Intermittent Fasting

[The Jogger]

The main thing is the health benefits that come with that way of eating.

 

[PK99]

I get my head round it just fine.

You eat around 4000 calories less on your fasting days. It's probably pretty difficult to eat 800 more on each of your non-fasting days to make up the deficit. Particularly if you're in a 'healthy eating' mindset.

I'm doing the 5:2 version at the moment. Inspired by a guy I ride with who has lost 4 st since the summer doing the strict alternate day version. In 4 weeks, I've lost 2-3 kg = a notch on my belt.

600 calories one day, normal eating the rest with 2 fasting days a week. My wife and I have both noticed we in fact eat less on the non-diet days are we have adopted a "less snacking" mentality and think a little bit more about what we do eat.

Typical day:
Breakfast 2 dry fried eggs with ham/ fat free bacon
Lunch banana and apple
Fish baked with a pile of veg,
bucket full of minestrone,
or spicy tomato and lentil soup

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

If you do this fasting correctly, it can have some real positive results as in your health, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower weight and lower chance of getting alzheimer's. Much better for you than just eating less calories.

Last time I looked you are eating less calories. The Torygraph you linked to explains the use of black coffee and green tea on fasting days "to see me through the day"

An admission in part, that something is missing when you turn to stimulants.

while there is plenty of animal data, so far there is limited evidence of its efficacy in long-term human trials. It will not suit everyone, nor is it safe for everyone. It worked for me and I will keep doing it. Or I think I will. We shall see.

According to current medical opinion, the benefits of fasting are unproven.

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I do something similar to this as part of a lifestyle. I use a, again similar, 5-2 normal to less calorie ratio. Though this is more to do with my lifestyle than an attempt to cut calories. I am vegetarian and eat a pretty controlled diet anyway. The two days differ, for me, by simply eating fruit and veg and nothing else. I never do this on a training or active day. The other 4 or 5 days are spent active and/or training with a more calorie rich diet.

For my lifestyle and chosen diet, this method has served me well and become second nature.

Many pro cyclists keeping their weight down adopt a similar approach with fruit and veg only days. It is also a good way to invite fruit and veg into your life should you not already have a good relationship with the good stuff.

 

[The Jogger]

Last time I looked you are eating less calories. The Torygraph you linked to explains the use of black coffee and green tea on fasting days "to see me through the day"

An admission in part, that something is missing when you turn to stimulants.

The blood test results are the proof in my book, I drink lots of water on a fasting day, you also can keep it in the day because the next day, you know you can eat what you want. It's good to have a choice.