TXSnowman's Logboek, 12 nov 15

Just curious - as someone who toyed with 16:8 fasting recently -- do you do that EVERY day or just x # of days/week? I tried it on an everyday basis, and I think it kind of 'backfired' -- i.e., contributed to a 3-4 day 'toss all my newly acquired good eating habits out the window' binge . . . 

Losinit1655, The short answer is yes. I do use an 18:6 IF every day. I eat anytime I want between 2pm and 8pm. I usually walk or hike for an hour and a half in the morning and then have a couple of tall coffees with sugar free vanilla. That and water keep me full until after 2. Many days, I don't get around to eating until 3 or 4 pm. When I do eat, I keep it to proteins and low-glycemic carbs. No bread, rice, pasta or tortillas. I fill up on meat and cheese. With a smaller window of time in which to eat, coupled with the fact that proteins take longer to digest and keep you feeling full longer, I tend to eat less. I know that I'll have to up my calorie count slowly as I approach my goal weight. So far, I've created enough energy for myself by burning fat, but when my body fat percentage gets back below 20%, I'll need to up my intake to offset the loss in fat available to convert to glycogen. Having said all that, I don't believe that this is for everyone. If this isn't working for you, I might suggest a 5:2 or 4:3 Intermittent fasting plan. For instance you could eat an amount that is, say, 300 - 500 calories less than you need for maintenance on odd days and a significantly reduced number of calories on even days. Others do this type of diet with only 2 non-consecutive days of very low calories, and lose weight. Importantly for me, beyond the weight loss, intermittent fasting will reduce or eliminate metabolic syndrome, reduce the chances of diabetes, and, according to the National Institutes of Health - National Institute of Aging, IF significantly reduces the incidence of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Good luck with whatever course of action you decide to use. Remember that this is all trial and error. Try something. If it works, keep with it as long as it continues to work. If it doesn't work (or when it stops working) try something else. 

Thanks for all the helpful information! Really appreciate you taking the time . . . FYI -- I'm trying 5:2 IF this week and next to see how that goes . . . but even without following a 'strict' IF plan/schedule, my calories naturally tended to fluctuate a bit -- a few very low days sprinkled in with 'higher' days that were still below daily maximum for a 1-2 lbs/week loss. Again, thanks and I'm glad you've found/settled on a plan that's working so well for you!