Hi there all
For those who haven't read the info it's an interesting idea - that you basically restrict your eating hours to a 10 hour window and fast for 14 hours. Eating includes anything sweet, and even milk in tea so outside the eating window you drink water, black tea, black coffee or herbal ( not fruit) teas.
You can make the window whatever you like and change from day to day so if you're going out for a meal you would estimate approx what time it ended and count back 10 hours and that's when you have your first bite/drink with milk etc.
Yes you eat normal foods - it's not a diet as such - you start the first week eating normally and recording your eating "window" and then for two weeks you try to limit to 10 hours and record as well. You also record three subjective measures - hunger, mood, and energy. It useds the same app as the Zoe Covid App and led by Tim Spector who did all the citizen science covid stuff. The idea is to eat the same amount within a shorter time window but I've been eating less as I'd like to lose weight and don't want to eat when I'm not hungry, so I have my breakfast really late and have my morning cuppa black with no milk ( yuk!).
I tried it but found it really difficult after 11 pm when I get a bit peckish. Very interesting info.
Taz x
That's what I find most difficult - I was definitely an 11 pm snacker and I have stopped that during the study so often go to bed hungry but if I wait for breakfast and then eat a larger meal in the eve it's not so bad!
There is some science being carried out - which I haven't yet read (too busy at the moment), but it is to do with gut flora or biome as they call it. Apparently the fasting period is thought to reset the gut and let it sort things out ( very scientific language I'm using here
). People have reported less bloating and better bowel stuff ( maybe less IBS?).
Same with me Shelia. It so depends on your personal situation as to what’s achievable.
Also, people with low cortisol and/or blood sugar fluctuations need to be more wary.
Snacks out…Yes
Yes absolutely depends on personal situation! Partly the aim of the study is to find out how feasible it is for people to do it given everyone's diffferent lifestyle and circumstances eg I'm retired so it's easy - but there are people who work-out a lot physically doing it, as well as teachers or people who are out at work for the whole 10 hours! There is also a thought that it could lead to better blood sugar control because you're giving your body a long rest from insulin stimulation - so if that happens it would be incredible.
The thing is I'm sure women with hormonal fluctuations - may well only be able to do it sometimes - but maybe it will help stabilise things like cortisol but they're not doing any objective measurements at the moment.
There are 100K people involved so it's a mssive study!
This wouldn't work for me, I can't do physical work without breakfast and it's 8pm before OH gets in so no eating after 6pm isn't going to happen. Perhaps cutting out snacks between meals might be a better way to go.
It's interesting how many people do very strenuous workouts before "opening" their eating "window" . I havemt yet tried attending Zumba before breakfast - but I may try tomorrow - because I normally get low blood sugar symptoms (sweats and shakes, desperate sugar cravings) if I do hevay physical exercise before I eat...
However farmers often do this - get up very early and do a few hours physical work and then come in for a mid morning large cooked breakfast. I think the body can get used to it - several people have reported they are less hungry as the study goes on. Maybe different for women though....
Hurdity x