How Does Intermittent Fasting Work for Weight Loss

[@MajdMD]

Have you tried Intermittent Fasting -- how difficult was it for you? And if you are planning on starting Intermittent Fasting -- what do you think your biggest challenge will be?

[@MajdMD]

karen w I’m glad you found something that works for you. I hear this every day. Thank you for sharing!

[@RideTheSpiral28]

Majd MD well I’m four days in and I’m not able to eat until 6am tomorrow. I’m starving. To be honest

[@adamv4951]

@@RideTheSpiral28 four days is early. Give it at least two weeks to adjust. It should get better!

[@MajdMD]

Benjamin Hammond The first few days are the hardest, but your body adapts. Hunger comes in waves of 20-30 minutes - distraction helps. As do appetite suppressants like water, sparkling water, coffee, tea especially green tea. Chia seeds are also appetite suppressants, but during eating hours. Hang in there, it gets much easier!

[@RideTheSpiral28]

Majd MD thank you for the information. Very helpful

[@sandrahernandez8783]

I started IF 2 weeks ago because I noticed that my metabolism has slowed down. It took me several days to adapt and now I don’t feel as hungry and when I do I just have a cup of tea. I love it, I have more energy and I don’t feel bloated. I’ve lost 2 pounds so far!

[@MajdMD]

Sandra Hernandez I’m happy for you! Diminished bloating is often the first thing people report on IF, it’s great. Let us know how it goes through time!

[@maranatha4492]

I started July31, 2020 @ 285lbs 6'1", I weigh myself once a week usually on a Monday. Sept 7th I weighed 257lbs. My year end goal is to be 220lbs at 50th birthday. I may shoot for 205 next year as it's what I weighed a long time a go out of the military and I feel its my ideal body weight. I do the 16/8 but often its more like 18/6, 10pm to 2pm is my fasting time (eating window is 2pm to 10pm). I work nights a lot so I'm just not eating at work and go straight to bed when I get home. I've cut out carbs (breads and white potatoes, very little fruit), unsweet almond milk in oatmeal (use cinnamon, honey, walnuts) maybe once a week. Lots of salads with (cheese, boiled egg, almonds, carrots, bits, balsamic vinegar), sweet potatoes, chicken, steak, broccoli, cabbage, stew (without potatoes), cheese, eggs, bacon. Pretty much anything no carb. I drink only water, black coffee, unsweet tea. The second week in I started drinking apple cider vinegar before bed and when I get up also. Recipe:1 cup of water,1 table spoon of acv, 1 table spoon of lemon juice. Use a straw and drink it toward the back of your mouth so the acids don't go over your teeth and hurt your enamel. I walk a couple days a week and do pushups, planks, leg lifts most days.The weight is just falling off, I'm never going back to my old unhealthy lifestyle.

[@jcgurl3773]

I just found your channel Dr. Majd while researching intermittent fasting. I am learning so much. Thank you for all of this helpful info!

[@michellesnyder4514]

I lost 13 lbs when I did the 16/8 intermittent fasting without even doing intense workouts. I hate exercise. LOL! I decided to practice intermittent fasting for life once I learned the benefits of giving the body a break from constantly digesting food. Some days I don't even feel hungry. I'm not on a strict diet. I treat myself occasionally to some ice cream or yogurt, rice or gluten-free pasta. The nice thing about IF, is that you can overindulge for a day or two and know that by skipping a few meals in the next few days you won't notice any weight gain.

[@kevcapistrano]

Intermittent fasting for me was HARD for at-least 3 days because my body was still getting used to the eating pattern of 16/8. I have been doing it since April 2018, and recently switched to 20/4 and let me tell you, i have never felt so amazing. I barely get sick, my blood pressure is normal, almost no break outs and the most important part of IF is, ITS FREE!!! :D

[@MajdMD]

Kevin Capistrano You just summed it up so perfectly! It does have this empowering effect, doesn’t it? Love it. Thank you for sharing!

[@jens6696]

How much weight did u lose?

[@michelleforan154]

I found you to be so delightful and sincere. I look forward to following your KZbin channel. Thank you!

[@MajdMD]

Michelle Foran Thank you for your kind words, my goal is to always bring value! Thank you for watching.

[@ketolisciouslife]

Great info on IF I do Keto and IF and I've lost 55lbs and the KEY is I've reversed diabetes, reduced my migraines and its helped my Inflammation from Hashimotos TREMENDOUSLY! It's refreshing that you're embracing Dr. Fung's book. He's got it RIGHT.

[@MajdMD]

Yes, he did :) there are no long term studies on IF yet because it’s a rather new method of weight loss, but it truly just makes so much sense and i think Dr. Fung has got it right. I’m so happy for your health success, it’s so great to see patients off their diabetes meds most especially. Thank you for sharing!

[@jameskantor0459]

My dermatologist recommended the Obesity code. I agree it changed my life. My HBA1c is now 5.7% from 7.8%, I have lose 80 lb. My liver function are now normal, my lipid level as way down. Example my Triglycerides is 62 mg/dl

[@MajdMD]

wow, your dermatologist? It's good to see more and more doctors are supporting IF through time. It's also impressive to see all the changes you've made, congrats! Thanks for sharing this with us!

[@EmilyCouturiere]

I started intermittent fasting 3 days ago. 18:6 I find it pretty easy, and Ive lost 3pbs so far. I know it's most likely water weight, but Im excited to start losing fat weight too.

[@willstricknine]

Starting tomorrow. Good inspiring insight, great video, and thx for caring. Sincere people are rare in this day and age!

[@MajdMD]

Thank you so much for your very kind words -- made my day :) . Good luck to you, and please keep us in the loop on the progress!

[@takingdownfatwithcdub7806]

intermittent fasting saved my life and I will never eat another way

[@MajdMD]

Taking Down Fat With Cdub Please elaborate, we would love to hear any details! Thank you for sharing!

[@issacortiz6613]

how did you fast? what was your routine

[@takingdownfatwithcdub7806]

@@issacortiz6613 I lost 125 pounds using OMAD, it is the only way I will eat now

[@MajdMD]

Issac Ortiz there are several versions - 16 hr (skip 1 meal), 24 hr (skip 2), and 36 hrs (skip 3). I’ll explain them in the next video this Saturday!

[@flyhigh5066]

@@takingdownfatwithcdub7806 what is OMAD?

[@beliefkeeper8036]

I am loving this video as I never thought about weight loss like this. Please keep informal vids coming!

[@MajdMD]

Belief Keeper Thank you so much for watching and for the kind comments! I am happy to hear you found the info useful, feedback like this is truly motivational :)

[@SweetNightmareASMR]

I've been doing this for a few weeks. For the first few days it was hard as I had gotten used to snacking a lot throughout the day but now I don't feel hungry and it reminds me to drink more water and herbal teas during the day. Great video. I recommend anyone thinking of doing this to get a water reminder app and the fasting tracker app as these have really helped me. ❤️

[@foolishdonut]

Thanks for the tips! I'm going to try this

[@vivahernando1]

Yep the fasting app is awesome. Btw you are looking great.

[@brostom77]

Thanks for the honesty. I lost 80 pounds.

[@michaelajane8]

I started a week ago I still get so hungry but when I can finally eat I can’t eat as much as I think I can any more ahah

[@ericassuvtravels]

Thank you, the light just went on with regards to the hunger after fasting and losing weight. It took about two weeks but now wanting to eat more. Thank you so much for this info as now I know it will pass with discipline.

[@MajdMD]

Glad to hear it was useful in any way :)

[@kemij4796]

You’re the best at explaining everything thank you I’m a new subscriber to your channel

[@MajdMD]

Thank you so much for watching, subscribing, and leaving me this very kind comment! I am grateful to be able to attract such nice subscribers like yourself!

[@Hamsayehministries]

Mercy Dr Majd, very useful info.

[@jeremy1984100]

Can I take my vitamins in the morning if I'm intermittent fasting? And is lemon okninnmy water too ? I want to do the 16 hour plan

[@CTN404]

I love the energy from IF

[@jenetteauletta6857]

I am a type 2 diabetic I have been taken off of insulin and put on Trulicity. Is it safe for me to do IF?

[@isaacdean7995]

I see that someone asked if they could do this as a 17 year old. Is it okay for a 19 year old? Thanks for the great content!

[@MajdMD]

Isaac Dean i would imagine it would be okay for most healthy 19 year olds, but of course you should always run everything by your doctor first, no matter how old :) thanks for watching and for your kind comment!

[@monicaconstantin5625]

Hi I really like you and your videos and thank you for all of your great tips ☺️ I just can't get used to the background music even though it's low volume I get distracted and don't absorb info. I wonder if other people notice this or Is it just me ? Curious...

[@MajdMD]

No, you're not alone :) I've had this feedback, and KZbin has been a learning experience for me. I've turned it down quite a bit in my latest videos -- let me know if it's any better? Thank you for your honest feedback, that's exactly what i'm looking for in order to improve my videos!

[@jens6696]

I just started three days ago. I’m feeling hungry even after eating , is that normal? Also since I can’t eat until 12 by the time I do etc my head starts hurting. What can I do to avoid this and how long does it usually take to get use to it?

[@MajdMD]

It takes up to 2 weeks for your body to adjust to the new schedule, after that it becomes much easier with less hungry moments (which last 20-30 minutes). I addressed this Q in another one of my videos: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWTOfaJojreaidk. As for headaches, make sure you're not dehydrated and consider adding salt to some bone broth or water/sparkling water.

[@ludy41]

Are you eating enough?

[@lindapayne6785]

I’m trying to get your intermittent fasting guide. I’ve requested a number of times, nothing ever sent to my email. Is it still available?

[@MajdMD]

So sorry to hear this - that is unusual, have you checked your spam folder? If so, please let me know your email and i will personally send you a copy!

[@jameskantor0459]

Most people can do 12:12 fasting, should. Be healthy for most people.

[@mals4142]

I’ve been IF for about 2 weeks now. I’ve lost 5 pounds. If you want updates comment and I’ll reply!

[@Annabel-ew5nx]

can you still lose weight if your calorie intake is the same? I eat relatively healthy but can is still effect your body

[@princesspat5239]

What about iron defiency?

[@winaabarca1796]

I subscribed! Awesome content-Type 2 diabetic working on this, Is it okay since I'm not taking any meds? I chose not to take even metformin because of potential hypoglycemia...

[@MajdMD]

It's hard to answer that question without knowing you as a patient, but i'd say most type 2 diabetics not requiring medications or insulin should do just fine on IF. Thank you for the kind comments and subscribing :)

[@generalghost6005]

I still don’t get it is it like you eat for 8 in one day and then fast until the next day or do eat. For 4 hours and wait 6 hours to eat ??

[@RWorley3sl]

You decide how many hours is right for your body, either 12/12 or 16/8. I stop eating by 8pm and maybe do a small break fast, 80 calorie yogurt or protein. Then eat from 12-8. I started as I had an ulcer and couldn't eat much around the medicines I took. Nothing the hour before and nothing for an hour after that pill. I had to wait until m other meds absorbed about 3 hours to take it again. I took it 4 times a day. So I've lost more weight in a few months then i have for years. So I continued it. Doctor tod me 9 pounds in a week is bad and to slow it down. So now ill drink something with calories once a week and eat more ice cream., being up for most of fasting hours are hard but the should lower my blood sugar. Better than a diabetic diet.

[@generalghost6005]

@@RWorley3sl thanks man just to be clear you eat from 12-8 and fast until 12 the next

[@justsometea6565]

Hi, I've been meaning to try out intermittent fasting but I'm scared I'll end up losing more lean body mass compared to fat. Does anyone know if this is true?

[@shylajennings1876]

Do workouts that build that lean mass and fast at the same time

[@tinahodzic3849]

I have questions that I dont want public would I be able to email you??

[@MajdMD]

tina hodzic as long as it’s a general Q and not a specific personal Q i will try my best. It’s tricky for us docs sometimes because we don’t have your chart (or yourself) in front of us :)

[@_Cartographer_]

Thank's for your great content. I just have a question: I'm 17. Am I considered a child? Btw, I'm already in shape. I just want to do it for mental clarity. Is it going to be harmful to me?

[@MajdMD]

In the eyes of the medical community, yes :( I'd run it by your doctor before initiation! Thank you for your kind words.

[@krystleroy3068]

I’ve been basically IF for ever but I’ve been doing it all wrong I don’t eat at all but snack all day cookies and coffee and soda and craving sugar because I’m starving I did it to myself I’m trying to cut auger I quit soda for 2weeks now and I have been eating better now but I need to lose weight so badly for my baby I’m not crazy overweight but I am obese I’m like 60 pounds overweight no one believe me when I tell them I do hide it pretty well but I just look chubby and I hate my stomic I need to lose this so I can start exercising it’s so hard walking and exercising with this weight

[@thepersonisone]

So carbs restricting and fat restrict insluin being release

[@MajdMD]

Vegan Truth IF is not about restricting any food groups!

[@thepersonisone]

@@MajdMD kinda is though

[@MajdMD]

Vegan Truth not at all! You can still eat carbs, but just during the eating hours. It’s not keto.

[@thepersonisone]

@@MajdMD you should not have to carbs restrict have you heard of the Minnesota straving exampriment

[@thepersonisone]

@@MajdMD you don't need animal products in 2020 and you can't change my mind also it been proven time and time again that fat rectrion will reverse stop being undercarb

[@rhianmonica339]

If im doing the intermittent fasting how many months will i be slim?

[@MajdMD]

Rhian Monica That’s a tough one to answer - it all depends on how overweight a person is and for how long. I’d shoot for 1-2 lbs a week for the long haul, slow and steady wins the race! But in general, weight loss is quicker in the beginning after it kicks in and then it slows down gradually.

[@biftumohammed9307]

I am planning to start 16/8 but how many days are recommended?

[@MajdMD]

Biftu Mohammed you should run it by your personal doctor, but for most of my patients I’ve been recommending 16/8 daily until they reach their goal, then back off to every other day or several times a week. Hope that answers your question? You may want to check out the sequel video to this as well.

[@biftumohammed9307]

@@MajdMD thank you .I will check that too

[@sharinoyshe8173]

if am doing the 16 hours intermittent fasting and not working out will that be okay? or if i do workout will that accelerate the process of losing weight?

[@MajdMD]

Of course, working out will help. But nutrition does have a greater impact on weight loss than exercise does. But exercise is important for so many other reasons, as well -- cardiovascular health, osteoporosis prevention, decreasing insulin resistance, etc.

[@reyadabubaker649]

Intermittent Fasting is a good approach for improving blood markers, reduce weight, lower blood pressure, and improve blood sugar. It can be difficult for some people who drink a lot of coffee when experiencing caffeine withdrawal symptoms, but a good note to control daily caffeine intake.

[@MajdMD]

Reyad Abubaker What i hear more often are from those coffee drinkers who were adding sugar or sugary creamers! They at first have a hard giving up the sugar, but get used to it quite rapidly, believe it or not. But like you hinted at - IF can stimulate some lifelong healthy habits :) thanks for sharing!

[@brenda9075]

can i still drink coffee with sugar with my one meal while doing IF? obviously within my calorie deficit

[@Thenuksilva]

Madam i just started IF. I am a 14 year old. I have already lost about 2kgs. But now i find that i lose less weight than when i started. Why is this?pls reply and tell me what to do

[@flyhigh5066]

I am diabetic (12 hb1ac) and 95 kgs. Can I fast? I lost recently 4 kgs without any diet or exercise during lockdown , I was constantly worried about my future , may be due to that

[@gejuanica]

so i can drink liquids while IF ?

[@MajdMD]

Gejuanica Brock During fasting hours, you can have black coffee or plain tea, bone broth, water, or sparkling water.

[@katjones4023]

I just got the print out, I think it says you can have these things during the 8 hours... but shouldn't it say during the 16 hours of fasting?

[@MajdMD]

@@katjones4023 OMG yes -- you are correct! You're the first one to point that out to me, i will fix! thank you!

[@maureen14]

1:39 "The causes of weight loss"?? Do you mean the causes of obesity?

[@MajdMD]

Yes! i made a boo-boo, thanks for catching it!

[@gabrielmari9653]

I couldn’t get my sheet! Is there any other way to get it? It’s not on my spam

[@MajdMD]

Oh that's unusual! Did it send you the email confirmation email -- you have to click "confirm" and then it sends you the email with the attachment (we did this so to make sure there are no bots/spam requests). If that didn't work, please give me your email and i will email it to you directly. Sorry for the inconvenience :(

[@gabrielmari9653]

Majd MD got it! Thank you very much! 😉

[@MajdMD]

Gabriel Mari Awesome 🙌🙌. So glad to hear! apologies for any confusion!

[@nesamrawit]

Breastfeeding mom can do intermittent fasting?

[@MajdMD]

Samrawit Negede I wouldn’t advise it!

[@ludy41]

No

[@rhondacasby5915]

So can chew sugar free gum?

[@MajdMD]

I don't see why not. Just make sure to read the ingredients :)

[@rhondacasby5915]

While fasting?

[@MajdMD]

Rhonda Casby as long as there is no sugar or sugar substitutes. Zero carbs. No xylitol or other sugar-like additives. If you’re not sure, I’d chew in eating window.

[@MajdMD]

@@rhondacasby5915 Yes - as long as there are zero calories, zero carbs. If it has a non-nutritive sweetener, however, i'd avoid that.

[@returnoftheschaef2084]

Skip to the two minute mark. You’ll thank me later

[@MajdMD]

Heyyy now...Lol my apologies if i put you to sleep!

[@thevictoriaarzushow]

I love your videos! You are helping out so many people, and I appreciate that! Also, you are so beautiful, are you Persian by chance??

[@MajdMD]

You are way too kind, thank you -- now my head and ego won't fit through the door lol! Yes, Persian :) I am grateful for your feedback and to know it's helping others in any way -- that is what truly motivates me to keep doing these videos.

[@thevictoriaarzushow]

@@MajdMDOMG, I KNEW IT!! You are Persian! How cool. Well, I just want to reiterate how helpful you are to people who are struggling with their weight, like me. I started intermittent fasting about a week ago, and I do feel a lot better, and I have lost 5 pounds thus far and I'm really excited about getting in shape again. I NEVER thought I would EVER be diagnosed as obese, but it's heartbreaking for a woman who stands at only 5'2." And guess what, I am 201 lbs!!! It sucks! But I am very encouraged by your videos and I absolutely need to get that book, The Obesity Code. You give me HOPE, and if you are doing that for so many people, then YOU ARE A GOOD DOCTOR. God Bless you!

[@MajdMD]

Victoria Arzú This was such a kind message to receive, thank you so much - it’s feedback like this that truly keeps me motivated, to know that I’ve helped even one person makes me feel like I’ve done my job. Thank you.

[@XrosalinaX.]

this view of fat loss and obesity imo seems a bit outdated. to say that insulin levels cause obesity seems a bit misleading (thats my impression on first viewing and iam sure you might not have intended it to seem that way). eating in a caloric surplus will lead to someone gaining weight in the form of fat, whilst blood glucose levels may affect someones appetite it is down to overall energy balance that determines weight loss or weight gain. you make a point to say that eating restricively in terms of calories could or will lead to a indefinite cycle or weight regain. you fail to mention that most diets people are on are most likely fad diets and over restrict certain macro nutrients ( in a past video of yours on intetmittent fasting you even suggest eating a lower amount of carbs). this seems misleading, it doesn't matter what ratio of nutirents you eat, you will loose fat if you are in a caloric defecit. wouldn't it be better to suggest eating low calorically dense foods that are filling and not to over restrict which is probably the cause of weight rebound. it is your responsibility as someone with a large platform to make fat loss accesable and not promote a method that could be overley restricitve and in some cases overly complicated. iam sure you have good intentions but you should at least acknowledge overall energy balance and place less emphasis on diets that are most likely not maintainable over long periods of time.

[@emmanuelgartei2018]

As far as the eating 16/8 schedule does that mean I can eat my 3 meals I normally eat a day from 12pm-8pm or am I typically supposed to be having only 1-2 meals in that time frame without having snacks in there. my wife and I are really interested in trying it

[@MajdMD]

I described the details in the video -- were you able to watch it? 16/8 means 2 meals, ideally without snacking in between :)

[@emmanuelgartei2018]

OK thanks

[@Kelinp]

No sweet n low in the coffee?

[@MajdMD]

Best not. We don't really know what it does and if it stimulates insulin release.

[@muhammaduzair3131]

I knew which foods I need to eat to lose weight, but I didn't know how much. Diet plan I got from Agoge Diet contains portion sizes for every meal. Fantastic!

[@ashleymarie6682]

I disagree calories in calories out doesn’t work. Ive tried every diet known to man and thats the only way to lose weight, move more eat less but eat better at the same time. Stop the insulin spikes by not eating crap

[@MajdMD]

Ashley No doubt it does work - as long as you can maintain it long term.

[@dx-dragon4399]

Don't see how you will lose weight if you eat the same but in a smaller time frame if your eating 12000 calories per day your not going to lose weight doesn't matter if you eat it In a few hours or throughout the day

[@32whizkid]

Maybe try listening a little bit better

[@dx-dragon4399]

@@32whizkid she said it's not calories in and calories out and it is if you want to lose weight you have to eat less than you burn doesn't matter what time of day you eat calories it's how much you eat

[@romowasbetterthanaikman3932]

I think the general thought is that if you restrict your eating window to 4 or 6 hours, you won’t be hungry enough to consume as many calories. That said if you ate ice cream for 4 straight hours it’s not likely to work. IF works because it also burns more fat than traditional diets because your body after a certain amount of time fuels off of your stored fat.

[@bdrt769]

Keto is not a diet is life style and is realsitic because is real food, you migh need to research about it more before calling it a fad diet even Dr. Fung recomends this lifestyle

[@MajdMD]

Alina N I’ve definitely researched keto in quite detail, thank you. It may work long term for a few, especially those who enjoy meat, but almost every patient I’ve had try keto is unable to stick with it long term. Now if you can keep it up long term, awesome - nothing wrong with that in the least and I’d encourage that. Thanks for your perspective.

[@mckennagray1338]

Keto is a fad diet. You can wrap a cheese stick in bacon and deep fry it and be within the keto guidelines. But theres nothing healthy about that. Just eat real food period. It doesnt have to be called anythibg.

[@MajdMD]

McKenna Gray I really love that philosophy - “it doesn’t have to be called anything.” In my 15 years of practice and seeing patients struggle with their weight, i haven’t been able to see many people keep up keto and Atkins long term. That’s the truth. With that being said, i think a very small niche segment of the population seem to do well with keto, especially if they enjoy a carnivore diet. And in that case, it’s truly awesome to see that it’s working so well for them. But for the rest and majority of the population who fails to keep it up long term, we need another solution. Thank you to all of you for sharing your perspectives!

[@Prudenprocom]

As a guy who has done keto while intermittent fasting to get ripped. It works brilliant for fast results for say if you have a fight or show to perform. But it's not for me long term. Healthy diet with many greens and exercise.

[@aeb8101]

Ive read where the keto diet can result in kidney stones as well as outrageous cholesterol levels due to the high fat intake. Not a very healthy lifestyle. It’s great to cut carbs and sugars but if it increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke then what good is the diet really?

[@ashleymarie6682]

Intermittent fasting is a fad though... 🤦‍♀️

[@MajdMD]

Ashley if you cannot make it a lifestyle change, anything is a fad.