INTERMITTENT FASTING METHODS WHICH HELPED ME LOSE THE MOST WEIGHT?
What fasting methods have I used to lose weight? Although testing every fasting method, I will only mention the ones that worked best for me, including the first method I’ve tried. My fasting for weight loss adventure started towards the end of 2016, I was panicking because I didn’t want to end another year overweight and feeling like a failure. There wasn’t as much information about intermittent fasting as there is now, nevertheless I happened to be successful with my approach and managed to fit into my goal outfit (denim shorts UK size 6) by the end of that year. I’m still living the intermittent fasting lifestyle today (2021), although far more educated on the subject and just as passionate as when I first started.
HOW IT STARTED 2016
I started by skipping breakfast and by delaying lunch. I was hungry and miserable at the beginning but I trusted the process. To be entirely honest, I don’t remember having much success in terms of weight loss with this method. At the time I didn’t know it was the popular 16:8 fasting protocol. Despite skipping a meal, the 8 hour eating window was still long enough for me to eat more than I needed and not lose weight the way I wanted. My body needed a more drastic push.
Sure, I could just count calories but at this stage after many years of unsuccessful dieting, I was adamant not to ever do that. I was determined to use fasting to free myself from all the dieting restrictions such as calorie counting, weighing, measuring, eating diet, light foods, diet snacks, food group restrictions, following unattainable exercise plans.
NOT LOSING WEIGHT WITH THE 16:8 METHOD? HERE’S WHY.
WHAT WORKED
I was determined to lose the excess weight and I was excited about this new approach. I started skipping lunch as well as breakfast pretty much straight away within the first couple of weeks.
I limited my eating window to 4 hours per day, always in the evening at the same time. This goes against the traditional weight loss advice but I wanted to keep my evening snacks, and I also didn’t want to go to bed hungry ever again. Rationally, I believed this was going to work, even if I eat all my calories late at night as long as I fast all day. How could it not work?
I followed my eating window precisely every day, I ate anything I wanted in that eating window, carbs, desserts, bread, all the “non-diet” food you can think of. It worked a treat. I would still wake up with a flat stomach despite eating all of my calories in the evening and surprisingly I felt perfectly fine, energetic and alert during the day. I experienced hunger usually towards the end of my fast so I would always go for a walk 1-2 hours prior to ending my fast. I still do this 4,5 years later because it works.
Fasting during the day has completely eliminated bloating which I used to suffer from ever since I remember. This was a huge encouragement for me to carry on.
The weight was coming off fast week by week, which kept me highly motivated, especially because I ate whatever foods I desired, I was looking forward to eating yet I kept losing weight. I didn’t exercise either. (I joined the gym later on then stopped again in 2020).
THE LAST FEW POUNDS
I decided to do OMAD for the last 10lb I wanted to lose. I always maintained an evening eating window so I chose to eat One Meal A Day between 20.00-21.00. I ate anything I wanted, and always made space for a dessert. The last few pounds came off very quickly. This was a short term challenge for me, I have never used OMAD long term.
I also used the OMAD method to great effect during my first Christmas after I had lost weight. I was determined to maintain my weight loss and was prepared to eat this way throughout the whole holiday season. It worked great. I ate a little bit of everything, I didn’t restrict sweets, cakes, anything but I generally only ate within a 1 hour eating window. I fasted 23 hours daily and it was probably the first time in my life I got through Christmas without gaining weight.
A couple of years later I followed OMAD when I first experimented with keto. I did keto OMAD and lost 9lb in 2 weeks.
EXTENDED FASTING
Naturally, people who fast keep challenging themselves to longer and longer fasts. Once I became comfortable with my daily routine, months later, I challenged myself to a 24 hour fast once a month, gradually extending it to once every week. I did this every Sunday, which gave me the freedom to enjoy my weekend and still start the week on Monday feeling lean and accomplished.
36 hour fast is something I have been doing more frequently in the past year. It is an excellent strategy, although can be quite challenging.
The longest fast I’ve done lasted 5 days and I only did it to have it on my fasting CV, not something I intend on repeating, although it was a very positive experience for me.
HOW IT’S GOING 2021
Currently, in maintenance in 2021, I keep my fasting routine flexible. I fast daily (7 days per week), on average 20 hours. My shortest fast are around 16-18 hours, usually before my period starts, when it’s natural to feel hungrier. I still include a 24hr and 36hr fast once or twice a month.
The foods I eat have significantly changed since my high carb days. I’m not dedicated to any specific style of eating, although naturally I have become a “seasonal” eater, not sure if that is a thing but what I mean is that I eat differently in winter and in the summer.
In winter, I find it easy to follow high fat low carb diet. The fat keeps me warm and I’m not tempted by juicy ripe fruit. In summer, I enjoy fresh produce and ice cream and my diet includes more carbs and more protein, keeping the fat low.
I’m very comfortable with intermittent fasting at this stage, but if you’re experiencing any discomfort which should only ever be mild and temporary, please reduce your fasting hours or frequency and consult a medical professional just to make sure all is ok with you.
Hope you found this helpful xox
