The holidays are rough for me personally. From around Thanksgiving to the New Year it seems a constant barrage of cookies and cakes and big meals and get togethers. I tried to keep up my fasting. I really did. But one good guilt trip and I am done for. “What do you mean you’re not eating today?! Look at all this food! We worked hard on this big feast and you aren’t going to have any of it? That’s such a waste.”
Ready to get back to my normal eating routine. I feel….dense.
Yep. I fell waaaay off. Had a ton of family gatherings for Christmas. I basically just scratched fasting until after the new year. I knew going into it that I would gain weight. But being with family and eating delicious food that I only get once a year was worth gaining a few pounds. I just fast them back off. It’s not a big deal.
If by ‘falling off a cliff’ you mean standing by the fudge container so I was never too far from it, and waking up with my first thought being ‘Please God, please let there still be some breakfast casserole,’ then yes, yes I fell off a cliff. 👇
No, but that’s because I knew ahead of time that fasting isn’t as important to me as enjoying guilt-free time with my loved ones and partaking in traditions that I look forward to every year.
No diet will ever be sustainable long term if there’s no flexibility and you’re forced to miss out.
I enjoyed myself Xmas eve and day, and then did a 36 hour fast on the 27th (normally 16:8 or 18:6 for me). Took another break for new years and now I’m back on my IF schedule but doing a 40 hour fast today. I like planning the times that I know I’m going to eat outside of my schedule and using them as opportunities to try longer fasts to get back into the groove of IF.
I will argue until the end of my days that breaking your diet for special occasions is healthier than sticking to it rigidly and making yourself miserable.
I fell all the way off, lol. I started an 8 day fast that I actually was able to pull off through Thanksgiving…only to break it the literal next night. I had some acid reflux and just used that excuse to pig out instead of taking baking soda. I broke my 8 day fast with a huge plate of Thanksgiving food, with cookies and ice cream for desert. I don’t regret eating that specific meal, but it ultimately led to me spiraling out of control in December. I ate so much food in December leading up to Christmas and during it. I put on so much weight in those last 5 weeks of the year, almost 30 pounds.
What I will say is that trying to fast during yearly family gatherings is probably not the best idea for most people. You should be able to enjoy yourself over the holidays. This is something Dr. Fung talks about. Use fasting as a tool to get yourself back on the train, but you can indulge yourself a little over the holidays. For me personally, because of my sugar addiction, I definitely will be skipping the sweets. But I’m eating everything else. Lol.
Yep! That’s why I did a 67hr (intended to do 72hrs tho) fast to start the year. I felt horrible and I knew I was above the weight I typically am. Way too many cookies… Feeling much better afterwards.
TBH I fell off around August. After doing 16/8 through OMAD and rolling 48s with as long as a 100hr fast, I haven’t been able to get back on it. I lost nearly 200lbs (and still had plenty to go) in that timeframe and had no issues with hunger after the first few weeks. Now there’s some kind of mental switch flipped in my head that’s making it a struggle to even do OMAD.
Started again yesterday and have got to get back in my groove. It’s so easy to forget the incredible struggles and health issues one had before getting moderately healthy!
I definitely fell off the wagon hard. The holidays are so stressful. I’m back on my fasting schedule today though and thinking about moving up from 5:2 to 4:3 for the next few months.
All you can do is move forward.
I fasted a little but I also took the season to celebrate with friends, family, and my SO in ways that we don’t the rest of the year. I wouldn’t call that falling off the cliff, I’d call that balancing my life with my health goals. I had a wonderful time and have zero negative feelings about it, even if it did accompany a bit of a weight gain. Totally worth it.
LOL Yeap, exactly from Thanksgiving to New Year! I could be razing it with a diet/exercise/fasting/whatever for the rest of the year, but come Thanksgiving, it will crumble like a house made out of cards.
The good thing this time around is that I did actually fast a few days here and there during that time, so I don’t see it as a big deal. Today I start the first fasting of this year, and plan to keep going for as long as I can.
Bigly. Frankly since the pandemic started I’ve been in a funk most of the time and haven’t ever really managed to feel normal or resume some of my normal activities, and now that it’s cold I don’t even want to go outside to take a walk.
But I can at least eat less, so I shall try.
I’ve been constantly losing weight since August, at 50lbs so far. Then December came and I thought I did really well but I gained 4lbs and haven’t been able to get past them since. It’s been almost a month. I’m getting frustrated.
Totally ok! We don’t have to be perfect. If I’ve learned ANYTHING over the years it’s to just get back on the horse. We have this tendency of telling ourselves we “failed!!” Which just makes many of us not wanna try again. Two steps forward, one step back is STILL great progress :)
Oh man…so bad. I also abstain from sugar but in the last two weeks I indulged in pie, whipped cream, shortbread cookies, ice cream and my old nemesis:Gummy worms.
Literally sitting here wondering why all the motivation and drive is sapped from my system.
Three days back into my clean IF routine I’m lagging so bad.
This too shall pass and I’ll get back on track. Just need to get that crap out of my system.
Yes, but I don’t feel guilty. I decided the month of December was going to be enjoyed guilt free. I did gain 5 lbs, but I’m sure some is water weight. I’m back on the routine (1x 40 hour and 2x 18-20 hours a week) and am hoping to bounce back quickly.
Yep gained for sure. I feel better now with a 48 hour fast. For me, I like that I noticed how crummy I felt with not only lack of fasting, but the increased carbs. I was sad at first, but then realized I went all year fasting. So not so mad. It’s all about the recognizing and getting back on the train! Some people never got back on the train!
Oh gosh! I am so glad it’s not just me. So many cookies, pieces of cake, chips and all of the worst foods!!!! I couldn’t stop. I’m just now getting back to healthy eating and trying not to eat after 7. I fell way off!! To the point of, ok I am either going to be fat or get my eating under control. It sucks
Starting at Thanksgiving our family of 4 celebrates 3 birthdays in 3 weeks .
A few days before New Year’s Eve, we pull out the deep fryer for “Heart Attack week.”
New Year’s Day becomes a relief to eat grapes and Hoppin’ John.
I am afraid to step on the scale.