HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Eating every other day and feeling great

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
1 2 3
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/16/2010 4:06 PM (GMT 0)
The only way that you'll gain weight is if you consume more calories than you burn. If you normally burn 2000 calories in a day, you might burn 1600 while fasting (this is hypothetical - the # is less than 2000, but there is no exact formula). In that situation, if you continue to consume 2000 calories per day, you'll gain weight. If you consume 1600, you'll stabilize. Whether your body replenishes fat, muscle, or glycogen stores first is immaterial with respect to changes in body weight.
Posted 11/16/2010 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Dsm

I've read your post a couple times and it seems that you and Lindy are agreeing that IF is not best for weight loss.
you said:
So even though you might still only eat 2000 calories after your fast, your body is going to store more of that than it normally would have.
and LLindy said:
Your statement is why I.F. is not a very good weight loss tool though ..

I'm doing IF to slow my colon and give it less work to do on a daily basis. I'm not a scientist, just trying various methods to see what agrees with my digestive system. And weight loss/gain is not part of my goal at all.
Posted 11/16/2010 8:11 PM (GMT 0)
DSM : Eating less meals/fasting will slow down a metabolism and can cause people to gain weight.
LuckLindy
@Dsm4life - that's only true if you eat the exact same # of calories. Most people find that they eat somewhat less when on an intermittent fast, and don't gain weight (I gained weight myself at first, but was happy to do so). Your statement is why I.F. is not a very good weight loss tool though ...

I totally understand the mathematics of it. Eat less than your maintenance calories and the body will have no choice but to use stored energy in order to maintain itself which you equate to losing weight. The problem is our bodies aren’t even close to being that simple. That numbers are only one aspect for losing weight. There are hundreds of them but the vital one you are missing is timing. Timing is just as important as the numbers.
Example:
Person A eats 1665 calories
Person B eats 1500 calories
Person A meal plan :
8AM 333 calories
11 333 C
2:00 333 C
5:00 333C
8 333C
11 333C
Total 1665
(give or take a few hundred calories)

Person B meal plan
8:AM 500 calories
5PM 500C
10 500C
Total 1500

Even though Person B has taken in less calories multi studies show that when comparing A VS B person A will have a better chance of losing weight. This would directly go against what you originally said to me. That is the point I am trying to make. When someone fasts then takes in food 99.9 % percent of the time they will eat slightly more each meal (not total) which will cause a spike in insulin which in turn will make you hold more weight. So even though person B is eating fewer calories he will still gain weight by slowing the metabolism down.

I am not here for an ego trip but I been bodybuilding for years. I am telling you from experience that this is how the body works. Now mind you we have only skimmed the surface as there are so many levels to how our bodies reach to food, for example: macros but I am trying to help you understand it better.


If I am not understanding you or miss interrupted your statement I apologize.

Edit:

Also let me add that this is for the majority of people. It's a possibly that your body could react totally opposite to what i stated above. We are all different and so are our bodies reactions.

Post Edited (Dsm4life) : 11/16/2010 1:15:54 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/16/2010 8:18 PM (GMT 0)

imagardener2 said...
Dsm

I've read your post a couple times and it seems that you and Lindy are agreeing that IF is not best for weight loss.
you said:
So even though you might still only eat 2000 calories after your fast, your body is going to store more of that than it normally would have.
and LLindy said:
Your statement is why I.F. is not a very good weight loss tool though ..

I'm doing IF to slow my colon and give it less work to do on a daily basis. I'm not a scientist, just trying various methods to see what agrees with my digestive system. And weight loss/gain is not part of my goal at all.

And it could work for you. I would suggest that everyone at least try a method. Will it cause your colon to do less work ? Its possible. I would say give it a try. The only problem i see with this is depriving the body from nutrition. If it were me i would at least try to get some quality liquid calories to help keep balance inside you.
Posted 11/16/2010 9:51 PM (GMT 0)
I was chatting with friends about this at breakfast this morning, and one said she had read that eating in stops and starts instead of regularly gives you spikes in insulin and can lead to problems including diabetes. Discuss. :)
Posted 11/16/2010 10:14 PM (GMT 0)

Peety said...
I was chatting with friends about this at breakfast this morning, and one said she had read that eating in stops and starts instead of regularly gives you spikes in insulin and can lead to problems including diabetes. Discuss. :)

I think it depends on how you divide up your eating. Having one large meal per day does spike your insulin, and can raise triglycerides and cholesterol. This is more due to the size of the meal than to the fasting period ... you'd experience a similar insulin spike by having many small snacks then a big monster dinner. I assume that the "one big meal" plan could also can contribute to diabetes, but haven't read studies to confirm/deny this.

The only study I read on a 19/5 eating plan demonstrated similar findings ... that when followers ate one big meal they saw spikes in insulin and a tendency towards increased cholesterol/triglycerides. Followers of a 24/24 or 30/18 plan saw the exact opposite - no insulin spikes, lower blood sugar, lower cholesterol. Most studies showed reduced markers for inflammation (which was my main concern).

The 19/5 may help individuals with UC (imagardener2 seems to have had success with it), but a 19/5 IF plan could also be harmful for someone with a history of heart disease or other cardiovascular risk factors. I guess it depends on how you follow the plan (i.e. if you eat 3 small meals in your 5 eating hours, it's likely much better than just eating one massive dinner each day). 24/24 plans have been shown to have few if any side effects, with extensive benefits (although part of this could be that they've been more broadly studied).

To me, 24/24 is easier since I don't need to skip breakfast/lunch ever day (just every other day).
Posted 11/16/2010 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
How many times did you try the fecal transplant lindy?

So you're saying it relapsed after 3 months, but worked initially?
Strange how I've heard a few people say that, wonder why that is
Posted 11/16/2010 11:37 PM (GMT 0)
I just did one fecal transplant. I had wanted to do it the proper way (6-7 times, once per day, relaxed environment, etc) ... but work schedule, kids, etc did not afford such luxury. If my current diet doesn't work out in the long run, I'll certainly try it again ... it was the least stressful 3 months I had in almost 8 years (although physically I actually feel better now).
Posted 11/16/2010 11:44 PM (GMT 0)
LLIndy
Could you type out your weekly 24/24 IF schedule. I'm having trouble understanding the timing.

Is this how yours goes?

Monday-dinner only
Tuesday-eat breakfast/lunch/dinner
Wednesday-dinner only
Thursday-eat breakfast-lunch-dinner
Friday-dinner only
Saturday-eat breakfast-lunch-diner
Sunday-?

Thanks
Posted 11/17/2010 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
LLindy,

Im like you, no amount of medication has put me in remission yet
i find that if i limit my food , im not rushing to the toilet as often
i find if i nibble small amounts of food during the day , im semi ok

But iv been losing heaps of weight due to this, but i find myself to scared to eat normal size meals
cos i get way to sick.

I think you do what makes you feel better and not worry what everyone else thinks

Only you know how your body feels
Posted 11/17/2010 1:16 AM (GMT 0)

imagardener2 said...
LLIndy
Could you type out your weekly 24/24 IF schedule. I'm having trouble understanding the timing.

Is this how yours goes?

Your example is basically it ... here is how I do it:
day 1-eat from 6pm to 6pm the next day
day 2-fast from 6pm to 6pm the next day
repeat cycle indefinitely

Some people fast one calendar day, then eat the next, but this ends up being 30 hours of fasting and 18 hours of eating. I found going to bed on an empty stomach to be rather difficult, which is why I followed the 24/24 plan above.

I usually snack at night or throughout the day, so in reality my eating schedule ends up looking like this:

day 1-dinner, late night snack
day 2-breakfast, lunch, snack, early dinner
day 3-dinner, snack, beer, another snack, wake up at 3am and eat a yogurt or something
day 4-breakfast, lunch, light early dinner
day 5-dinner, popcorn with a movie
day 6-breakfast, lunch, cookies, sneak some of the kid's candy, early dinner

Because I'm always eating on eating days, I usually don't "pig out". This has worked well for me, but as with all things, others' mileage may vary.
Posted 11/17/2010 1:18 AM (GMT 0)

linahawk said...
LLindy,

Im like you, no amount of medication has put me in remission yet
i find that if i limit my food , im not rushing to the toilet as often
i find if i nibble small amounts of food during the day , im semi ok

But iv been losing heaps of weight due to this, but i find myself to scared to eat normal size meals
cos i get way to sick.

I think you do what makes you feel better and not worry what everyone else thinks

Only you know how your body feels

Have you tried SCD or focusing on dense (higher calorie) foods? Losing weight always scares me, which is why I liked the I.F. routine (I have gained a decent amount while on it).
Posted 11/17/2010 1:54 AM (GMT 0)
Would a person still take their daily pills-- my Vit D, Metamucil, Tumeric, Boswellia, Asacol etc.. on my fast days? I can't find anything on that for fasts.
Posted 11/17/2010 1:56 AM (GMT 0)
LL
Thanks for the schedule, helps to understand. I think my current 19/5 schedule has fewer meals because I skip breakfast and lunch every day. I'm not hard and fast however, today I wanted food a couple hours early. Other days no problem waiting.

I envy your ability to eat anything you want. My colon is cranky about so many things: dairy, fruit, gluten and hope someday it will be healed enough to eat those things again. Oh and a glass of wine (whine) :-)

But I'm happy to be so much better than this time last year.SCD did that for me.
Posted 11/17/2010 4:45 PM (GMT 0)
@LL-
Do you do any kind of protein drink during your fasting periods or is it strictly clear liquids?

I'm interested in trying this but I'm also breastfeeding so not sure it would be a great idea. I'm not asking your opinion on that issue, just stating my hesitation.
Posted 11/18/2010 8:15 AM (GMT 0)

hekela said...


I'm interested in trying this but I'm also breastfeeding so not sure it would be a great idea. .

better wait until you're done with this. the kid needs his milk in it's fullest strenght.
Posted 11/20/2010 5:38 PM (GMT 0)

Alinus said...
better wait until you're done with this. the kid needs his milk in it's fullest strenght.

It actually doesn't work this way. The milk will still be produced perfectly, it is just that I might feel weak or something if I'm not getting enough calories. Only a long term fast would lead to less than ideal milk quality, even women who are malnourished can breastfeed very healthy babies.
Posted 11/20/2010 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
So is it a fast from calories or a fast from solids?
Posted 11/20/2010 10:04 PM (GMT 0)
My 19/5 is a fast from solids because dieting is a non-issue for me. I'm just seeing if giving my colon less "work" in the way of digesting 3 meals a day is worthwhile. So far so good.

I'm at (almost) 2 weeks on IF and kinda like the routine. I've have had no negative effects at all and lead a pretty active life (gym once a week, tennis 9 am and pickleball 1 pm once a week, running around 7 days a week).
Most days I've been "breaking fast" at 3 pm because that's what suits me (eating 3-8 pm). Today I didn't get home until 4:30 but wasn't falling down hungry or tired. Amazing to me really how the body adapts quite easily and I have less ups and downs in energy and hunger.

I still can't say whether it is beneficial to UC, for me that is WAY more influenced by food choice. Today was a wonderful day colon-wise and I am hopeful that it's now totally on-track.
Posted 11/21/2010 12:59 PM (GMT 0)
So after 2 weeks, you don't know if it's helping or not? That's interesting, you'd think such a drastic change would be apparent right off. Hhm.... so how long do you plan on sticking with it? Will you modify it at all? You wonder how "things" would look after 6 months or so on that type of diet- labs, overall weight, etc. I know personally that taking in less calories than you need on a daily basis results in some pretty funky body stuff, lackluster hair, excess body hair growth, etc. Whoever pointed out that the body goes into semi-starvation mode is right- and when it does, it takes steps to save itself. Anyway, let us know how it pans out!
Posted 11/21/2010 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Eva

I can't tell yet because I had a minor meltdown with bad diet (fried chicken specifically) right in the middle of the 2 weeks.
I'm back on track diet-wise now, of course Thanksgiving is coming up and we'll be at relatives and "not my food" so who knows about next week.

I just do the best I can from day to day.
As far as lackluster hair, etc I can say that eating SCD has made my hair grow faster and shinier than it ever has in 50+ years. Better skin too.
Yes I am taking in fewer calories with 19/5 but as I said I've had no side effects, still the same energy.
Notably, my mornings (and we all know how tough UC can be on mornings) have been MUCH easier. Fewer BM's on average and quieter colon.

Modifying: I have already modified it lol. I allow myself any and all liquids, such as chicken broth, green tea with honey and coconut cream (sub for milk/cream). Anything goes for liquids. Remember for me this is not about calorie restriction it's about fewer solids for my colon to process.

A side benefit I've noticed is that I have more available time to do stuff along with the energy to do it.

IF may not be for everyone but I haven't seen a reason to quit yet. However I'm not a fanatic. If I want to eat something I would do it.
I've never been afraid of food, no anorexia or bulimia in my personality at all. And even when my UC was at it's worst I never stopped eating, just tried to find the food that my colon could tolerate.
Posted 11/26/2010 10:52 PM (GMT 0)
Just wanted to chime in here and say that I've definitely had success with my modified version of intermittent fasting. I started with the basic idea of skipping breakfast and lunch every other day but since I'm breastfeeding a little one I allow myself a tiny snack here and there to get myself thru the morning and afternoon on a fasting day. Sometimes I do this http://www.vitacost.com/NutriBiotic-Rice-Protein-Drink with rice milk.

I'm still taking my meds as usual. And eating the diet that works for me (very low amount of processed foods, very low amount of dairy, no soy, no eggs, no coffee, no fried or fatty foods).

I didn't go into it with any specific expectations, so I've been pleasantly surprised with some decreased urgency as well as 2 days this last week leaving the house without having a BM in the morning and having no anxiety upon leaving my house. A week ago was the first day this happened and we drove about 20-30 minutes from home to a hiking spot, hiked 2.5 miles and returned home. I felt great and didn't have a BM that whole day!! this hasn't happened in YEARS (I'll occasionally have a no-BM day if I'm home all day, but if I am leaving the house I always have to go).
Yesterday I had the same experience in the morning and all day, then did have a BM in the evening.

So I wanted to share and say thanks to the OP for sharing in the first place! Love this forum and the great ideas we can try for improving our quality of life.


oops, edited to include my signature.
Posted 12/21/2010 4:26 AM (GMT 0)
Can someone please tell me, I'd like to try this but I have : 2 Questions

1) if during the fast stage I should still take my Asacol, Tumeric, Boswellia etc etc... that I am taking normally right now?
2) Do I just drink Water? Nothing? huh?

Thanks.
Posted 12/22/2010 12:29 AM (GMT 0)
I too have had positive results with IF. I do a much shorter fast daily. I try to eat no later than 6 PM and then I try to eat breakfast as late as I can, say 10:30. I still consume roughly 2K calories/day, just in a shorter window of time. I've found that this technique allows my system to actually rest and work on healing and I think it could be giving my probiotics a chance to take hold overnight... just my theory. This hasn't been the end all be all for me but it's part of my healing strategy. I drink as much water as I can, take my meds and try to get as much sleep as I can. I also eat a strict diet- no dairy or grains with the exception of rice and no legumes. My carbs come from root veggies, rice when I need it and 1-2 pieces of fruit a day.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
123