Intermittent Fasting is not enough on it`s own ???

[barry1941hatton]

I have needed to lose ~2stones now for some time and I came close to my target unknowingly about 5yrs ago when taking care of my wife who was dying with cancer. I guess I just had so much to do and little time to eat and my waist dropped from about 40ins to 36ins and I felt fine.

Slowly I have regained all that I lost and after some halfhearted attempts to lose it again I decided to try IF which is widely proclaimed to let you eat normally so long as you fast for a couple of days a week or a 16:8 plan in which you fast for 16hrs and then eat "normally" for 8hrs. I tried this for ~3weeks eating from 12pm till 8pm and fsating from 8pm at night until 12pm the following day and which of course included all the hours when you sleep.....it seemed a doddle.....except it didn`t work and I reckon it never will work without including exercise....you have to burn up the flab in some way and must include some expenditure if you eat the same ???.

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello barry1941hatton and welcome to the Weight Loss Forum

ALL 'diets' work by reducing your overall Calorie input, although not all calories are equal, (some offer good nutrient and satiety whilst others don't)

To lose weight permanently you need to make changes to current eating patterns. The 5:2 or 16:8 don't work for me as I just eat more in the time allowed! 😕 Reducing overall calorie input is the best way for me and many others, both to reduce body fat and improve general health. Exercise alone rarely achieves this. The best way is a little of both 😊

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Best wishes

Anna

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Hi barry1941hatton . I have tried 5:2 fasting very successfully in the past, but it really does require you not to go overboard on the other days. I've not tried 16:8, but I imagine it will be the same. Fasting only works if you create a deficit over the week. I have reverted to portion control and calorie counting because I got a bit fed up with fasting. I found the fast days quite easy, it was a mindset I could adopt for a day at a time. But then the following day I found I was craving carbohydrates and sweet things, and overate as a result. No easy way, I'm afraid!!