I’ve recently started intermittent fasting and don’t find it an issue 6/7 days of the week. But on Friday mornings I get up early for a run, and then go to my parents and have breakfast with them. It’s an easy way for me to just check up on them and spend a bit more time with them. Because of this though, it means I can’t continue the 16:8 fasting on a Friday.
So would I still be able to see the benefits of intermittent fasting, even if I’m only doing it 6 out of 7 days of the week?
I had great results by doing IF on weekdays and having a relaxed schedule on weekend to accomodate my social life. So yeah, you can definitely do that. I lost roughly 12kgs that way.
Another option is to adapt your fasting schedule, start fasting earlier on thursday, and starting your friday fast
You could also just have black coffee with them while they have breakfast and explain that you don’t do breakfast anymore, but it might be too much of an haslle (or maybe you want to enjoy breakfast with your parent, and it’s perfectly fine too)
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TL;DR: IF is great because it’s adaptable; you can definitely succeed without doing it daily, you can also adapt your schedule if you prefer consistency
You’ll still see the benefits as long as you don’t binge on that Friday. Flexibility has always been a staple of IF. You could also just make Friday a 14/10 day instead. Your weekly breakfasts with mum and dad sound lovely and I encourage you to continue.
It’s great that you’re able to incorporate time with your family into your routine and still make progress with intermittent fasting. While it’s ideal to stick to the fasting schedule as consistently as possible, it’s important to remember that small deviations from the plan won’t necessarily negate all the benefits. The most important thing is to listen to your body and make adjustments as needed. It’s also important to remember that weight loss is not only about the numbers on the scale, but also about overall health and well-being. Consistency and balance are key, so don’t beat yourself up over one deviation from your plan. It’s also important to keep in mind that every body is different.