182 lbs
September 25th, 80.8 Kg, 178.2 lbs
September 26th, 79.7 Kg, 175.8 lbs

OK, so it seems like I'm 5-6 lbs lower then I was at the end of my last three-day fast (August 6th). Progress has been good but I'm taking a break from intermediate-length fasts (i.e. fasts longer than 36 hours). In the next few days I'll be regaining water weight, but I hope to level off below 180 lbs.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I wish I could handle fasting. I've long wanted to do it for the health and weight loss benefits. 2 days ago, I started the day with 1/2 cup of berries with Greek yogurt and vowed not to eat again until the following morning. By about 5pm I was irritable and couldn't concentrate so I stopped. Maybe I shouldn't have eaten anything at all? I recall someone saying it is easier if you don't eat a thing rather than eating small amounts.

What kind of greek yogurt are you taking? Full-fat or the low-fat garbage? Low-fat garbage actually raises insulin by a lot, so it may actually stimulate your hunger. If you insist on eating low-fat yogurt, I recommend inhibiting the insulin spike, for example by adding almond flakes or other nuts, and maybe adding in cinnamon. But really, full-fat yogurt is better.

Try having nothing but water / sparkling water until ~1200pm, and then have a coffee (dark roast). For the rest of the day stick to tea / water/ sparkling water. That might be easier.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

Let me add this.

Guys younger and older than me shaved their head. They didn't give a f***.

They also beat me to the finish line. All ages. To be honest, none of them had
hair.

And they were all encouraging me to finish my walking. Makes me wonder, maybe I
should cut my hair?

Did you run as part of the Montreal marathon?

As for your comments, baldness is just one factor in looks. Being fit is comparable important, more important imo.

But they're not mutually exclusive. They're completely separate things. Why not do both?

 

[diffuse_thinner]

What kind of greek yogurt are you taking? Full-fat or the low-fat garbage? Low-fat garbage actually raises insulin by a lot, so it may actually stimulate your hunger. If you insist on eating low-fat yogurt, I recommend inhibiting the insulin spike, for example by adding almond flakes or other nuts, and maybe adding in cinnamon. But really, full-fat yogurt is better.

Try having nothing but water / sparkling water until ~1200pm, and then have a coffee (dark roast). For the rest of the day stick to tea / water/ sparkling water. That might be easier.

Thanks, I'm going to try this.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

Thanks, I'm going to try this.

FYI, here is my source on low-fat yogurt and insulin:

The insulin index is a mostly new line of research that doesn't correlate exactly with the glycaemic index that everyone has heard about. In general, for what's been measured, insulin spikes as carbs + 0.56*protein - fibre, but that only covers half the variation.

As you can see, low-fat yogurt is far above the trend.

ETA: here's more:

 

[buckthorn]

Lol well I'm not embarrassed of all of them, just a couple, but regardless they'd put me on blast if anyone who knew me in real life was browsing these boards

Justin, is that you bro!?!? good seeing you on here! Why are you hiding your tats of the inverted, cartoon human centipede?? I love those! haha seriously though, you are FIT man! good work.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

I can't even run a 5 k marathon.

This was in NJ.

Do both? You mean get in shape?

That I'm going to do.

Yes, do both, if you have time, imo.

Looking forward to hearing how that's going for you.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

http://www.nature.com/articles/nutd...0ckTCwUpSBbx-KRdTIu-gRE8qtjntrQKedExv_n8V8Uu4

CONCLUSIONS: The interventional weight loss program based on a VLCK diet is most effective in reducing body weight and
improvement of glycemic control than a standard hypocaloric diet with safety and good tolerance for T2DM patients

 

[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 3rd, 84.6 Kg, 186.5 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, ---
September 6th, 83.8 Kg, 184.8 lbs
September 13th, 2016, 181.6 lbs, 82.4 kg (following incomplete fast)
September 24th, 82.6 Kg, 182 lbs
September 25th, 80.8 Kg, 178.2 lbs
September 26th, 79.7 Kg, 175.8 lbs
October 7th, 81.9 Kg, 180.6 lbs

Ha, of the 3 lbs I lost in the last water fast, I regained 1.5 lbs, not good.

I'm at the stage where I either need longer fasts, or more precise eating between fasts.

 

[Afro_Vacancy]

Good interview with Jason Fung on his new fasting book.

 

[kj6723]

So I had 2 references come up in my life this past week to intermittent fasting

My mom had whyy's radio station on, and a dude came on to talk about people with life span and research into slowing down the aging process. He brought up intermittent fasting as a way that builds up stress tolerance in the body and might help slow aging down.

One of my professors mentioned it in class...although at the moment I'm having trouble remembering the context

 

[Rudiger]

How does this go hand in hand with working out though? Say if you work out 5 days a week, 36 hour fasts are still fine? Do you just work through it on low energy, is there any risk of injury?