Time Restricted Feeding

[Skip]

I would personally worry about getting enough calories in for the day in an 8 hour window. I would like to try it though. I have a tight schedule is the thing so I'm not sure what the best time for my feeding window would be. I've been skipping breakfast lately with no issues so I'm already not eating til around 11. The tricky part for me would be avoiding eating before bedtime.

Do what works for you. It doesn't have to be an 8 hour window. As a suggestion, I would advise you to stop eating at least 3 hours before you go to sleep.

[DanTheYogi]

I would personally worry about getting enough calories in for the day in an 8 hour window. I would like to try it though. I have a tight schedule is the thing so I'm not sure what the best time for my feeding window would be. I've been skipping breakfast lately with no issues so I'm already not eating til around 11. The tricky part for me would be avoiding eating before bedtime.

Do what works for you. It doesn't have to be an 8 hour window. As a suggestion, I would advise you to stop eating at least 3 hours before you go to sleep.

What is the reasoning behind that? I've always kinda felt like I need a little feeling of fullness before bed, otherwise my hunger would keep me up...

[Skip]

I would personally worry about getting enough calories in for the day in an 8 hour window. I would like to try it though. I have a tight schedule is the thing so I'm not sure what the best time for my feeding window would be. I've been skipping breakfast lately with no issues so I'm already not eating til around 11. The tricky part for me would be avoiding eating before bedtime.

Do what works for you. It doesn't have to be an 8 hour window. As a suggestion, I would advise you to stop eating at least 3 hours before you go to sleep.

What is the reasoning behind that? I've always kinda felt like I need a little feeling of fullness before bed, otherwise my hunger would keep me up...

I suggested that because it has allowed me to get a more restful sleep. I'm not really sure what the science says about this but again I would recommend that you should just do what works for you. If you can eat just before going to sleep and still get a good night rest, then go for it.

The problem with many overweight people, (which you obviously are not with a bmi of 20), is that they are eating all the time. By restricting when overweight people eat, it may allow them to cut down on their total caloric intake even if they are told that they can eat as much as they want during the feeding window time. Here's why:

http://www.salk.edu/news-release/salk-s ... -diabetes/

A quote from the above reference:

The Salk study found the body stores fat while eating and starts to burn fat and breakdown cholesterol into beneficial bile acids only after a few hours of fasting. When eating frequently, the body continues to make and store fat, ballooning fat cells and liver cells, which can result in liver damage. Under such conditions the liver also continues to make glucose, which raises blood sugar levels. Time-restricted feeding, on the other hand, reduces production of free fat, glucose and cholesterol and makes better use of them. It cuts down fat storage and turns on fat burning mechanisms when the animals undergo daily fasting, thereby keeping the liver cells healthy and reducing overall body fat.

The daily feeding-fasting cycle activates liver enzymes that breakdown cholesterol into bile acids, spurring the metabolism of brown fat – a type of “good fat” in our body that converts extra calories to heat. Thus the body literally burns fat during fasting. The liver also shuts down glucose production for several hours, which helps lower blood glucose. The extra glucose that would have ended up in the blood – high blood sugar is a hallmark of diabetes – is instead used to build molecules that repair damaged cells and make new DNA. This helps prevent chronic inflammation, which has been implicated in the development of a number of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, stroke and Alzheimer’s. Under the time-restricted feeding schedule studied by Panda’s lab, such low-grade inflammation was also reduced.

[patty]

Are you asking about intermittent fasting? I found eating in a 5 hour afternoon to evening window worked for me. I feel it is a great way to tweak your food and it gives your digestive system a rest. A eight hour window sounds good.

Yes, TRF = Time Restricted Feeding which is a form of intermittent fasting just as you practice. It seems like the longer "break" of a "fast", the better off you are when "breakfast" time arrives. Better sleep and energy happens (and other biomarker stuff).....

This has been shown to be true with mice and more and more evidence is accumulating for humans.

How much food are you eating, approximately? I'm not one to count calories/macros at all, but I eat food so low in calorie density (i.e. very low fat mcdougall). I usually eat 3 or 4 decent sized meals a day (plus some snacking) just to meet my daily energy needs. My bmi is already around 20, so I'm not looking to lose any weight.

How do you space your meals out? Are you doing 2 or 3 meals? Do you snack/graze in-between?

I imagine, your food/calories would increase to make up the difference with less meals. And a later window would work for you. The gift is no longer are you thinking about what to eat, the paradox of mindless eating decreases. This is a body, mind and social disease so TRF is off the social grid. And that is where families and holidays become tricky because socially we are fascinated with unrequited hunger. I work as a home health aide, and when my Client's are emotionally or physically making their transition my food goes a whack because scarcity comes in. Food and money go hand and hand as life consumes us. There is no separation. All nature knows this.

The learning curve TRF really enforces the benefits to the digestive system. Just recently I figured out I wasn't eating enough sodium which meant I was getting up 4 times a night vs. 2 and I had to be cautious if I drank a glass of water if I was out. I lost my weight practicing Eat To Live/Dr. Fuhrman's diet, where the focus like Dr. Shintani's diet is eat foods that are nutrient/water based. Where Dr. McDougall expresses satiety is in the starches and vegetables are a condiment.

Practicing TRF the window for myself when off extended to a larger picture of my eating patterns. I remember the first time I saw the sample plate on Jeff Novick's forum and their was a glass of water I was shocked. On Dr. Fuhrman's forum I remember someone asking about not wanting to drink water and the response was not too worry. And someone asking about urgency continence and the lack of sodium wasn't mentioned. I had gotten into the habit of eating too low sodium. So tweaking off and on TRF worked for me as my patterned eating had changed. Know you are on the right track and whatever you decide, your body will guide you. And when changes happen they will be for your highest good as Dr. McDougalls shares body wants to self corrects itself. Your digestion system will tell you what works.

Aloha, patty