When I was looking at IF in Nov. 2020, I was looking to curb some snacking while working from home and I was hopeful for some weight loss and less heartburn at night. I came here and looked at all your posts and felt silly for considering 16:8. It didn’t seem hardcore enough. I tried OMAD for exactly one day and it was too hard. I did 18:6 for a few weeks off and on and struggled - not just the hunger, but the routine didn’t fit the daily routine. I couldn’t be consistent. I stopped altogether until Jan. 2020 when I decided to just do 16:8, start somewhere and maybe go back up to 18:6 later. I got the Zero app and have used it ever since. It’s habit now, and not at all difficult.
I’ve also been trying to be more active. I’m not hitting the gym every day or anything, but I try to slow jog, hike, ski, or do something active at least 3x a week. I’ve been intentional about finding physical activity that I (mostly) enjoy. I’ve lost weight: 32lbs. More than that, I have no heartburn issues and I routinely get really good sleep.
Today I did some digging and realized the whole picture. I’ve also tracked my weight in MyFitnessPal since 2011, including over many various diets and weight loss attempts (you name it, I’ve tried it). There’s a 30lb range I’ve been rollercoastering up and down over the last decade (those keto dips and climbs are especially severe). All except for the last two years, ever since I started IF: steady, slow decline in weight. No ups. No quick drops.
I’m sharing in case anyone like me comes here and thinks 16:8 might not be enough. It is! Sorry for the long post.
Thank you for sharing your story to encourage others 🙏🏼❤️ I’m glad you’ve found something you like and that works well for you. It’s life changing isn’t it?
I never thought I could do IF in a million years but I came to this sub & decided to give it a try. 11 wks in & it’s going great so far!
Keep up the good work & again, thanks for sharing.
I started 16:8 In January this year and have lost 4 inches off my waist without making any other lifestyle changes. I’m pretty short so the lack of exercise and overeating in the first year of lockdowns is when I put those 4 inches on. I’m very happy with it as a way to control the snacking window which is really where my problem was!
I have been doing 14:10 for nine months, even less restrictive than you. For me it was never about losing weight, though I dropped from 162 to 150. It was about general health. To me it makes sense to give my body a break. I do believe it helps with insulin resistance. I find that I appreciate food more the next day when I don’t eat after dinner. Before IF I never really looked forward to eating. I just ate. Now food feels like a treat because it isn’t always available.
kinda similar experience, although I do OMAD pretty regularly and have done a month at a time of Carnivore only a few times- doing it now for December.
Keep hitting plateaus but I have been fasting in one form or another since March 2019 where I started at almost 300 lbs and I have lost about 55 lbs total with ups and downs but never too far up :-) before coming back down.
I have a long term goal of getting to around 160 to 175. It might take another couple years and I am ok with that. The plateaus are disheartening but the overall gains in clothes fitting better and overall health being better are worth it for sure. I tell myself that “I am smaller, I am fitter, I am better” almost every morning when I wake up and I am on the fasting journey for life.
Keep up the good work and don’t lose heart.
I just stick to eating 1600-1800 cals a day and lose around 2lbs per week, gone from 210lbs down to 193 in 2 months doing 16:8. Also on a Friday or Saturday I go out and have a big meal and prob eat 3000+ cals that day. Don’t understand why people do OMAD when you can lose weight doing 16:8 and enjoying one of the best pleasures in life