I have been doing 19:5 intermittent fasting since mid-November pretty religiously. My starting weight was 291, I’m at 258 now, and my goal is 235. I have also been making more healthy choices about what I eat during the window, but I am not tracking calories at all or denying myself any specific foods.
My weight loss over this period has sped up and slowed down depending on how strict I have been (slower over the holidays, faster when I’ve been exercising more), but the average over the entire period has consistently stayed at 2 pounds per week. Even when I have plateaued for a week or two, it has been followed with more rapid weight loss that brings the average back to 2 lbs/week.
I have never had this level of consistent weight loss on any other diet; even strictly tracking calories in/calories out over long periods of time has never gotten me to 2 pounds per week consistently. I’m obviously very happy with the results, but I also have a nagging voice that it can’t possibly be this easy/consistent and there must be some underlying health issue that is contributing to the results. So much so that I consider taking a break from IF to see if my weight stabilizes.
So with apologies in advance for a post that is more or less complaining about success, have other folks seen sustained results like this? Did I just hit the jackpot in terms of finding the right eating style for my metabolism, or am I right to be suspicious? Thanks in advance!
It has likely worked better because it just allows you to stay in a calorie deficit easier. Losing weight is largely about keeping yourself in a consistent deficit. IF just seems easier for some people to maintain that deficit over a longer period of time. So you know you can’t eat X so you just don’t at that time. By creating hard lines it is harder to lie to ourselves about what we are consuming. Just remember that it can slow down and likely will as your weight drops in actual pounds. For me I hit a hard line about halfway through my weight loss where I seemed to hold there for a couple months before continuing back down. I assume at the time this was more reconfiguration than no weight loss. So muscle creation and fat loss could give you the same weight. You will likely only see that in measurements or pictures. Sometimes the weight itself is only one part of what is happening. So sounds like you are on track, and you are doing well. I really learned to listen to my body during my process and be honest about that. You know if things feel off or start to feel off. So pay attention to that and be honest there too. If any concerns, or you are not sure, go see a doctor and get checked out.