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Intermittent Fasting and prediabetes, it worked for me

I

Infern0

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I have signed up to post my story as I only recently saw Dr Fungs videos and have seen plenty of articles disputing him which encouraged me to have my say.

I'm 31 and was diagnosed as pre-diabetic 2.5 years ago, I had a bad energy drink addiction and was overweight and inactive.

I had many issues such as rashes, cramps, dizzy spells, an acidic taste in my mouth and many others . My immune system was total trash and I got sick often.

My doctor told me I was going to get type 2, it was basically when not if.

I decided on a total lifestyle change and started intermittent fasting DAILY and working out 5-6x per week.

I would fast between 8pm-4pm every single day, and ate in a small defecit and I did 20 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights at the gym.

I lost weight very quickly, and I went from 230lb down to 180lb in about 4 months which could be considered wreckless and I would advise a slightly less aggressive fat loss. Lifting heavy weights meant I put on a good amount of muscle mass too and I was very happy with my physique, I can try to find a before and after picture of anyone wants to see.

Anyway my health complaints all pretty much went away, no more rashes, pains, weird taste, fatigue, constant colds and flu's etc.

I went back to the doctors after 6 months and my numbers had improved significantly. After 12 months.... within acceptable limits.

For those with type 2 and especially type 1, I can't attest to how you will do on this and I do advise medical supervision. But if I can go from pre-diabetic to not at risk, then I'm sure there are benefits you can gain.

Anyway if anyone has any questions please ask.
 
I'm with you all the way except when it comes to people whose Diabetes is of a different type or whose medications make the difference. If one is overweight and hyperinsulinaemic but requiring no treatment other than diet or diet plus Metformin then IF can be done quite safely with regular monitoring. That bit is fine.
If one is on hypoglycaemic treatments then more care and more testing is necessary and medical supervision wrt changes in dosage is advised.
If one has Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 treated with insulin then even more care is needed, I liken this to playing chess with a grand master - you have to bally concentrate!

My advice to anyone considering IF is to research before starting. The results can be wonderous but as with any new endeavour one needs to understand the rules of engagement.
 
Oops! Sorry, welcome to the forum. Well done on your change of lifestyle and its great results.
 
Dr. Jason Fung kept me out of an early grave. I owe him a debt of gratitude that I can never repay.

If I ever meet the man, which admittedly is unlikely, I’m going to give him a massive bear hug and tell him he saved my life.
 
Intermittent fasting has been the single most effective tool in controlling my blood sugars. Before I started it my sugars were in the low teens and since then I usually range between 4/5s during the days and highest 6s after eating. I still have a few carbs here and there in my meals with no high spikes post meal and I am slowly losing weight.

Would recommend IF to anyone in the same boat as I am ( depending on medication used of course)
 

I agree 100% I did put the caveat in my last paragraph that I can't attest to different types as I don't know enough about them. Just that in my specific case it worked wonders for me
 
Infern0 said:
I agree 100% I did put the caveat in my last paragraph that I can't attest to different types as I don't know enough about them. Just that in my specific case it worked wonders for me
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Aye. Members most often join the forum at or soon after diagnosis of all types of Diabetes so it is worth putting in the caveats and the advice to read up on any methods one has heard of e.g lifestyle changes.

I am a fan of Dr. Fung and know him as the King of the Analogy, he breaks down all things Diabetes into such clear and easily understandable information that we often need in the days and weeks after diagnosis.
Sadly, I cannot fast but if this changes I will be all over IF like a greyhound.
 
@Infern0 well done, that’s a very impressive turnaround in your health. Did you eat 2 small meals between 4pm and 8pm or one large?
@ViolaChiri what IF regime did you follow?
I’m currently doing 30hr fasts as described by JF but I don’t think it’s sustainable as I’m getting so hungry.
 
I currently fast between 18-20 hours a day then depending on the day can have two meals or one with a snack. I feel like 30hrs every day for me would not be sustainable for me but I do intend to begin incorporating 48hr (or 72hrs if I can) fasts at least twice or thrice a month.
 
DJC3 said:
I’m currently doing 30hr fasts as described by JF but I don’t think it’s sustainable as I’m getting so hungry.
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If you’re getting hungry then you should eat. Successful fasting is about letting nature control your appetite.

Worth noting also that fasting for any decently effective period of time will be far easier if you start form a position of mild ketosis, or ‘fat adapted’. If you’re generally a sugar burner ingesting ~50g+ of carbohydrate per day then it will be much harder and you’ll feel much hungrier much quicker.

Fasting is really most effective if preceded by, and accompanied with, a ketogenic dietary plan.
 
Thanks @ViolaChiri your system sounds more sustainable.

@Jim Lahey thanks for taking the time to reply, I do currently follow lchf, keto really as I rarely go over 25g carbs per day. I started IF as my numbers which have been in the non diabetic range for around 9 months have started to creep up and I hoped this would help reset things ( which it seems to be doing) I’m not overweight, maybe that’s why I’m hungry, so I think a bigger eating window might be a better way to go. It’s all about finding one’s balance I think.
 

Yeah I hear you. I’m built like a stick insect and I can’t comfortably fast for more than 48h without getting rather hungry. I just feel that my body wants to hang onto the stored fat that it does have, and so makes me hungry quicker than would otherwise be the case.

I hardly ever eat until lunchtime which seems to work fine for me now.
 
Richard Morris (one of the 2ketodudes) has a theory there is a limit on calories that can be drawn down from fat reserves during the day. I would imagine that in lean people like you the body would indeed struggle to maintain your reserves at a decent level so would flood your body with Ghrelin to try to get you to eat. I'll try and dig out his piece for you. Luckily with my body fat still in the mid to high 20's I have plenty of fuel on board!
 

Yeah that makes total sense. My BMI is 18.6. I imagine my body would rather hold onto the small fat reserves that it has, so that it may be used in times of emergency and to keep me warm etc.

The way our anatomy works is truly miraculous and never ceases to captivate me with its awesomeness.
 

I usually have 2 meals, i work out right before I broke my fast, and then eat a meal straight after, then one 4 hours later.

As time has gone on I do have periods when I'm not fasting and eat traditionally, usually when bulking, then go back to IF when cutting.

I am able to eat throughout the day now without negative effects.
 

Many years ago I tried fasting and it was horrible.

I was on standard American diet.

When I first read Fong, I was turned off from fasting due to the horrible experience of decades ago.

Yet once in a state of nutritional ketosis, it was easy to go 12 hours (overnight) and comfortably 16 hours routinely.

Adding fat made it easy.
 
Its about post 14 on this thread.. but almost anything Richard writes is worth reading
https://www.ketogenicforums.com/t/n...hy-fasting-is-easier-for-some-people/19635/12
 
Been on IF for a month now eat from 1 pm till 6pm, it has worked wonders.

Was worried I would feel low sugar levels with no energy.
Quite the opposite, have more energy and sugars in the 5s on a regular bases, type 2 and metformin
 
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