26 replies to this topic

[VictorBjoerk]

Would be really interesting to make a big thread collecting information from the people here who practise CR from personal experience to share with others.

How long have you been doing it?

Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?

Have you noticed any benefits from it?

Any disadvantages with it?

What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks?

How has your weight history been?

Have you experienced social difficulties with it?

Do you recommend it to other people?


Any more information/additional details would be interesting!

As far as I've heard 10 years is the longest time anyone have been doing CR so maybe it's difficult yet to see any clear evidence if it works or not in humans.

[VictorBjoerk]

Has noone discovered this thread?

[forever freedom]

Would be nice if some people on CR answered it.

[Johan]

Are you going to use this information for anything (e.g. a school project), or are you just curious?
I'll give it a go, then:

How long have you been doing it?
About 4 months of proper CRON, and before that, about a year of healthy low-calorie food in general.

Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?
To some degree, yes - although it's a bit harder because I still live with my parents, and they won't eat "my food". I will be moving for studies in August, though, so after that it should get easier.

Have you noticed any benefits from it?
Well, since I'm only 20, I haven't noticed any long-term benefits yet. But I do feel healthier in general - more alert, more fit, and so on.

Any disadvantages with it?
Not on the physiological side of things. But my mother got a little worried about my weight for a while before she got used to it.

What motivates you, longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Both of the above, as well as staying alive long enough to benefit from other kinds of anti-aging therapies that might have a more profound effect than CR.

How has your weight history been?
Steady, and initially declining slowly from 155 lbs (18 months ago) to 120 lbs, which I reached about 2 months ago and have stayed at since then.

Have you experienced social difficulties with it?
Sometimes - for example, at parties and other occasions when it would be impolite to decline something the host offers you. However, I try to stay within my daily calorie quota anyway - although because I don't have CRON-o-Meter with me at parties, this requires a bit of a 'gut feeling' of how many calories are in a particular food item. I do avoid alcohol at all times, though - but that's usually more socially acceptable.

Do you recommend it to other people?
I certainly recommend people to read the science behind it, and if they feel convinced enough, I would encourage them to give it a go.

Edited by Johan, 29 May 2008 - 08:06 PM.

[cyborgdreamer]

Does CR make you feel hungry constantly? Or do you feel normal once you get used to it?

[VictorBjoerk]

Are you going to use this information for anything (e.g. a school project), or are you just curious?
I'll give it a go, then:

How long have you been doing it?
About 4 months of proper CRON, and before that, about a year of healthy low-calorie food in general.

Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?
To some degree, yes - although it's a bit harder because I still live with my parents, and they won't eat "my food". I will be moving for studies in August, though, so after that it should get easier.

Have you noticed any benefits from it?
Well, since I'm only 20, I haven't noticed any long-term benefits yet. But I do feel healthier in general - more alert, more fit, and so on.

Any disadvantages with it?
Not on the physiological side of things. But my mother got a little worried about my weight for a while before she got used to it.

What motivates you, longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Both of the above, as well as staying alive long enough to benefit from other kinds of anti-aging therapies that might have a more profound effect than CR.

How has your weight history been?
Steady, and initially declining slowly from 155 lbs (18 months ago) to 120 lbs, which I reached about 2 months ago and have stayed at since then.

Have you experienced social difficulties with it?
Sometimes - for example, at parties and other occasions when it would be impolite to decline something the host offers you. However, I try to stay within my daily calorie quota anyway - although because I don't have CRON-o-Meter with me at parties, this requires a bit of a 'gut feeling' of how many calories are in a particular food item. I do avoid alcohol at all times, though - but that's usually more socially acceptable.

Do you recommend it to other people?
I certainly recommend people to read the science behind it, and if they feel convinced enough, I would encourage them to give it a go.

No I'm not going to use this for school work.Interesting to hear about your experience Johan, do you weigh all your food when eating at home?

I hope other more long-term practioners post in this thread.

Edited by Shonghow, 31 May 2008 - 04:17 PM.

[Johan]

Does CR make you feel hungry constantly? Or do you feel normal once you get used to it?

I rarely feel hungry - in fact, I feel less hungry nowadays than I did before CR. Part of it might have to do with the lack of "insulin spikes". Now I get a slower, more steady feeling of satiety, even if I eat less than before.

Johan, do you weigh your food?

Unfortunately I don't think I can as long as I'm still living with my parents. But I will start doing that as well when I move in August.

[VictorBjoerk]

The lack of hunger maybe have a lot to do with the smaller stomach size which is something that can make anorexia such a dangerous thing.

[Matt]

Before I share my experience... I will say that on CR I feel much less hungry too. I simply eat WAY more food now than I did ad lib. Just lower in calories of course.

[VictorBjoerk]

Before I share my experience... I will say that on CR I feel much less hungry too. I simply eat WAY more food now than I did ad lib. Just lower in calories of course.

Looking forward to hear about your experiences,I've been following your blog...........

[Alpha-Frequency]

The best thing I ever did was eliminate grains- I find that such foods create these "insulin spikes". I used to eat oatmeal in the morning and by noon I was ready to fall asleep.

[VictorBjoerk]

The best thing I ever did was eliminate grains- I find that such foods create these "insulin spikes". I used to eat oatmeal in the morning and by noon I was ready to fall asleep.

Are you practising a low-carb diet otherwise?

[LaRose]

>How long have you been doing it?
For around 15 years. I didn't quite call it CR back then. I just wanted to be thin, but healthy (not anorexic).

>Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?
Pretty much.

>Have you noticed any benefits from it?
I'm generally mistaken for being 15 years younger than my true age. I have plenty of energy and my immune system seems to function well.

>Any disadvantages with it?
I have trouble with joint swelling/pain. I also have early stage osteoporosis, despite supplementing with calcium and vit D.

>What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Both, but mostly longer life.

>How has your weight history been?'
I've always been on the thin side. I pretty much stay at 5'7", 98 pounds (I'm female).

>Have you experienced social difficulties with it?
Not really.

>Do you recommend it to other people?
No, I don't like preaching to people, and weight is such a sensitive subject, particularly among women.

[gashinshotan]

Did it for 2 years, 17-19, lost around 25 lbs with running and kept around the same weight when I stopped. Turned into a little bitch, suffered bouts of depression, and grew long eye lashes (I've heard random girls laugh at me for having "beautiful" and feminine eyes and I see way too many guys checking me out)... not much sexual interest and I became obsessed with my appearance. I was taking in less than 30g of protein a day so this may have been the main reason for these symptoms but I was generally not happy. I think it may have stumped my growth as most people who see me think Im 16-18 when Im actually 21 and may have messed up my hormones - I also was under a lot of stress from college but this may have just compounded it.

[VictorBjoerk]

>How long have you been doing it?
For around 15 years. I didn't quite call it CR back then. I just wanted to be thin, but healthy (not anorexic).

>Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?
Pretty much.

>Have you noticed any benefits from it?
I'm generally mistaken for being 15 years younger than my true age. I have plenty of energy and my immune system seems to function well.

>Any disadvantages with it?
I have trouble with joint swelling/pain. I also have early stage osteoporosis, despite supplementing with calcium and vit D.

>What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Both, but mostly longer life.

>How has your weight history been?'
I've always been on the thin side. I pretty much stay at 5'7", 98 pounds (I'm female).

>Have you experienced social difficulties with it?
Not really.

>Do you recommend it to other people?
No, I don't like preaching to people, and weight is such a sensitive subject, particularly among women.

Interesting to hear about your long-term experience,Do you track all your nutrients and calories with a computer program or do you estimate your daily amount of calories?Are you exercising?That may help to cunteract osteoporosis

[VictorBjoerk]

>How long have you been doing it?
For around 15 years. I didn't quite call it CR back then. I just wanted to be thin, but healthy (not anorexic).

>Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?
Pretty much.

>Have you noticed any benefits from it?
I'm generally mistaken for being 15 years younger than my true age. I have plenty of energy and my immune system seems to function well.

>Any disadvantages with it?
I have trouble with joint swelling/pain. I also have early stage osteoporosis, despite supplementing with calcium and vit D.

>What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Both, but mostly longer life.

>How has your weight history been?'
I've always been on the thin side. I pretty much stay at 5'7", 98 pounds (I'm female).

>Have you experienced social difficulties with it?
Not really.

>Do you recommend it to other people?
No, I don't like preaching to people, and weight is such a sensitive subject, particularly among women.

Interesting to hear about your long-term experience,Do you track all your nutrients and calories with a computer program or do you estimate your daily amount of calories?Are you exercising?That may help to counteract osteoporosis

How old are you btw?

[Matt]

>> How long have you been doing it?

Proper CR for 3 years and 3 months. However I also lost a small amount of weight going to a 'more healthier diet' (reduced calories) so therefor been on CR without really knowing it for over close to 5 years. Always had a BMI of below 20 too

>> Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly?

Yes, CR is very easy to do

>> Have you noticed any benefits from it?

More clear skin, elimination of severe hay fever, less colds and flu. I'm 24 this year but people typically think I'm around 15-16 years old.

>> Any disadvantages with it?

Too much negative attention from family about weight loss. Plus also noticed it harder to fight off a bacterial infection (but was a mild one). Possible increase susceptibility to drug side effects since starting CR. Interactions with the foods? I don't know...

>> What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks?
Longer life, and to protect myself from autoimmune diseases which typically affect quite a number in my family. However all males despite unhealthy habits lived to around 85 years anyway.

>> How has your weight history been?

Drifting between underweight and normal all my life. So always skinny

>> Have you experienced social difficulties with it?

Yes many, until I increased my BMI up to 17.2 from 16.4. Now I don't really get much attention about my weight.

>> Do you recommend it to other people?

Yes of course

[LaRose]

Hi Shonghow - I'm 50. I don't use a computer program to track my intake; I just do my best at estimating it. I'm too busy to get completely obsessed over this.

I've heard weight-bearing exercises are good for osteo - I'll have to start doing this.

The joint problems do concern me, and I have very painful flares sometimes. I've been tested for autoimmune disorders, as I have some of the symptoms, but nothing even turns up in my blood tests.

This is probably not of great interest to you fellows, but I have started menopause and have absolutely none of the symptoms that I hear other women complain about. Basically, it just happened without my even noticing.

[VictorBjoerk]

Hi Shonghow - I'm 50. I don't use a computer program to track my intake; I just do my best at estimating it. I'm too busy to get completely obsessed over this.

I've heard weight-bearing exercises are good for osteo - I'll have to start doing this.

The joint problems do concern me, and I have very painful flares sometimes. I've been tested for autoimmune disorders, as I have some of the symptoms, but nothing even turns up in my blood tests.

This is probably not of great interest to you fellows, but I have started menopause and have absolutely none of the symptoms that I hear other women complain about. Basically, it just happened without my even noticing.

All information is of great interest!

[VictorBjoerk]

The joint problems,are they affecting all joints? How long have you been aware of the fact that CR can extend life?

[VictorBjoerk]

I encourage more people to post in this thread!

[dsbuffa]

Would be really interesting to make a big thread collecting information from the people here who practice CR from personal experience to share with others.

As far as I've heard 10 years is the longest time anyone have been doing CR so maybe it's difficult yet to see any clear evidence if it works or not in humans.

How long have you been doing it? 2 years and 3 months

Have you been able to follow the regimen strictly? I started out cheating at both ends of my window. Now no real problems.

Have you noticed any benefits from it? I am happier, stronger and skinnier.

Any disadvantages with it? Not really.... If anything I know now that I won't die if I am a little hungry and I really can live without ice cream. LOL

What motivates you,longer life or just eliminating disease risks? I want to be healthy and strong for as many years as I am around and am willing to put some effort into achieving that goal.

How has your weight history been? I have been as high as 259 pounds, but I have been holding steady at 135 pounds for a long time now. Hoping to move it ot 126, but I am more focused on running at the moment.

Have you experienced social difficulties with it? When I first started IF I couldn't go out while other people ate outside of my window. Now I don't really enjoy watching other people eat, but a little lemon in some water gets me through the experience. Most of the time I just don't go with others to eat unless it is in my window.

Do you recommend it to other people? I tell everyone I meet about all the wonderful changes it has made in my life. I am a IF cheerleader. LOL


Any more information/additional details would be interesting! Just that I am sure it has made amazing changes in my body. Things like my sense of smell is heightened.... I am so much stronger.... I have lots more energy..... My brain is much more active and is always up to somet new thoughts and ideas.

[LaRose]

I often have swollen, painful joints in both hands, in my knees, and in my neck and jaw. When it gets unbearable, the only thing that helps me is a low dosage of prednisone. My docs can't figure it out because all my tests are normal. Of course, they tell me I don't eat enough. Perhaps I am not supplementing properly - I've been kind of sloppy about that. Back when I was better about supplementing, I think I did have fewer problems.

Strange thing about autoimmune stuff. While autoimmune disease is definitely not a good thing, I notice that I seem immune to everything on the outside of me, too. When everyone in the house or office gets the flu or a cold, I never get it, ever.

[VictorBjoerk]

Regarding autoimmune diseases.People who suffer from alopecia have been confirmed to be much healthier in general than the average population...Everything seem to have drawbacks.....

[VictorBjoerk]

More shared experiences please!

[rhodan]

Regarding autoimmune diseases.People who suffer from alopecia have been confirmed to be much healthier in general than the average population...Everything seem to have drawbacks.....

Interesting. I thought it was the contrary, at least for some forms of alopecia (alopecia aerata).

Do you have a reference ?

[VictorBjoerk]

Right now I can't give a reference on it.

Right now I can't give a reference on it.