46 F, CW: 171 lbs, GW:145 lbs.
Been doing 20:4 for a few weeks and seen my weight fluctuate between 170-175 lbs (water weight) but never actually falls.
A few months ago my weight was 165 lbs, and then I had to eat a lot of bread for a few weeks for a medical test and gained 10 lbs. When I was done with that, I assumed my weight would go back down to what it was before but it never did. So I started 20:4 and still no luck.
I basically make all my own food from scratch, eat few sweets, etc. but my hormones are F’ed (very, very low, like a very old woman, I have to take them now as medicine, and I’m working on getting my dosage raised). Maybe that is the problem? I don’t know.
Anyone else find that IF just wasn’t doing it for them?
I find that it doesn’t “work” for me like it must for others, but it’s the best maintenance strategyI have found. I still practice the principals because I learned through a period of strict IF (where I didn’t lose weight) that saving most of my calorie intake for the evening is the most sustainable maintenance diet regimen for me. Small meals through day just leaves me famished and I can hardly sleep on an empty stomach. But, IF in and of itself doesn’t do anything for me until paired with a substantial (IMO) calorie deficit.
Timing of meals won’t do a thing if you still consume more calories than you burn. There is no escaping that cruel truth. Are you tracking the calories you are taking in during your eating window?
I managed to lose 40 pounds, but I had to log everything that went into my mouth. I have terrible “food amnesia” and just couldn’t track all the calories I was consuming. They added up MUCH faster than I suspected. I’m 56 and my metabolism also slowed down and losing weight had been a real challenge.
What worked for me was I quit eating breakfast altogether and learned to love black coffee. That made it easy to fast until Noon and then I’d stop eating after 6pm. But I had to also track my calories and stay under 1200 calories - and then the weight came right off.
Now I feel much more full on less food and its completely natural for me after 5 years. The weight has stayed off, and I got my A1C under 6 and I’m off all diabetes and blood-pressure medication.
IF just makes calorie reduction more comfortable and easier to track calories with fewer meals. It’s not some magical spell that can overcome too many calories.
To be honest I think IF is about filling a gap in your metabolism that’s NOT calories, for me it’s insulin control, I can say it hasn’t worked for me yet after a month but I’m persevering for the other benefits
If you eat the same amount of calories as you use for energy you will not lose weight. if you eat more than you need you will gain weight. if you eat less you lose weight. IF helps make this easier to do and has additional benefits. but ultimately it is just math.
Hormones/underactive thyroid wreak havoc on being able to lose weight. I had the same problem; finally found a doctor that would take my issues seriously and I had Hashimotos and didn’t know it. I am now on a hormone pellet with essentials that are designed specifically for me and I’m hoping this is the answer. I was able to quit taking the RX hormone I’d been taking for years for hot flashes; haven’t had ONE hot flash since I started the pellet.
You sound a lot like many people on r/menopause. And given your age, I’m guessing that’s a big contributing factor to limiting your weight loss. It also sounds like you’re already on some form of estrogen/progesterone, but maybe are still trying to find something that works (if that’s not the case, sorry, I must have gotten confused in reading the comments). If that is the case, good luck and know you’re not alone. And you’ll find some good company in the sub mentioned above.
You may want to try giving ‘the ring’ a shot. It’s a vaginal ring, not a true IUD. Delivers est/pro to your entire system and doesn’t have to be processed by the liver.
I think IF can still be beneficial to perimenopausal women, but it won’t compensate for hormones that are too low.