"Accidental" calorie restriction while IF'ing

intermittentfasting
calories

(Phillip Brandvold) #1

If I am doing IF (I generally fall into a natural 23:1, or if I’m feeling munchy a 20:4 rhythm), and I end up not eating as much during my feeding window as I would normally in 2-3 meals a day, does that doe the same thing as restricting calories on a “normal” eating schedule?

I know that calorie restriction actually tends to slow down metabolism, so I’m just curious if that happens while IF’ing as well, or if that is only in an eating schedule that requires constant eating.


(Doug) #2

Phillip, if you’re eating less than what you burn, then hopefully you’re using body fat to make up the balance (assuming you have enough body fat to spare).

Good question about what the body feels, if anything, as far as caloric restriction/metabolism slowing, on fewer meals per day versus more meals. If insulin resistance is a factor, then fewer meals have an advantage, there, but I don’t know of any real consensus about the ‘slowing’ effect (if any).


(Deb) #3

The way I understand it, if you are fat adapted, AND you have sufficient body fat to use for energy for that day (each lb of fat able to provide 31.5 calories per day), then you won’t be “calorie restricted” or in “starvation mode”.