Eating More Meals Does NOT Speed Up Your Metabolism II

39 Reader Comments

1. Andrew R
   

   I am truly impressed. I will be the first to admit when I’m wrong and it appears to me that that is truly the case here. When I undertook my weight loss of 60+ pounds, I attributed it to eating 5 times a day and as such have been recommending it to my readers (sorry guys, it’s an honest mistake!)

   But given the numerous sources sited here today, I can’t see how I can still believe in it. This has been an eye opening realization and I’m going to keep looking into it for myself, but I believe that I have been given a push in the right direction.

   Bravo!

   All the Best,

   Andrew R

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2. Christoph Dollis
   

   I think what it comes down to is it’s total calories and Brad Pilon is right. It’s just a matter of finding an approach that helps you eat less. So for some people 6 times a day may work especially if you choose healthy food (apple, chicken breast, for example) like in the Body for Life approach.

   I used that eating plan and definitely lost weight. But it’s hard to maintain: a lot of work.

   And if you happen to eat unhealthy, watch your insulin be triggered massively and it be hard to control your “limbic hunger” for the rest of the day if not days.

   Whereas intermittent fasting on a daily basis just means you’re extending your evening fast. Most people don’t wake up especially hungry anyway. So you have all sorts of hormones suppressing your appetite and your body is already burning fat for energy.

   Extend that fast by another 7 hours and voila: IF.

   Now when you do eat you can eat a lot more and be satisfied. It’s easier to eat healthy because it’ll probably be a proper sit down meal with time to prepare and eat it (easier to do this once or twice a day than six times). And if some of the food you’re eating is less than healthy you’re eating so much you’re satisfied anyway, and then going to sleep soon after.

   Your body enters the same fat burning mode, which by morning should be easy enough to maintain, although the unhealthy food would have made it hard to keep up if you were planning on eating 2.5 hours later.

   So there may be overcompensated eating for some time, there may be an adjustment period, and even hunger in the beginning. But less hunger, I think, and more satisfaction when you do eat.

   Which isn’t to say the frequent eating plan doesn’t work for weight loss also… if each of your meals is small enough… it’s just, which of the above do you think personally would be easier to maintain with your lifestyle and desire for small and/or large meals?

   I think a lot of fat folks like large meals, frankly.

   Some people like my mom naturally eat very small meals frequently and are thin. More power to her. But she processes food differently and is almost certainly far more sensitive to the effects of insulin. Half of her relatives are notably fat (on her dad’s side), the others thin.

   Her frequent intuitive eating plan wouldn’t necessarily work for another’s genetics.

   Anyway, this post was a bit more “stream of consciousness” than I’d originally intended. It sums up my experiences and thinking about day-to-day IF so far.

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3. Mike OD
   

   Andrew – We all at some point believed in the 6 meals a day (I know I bought into it long ago….and spent plenty of money on supplements too). If people like to eat that way I say have at it, but it’s not something I want to worry about in my life (eating that is). That’s awesome about the weight loss! If 5 meals a day got you there, then it worked for you….just not for the reasons most people think it works. In the end, lifestyle changes are what matter if we want to keep the weight off and be healthy. That and it’s so much less stressful to not be obsessing over food….as we shouldn’t have to live like that….so much more out there to focus on.

   Christoph – good comment. I think saying “whatever way helps you to eat less” pretty much sums it up nicely (Brad is a very wise person). Personally I love an IF/Warrior Diet spin….eating light and smaller early on (or nothing in the AM), keeping energy and focus sharp…and then enjoying more food later in the day, when I can wind down and let my body relax.

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4. Son of Grok
   

   Excellent post Mike. I especially like Martin’s quote “keep the furnace blasting!”. I will definitely be referring several “eat small meals all day” people to these last 2 posts!

   The SoG

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5. Andrew S.
   

   Yeah well, Ben Greenfield (whoever he is) says that if eating 6 meals a day is good eating 10 meals a day is even better….

   http://www.goldsgym.com/healthy/newsletter/2008-10/tricks-to-boost-metabolism.php

   I wonder who will be audacious enough to claim that 12 meals a day is t he way to go? Seriously though. Who wants to have to eat every 90 minutes?

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6. Vincent
   

   Excellent articles! Very interesting.
   In terms of calorie intake I never bought the 6 times a day scheme either.
   3000kcal remains 3000kcal distributed over 2 or 6 meals.

   Protein intake is another thing. At the moment I’m in the process of adding muscle mass to my body. (I added 25 kg in the last 3 years). At a current bodyweight of 90 kg and my rate of training I am eating about 200-250 grams of protein a day. (no ammonia smell present, like some guys who use >350 grams a day)

   My understanding is (this is what I have learned from many internet articles) that the body has no way of storing or buffering protein, and can utilize only about 30 grams (depending on bodyweight of course) per meal effectively, so if I eat 2 large meals a day these larger (than 30 grams) amounts of protein will be broken down. So in order to keep my protein intake at effective levels I need to distribute these 200-250 grams over 7 or 8 meals a day. In my case: 2 normal meals and 5 protein shakes.

   Now after reading your articles I’m wondering if:
   a: 200-250 grams is correct for 90 kg bodyweight and heavy resistance training.
   b: the 30 gram limit is a myth.

   Could you shed any light on the protein aspect?

   Thanks in advance!

   [Reply]
7. Mike OD
   

   Andrew – Not me…that is for sure.

   Vincent – Think of it this way, if you eat 60g of protein of whole foods (not shakes)….and it takes 3-4 hours to digest….well isn’t that like 15g digested and assilmulated every hour? The 30 grams thing is myth, although we all have a certain daily limit in which we can process and use. Most people only need about 1g/lb BW max for putting on muscle (you need much less to maintain). Some may need 1.5g but even at that point it’s still all about how much of that we are really able to digest and utilize. Unless you are taking Test, going too high is just a waste of protein intake. Using resistance training a couple times a week and eating enough protein daily will keep it around. If you need 3-4 meals to eat enough protein, then do what is comfortable. (or you could add a protein shake with every meal to up the amount of protein). Just make sure every meal is based on whole foods, as you have the perfect protein delivery system built into them there.

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8. Jeff
   

   Hi i have been searching a way to speed up my metabolism. I never have any time to eat 5-6 meals a day. I eat breakfast, lunch and dinner that’s it. I stop d ordering out and no more burgers and fries. But now i see this story saying that speeding up your metabolism wont make you loose weight. i’m puzzled? I have no idea what i’m doing. i’m eating salads with small amount of tuna, beef or chicken. I have been drinking about 5 bottles of water. Mt exercise is my work witch is painting, cleaning, running around doing errands, than i come home and clean for about 2 hours,after than i’m tired. i’m about 5′6 330lbs is there any advise you guys can give me? any will be helpful. thank you

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9. Mike OD
   

   Jeff – “But now i see this story saying that speeding up your metabolism wont make you loose weight.” I think you may have gotten the wrong message, as the article was about dispelling the myth that “eating 6x a day” speeds up the metabolism vs less frequent eating with the same calories. You do want your metabolism strong while trying to lose weight. You should eat as many meals as you enjoy and also keep your energy/blood sugar stable throughout the day. Focusing on quality foods like real sources of proteins, veggies, fruits, and healthy fats like olive oil. Weight loss can happen but it has to be a calorie deficit with a metabolism that is not slowing down. The article above was saying that eating all day long doesn’t speed up the metabolism….BUT it doesn’t mean that eating all day long in calorie deficit for the day doesn’t work for fat loss either. You can find what works for you, keeps your energy stable and prevents you from crashing and craving sugar (and the overeating that may happen as a result of it)

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10. OneNutDoc
    

    Any attempt at debunking nutrition myths is good. But you have to truly understand how things work before entering your next crusade against marketing hype.

    Elementary processes are completely misunderstood here, as well as is what Lyle says on his blog.

    “The basic premise came, essentially out of a misunderstanding of the thermic effect of food (TEF) also called dietary induced thermogenesis (DIT) which are the calories burned in processing of the food you eat.”

    Precisely. And the misunderstanding goes on here.

    Splitting big meals into small meals spread throughout the day DO speed up your metabolism, as long as they are high-protein meals.

    Do I think this is a good way to lose weight? No, at least certainly not in all cases. But it just does the work because of DIT.

    You really don’t have to believe me. So go read:
    -John Berardi;
    -Jose Antonio;
    -Brian Zehetner;
    -Christine Gerbstadt;
    etc etc etc

    and don’t forget…

    Lyle McDonald. Yes.

    Who those guys (and girls) are? Just some of the best nutritionists in the world.

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11. Mike OD
    

    OneNutDoc – I know who those people are….and yes 6x a day can work (as you will never hear me say otherwise)…but it is no way I want to eat or live my life.

    “Splitting big meals into small meals spread throughout the day DO speed up your metabolism, as long as they are high-protein meals.”
    Seriously? You are going to go with that? Are you even reading anything I wrote above or what I quoted from Lyle (as you feel he is an expert in the field also)? For example 100 grams of protein in 6 meals or 3 meals give different TEF? Are you sure about that? If the same protein load is spread over 3 meals….you are telling me it take more energy to do that same amount in smaller portions even though I clearly have your experts and research to say otherwise? But hey…it’s up to you to decide how you want to eat….I’m just presenting the facts for people not to get swept up in marketing lies and myths.

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12. Christoph Dollis
    

    Mike OD, religious thinking is a way of life for many (perhaps all), and it isn’t always applied to religion!

    It can be global warming (sorry, impending ice age, I mean “climate change”), political figures, diet, economics, you name it.

    How do I define religious thinking?

    I don’t know. Disregarding evidence, perhaps?

    That isn’t to say religion is wrong per se. I’m religious (deist) to be technical. And no person analyzes every assumption they have in their life… you’d never get anything done! Read, “In Defence of Prejudice” by British psychiatrist and prolific intellectual and author Anthony Daniels a.k.a. Theodore Dalrymple for the basic idea.

    That said.

    I have no idea why one would go on a website offering scientific references and proof for a given point of view and just mindlessly spout one’s preconceived notions in the face of it. I can see disagreeing with the website’s author and saying why one does…

    I disagree with you on your theory about a sauna sweating out toxins, for example. On the contrary: We sweat because we get hot in the sauna and for few other reasons. You can paint the human body unlike the James Bond myth and it does quite nicely assuming sufficient coolness. However, go without our real getting rid of toxins mechanisms, i.e., excretion, and you cause major problems!

    … but even though I see the value in engaging in debate, I see none in just reading the evidence and spouting dogma. Nonetheless don’t people do it every day!?

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13. Mike OD
    

    “I see none in just reading the evidence and spouting dogma. Nonetheless don’t people do it every day!?” Sadly yes…..but then again it’s comical when someone contradicts their own opinion without even seeing it (as they are so attached to a concept without question)….like saying I need to go read someone else’s work when that same person is quoted above contradicting his original opinion and backing up the main point of the article. Debate is always welcome…..as even I can be wrong sometimes…..well maybe.

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14. Christoph Dollis
    

    OneNutDoc, why not read the Lyle McDonald quote:

    Perhaps one of the longest standing dogmas in the weight loss and bodybuilding world is the absolute necessity of eating frequently for various reasons. Specific to weight loss, how many times have you heard something along the lines of “Eating 6 times per day stokes the metabolic fire.” or “You must eat 6 times per day to lose fat effectively.” or “Skipping even one meal per day will slow your metabolic rate and you’ll hoard fat.” Probably a lot.

    Well, guess what. The idea is primarily based on awful observational studies and direct research (where meal frequency is varied within the context of an identical number of calories under controlled conditions) says that it’s all basically nonsense…

    …

    … and don’t accept it blindly. I’m certainly not advocating that! However, why not offer a counterargument other than just appealing to other supposed authorities, which in and of itself is considering a classic logical argument fallacy?

    In other words, defend your beliefs with science and reason, even psychology if it comes to that.

    In a scientific rather than moral issue such as this†, I for one enjoy hearing other people’s opinions and the reasons they hold them. You could be right — but please don’t quote someone who says you’re wrong as proof that you’re right!
     
     
    †After all, no one would enjoy hearing someone argue what they consider to be an immoral position.

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15. theoddbody
    

    I’m going to eat 10 meals a day anyways cause I love food ! (although they may all be tiny)
    great article.i love it whenever I hear anything like this that helps to disprove “facts” that are used to help with marketing of useless supplements or diet fads. cheers!

    [Reply]
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18. Charlene
    

    I drove myself CRAZY trying to watch my calories/protein/fat/carbs 6 times a day! IF is FREEING!! I have a small protein/fat snack at about 17 hours and then a good late lunch and dinner. I eat smart, smaller portions, protein with reduced carbs and am surprisingly full!! IF is the best thing. I was a size 4 when I didn’t eat breakfast and snack so not that I can get back there, but somewhere reasonable. If is freeing like I said. I am not a slave to food or worrying what I am going to eat next because my BRAIN tells me to eat instead of my stomach! This is G R E A T!! When you are a child it is good to graze, as an adult IF is the way to go!
    Charlene

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19. Mike OD
    

    Charlene – Imagine what you can do with all the free time you have now not worrying about eating and counting calories! Enjoy!

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20. Raychel
    

    THANK YOU for posting this blog! I cannot tell you how many freakin times others have tried to shove the idea of multiple daily meals on me. I’m small, and always have been, though sometimes, sure..I’ve gained five or ten here or there and needed to change some habits. I’m a girl, so you know..sometimes five or ten could all be bloating, but I digress.

    A friend of mine is about 5′2, and weighs about 180 if not more. She sighed dramatically one day and actually said to me “I don’t eat enough, so my body is in permanent starvation mode and that is why I can’t lose weight.”

    I can’t tell you how hard it was for me to bite my tongue. The ’starvation mode’ fallacy is also apparently a nice, handy excuse for people to use in order to avoid taking any responsiblity for their weight problems.

    I have seen starving people..haven’t we all seen truly starving people on TV and whatnot? Okay..how many of them were fat?

    I thought so.

    I have almost always eaten just one meal a day. My usual weight is 115 pounds at 5′3. I like 110 better, but that’s not always easy to maintain.

    When I eat one meal a day (and of course try to keep it in a certain calorie range)
    I don’t gain weight. I don’t lose weight.

    I don’t know, to me that doesn’t sound like a slow metabolism.

    Maybe overweight people should spend more time watching documentaries about those who are actually starving and do more comparing before buying that load of crap.

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21. Yoli
    

    It is such a relief that there is a professional that says it is OK to fast between meals. I have tried the six small meal a day plan as I exercised two hours a day and I not only ended up totally warn out but gaining weight. I did the whole high fiber a ton of spinach thing! I ended up feeling clogged up and bloated, feeling I desperately needed to give my stomach a break. So I went back to some advise an old timer gave me, and that is two decent meals a day breakfast nothing for lunch and a dinner works well. I have way more energy and I even feel stronger. I cut down to working out one hour a day and still losing the access pounds I gained from the insane six small meal a day plan. Thanks again for putting science to the test and bringing us back to the reality that moderation is the key!

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22. younes
    

    Hey Mike OD,

    What about the other argument of eating smaller meals/portions trough out the day, which is, if you eat huge meals, it will make you fatter, therefore they advise 6 small meals.

    What do you think about this, if we ignore the TEF effect?

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23. Mayha
    

    since i ve started to eat …every 2-3 hours..im leaner than ever,and with more energy…please..a large meal ,no matter how healthy it ll be..its going to spike ur insuline a lot more than a shorter (not..small..just ..the right to keep ur tummy full for 2 hours more)meal.

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24. Mike OD
    

    Yoli – sounds like it is working. I’m with you….I don’t want to walk around bloated and hungry. Now with just normal meals I feel fine all day and am not lacking in energy levels.

    Younes – You would then have to find the benefit of how 6x a day would speed up the metabolism without the TEF effect, which there is none. You would also have to explain how “big” meals make you fat IF the calorie load is the same as 6 mini meals…..as remember 3 big meals of a total of 2000 calories vs 6 meals of 2000 calories….is still…..2000 calories to the body…..as we know fat gain happens mainly because of excess calories. Now if someone ate bigger meals and it turned out to be “really” 3000+ calories, then yes…..if you have excess calories you will gain weight…otherwise with the same load there is no huge difference.

    Mayha – If it works for you, then by all means keep doing it. But also like said above….your big meals may have just been more calories….as most people will grossly underestimate how much they really have to eat. A large meal and large insulin spike…..vs smaller spikes…..won’t matter much in the 24 hour picture of the whole day.. The goal of course is not to have a Thanksgiving pig out meal once a day….just normal meals with no worries about snacking all day (that can and usually promotes more hunger, leads to poor food choices in snacks and never gives your digestive system a break).

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25. Lesley
    

    Hi,
    I am currently doing the Body Trim program which endorses 3 meals & 3 protein snacks a day.
    Now that i have read your article, it has me thinking whether to continue this way or just eat 3-4 meals per day, of course with the same amount of calories
    There is so much info out there but as you say “How much of it is actually true?”
    Thanks for all the info Mike.
    Lesley

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26. Mike OD
    

    Lesley – Remember that the 6x a day plan can work, just because it can help control calorie intake with small portions. Personally I was always very hungry attempting that, so it never worked for me in the past (or many others). It’s your choice which strategy to go with as far as meals…..just keep those calories in check. You could also try some intermittent fasting which is a fancy word for just having a compressed eating window. To me once I start eating, I get hungry….so just holding off on the first meal until later makes it easy for me vs eating all day. You can find more about those strategies with the IF 101 post here: http://lifespotlight.com/health/2008/02/27/intermittent-fasting-101-how-to-start-part-i/

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27. Frank
    

    Hi Mike,
    I was doing some browsing and searching and mostly looking for the best ways to get the metabolism back on track. I only wish that I found this 5 weeks ago because I was about to go out of mind. ALL of the other info that I have found says to eat 6 x a day and have at least 1800 cals. a day. It is driving me crazy keeping tract of the time and the amount and what to have. I have been doing cardio 25 min a day. I was told I have destroyed my metabolism so badly that it will take a few months to see some results with any real weight loss. Because I have not lost any weight as of yet!
    I’m told to be patient and keep it up! But after reading your stuff……I’m kinda scratcin my head now! It’s like I wasted all that effort with the food thing. I am a fairly active guy 53 yrs. old 5′9″ and I weigh 183. I want to lose 30 pounds. I have always only had 1 or 2 meals a day my whole life. My wife thinks this is supposed to work eating 6x a day, but it just aint workin for me. And now that I have read your stories, I can go back to my old schedule of eating only healtier foods. Is there any other advice you can give me that you think might help me to lose any weight? Because next thing might be a trip to the Dr.
    I don’t know?

    Thanks in advance for your answer.

    Frank

    [Reply]
28. Paul Anderson
    

    Frank,

    My take on the advice this site generally offers is to focus on quality rahter than quantity and to eat and exercise in a way the best suits the human body.

    80 per cent of rsults are down to the quality of diet – a good exericse regime fine tunes the approach. One complements the other.

    With exericise the advice seems to be short, sharp and brief: run quickly, lift heavy maybe do bodyweight exercises. Back this up with an active lifestyle – plenty of walking, playing and sunlight.

    Think less in terms of time and more about performance. Run flat out for 5 or 10 minutes and then maybe jog for 20 minutes – that will vreate the right hormonal environment for fat burning.

    Another suggestion is to listen, and respond to to your body. If one approach doesn’t work – change it. Freshen things up in any case as the body becomes more efficient at a given task over time.

    Like yourself I have been struggling to lose weight – I would certainly like to lose a stone or so. I have found best results from a mixture of heavier weights and interval trainijng. Ideally i would like to be fit enough to just do maybe 3 really intense workouts a week, backed up by some yoga type classes and plenty of walking. Not quite there but on the right tracks I believe.

    Personally I worry less about my weight than I do about my waist size. Very few people think I need to lose weight but I know I am caarrying weight around my middle. I have targetted a 31″ waist and am nearer a 34/35.

    Enough rambling.

    Have a trawl through the site, and set yourself some goals/ challenges. Its a great resource and pretty free of dogma.

    Good luck.

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29. Frank
    

    Thanks for your quick response.

    I should have given you more details because what you suggested is what I do.
    (Run flat out for 5 or 10 minutes and then maybe jog for 20 minutes) I also do weights 3x a week at home.

    The reason I wrote to you is because nothing is working. I used to weigh 155 about 10 years ago so I know I can go there again. I just can’t figure out this confliction back and forth of who says to do this and what works best. I just know that I’m getting NOWHERE!!!

    I’m eating more than I ever have in my life and more often and healthier, I’m always full, and I can’t lose any weight! That’s why I said maybe a trip to the Dr.

    When I said cardio, I meant 60-70% for 25 minutes, 5 min warm up, 5 min cool down with a total being 35 min.

    It’s just really frustrating to read and hear about people losing weight so easily without doing anything and here I am really trying for 6 weeks now. I feel better but I felt fine before. I’m doing all of this to lose weight, not to feel better. So I researched, I found, I did, it don’t work, now I found yours….

    I’m not going to ever fall for any of the stuff that you buy to make you lose weight, I’m a little smarter than that. I know it takes hard work to get what you want. But give me a break….after almost 6 weeks of HARD work, either the scale is broken or something else is broken.

    I’m lost, confused, depressed, disgussted and I guess I will do more research to get more confused!

    Thanks for what ever reply I get.

    Frank

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    Mike OD Reply:
    

    Frank – I don’t think there is any reason you can’t get back to where you were also. Weight loss boils down to a simple equation of burning more calories (daily metabolism/exercise/movement) than you intake (food) so your body has to access internal “stored” energy. As we get older our metabolism plays more tricks on us, but doesn’t mean results still can’t be had. Here’s a simple strategy to take for 4 weeks and see what happens.
    - Lift weights 3x week for 30-40 min max (keep reps 10 or less with challenging resistance) and go for big muscle group/full body movements (not small muscle/isolated)
    - Go into your workout in a “fasted” state which can mean in the AM or just don’t eat a couple hours before the workout.
    - Follow up with 20-45 min of slow pace “cardio” (slow jog, walk, etc….)
    - Eat a meal of protein/veggies at least an hour after your workout
    - Keep active on your other days with enjoyable “lifestyle” activity (don’t overdo it….as more is not better especially when it comes to your glands and organs that are involved in your stress responses and metabolism response)

    Next up is eating…taking in tons of cal a day to keep a “strong metabolism” for weight loss is not going to work for most people….only those that are super active, and even that is not ideal for a healthy long term metabolism. What you can do is eat much less in “cycles” (esp lower carb intakes) and then have “up” days where you increase calories/carbs so your metabolism doesn’t get tricked into thinking you are in a “starvation mode” (which won’t happen if you miss a meal….or go low cal for a couple days…..takes longer than that).

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30. Frank
    

    Thanks again for the quick response,

    The weight thing I’m pretty much doing now but can be changed around a little.
    I was doing the cardio to the max for the most amount of burn (which aint workin for me). It’s just not right. I mean there could be something wrong for it to take this long and have no results…..right?

    I hate to say it but there is no way that I am going to be able to add more calories to my days! I have a hard time eating 1500 – 2000 and that is forcing it down. You want me to have 3500?

    I really think I’ll give it a few more weeks and if there are no results I will go see the doc. because I am already in total disbelief. I may end up finding out that there is something else going on that I will never be able to do anything about.
    But I am a fighter and I will not give up without giving my best.

    Thanks again for your support.

    Frank

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    Mike OD Reply:
    

    @ Frank – Note that I am a different person than the other quick response the first time. I took out the 3500 cal thing as it was just going to confuse you more, but No…I wasn’t saying to eat that much. Too much intense cardio can and will lead to a fat loss plateau. Look at the outline I gave below and follow for 4 weeks….along with take a day off on the weekend to enjoy more foods (and up the calories a bit)….the results will come if you allow your body to not be in a high stress state, and get your metabolism (and organs involved including the thyroid/adrenals) a chance to relax. Don’t get frustrated….just be happy to learn the lesson you have so far about what “not” to do….now it’s just time to find out the “right” way to go about it as listed below….but if you keep doing the same thing you are doing that has produced no results, I’ll tell you right now….it will continue to produce no results.

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31. Trish
    

    Frank,

    I’m just a lurker but your posts really resonate with me. I became totally frustrated because despite my best efforts at regular cardio (utilizing interval training), resistance training, and healthy eating, I COULD NOT LOSE BODYFAT over the last 7 years.

    My doctor finally decided to prescribe Metformin for me as my blood sugar was mildly elevated. It made me wake up and realize that I am insulin resistant. The research I’ve done shows that if you are indeed insulin resistant, you will find fat loss very difficult.

    Now I am on a small dose of Metformin but also eating lower carb, eating only 2-3 meals a day, putting my emphasis on weight training over cardio, and still running sprints. And I am actually losing body fat which feels like a miracle. By the scale I’ve lost about 25 lbs and my blood sugar and lipids all look great.

    You may be metabolically sensitive like me and need a little help from your MD. But too, from what I see, the info on this site is the kind of info you need to help you in your journey.

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32. Frank
    

    I really like the concern from people that read these.
    Thanks lurkur.
    I may be metabolically sensitive like you but I did fail to mention that I have been on medication for 7 years for a rare thing called “cluster headaches”. Also known by many as “suicide headaches”. The pain is so severe that you really would rather kill yourself! It took a long time for my Dr. to diagnose me. It’s a pretty severe condition that is now under control but I can never stop taking the meds.
    The bad part is one of the 3 pills that I take makes you gain weight! So I’m kinda fighting a battle with myself. Trust me I will never stop taking the pills unless he tells me there is a new kind that will do the same thing.
    I do ask all the time!!!!
    I will give this a few more weeks,and then see the doc.
    By the way I gained 1 1/2 pounds! I weigh myself once a week…..
    I don’t know how to express the frustration.
    Pumping heart rate and sweating counting calories eating right day after day for 6 weeks for what????????????????? Going backwards ?????

    Sorry for venting a little.

    Frank

    [Reply]

    

    Mike OD Reply:
    

    @Frank – Yes it does help to know if you are on medications since weight gain/loss is hormonally driven (and excess intense exercise can also worsen hormonal issues). You do need to work with your doctor for a solution, as I am not a medical professional nor are most on here. I feel your pain and want to help, but it may be time to vent your frustrations with your doctor directly and get him/her working with you on a better long term solution. You can also research common issues that can lead to headaches (such as artificial sweeteners) but because it is so serious, you do need to be monitored by a medical professional.

    [Reply]
33. pjnoir
    

    As a diabetic, I test my blood sugars about ten times a day ( no meds). My metabolism flows like tidal water. Regardless if I ate or not, I can pretty much nail the number by knowing the time of day ( I do eat Low carb, Hi Fat – all clean foods when I eat). I didn’t come easy- I had to teach my body that eating is different than the old pig out days. Clean low carb/Paleo/Primal works perfect.

    [Reply]
34. Frank DeLeo
    

    Hi again Mike,

    I have decided to go with your IF program!
    The good thing is the doc took me off the meds that have a side effect (not all of them) that make you gain weight!
    The bad thing is it’s over 2 months and I’m still the same. Can’t lose weight!
    Burst 3x a week, resistance 2x a week for more than 3 months now.
    I said it before…I won’t give up! So my question is calorie intake on feed days. I’m 53 yrs. old 5′7″ weigh 183 and want to lose 30+ lbs.
    Can I take in 1800-2000 calories and be ok with that on feed days or do I need more? The number is the thing I worry about that I don’t go in to starvation mode. What is the minimum that I can go with every time I break the fast?

    Thanks,

    Frank

    [Reply]

    

    Mike OD Reply:
    

    Frank – How often are you using IF? (technically it is not “my” program as these kind of feast-famine cycles have been around for millions of years). The key is knowing when to “adjust” something. If you are using IF a few times a week, you may want to notch down the calories a bit (like more protein to fill you up and less carb/fat) and then eat normal on other days. Remember that IF also has a body composition maintenance effect when compared to CR at the same calorie load. Something that involves some cycling of calories/carbs may be the stimulus your body is looking for the help promote more fat burning. Doing the same thing over and over will just let the body adapt after all.

    [Reply]
35. Frank DeLeo
    

    Thanks for the reply.
    I have started IF about 2 weeks ago (dec 21 / 09). I don’t expect it to work right away, but I wanted to know how many calories is the minimum for what I do and my size. I can go for days without eating, but will that be worse?
    Burst 3x a week, resistance 2x a week for more than 3 months now.
    I will continue to see if it will work. But so far it has not. I thank you in advance!
    something has to work for me. Is there a sample eating and training example?

    Thanks and happy new year!,
    Frank

    [Reply]
36. Mike OD
    

    @Frank – IF is not about going days without food nor starving, just temporary eating windows on certain days. If you add it in a couple times a week it will help improve your glucose metabolism (fasting insulin, insulin sensitivity) and allow you to be a better fat burning machine. You will still need to control calories on average, as IF doesn’t give a pass for a person to overeat especially on foods that will not help your glucose metabolism (sugars).

    You may also want to check out the free IF ebooks I wrote at http://www.theiflife.com to give lots more detail and info. I should also have a new program outline very soon through there as well with more specifics.

    [Reply]
37. Frank DeLeo
    

    Thanks Mike,
    I’m just trying to get an idea of the minimum amount of clalories for the feed day.
    If I should have roughly 1800 a day in the window, is that enough to fast for 24 hrs. then do the same thing every day? It’s easy for me to do but it’s not working.
    That is why I would like to know the lowest amount and not slow down the metabolism. I’m very frustrated because I’m trying so hard with this and failing.
    (gained 3 lbs. since the last letter I wrote to you). I love reading the comments and your answers to all of these people. What is it with me? Losing battle.
    Should I try fasting 36 hrs. and more calories, 48 hrs.? I will do it if that’s what it takes
    Thanks again,

    Frank

    [Reply]

    

    Mike OD Reply:
    

    @Frank – Is the weight gain around your middle? If so, your body may be overstressed (which can come from excess exercise, low calories too often, stress at work, lack of sleep, etc…). Don’t look as anything as “failing” as you are learning more about what may “not” work, and that is just one step closer to knowing what will. Very few get it right the first time….or second. More fasting is not the answer, and at this point to make sure your body isn’t overly stressed I would say go back to normal eating this week (no IF) and keep your calories around maintenance. See how your body responds and then add back in the IF again the next week. Sometimes we all need some time off, it’s just knowing how to listen to your body and give it what it needs.

    [Reply]
38. David Nyman
    

    Hi

    Here’s a long-term report from the front. I’ve been eating mostly in what you call a compressed window for much of the last decade – these days the window is generally two hours or less, which is as long as it takes me to eat as much as I need or want. Initially I used this method to lose about 30 lbs; now I use it to maintain at about 160 lbs and 8% body fat. I’ve worked out in some fashion for most of my life, using a variety of approaches, especially HeavyHands outdoor sessions in all weathers, much of it HIIT-based these days, and some bodyweight moves to fill in the gaps. I also hike, bike and ski, typically on the same IF regime. At pushing 60 my max heart-rate is 185 and my resting pulse is 42.

    I find that maintaining on this WOE is basically as straightforward as the initial fat loss was. I don’t formally count calories, carbs, or indeed anything else although I do instinctively avoid refined or artificial foods, sugars etc (just as mum told me) and try to eat as fresh, natural and tasty as possible. If calories in or out deviate significantly for long enough to affect my weight, I just adjust down for long enough to re-balance. I find that my experience mirrors a lot of what you say, especially on the issue of appetite (which isn’t a problem at all as long as I don’t start snacking during the day) and also on energy and work capacity, which I find to be very well supported by this regime. Adaptation seems to be the key, and people should in my view get into this approach by degrees – say by gradually pushing their break-fasts backwards, to allow their metabolisms time to adjust. Suffering isn’t necessary (although of course some temperaments may prefer it!).

    Anyway, that’s my two-pennyworth. Keep up the good work!

    David

    [Reply]

    

    Mike OD Reply:
    

    @David: Great story! Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. I agree, suffering and starvation is not the goal and people should start slow and progress.

    [Reply]
39. Frank DeLeo
    

    Thanks Mike,
    No, it is not around my middle, it is all over. In fact many people don’t think I need to lose weight. Key word you mentioned in your reply is maintenance…..that is the big problem with me. I have to force myself to try to have 1800 calories a day. I have stated before I’m 53, 5′7″ and “THEY” say I should have that many calories every day or I will go into starvation mode. I ate pretty lousy most of my life and that probably is the problem with me now. I feel great, I can push myself very hard. When I burst train I use a heart rate monitor and I go for 1 min at 80 to 90%. I have no intention of giving up, I just don’t know where to turn. Once again , I truly like what I read on here and feel that I should be getting results. Am I the only one of your readers with this issue?
    I have heard the old saying from many people that say….that’s the way your body wants to be. I want to lose 30 pounds and that is what I will do. I don’t know how long or what it will take, but I will do it. I just look for the best way, (not the easy way) to do it while staying healthy.
    Sorry that this is a long letter.

    Thanks again.

    Frank

    [Reply]

    

    Mike OD Reply:
    

    @Frank – Try adding in more calories esp with healthy fats from whole eggs, nuts, olive oil, butter, etc. Of course stay away from processed foods and sugar (as that won’t help in lean bodyweight recomposition). Low calories too often will just make the body adapt and regulate down for survival reasons.

    [Reply]

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