Tired of revision? Can't focus? Need more energy? Try this...

I feel like this would work (for me at least).
I kind of already do it unintentionally...I tend not to eat after about 8pm most days, and I can't eat in the mornings (it makes me feel physically sick). I usually first eat between 11 and 11:30am.
However, I don't drink coffee (simply don't like the taste), and try to avoid energy drinks as I have quite a fast resting heart rate anyway and don't want to cause any problems - so I'd probably just use water. I'd also push back breakfast an hour or so - as I'm willing to try this out.

I currently actually find that I concentrate better in the mornings, one reason is probably what you've mentioned, but also food is a huge distraction for me. When I take a break, I never want to go back to revising. But I'll probably give this a shot, as to be honest at this point I can't lose

Indeed, that sounds like a good idea. There is no risk as long as you ensure that you eat enough calories in your eating window. Lots of people start out fasting for less time, and after a few weeks they increase the fast little by little.

Some people opt to do an eating window that is only a few hours long, but for me that doesn't make it enjoyable or sustainable. What I'm doing works for me, and that's all that is important.

Funnily enough, having been really ill all last week and being unable to eat for a considerable amount of time and still having to revise… you could say that I have unintentionally tried this. It didn't help!!!!!!!

Again. I'd advise against this. Totally and utterly.

I did not suggest having a lack of food at all. Not having breakfast is not a lack of food.

I never said don't eat lunch, or even eat that late. I said specifically that I eat for the first time around lunch time, meaning I'm only 'missing' breakfast, and I ensure I get sufficient calories in throughout the period where I am eating. All I said is push back your first meal/don't eat as early in the day.

Several cups of coffee is just a few hundred milligrams of caffeine, which is a healthy amount. Also, the several was actually meant to be a bit of a joke as I know how much people love their coffee. I usually have one cup first thing, and then one a couple of hours later. I have no negative effects doing this so I'd say I'm pretty sure that I'm using it effectively.

Procrastination, drinking, eating crappy junk food, playing games, spending time on here, etc. There's many more things I've missed out. This isn't what my OP was about but some of these are more harmful than what you're suggesting IF is.

No, it's about a good experience I have had with intermittent fasting that I wanted to share in order to help other people out. All they have to do it try it; it's not going to do any harm. If they find it works, great! If not, they don't have to do it. I don't see any problem here.

Then maybe you should stop quoting every other sentence of mine.

That's why most people nowadays are overweight, they eat whenever they think they are hungry, or even when not.

It's something to try. It works for people, some do a 10hr, some 8 and some hour window. It does no harm and can benefit, it's not like OP is recommending not eating for the entire day. Something to try. Just because it's not what everyone else is doing, it doesn't mean it's dangerous

Fasting really isn't as bad as you're making it out to be. He is not suggesting that you starve yourself. He is merely saying that you rearrange your eating schedule so you don't eat in the morning. This is a technique that many people have used for a very long time and has worked for them. I am not going to say it will work for everyone because I don't know that. But don't just dismiss it because you think it's harmful. It really isn't. OP probably eats just as much as you but at slightly different times.

I had so much hope whilst clicking on this thread.

I fasted during my exams last year (including revision time and throughout the actual exam). Never again.

Food is life. Life is food.

Yep, I just have to allow my body to adjust to the routine and then I'll gradually be able to (hopefully) eat larger meals and make the eating window a little smaller. Is this routine permanent for you or do you just do this during exam season?

I can totally relate to everything you've said, bar the fast heart rate part as mine is around 60BPM and also the fact that I love coffee. Sounds like it would be ideal for you.

You don't need the coffee, I just like that 'something' in the morning to get me going and it really does the trick. Once I'm going in the morning my concentration levels are second to none.

Haha well I'd just say that if you didn't do it the way I'm suggesting, I'd give it a go, although maybe not in the actual exam.

Well I'd advise you research it a little before you make a comment like that. It's not starving yourself at all.

How is it absolutely ages? It's not eating in the evening, which is a bad habit anyway. When you eat in the morning, lots of energy is used to process and digest the food you eat, which takes away from energy that you could have to use in order to be productive.

Don't knock it until you've tried it.

Uh, yes it is though.

I know. I clearly stated it was an example and I was making a point from what you said previously. Nothing to do with whether you actually participate in that sort of schedule or not.

It's not just a few hundred milligrams bc it can have bad effects. I simply don't believe it's a good idea.

Okay so why exactly are we mentioning it?

I don't see any problem here either. I just commented on the thread in response to your title/OP.

You didn't say those who are overweight though, you said "anyone" who thinks they're hungry. Eating whenever you like is great provided that you're not harming yourself by doing so. Why you would choose to substitute that for glasses of water is beyond me.

Obviously drinking copious amounts of coffee isn't good for you due to the caffeine

Meh.

I am dismissing it precisely on the basis that I think it's harmful, yes. Why would I try out something that I think would have a negative impact on me. If you saw a car travelling fast on a busy road that you wanted to cross, would you run to the other side in the hope that you'd get there bc some people have made it in the past and it has "worked for them"? Despite the fact you're aware it's dangerous?

Okay, I don't see how any of that ties into the post you just quoted though. :'3

Yeah, small meals will work perfectly fine too, I just find that if I eat smaller meals I get more distracted, don't feel as satiated and can tend to eat more crap.

As I'm an avid gym goer, I tend to have a period of months where I eat in a caloric surplus in order to gain muscle. In the period you do gain a bit of fat. I then have a period where I cut down and eat in a deficit. In this period is when I do IF. It's ideal as I would otherwise not be able to eat such a number of calories, since breakfast would take up a considerable amount and leave me hungry all morning.

So to answer the question, its sort of both, it's just usually for the summer that I cut down so it tends to fall that I do this throughout exam season anyway.

I may try it as a more permanent thing all year round, but IF isn't ideal for gaining weight, though it can help you to prevent fat gain whilst bulking up and building muscle.

Even during revision I don't think it's good. When me and my friends revise we snack on something ever half an hour or so.

If you're hungry you'll only think about food and what you're studying wouldn't sink in.

And dehydration... I won't even get started in that.

Uh, yes it is though.

It's not just a few hundred milligrams bc it can have bad effects. I simply don't believe it's a good idea.

Eating whenever you like is great provided that you're not harming yourself by doing so. Why you would choose to substitute that for glasses of water is beyond me.

I don't think it is something to "try" at all. It may benefit some people,

but I think it does more harm than good.

Meh.I am dismissing it precisely on the basis that I think it's harmful, yes. Why would I try out something that I think would have a negative impact on me. If you saw a car travelling fast on a busy road that you wanted to cross, would you run to the other side in the hope that you'd get there bc some people have made it in the past and it has "worked for them"? Despite the fact you're aware it's dangerous?Okay, I don't see how any of that ties into the post you just quoted though. :'3

Yeah, I don't think your scenario is the same. I would say, imagine Person A walks to school and gets there at 8.45am. Person B, however, decides to take a different route to school. Both of them get to school on time but they took different routes. Does that mean one is wrong and the other is right? No, it doesn't.

(because you believe that fasting is bad, as you've mentioned numerous times on this thread). I'm telling you that fasting isn't bad.

Aren't you just eating food because you want it, not because you need it? You don't really need a snack every 30 minutes. It's mainly a case of getting into the routine and allowing your body to get used to it. You've had a different routine for your entire life so you won't get used to it overnight.

I'm pretty sure you can still drink water. It's personal preference. Everyone does it the way they feel is best for them

Pretty impressive

Low blood sugar is awful for your concentration. Fasting works for losing weight, but I've never heard of this.

Pretty sure IF improves insulin sensitivity and keeps blood sugar levels more stable.

Your body just taps into glycogen and fat stores for energy. Once you've adjusted to it, it's great.