Ok, Janet, I posted my links and some comments on Diet Doctor. It picked up my name as Janet from my previous membership apparently, otherwise I would have gone with JL.

Thanks for saying something. That quote gave me pause too. I imagined that person going to her doctor saying she didn't take that drug because Dr. Fung on the Internet said it would just push sugar into her eyes and everywhere and make her fatter!

I suspect Dr. Fung is stretched too thin these days. I wonder too if he was disappointed in his book not being more of a best seller. His post about how to write a diet book sounded a little bitter to me.

The way I took the article was along the lines of "don't expect Metformin to do the job for you" but then I'd just read his book and gotten into the rhythm of his thinking.

My first read through, I didn't even notice that he was accusing metformin of shoving glucose into the liver etc... I think maybe the reason I didn't notice is that this is such a "well oiled groove," he's said much the same things about insulin a zillion times. That might be the problem, this basic theme being so well travelled by both him and his readers that nobody noticed its misuse when applied to metformin. And thus the brain fart.

I'm hoping there's a clarification to be posted.

Edited to add:

There's a comment by Donny that questions the Metformin issue. The important excerpt:


I'd like to see a confirmation by Dr. F.

Can't say I'm thrilled with Dr. Fung's replacement writer. Yawn!

"Top 8 Weight Loss Hacks" the most recent post on the IDM blog. Byline states Jason Fung. Hmmmm, not sure in this case. Writing style is very different and the advice is Reader's Digest level.

That's what I meant by my previous post. I remember reading that his assistant was taking over some of his tasks.

Jason said he was going on vacation for a few weeks in June & July, and assistant Megan's name appears in the byline on the first two posts, but these last two sound like cuts and pastes of some of his past work, with non-Jason-like transitions added.

First of two parts by Amy Berger on Not. So. Fast ...when fasting doesn't make sense. A good dose of caution to add to this thread.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2016/09/not-so-fast.html

Good article, Janet!

For the last 16 months, I was able to do a 2-day fast every week or two on top of 20-hr IF, easily and with no problems, even after losing nearly 100 lbs.

That is, until a month ago when I started swimming 3x/week... suddenly, I was too dang hungry to fast longer than 16-18 hours a day. I just don't have the fat reserves anymore. LOL

So now, I'm happy enough to quit fasting and exercise instead... as I ought to by this stage, anyway.

Thanks, Janet. As usual, Amy makes a lot of sense in this post. Sometimes, people aren't thinking clearly when they embark on what is becoming a fad. As she says, good for some, not so much for others. Eating healthy fats and protein is enough for many, and working out ad nauseum means you gotta load up on calories to refuel. Two things I see people becoming obsessed about: Eating or not, chronic cardio workouts. I know, I used to be a workout fanatic, now I know better and can still stay fit.

Great article. I'm not super skinny. I don't eat only 1200 calories a day (more like 1900) and I don't exercise hard for 2 hours a day. I just get in around 2 hrs of moderate walking but...I can't fast more than 16 hours, which is what I do most days, and during the 8 hours that I eat I eat a lot. This is what's working for me. If I eat less I get hungry and if I fast longer I start feeling light headed. I have no idea what my body fat percentage is but it's got to be less than when I weighed twice as much as I do now. At least Dr Fung says if you don't feel well stop fasting. That's good advice too to go along with what Amy Berger says.

Jean

I heartily agree. For those who can fast for extended periods without issue, good for them. But when people are getting lightheaded and ill from extended fasts--that is NOT what Dr. Fung envisioned.

He talks about extending if it works for you. But getting sick from fasting is proof positive that it's not working.

I probably eat around 1500 calories a day, mostly fat and protein, of course, and get them in a hearty breakfast and a good sized dinner. I have an extended time between those two meals, and 13 or 14 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day.

It works well for me, I'm continuing to lose and I rarely experience any hunger outside my normal eating times. I got messed up this weekend with traveling, and not getting my normal breakfast. But things are very much back to normal.

I agree with this. I am on the DietDoctor membership site and I watch all the videos. Dr. Fung says that fasting is ultimately flexible, and you do what works for you, and if a longer fast makes you feel ill, then you should stop. He also cautions that extended fasts should be monitored by your physician. In his clinic, his patients start at about 3 days and continue on based on how they feel -- but then, again, he is usually trying to reverse their T2D or morbid obesity.

I, personally, am in overall good health and so can fast without any problems other than occasional hunger. In fact, I usually get quite a rush of energy and clarity during that time. But, it's not for everyone.