I’ve done IF for a few months and seen some results
But I’m thinking maybe going back to normal habits and eating a few meals, I’m just left feeling weak all day….
If I went back to normal eating habits but then ate in calorie deficit, I’d still have weight loss right? Maybe just not as affectively as ID does?
If ‘normal’ is what got you overweight in the first place, then going back to normal will have you gaining the weight back.
So you need to focus on the calories. If you can still eat the appropriate amount of calories in a typical 16 hour eating day, then you should see results. But if you eat more than you need to, you’ll gain weight.
So ask yourself if you can manage the calories. Because that’s what matters.
I don’t think it’s normal to feel weak doing IF. Maybe for the first several days, but definitely not several months. Do you think you’re eating enough nutritious foods (protein, fat, vitamins and minerals)? Are you drinking enough water?
If you can do 14h fast then I think that would be better than doing a calorie deficit diet where you eat constantly throughout the day. The problem with calorie deficit is that if you’re eating less but more frequently then your body will decrease its metabolism causing you to either not lose any weight or gain weight.
IF is great to get you in the habit of eating better, but the actual food you eat still matters. If you are feeling weak all day because you are skipping one meal, chances are you are eating a bad diet.
IF is just a tool to service body, but there’s only so much it can do if you feed it bad fuel.