Why 16:8 Fasting Doesn't Work For Me

I'm in the home stretch of the No Meat Athlete 30-Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge, and I've learned a few things about myself! In this gradual weekly build to 16:8 fasting, the last week (week 4) was supposed to be dedicated to 16:8 fasting every day, except for one 12:12 fast on your long run day. Last week (week 3), we did 16:8 fasting daily with two 12:12 days thrown in.

So that means I'd done a number of 16:8 fasts (16 hours of fasting/8 hours of eating) already going into this week, and I was really not looking forward to another week of that. I'd determined the best eating window for me to avoid hunger pangs and fuel my runs was 8 am-4 pm, breaking my fast with post-workout carbs every morning at 8 am. But that meant having dinner at 3:30 pm, which falls during my work day. Eating dinner in front of a computer is not ideal for me, and I was really dreading that going into week 4. And so, on Sunday night (mid-way through my last week on this plan), I made the decision to stop 16:8 fasting. I'm not giving up! But I'm moving into a more sustainable 14:10 model of intermittent fasting.

I hate the idea of failing at anything, so I'm not looking at this as a fast fail. Instead, I'm framing this as me tuning into my own intuition around food. If I wasn't looking forward to 16:8 fasting, why do it? Besides, 14:10 and 12:12 fasting seem more sustainable for me, meaning I can probably continue some form of that after this 30-day challenge is over.

Anyway, here are a few meals I had over the past week. Last week, when I was still attempting 16:8 fasts, I had this beautiful bowl of Overnight Oats and a big pot of green tea. On that day, I had pushed my breakfast until 10:30 am so I could enjoy beers in the evening. That pot of green tea kept me from losing my mind while my tummy growled. I'm such a breakfast eater!


Another 16-hour fast breaker! Avocado Toast with fresh fruit. Just seeing the 16 hours printed on these pics from last week makes me so grateful I decided not to do that anymore.

Another problem I had with 16:8 fasting is one that a lot of people would see as a benefit. But I found it very hard to eat enough calories in 8 hours to prevent weight loss. Many people turn to IF for weight loss, and if that's your goal, go for it! I can easily see how one could lose weight on a 16:8 plan. But as a stress fracture-prone runner, I am actively trying to keep weight on. The 14:10 method makes room for a couple snacks in my day, which helps me eat enough. 
On Friday night/Saturday morning, I planned to fast for 12 hours since I had a long run planned (but I ended up sleeping in a little later before my run). Had my usual pre-run bagel. I wanted a savory spread, and I was out of hummus so I mixed tahini, miso, and nooch together to create a really yummy bagel spread.

And finally, here's my most common fast-breaker meal — White Rice with Soy Sauce & Sesame Seeds. This is my fave post-run snack for immediate carb replenishment. I usually follow this with a protein smoothie an hour or so later. This was after another 12-hour day because I decided I wanted a late-night snack of popcorn on Sunday!

After this month is over, I hope to continue 14:10 and 12:12 fasting most days. There are plenty of great longevity and chronic disease-fighting benefits of IF, even if you're not going the full 16:8!