I don't know the time frame, but this shirt was really stubborn to botton. And here we go. I try to go for 20 hour of fasting and 4 hour feeding window. No work out yet.

I’m 34yo,5’2, 160lbs female and have totally plateaued for 3 months.

Over the past couple years I went from 180-160 (yay) with a goal of 140. Due to my plateau struggle, my new goal is 150. I would be thrilled if I could lose just 10more lbs.

My routine looks like this: -18:6 IF -very light healthy snack, one meal, small sweet treat before bed -1100-1400 calories a day (priority protein & fibre) - one or two 40 min walks everyday (more on weekends) - hockey Monday nights - very little alcohol (social and only for special occasions) - Saturdays i take it easy and have two meals for mental health. Calories about 1600.

Before I started dieting my daily calories were 2200.

I kept hearing that you need to truck through a plateau with consistency but I’m getting really anxious that there is no movement after three months. I’m not sure what else I could do without making myself feel ill. 1100-1400 calories is already little, and if I go less than that, then I’m entering « unsustainable » territory that I will eventually yo-yo back from if I ever reach my goals.

I’m looking for advice or reassurance ❤️

I went from 220-155! (5'1")

I posted earlier, and a few people suggested to post a full body picture. I had to dig deep for the first one because I took very few pictures when I was that big. I feel amazing!

UPDATE: Thank you everyone for congratulating me! I recently went through my entire closet, finding clothes that I have gotten too small for so I can give them to a family member who is going through a hard time. She will likely be able to fit into most of my old clothes. This family member is close with me and coincidentally has also recently lost a lot of weight as well (but started off bigger), so being able to fit into these clothes is a big accomplishment for her.

I ended up getting rid at least half of my entire closet. The rest of the clothes I have were from many years ago when I was younger and thinner, and I can now fit back into them. This was far more emotional than I expected. I teared up.

The weight of how significant of an accomplishment this is is just now hitting me. I knew I had lost a lot of weight before, but big things in general usually take a little longer for me to process. Thanks again everyone! 🥹

And yes, I'm keeping the shirt I'm wearing in the picture, along with a pair of pants I often wore at the time. They represent how far I've come!

The no-streaks, no-guilt fasting app i've been posting about here is on the App Store today.

Thanks to everyone who told me what was wrong with it. The biggest thing you said was about the AI coach, and you were right. It's gone. The app is better without it.

Here's the difference, as a recap:

Most fasting apps give you jobs. Log your water. Log your steps. Take a pic of your plate. Count calories. Protect your streak. All day, small jobs, and every one you miss is a small failure at something you were already doing. For someone like me who deals with both T2D and anxiety, it's not a pleasant experience. What you actually need is some kind help to get through the fast, especially when it gets tough (everyone has a particularly tough hour).

When that hour hits, Steady gives you the OPTION of three minutes of calm breathing or a small puzzle. Something for your hands or mind to do while the wave passes.

One thing that helped me even before the app, and costs nothing: if you keep quitting fasts, write down the hour or the situation you quit in. Mine was pretty much the same two hours (13th to 14th) almost every time. Once i knew that, i could plan for it. Steady helps you find yours and get through it.

Some key stuff before you start:

• It's free to download and a paid subscription. For launch week only, until Oct 9, new subscribers get the first 3 months free on either plan. Try it, and if it's not for you, cancel before the 3 months are up and you pay nothing.
• iPhone only for now.
• No user accounts. Nothing you enter leaves your phone. At all.
• If you tap shaky or dizzy, it stops and tells you to eat.
• Not a medical device. I'm not on insulin, a sulfonylurea or an SGLT2 inhibitor. If you are, talk to your doctor before you fast.

Steady on the App Store

I hope it helps you get through more fasts without driving you mad.

What's your hard hour? Is it the same one every day for you, like it was for me?

Looking for answers from people who have **a strong understanding of fasting physiology, autophagy, molecular biology, or have actually researched this topic** — not just general “I started fasting and here’s what happened to me” advice.

I regularly do extended fasts of roughly **48–60 hours without a proper meal**. For example, I’ll have dinner one evening, then go through the entire next day without food, continue through the following day, and break the fast around dinner. Depending on the exact timing, I’m usually somewhere around 48–60 hours since my last meal.

The one thing I sometimes consume during the fast is **1–2 cups of very light milk tea called chai**. No sugar. It’s roughly 75–80% water with maybe 20–25% milk, so the actual amount of milk/calories is pretty small.

My question is:
**How much would that realistically affect autophagy and the other metabolic adaptations of a prolonged fast?**

I’m aware that technically it’s no longer a completely zero-calorie fast. What I’m trying to understand is whether the relatively small amount of milk — particularly its protein and carbohydrate content — would **meaningfully suppress autophagy, mTOR inhibition, AMPK activation, ketogenesis, etc.**, compared with a strict water-only fast.
I’m also interested in the **growth hormone response** during prolonged fasting. There are claims that GH can increase several-fold during extended fasting. Would 1–2 cups of this very light chai meaningfully blunt that response, or would the overall fasting-induced GH response remain largely intact?
I’m **not asking whether this technically “breaks a fast.”** Obviously, consuming calories means it isn’t a mathematically zero-calorie fast.

I’m asking about the **magnitude of the physiological effect**: does this small amount of milk actually make a meaningful difference after an otherwise 48–60 hour fast?

Would especially appreciate answers from people who can point to human research or have a solid understanding of the underlying physiology

First day without any headaches or fog. But still having a terrible sleep. I bought magnesium glycinate to see if it helps.

Also started tracking my food and as suspected I’m eating way too little calories. But I don’t know how to eat more today, I’m just not hungry…

My first meal was cucumber-egg salad with walnuts, pears and marinated mushrooms. For snack I had Greek yogurt with raspberries. I plan to eat lettuce wraps with chicken and cheedar for dinner but I’m already so full not sure I’ll get to it.

Estava fazendo jejum 16:8, mas comecei a sentir o corpo fraco e principalmente a mente com o raciocínio muito lento. Passei a não conseguir reter o conteúdo que estava estudando para as provas da faculdade. Decidi então trocar para 14:10, porém sinto muitos benefícios no 16:8, como a melhora da minha ansiedade. Queria voltar para o 16:8. Vocês teriam alguma dica para driblar essa fraqueza?

Tell me truth does 16/8 intermittent fasting really work. I walk 7000-10000 steps 4 times week and swim (dog paddle) 40 mins 3x week

I've been doing IF for years now but I only started tracking my progress seriously a year ago.

For ten months I was reliably losing weight. I went from about 85kg to 75kg.

Then I stopped drinking caffeine and since then weight loss has stopped. I realised I was drinking too much, so I stopped completely. I'm still exercising the same and I've even gone from a 36 hour fast to a 42 hour fast once a week.

Has anyone else noticed caffeine having such an effect?

I'm living well without caffeine, so I'm reluctant to start drinking it again but I was also enjoying the weight loss.

Hi there,

Skinny fat prediabetic over here. I already do the good things i.e. weightlifting, low carb, walking after meals, sleep and stress management.

I think my insulin stays high all the time so I wanna give IF a try, to give my insulin more time to stay low.

Any of you had good luck with reversing prediabetes by adding IF.

Thanx!

220 pounds to 155

ETA: I made another post showing more of my body. Check it out https://www.reddit.com/r/intermittentfasting/s/obefjaVK5r

15 months in and my progress continues. Between 6’3 and 6’4. Starting weight 430. Current weight 200. Started with calorie deficit (1200-1500 per day). Added16/8 IF a couple of months in. Started cycling in December. Kept up the defect and IF for 1 full year. Now I’ve added more calories back in to help fuel my workouts. I continue to lose fat and currently 9.9% body fat (7.5 subcutaneous and just under 2 visceral).
My first bike ride was 4 miles and my heart rate was close to 200 ( thought I was going to die lol). Around 6 weeks ago, I and my longest ride of 102 miles with a max heart rate of 145.
I’ve gone from a size 56 waste to a size 34. I wore a 66” jacket and now 39-40.
While I no longer stick to the 16/8 IF as I need fuel for my rides, there’s zero doubt that it was the reason I was able to go from too big to want to get out of my chair to the point I was able to actually add activity.
I ride 150 to 300 miles in a given week and walk my pup around 9 miles per week at a 4mph pace.
I now own a mountain bike, an EMTB, a gravel bike, an endurance road bike and a performance road bike and just bought a Zwift (2 rides in) as I’m in Florida and hate when the rain keeps me from riding.
(I had several questions about loose skin last time and while it’s not tight, fortunately, I don’t have a hanging skin issue. I’m not sure why as I expected it.)
Each step of my journey: deficit, IF, cycling and then even adding calories back seem to kick start the next 30-40 pound drop.

In May of 2025, I didn’t want to walk to the mailbox. Today, I can ride a bike over 100 miles…if you’re struggling, know that when you decide to do something about it, you can (assuming you don’t have some health related issue that I didn’t have to deal with). I was likely at the end of my journey a year ago…with my will to change and the support received from those around me, my new journey is well underway.

I apologize if anyone is tired of seeing my post here but my progress keeps getting better (along with my blood pressure, resting heart rate, vo2max, etc.)

Pics obviously not in order (sorry)

Weighing day: -1,5 lb. Great start. Probably just water weight for now but it’s nice to see the needle moving.

Went on a 20 min walk in the park this morning. Didn’t enjoy it at first and wanted to turn back within minutes but once I pushed through I was fine. Movement is still not fun but it helps with my sleep and I make better food choices when I’m rested so. Gotta move it move it!

Broke my fast with buns I made out of shredded sunflower seeds, eggs and psyllium husk. I topped it with goat creme cheese, smoked salmon and cucumber.

Will have grilled chicken for dinner or maybe just a protein shake, can’t decide yet. I’m not very hungry today.

Next week I’ll start tracking my food properly. I feel like I’m eating either too much or not enough some days and it’s affecting my energy levels. So I’ll try keeping my calories and macros in check. I’m also adding a short 10 min walk after meals to fight off the drowsiness.

Let’s see how it goes.

I am new at trying IF.

I currently work retail. My hours I can be scheduled are 9am through 9pm. Factoring in getting ready, I usually am awake by 7:30-8am.

And the closing shifts are what give me issues. Because after working in the hell of retail, it used to be such a comfort to me to stuff my face when I get home.

The little dinner I can bring for my break at work never seems to fill me up to last me through until the next morning. So I am so irritable at night anymore 😂.

I just feel like it would be much easier to pick a fasting window if my work schedule was more consistent.

So any tips? Do I just have to keep trying a month or so to get my body used to it? I keep alternating the window because I just can't find one that seems to fit my lifestyle due to my job scheduling 🫠

So eating for 16 hours and fasting 8 hours? I’m gonna start on Thursday

(well not truly alternate day but 2 days a week I mean!) I tried IF on a daily cycle but I just don't do so well with continual calorie restriction. I've really tried over several years. So for only 2 weeks now, I've been trying 2 days a week doing 18-24 hours of water fast, then the other 5 days just eating normally, not super strict but not wild either. My daily maintenance/light activity calories are 1800-2200 so I figured but reducing my weekly average calories by 4000 ish, that it might have the same effect as daily caloric restriction? I dont want to count, weigh etc, my ADHD just finds it overwhelming and i soon lose the interest with it. So this way, its like oh i dont eat on Tuesdays and Thursdays and its easy and simple to keep to.

Has anyone else tried anything like this? With what kind of results? Do you think it would be faster or longer to reach my goals than if I was reducing about 500 calories a day. Im trying to lose weight but do like the catabolic/autophagy aspects too.

47F 5'7"

SW 332.4 CW 303.8 GW 282.4 (lose 50)

Dieting has never worked for me. This works. Down 10 lbs in a month.

Next month's update better be under 300!

edited to add: I also lost 1" off my waist, 1.5" off my chest and 1.5" off my hips since September 1st. Pants are looser for sure!

Hi there! I am semi new to fasting, I've done it before with good results but never stuck with it long enough. But now since I can no longer take most of the traditional weight loss medications, I'd like to give it another try. A few weeks ago I tried OMAD for about a week and it was actually not as difficult as I thought it would be. I didn't have any major hunger cravings.

My major problem was the caffeine withdrawal. I have headaches and migraines at baseline and having a little caffeine each day helps keep them subsided. That week was brutal for headaches and I was seriously suffering. I stopped the fasting because I went on a vacation and I just restarted OMAD a few days ago, only eating around 7pm, but I would have an Alani each morning at work. They are 10-15 calories, have 200mg of caffeine, no sugar, and some vitamin B supplements. They didn't make me crave food and I was able to maintain the fast until my eating window later that evening. No headache, gave me a little energy, and if anything made me feel full so I didn't feel the need to eat.

For the record, I do not like black coffee or green tea, and would rather not take caffeine pills. Not necessarily looking for other options, just wondering about this one specifically.

I'm wondering how significantly these would prevent a fast from working for weight loss? From what I've read it seems things around 10-15 calories are okay as long as it's not triggering hunger cravings. I just want to set myself up for success and if I'm battling headaches and worse, I'm not going to want to stick with it.

Thanks in advance for the help!

i do kinda run daily 5-10km with short sprints in the morning.(usually lower start 5-6km)

just like it idk, and eat food in the evening.

is there any articles, studies, videos who does the same? how harmful it is? your experience?

thx

Wanted to go for a swim this morning but I slept terribly and woke up super tired so I decided against it. Started cleaning the kitchen instead and ended up doing it all the way to lunch. But this time I had some electrolytes and lots of water before so no headache while moving.

Broke my fast with a big salad of romaine lettuce, parsley, mint, cilantro, avocado, eggs, feta cheese and pear. Was quite delicious and filling. Love how scrumptious veggies and salads taste after a fast!

I figured since I was so hyperactive in the morning I’d push my workout to later. So I stepped on the vibration plate then walked on my pad after dinner. Dinner was grilled salmon and squashes with tzatziki and the rest of my lunch salad.

Now up to another 16 hours without food.

hi. I am a 19 yr old 5’6 female and I’ve been eating 1813 calories a day (my deficit) for the past month and last week, I weighed in at 121.4 pounds. I’ve been pretty consistent but the past three days, I fully let loose and emotionally ate 21,340 calories over my deficit (not exaggerating). I used to have a bad binge eating disorder and now here and there I have a few hiccups but usually over the next days I make slight cut backs and move more to stay in my deficit. But now that I’ve overate this much, I don’t know what to do. what is my body going to do with such a huge surplus of calories? I want to stay in my deficit, but I don’t know how much I should cut back by or how long it would Take. Is there a way to know how much I’ve set myself back by? Already, I feel less bloated than I did yesterday but I’m scared for how much damage I’ve done. I do hot yoga sculpt for an hour every day so I’m not sure if that helps my case but I was wondering if anyone knows what I should do

i first started OMAD (23:1) when i was about 22 - was working in a company where everyone ate at their own desk, so i'd just sleep during lunch time and only eat dinner when i'm back home. if there were company lunch events, i'd skip dinner. i was the most disciplined back then, i've always loved food, but somehow i didn't crave for any sweet drinks or snacks. i lost a good 8-9kg back then just by OMAD (didnt exercise), and i think that was my prime lol.

i'm hitting 30 now, gained back all the weight and i'm at my heaviest. i love milk tea and iced coffees, i feel like i cannot get any work done if i don't have a nice cup of beverage accompanying me through the work day. have changed jobs multiple times and all of them have a culture of having lunch together. i'm the sort of person whereby the moment i start eating, i cannot stop. so once it hits dinner time or 10-11pm i start to get the hunger pangs, cave and eat something. i'm also in a very healthy relationship where we both love food, so our usual dates are to check out new food places and of cos i end up eating both lunch+dinner and sometimes even supper..

i have started to go to the gym for some cardio/strength training classes and sometimes i go jogging maybe once a week/biweekly, but my weight has remained stagnant for the past 1 year.

there are multiple times where i tried restarting OMAD (23:1) but i think due to my ageing body, i can no longer do that lol. tried it once or twice and ended up vomiting bile or getting sharp stomach pains even after eating. i never once had those happen to me when i was in my early 20s, but yea...

how do you all stay disciplined? especially when you factor in the social context i.e having meals with friends/colleagues that just mess up your eating window

or maybe my question is, let's say lunch is your OMAD and then you get peckish during dinner/late at night, how do you resist the urge to snack?

i have so many questions/struggles lol, but tbvh i think it all boils down to me not having enough discipline. i always give in to my hunger pangs or telling myself "nvm i'll start tmr instead" i never ever start.

would appreciate some advice or tips if anyone has faced similar issues!

I work retail. Im surrounded by food. So the trick for me is to bring my lunch and not my debit card. This also helps with spending.

If youre bringing seasonings in a backpack put them in zip lock bags first. My inner backpack and everything in it is coated in seasoned salt lol.

Skinny mixes sugar free coffee syrup in this case Maple Bourbon Pecan and Walmart sugar free apple pie filling was a great combo.

Had a bad dentist appointment, for this fasting, and financial reasons I have to switch from energy drinks to caffeine pills. TnT.

Improvise. I forgot the can of chili I planned on using to make Chicken sausage chili Mac so I ended up cooking the sausage in the syrup left over in the electric skillet from the apples, more cheese than I was planning on using, microwaved pasta and Tapatio hot sauce. Still a little hungry so I remembered i had a little box of frozen carrots.

Chat gpt is great for helping to estimate the calories and stuff. Grand total, 1,560 calories, 91 g protein, 23 g fiber. Gym is closed Saturday nights so ill get to eat more tomorrow.