[thrownaway954]

"for four consecutive weeks"

that's the key to this whole things, is that you have to stick with it for at least 4 weeks. i know quite a few people who have tried IF and rarely do they make it through the first week without cheating (including myself when i first started). IF is one of _the_ best ways to lost weight in my opinion (second only to hot yoga), but the key is that you have to very regime with it and follow it precisely in order to get the benefits. you cannot have _any_ calories what so ever in order to trigger the fast response of the body. even taking vitamins or protein powders breaks the fast. also most non-calorie drinks do contain calories just not in a single serving (which is VERY deceptive), so the best things to drink is just plain cold water through out the day.