Dr. Frank O'Neill GrowGrayMatter
I Lost 165 Pounds Using Alternate Day Fasting
This video is a free preview of my 6.5-hour course called Intermittent Fasting: Fast Weight Loss That Lasts. This link will take you to the full course:
https://www.udemy.com/course/intermittent-fasting-fast-weight-loss-that-lasts/?referralCode=E9AB633FE56C0548990
In this video, Dr. O explains the pros and cons of Alternate Day Fasting for weight loss.
Here is the eating plan that I followed while using ADF:
Here is how intermittent fasting saved my life:
Here is the video about why I chose ADF over OMAD:
Medical and Health Disclaimer:
This Video Presentation is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or symptom. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this informational and educational Video Presentation. Your use and reliance on this Video Presentation is at your sole risk. If you believe you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.
hey everybody Dr o here in this video we're going to cover alternate day fasting or ADF alternate day fasting is my favorite form of fasting for weight loss but I had a lot of weight to lose so it may not be for you again we'll cover the pros and cons of each of these different types of fasting programs throughout these videos I credit a ton of my weight loss success to alternate day fasting now I did start exercising and sleeping and managing my stress and I changed my diet I did lots and lots of things but if you're looking at the calorie deficit that I had to be in over a time over time to lose 165 pounds in a year alternate day fasting is the only way that I could have got there and I've explained that in the section on calorie cycling and throughout this course research shows that alternate day fasting has been proven to be a good weight loss strategy and number two research has also shown that if you add exercise to alternate day fasting you can actually make it twice as effective so exercise is not necessary but it will accelerate your fat loss efforts all right so the first thing I want to talk about with alternate day fasting is it's not a 24-hour fast if you think well like eat one day and I don't eat the next does that mean I went 24 hours without eating no you actually go 36 hours without eating because you're sleeping twice so you see here that Monday you eat and then Monday night you have supper let's say supper ends at seven o'clock and then you start your fast then so you sleep you wake up Tuesday you don't eat you go to sleep Tuesday night and then you wake up Wednesday morning at let's say seven in the morning to eat so that is a 36 hour fast so alternate day fasting is really your cycling between 36 hour Windows where you're fasting and then 12 hour Windows where you're eating and we've already covered that when you're eating I expect you to eat 25 or 30 or even 35 more calories than you normally would on those eating days but you'll still be in a really really good um calorie deficit so that's one of the reasons I love alternate day fasting is during that 36 hour window you're sleeping twice and fasting the best time to fast is when you're asleep because you're not you're not thinking about it so you'll see here though with alternate day fasting and I kind of looked at this as a con and I'll explain how I modified it for myself is you're basically fasting three and a half days a week because there's an odd number of days in a week so in the first week here you're fasting on Tuesday Thursday and Saturday the second week you're fasting Monday Wednesday Friday Sunday so and that and then again that's that's perfectly fine but I will show you how I modified it because I like to be on a schedule where I know what's happening on Monday and I know what's happening on Tuesday so I so I as much as I love alternate day fasting I found ways to modify it for myself and you should too so first of all what does the science say the effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical Health markers in humans these were fasting trials there were up to 24 weeks long it was this was effective at reducing body weight and body fat lowered cholesterol lower triglycerides lower blood sugar lower insulin all positive things and this study was on people that were obese but also people that were overweight and people that were normal weight the more fat you have to lose the more effective this will be another study alternate day fasting improves physiological and molecular markers of Aging in healthy non-obese humans in this study they found that participants consumed 35 percent fewer calories so not 50 because they were eating more on their eating days and that's perfectly fine but a 35 percent reduction in calories will lead to Rapid and effective weight loss and during this study the average person lost 7.7 pounds so they were doing 36 hours of fasting and then here's the key 12 hours on of unlimited eating over a four week period so they lost almost two pounds a week and during their 12 hour Windows they weren't Limited at all in what they were eating so fast eat fast repeat another study the effects of alternate day fasting on weight loss weight maintenance and cardio protection among metabolically healthy obese adults a randomized clinical trial so first of all what's a metabolically healthy obese person this would be someone that is obese because of their BMI but they don't have risks factors for metabolic disease or metabolic syndrome their triglycerides are normal blood pressure is normal Etc but this study found same thing not only is it really good at helping you lose weight but it can be a really effective weight maintenance tool and we'll talk about that a little bit more okay so what are the pros of alternate day fasting to me this is the best approach if you have more than 40 pounds to lose right if you have 50 7 500 pounds to lose there's really no risk in fasting for 36 hours once you get used to it so the more fat you have to lose the more aggressive you can be and this is the most aggressive of any of the fasting protocols that I'm going to share but remember the more aggressive your weight loss the more you need to monitor signs that you're losing lean tissue because you're losing weight so quickly and the more often you should take breaks you should take what I like to call weight maintenance breaks and I'll teach you later about how we take periods of time where we settle in a new weight we learn how to maintain our weight and then we can get back into aggressive dieting okay but let me show you this was my biggest con so the cons of alternate day fasting of course it's hard until you get used to it but the hardest part for me was scheduling right I've told you in multiple places that I wanted to fast on days when I was busy so for example Monday and Wednesday are my two busiest days uh at work so those are days that I always want to fast and then I also I want to keep an exercise schedule I don't exercise every other day I exercise you know Tuesday Thursday Saturday Sunday so I so I wanted to keep my fasting schedule set and my exercise has a schedule set so I modified this so instead of doing alternate day fasting you could just do three or four fasts a week so what I would do is I would fast three times one week and then kind of three and a half or four the next week let me show you that so let me show you my fasting schedule so this is this is what I liked because it did allow me it allowed me to fast on the days when I was busiest which makes fasting easier and allowed me to eat on the days of exercise so I would fast you see here the first week I would fast Monday Wednesday Friday so then I would exercise Tuesday Thursday Saturday Sunday so I was eating on my exercise days which is very important because you want to fuel performance and you want to tell your body that it's okay to build or at least maintain muscle and then I was fasting on the days that I was the busiest but you'll see the next week what I would do and remember I have a lot of weight to lose so you could just do that you could just do you could fast three days a week and kind of call it a modified alternate day fasting program but I still wanted to average three and a half fasting days a week so the next week I would fast Monday Wednesday Friday and then on Sundays I would either fast or do what's called a protein sparing modified fast where I would consume definitely under a thousand calories and those calories would almost all come from protein and then I would do a really light exercise on that day because I wasn't eating so what my My fasting program that I use to lose 165 pounds I averaged three and a half fast per week but I but I never really ever fasted uh alternate day so three fast one week for the next but unless you have a lot of weight to lose fasting three days a week is more than enough I've learned over time right the longer I've done this the less I recommend being super aggressive fasting three times a week 36 hours three times a week is all is already plenty aggressive and you will reach your goals all right so what are the other cons of alternate day fasting it's tough and take it used to it right I don't tell people to Jump Right In you know follow all the advice that I'm giving you in this program to the letter if you're new to intermittent fasting then ease into it maybe start with a modified alternate day fasting program like I'm going to be showing you in the next video maybe start with time restricted feeding and slowly work your way to alternate day fasting these are all things you can do and then I'll have a troubleshooting section later but be sure to follow my advice on hydration and getting your electrolytes because if you are going 36 hours without eating most of the side effects of alternate day fasting do come from not staying hydrated and not getting your electrolytes we'll cover that in the troubleshooting section all right so this is this is alternate day fasting the pros the cons how you can use it how I use it I hope this helps have a wonderful day be blessed
#Lost #Pounds #Alternate #Day #Fasting
source
This video is a free preview of my 6.5-hour course called Intermittent Fasting: Fast Weight Loss That Lasts. This link will take you to the full course:
https://www.udemy.com/course/intermittent-fasting-fast-weight-loss-that-lasts/?referralCode=E9AB633FE56C0548990
Does MTC break my fast during the day I’m fasting?
We commonly think that fasting is a time of hardship and self denial… but now I actually look forward to the times when my gut is empty of food and my brain is running on ketones – because that is when I feel physically the best. So rather than a burden, fasting is a pleasure that I look forward to.
Wheres this guy gone?
40 hr fasting, and 8 hr eating window:
Day 1 (fasting) : 81.4 kg(179.4 lbs)
Day 2 (feeding): 80.7 kg(177.9 lbs)
Day 3 (fasting): 81.0 kg(178.5 lbs)
So I lost 0.4kg or 0.9lbs in those 2 days, I overate yesterday, close to 3000 calories lol, this is kinda why, and maybe the only reason, I don't like ADF, because it puts you in survival mode for that day, and you keep worrying about not starving tomorrow, so you keep eating. Maybe that's just me. But I think it doesn't teach me how to eat better and/or control my portions, but I'll work on that after I reach my weight goal. This is the only type of diet that works for me, because I'd rather not eat at all, than restrict myself, and this is perfect because I don't have to worry about starving too long, I can eat whatever I want tomorrow again.
I've decided to add 20k steps a day, and maybe 200 random crunches. Hopefully, this excelarates my weight loss.
Day 4 (feeding): 80.3 kg(177 lbs)
The fasting yesterday wasn't so bad, I had so much energy, I was not just not hungry, I wasn't even craving food, which has never happened. I drank 2 cups of Yerba Mate, anybody who is planning to start this, should drink this, it's literally a game changer. I managed to do the 20k steps, but only did 100 crunches.
Day 5 (fasting): 80.7kg(177.9lbs)
I lost 0.3 in the next 2 days, even though I ate less than the first two days, it might be because I'm gaining muscles, because of the walking and the crunches, because my thighs feel stronger, or it's wishful thinking lol.
Day 6 (feeding): 80.0kg(176.3lbs)
Day 7 (fasting): 80.0kg(176.3lbs)
Today is the only day, after a fasting day, that I didn't gain anything back, I lost 0.7kg in those two days, because I didn't eat much yesterday, I was sleeping most of the day lol, and also my appetite has reduced. I struggled through the previous fasting day, so I'll make sure to drink more water today, and see the difference. Eager to see the 70s, then after that it's just a count down to the 60s.
I stopped watching when I heard ''36 hours without eating…''. I'm glad it works for him and other people, but I couldn't do it.
What do you recommend on eating days? Counting calories n all or Just eat according to hunger?
Sooo happy for you and all this works for but it messes with my metabolism and don’t lose weight this way. I have pcos and high cortisol though.
29 hrs in for me and I'm not even a little bit hungry.
Idk how mine is gonna go but I’m doing a slightly less aggressive form of this. Why? Well I’ve never been a dieting person. I was forced to try a few diets in my teen years when I wasn’t overweight and since then have been very bitter towards the idea of any “diet”. I don’t consider this to be a real diet because when I’m eating I plan to do what I’ve always done. Eat what I want to eat. My diet on a day to day basis includes fresh vegetables/fruit, lots of protein, eggs, water, and olive oil…But it also includes Red Bull and/or coffee, salty snacks, processed stuff like ramen, etc. Not the worst intake of nutrients but because of the other junk I like to eat I cannot pretend that my eating habits are the best either. Recently I haven’t been very happy with my body but at the same time every time this happens I never have it in me to control what I am eating..,.Fasting however is appealing to me because I can commit to just not eating a few days here and there. It’s the counting caleries and having to sacrifice some food for others every d@mn day that I hate about traditional diets. At least with this I can eat the way I usually eat without having to sacrifice on an “eat day”. Plus I’ve noticed as this is my third day of fasting this week that not eating at all has been way easier than when I’ve been made to eat but limit my calories. If I eat nothing the hunger is still there, but it is way less intense than when I eat a small breakfast at the beginning of the day and eat practically nothing for the rest of the day. The hunger pains are more of a subtle ache rather than a constant pain. I’ve also noticed that when I wake up in my eat day after my fast day that I don’t actually wake up hungry like I anticipated….Weird but I won’t question it lol so because of that I haven’t been overeating in comparison to what I usually eat day to day😅
Right now my schedule is a simple three days a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I typically work those days and don’t have many social events where I can expect to miss out on dinner plans or anything like that. My eat days are Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. This leaves me the weekend an extra eat day. My plan as I’ve been thinking about the last few months is to go to the gym on one of my extra eat days to compensate for the extra food(as well as maintain muscle). I know this version may not be useful for many, but for me who struggles with dieting as a whole and doesn’t want to feel like I’m on a diet; and only has a goal of losing 8 pounds minimum, this may work for people doing it for similar reasons to me.
Want to lose just a few pounds, but want to keep eating the stuff you love🤷🏼♀️If it works out I’ll be sure to update on this comment if I remember to do so😅
I eat the keto diet I’m thinking about adding this technique to my diet
This is my absolute go to fast regime, and the only thing that has ever really worked for me mainly because it's predictable, easy to plan around and not complicated. I don't eat 3 days a week, typically Monday Wednesday and Friday. Combining those days with occasional 48 hour (Saturday off with a Friday or Sunday off with a Monday) is dynamite and helps prevent any plateaus.
Good stuff and thanks for the video.
I once did a water fast for 7 days and a dry fast for 3 days. Both times I was off work. After the 3rd day of water fasting, the hunger went away, but it was boring. Good time for spirituality and clarity though. Dry fasting is faster for weight loss, but I definitely have to be off work to do it. I like the idea of a water fast during busy days ( I work as a server). Dry fast only at home for me.
G'day, great video, much appreciated.
I have a question….
One of the things I have trouble with when I'm fasting is getting to sleep.
On your fasting days do you ever struggle to fall asleep? Do have any tips for getting thru this issue?
Pretty good! And timely. Currently looking at ministering to a gal I coached in SB years ago. Had a psychotic break with claim of suisyde a couple days ago and got placed in a hospital. I am a practitioner not a doc. It is the enemy causing this; I don’t have experience on the psych side.
Need to watch this again!
In islam we call alternate day fasting as prophet david fasting cos that is how prophet david fast..
Yupp I was 227lbs have never been that big in less I was pregnant, started add and I'm down to 195 . It works faster adding in walking every day.
In that way did you have loose skin.
Eating coca leaves makes fasting easy peasy.
I didn't believe it would work for me but after my 1st week I gave in on my fasting days, eating cheese or a protein bar, also I work 3rd shift. I still lost 15 pounds my first week. Adding that I gave up drinking and snacking also staying hydrated I was skeptical of losing weight but this video was very informative and has encouraged me to tell others who are also in a position for weight loss.
Can you drink diet drinks like coke zero or zero sugar juices?
I started 4 days ago & am already down 3 lbs
On my 2nd week of a long lifestyle. And i was hooked from after the first week. It was harder on the first day starting. But after the 2nd round, I'm hooked!
Hey all, I have 50lbs to lose? Does this hurt the metabolism?
I have found fasting for roughly 96 hours straight and then eat for three-four days and then fast again. Sunday night through Thursday fast, Friday-Sunday eat. I try to stick to a keto diet with a meal or two with carbs as a reward.
I just did the first day of my 36 hour fast. A few moments of hunger — pushed through it and did it! Not so bad. Looking forward to the results!
Start with Omad Then switch to ADF when u achieve the goal then go for 5:2 for sustainability
This is what I’m doing right now
Hi Dr O'Neill,
I watched this video back in Feb 2025 and used your 36hour fasting method, followed by a Keto diet. To date I have lost 36kgs (79 pounds). I was wondering if you take vitamins daily and if you do when do you take them. If I take vitamins on an empty stomach I get very nauseous. I cant thank you enough also.. 36hours is also my sweet spot, this video changed my life.
I think I should start this, maybe I will lose weight, I have cut down on sugar and carbs, still no noticeable results, I started in Aug though
I work night shift… 8PM-8AM.
So would that just be a 24 hour fast, if I break my fast at 12AM the following day.
How about every other day fasting
Any gallbladder issues after? I feel like I messed up my gallbladder from fasting
How to be saved https://youtu.be/aTYy5hXOC68?si=rQWS44272LxQS9pr
Started adf again. But this time its giving me insonmia… Im not able to focus on my work. On eating day couldn't eat a lot.
Earlier i did loose 6kgs. But this time im not… Doing intermittent fasting 16:8 with excercise
Can u drink black coffee or green tea on fasting day?
Does anyone here do Modified ADF where you have a 500 cal meal every other day? Please share results
I can’t fast 36hrs because on the second night my adrenaline is so high I can’t sleep. I’m just buzzing, have to get up and exercise in the middle of the night! Does anyone else find this? Anything I can do about it?
Thats called of the fast of David ( peace be upon prophet Dawood Alehe Salam).
LITS EASIER DOING OMAD.
What to eat on fast days…proteins n under 1000 cal and what on eating days? Look forward to your reply.I really need some motivation that it is achievable
When you hit menopause and weight is difficult to shift and easy to put on, one-day-on/one-day-off fasting is brilliant. It's not at all onerous and it means that when you want to eat something sinful you can fast it off the next day.
Doesn't give you autophagy but it does give you weight control.
All this makes so much sense
“I ate half as much food and lost weight.”
Ok.
Amazing, muslims have been recommended to fast on Mondays and Thursdays as the Prophet peace be upon him used to fast on these days. 🙂
I truly appreciate the manner in which you educate the viewer: simple and concise information. Thank you!
Gosh, you did well to lose so much weight. I'd imagine before your fast you'd have filled up your screen! Fasting as one great doctor put it interrupts the starting mechanisms which lead to many diseases (heart, cancer etc). I'd encourage folk whatever they do, first get out of the 3 meal a day mindset. We were not designed for this hence why most westerners are ill.
Tried this, and ran into saitety related problems: wake up middle of the night hungry, couldn't get back to sleep without eating. Any suggestions?
I think the principle here is that a person should only eat when they are hungry
Dr frank what about sugar chocolate cravings. Helppp