I know this is rude but what was your weight before you started? In my experience and what I've observed, people who chant praises of weight loss techniques always fail to disclose that they were overweight/obese (in the technical bmi sense). It isn't hard to lose weight when you're in that category at all. Everybody who is in the obese category can lose 20-30 lbs in about a couple of months without question simply by maintaining a decent sized caloric deficit. Intermittent fasting was not what caused you to lose weight. It is just a fad esoteric movement that instructs you to have some self restraint. Kinda like a religion.
The one tried and true, definite till the end of time means of losing weight is a simple caloric deficit. Eventually with intermittent fasting you will hit a wall because you still consume the same amount of calories and your body will adapt to the schedule. It will consume your energy over the course of time as opposed to immediately which will halt your weight loss.
I speak of this as someone who essentially did intermittent fasting unintentionally. I would skip breakfast and not consume anything besides coffee until 12:00. My last meal would be before 20:00. So essentially I'd go 16 hours without eating. I couldn't lose weight because after I got done exercising, I gorged. I replenished every calorie I burnt off on top of the residual I also could consume for the day. My stomach expanded to be able to hold the large amount of food intake too. Once I ate smaller portions over the course of the day, not only did my caloric intake shrink (because I helped shrink my stomach back down to size before feeling full), but I couldn't eat as much. So I felt "gorged" on 400-600 calories.
Don't listen to that "2000 calorie" rule. That is for people who exercise significantly or have physical labor jobs. When that number was created, it was assumed people worked physically. If you have a sedentary job, you do not need more than 1200 calories a day and can very easily get your nutrients with just that alone. If you exercise, it gives you an additional reason to eat more and more opportunities to replenish said nutrients.
It’s not rude I don’t mind, I started at about 115kg, and I’m about 105 now, in about a month.
I will also add a wee disclaimer: I’m also exercising a lot too, I walk 7km every second day, so no doubt that’s contributing.
I’m happy with the weight loss, but really the mental clarity that comes with IF has made me a much better programmer, I’m 36 now, and I feel like I have the energy and mental clarity like I was 18 again. Even if IF didn’t give me the weight loss, I would do it for the mental clarity alone.
Yeah I totally get that IF isn’t for everyone, I have been overweight my entire life, since very early childhood and I tried many different things, the smaller meals, cutting out carbs, vegan, no sugar, and they all worked to some degree, but the weight and bad habits always came back.
IF has been so positive for me, I just thought I’d share my story for others who may want to try it,
It sounds like you eventually settled on a method that works for you, so that’s great! Human bodies and society is so complex, I have no doubt different methods will work for different people…
> If you have a sedentary job, you do not need more than 1200 calories a day and can very easily get your nutrients with just that alone.
That's not really close to true, at all. As someone standing at 180cm, my basal metabolic rate is about ~1,300 calories[0]. That's assuming I weighed 40kg. A healthy weight for me would be considered to be between 60kg and 80kg, which would put my basal metabolic rate at 1,600-1,800kcal.
I am 173cm (5'8.5"), 65kg. I also run three 8km's and two 5km's a week with a 4:20-5:00/km pace. I do this on at or about 1200-1500 calories. And I still have fat. I am not a flat bellied skinny person either.
Totally agreed. You basically digest food better this way, and use the most of your food, good advices (eating when you feel like it, and only how much you need)
People will often turn to a lot of physical exercises when they want to lose weight, but the important part is your food consumption, minimal exercise is of course still a good idea
The one tried and true, definite till the end of time means of losing weight is a simple caloric deficit. Eventually with intermittent fasting you will hit a wall because you still consume the same amount of calories and your body will adapt to the schedule. It will consume your energy over the course of time as opposed to immediately which will halt your weight loss.
I speak of this as someone who essentially did intermittent fasting unintentionally. I would skip breakfast and not consume anything besides coffee until 12:00. My last meal would be before 20:00. So essentially I'd go 16 hours without eating. I couldn't lose weight because after I got done exercising, I gorged. I replenished every calorie I burnt off on top of the residual I also could consume for the day. My stomach expanded to be able to hold the large amount of food intake too. Once I ate smaller portions over the course of the day, not only did my caloric intake shrink (because I helped shrink my stomach back down to size before feeling full), but I couldn't eat as much. So I felt "gorged" on 400-600 calories.
Don't listen to that "2000 calorie" rule. That is for people who exercise significantly or have physical labor jobs. When that number was created, it was assumed people worked physically. If you have a sedentary job, you do not need more than 1200 calories a day and can very easily get your nutrients with just that alone. If you exercise, it gives you an additional reason to eat more and more opportunities to replenish said nutrients.