
Ask HN: Experiences with intermittent fasting? - daryllxd
Hi, I&#x27;ve read a lot about intermittent fasting. Currently, I&#x27;m eating 2 meals a day (breakfast&#x2F;lunch), but at the end of the days I find it really hard to concentrate on code&#x2F;working. I can do other things like reading books but I find it hard to do programming things. I&#x27;m thinking of just pushing through anyway, maybe the body will adapt, but I&#x27;d just like to ask, what are your experiences?
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QuantumAphid
Here's my $.02. IF is like stretching or yoga, where you start off unable to
touch your toes but you gain flexibility quickly if you stay with it. With IF
the first half-dozen fasting sessions you'll be hungry, especially around
mealtimes. Your body is used to eating 3 meals a day plus snacks. But before
long, you can go longer stretches without food and you'll hardly notice-- in
fact, you'll feel mentally sharper.

Generally when you're new to fasting, and also when you're early in a fast,
you will be hungry. The hunger usually disappears after a short period
however. If you ever work your way up to a 48+ hour fast, you'll see that your
body finally stops complaining at that point and days 3 to 5 tend to be hunger
free.

I think by skipping only a single meal each day, you're likely getting most of
the hunger without many of the benefits. With only breakfast skipped, your
metabolic state may be closer to a calorie-restriction diet (which can reduce
your resting metabolism) than a fasting one. Brain-fuzziness and sluggishness
are usually a symptom of eating, not fasting.

A few tips:

\- Skipping only breakfast might be a good start for you, but to maximize
weight loss (or theraputic fasting) goals, you'll probably want to work your
way up to one long fast per week (e.g., 23 hrs or more) and one or two 16 to
18 hour fasts. As you get better at fasting, you'll look forward to it.

\- Depending on how much carbohydrate you have in your body you won't reach
ketosis (fat burning, assuming that's your goal) until 18 to 24 hours into the
fast. If you eat a typical Western/US diet, you may need a full 24 hours to
break into ketosis. If you eat a high-fat/low-carb or keto diet, which I
recommend, you will likely reach ketosis in half that time or less, which
translates to more fat loss.

\- A pound of body fat is 3,500 calories. Assuming a 2,500 calorie per day
metabolism, you can lose around .5 lb each 24 hour fast, plus some water
weight (the latter of which returns quickly after the fast, so don't get too
excited).

\- I've found it helpful to stay active during a fast. Go for a walk or hike.
Get a workout in. It helps clear your mind particularly if you're hungry.

\- If you become ravenous and your brain gets panicky from the hunger, listen
to your body and either break the fast or have a cup of broth to see if that
helps you get over the hump.

Some benefits of 18+ hour fasts-

\- Autophagy / cell-repair, where your cells perform some Spring Cleaning and
burn away the junk that has accumulated in the cell's attic and basement.

\- Reduction in insulin levels. This can help with Type 2 diabetes, and it
allows fat burning to take place (your body won't burn body fat while carbs
are available in your system).

\- Surge in growth hormones. During a long fast you can experience a 2000%
increase in growth hormones. This is why the body-builders are into keto/IF --
they're focused on eliminating as much fat as possible and building muscle.

Some links:

What is Intermittent Fasting? Dr. Jason Fung Part I
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIhhrYjVhOk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIhhrYjVhOk)

How to Maximize Fat Burning, Dr. Jason Fung Part II
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwE4D8Xe8JA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwE4D8Xe8JA)

The Sweet Spot for Intermittent Fasting [https://medium.com/the-mission/the-
sweet-spot-for-intermitte...](https://medium.com/the-mission/the-sweet-spot-
for-intermittent-fasting-9aae12a2158c)

(The Failure of) 'The Biggest Loser' Diet – Explained
[https://idmprogram.com/biggest-loser-diet-
explained/](https://idmprogram.com/biggest-loser-diet-explained/)

If you have more questions, maybe might try this subreddit:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/intermittentfasting/](https://www.reddit.com/r/intermittentfasting/)

