I’ve been doing it for a few weeks now and it’s always depressing because in most cases it never feels like I ate that much yet my calories seem to be stacked:/
Also just seeing that most of my nutrients are carbs is also really heartbreaking. Especially sometimes i jusy want to have a snack or two like some biscuits or chocolates to make myself feel good and not deprive myself of living life. It’s so sad because one biscuit is like a billion calories. That itself rakes up my calorie intake for the day :/
It makes me feel like I can’t enjoy life while doing IF. It’s made it so painful to try and keep calories below 1500. It’s almost like if i wanna be fit and healthy i have to live this dead and drained life that’s solely veggies and protein :/
At the same time it helps me see where my bad calories are coming from. Seriously I haven’t been that strong this month of IF. For the first month I barely had sugar. However I’ve had a bit too many sugars and snacks and not enough veggies and such this month. My cravings for snacks just seem to be so strong.
I just feel snacky, I swear sugar is addictive. To the point I’ll want sugar the next day at the same time i had sugar the day before lol. The brain is too smart sometimes.
What are your tips and suggestions?
I don’t know what to tell you except I do IF and I do NOT count calories. I typically do OMAD and have what I want for dinner. I have cut out all snacking except I will break my fast with a protein bar about 2 hours before dinner. I do this to prevent stomach cramps. I will have a bite of dessert after dinner but not much and not everyday. Rather than counting calories or macronutrients I instead try to be choosy about which foods I eat. I will choose broccoli over fries and lean chicken over pasta. I haven’t lost as quickly as I would have liked but it is a lot more sustainable for me. I have lost 18 pounds in the last 6 months and I am about 15 away from my goal weight.
Tracking calories is a real drag, but you usually don’t have to do it forever. If you are consistant for a while you get pretty good at judging amonts. Then you just need to just monitor a little to stay on track.
Need to find lower calorie alternatives so you can eat more! There is a huge range of calorie options, it just takes a while to go through. Sara Lee makes bread that is only 45 calories a slice. There are Popsicles that are small but 120 calories for 3, if you need a frozen treat. Also greek yogurt with frozen fruit in it is fantastic! Decently low calorie if you buy the right stuff, and lots of protein. Just toss a small serving container in the fridge the day before and the fruit thaws out and flavors the yogurt. It’s quite tasty.
Also need lots of low calorie seasonings for those vegetables! There is plenty of zero, or very low calorie seasonings and dressings. Just got to find what you like. I like a little zesty Italian myself.
You can do it!
I stopped counting calories yesterday. As far as im concerned it was contributing to my binging relapses. Calorie counting gets me so so so stressed. Honestly I’m tired of diet culture. Tired of keto, tired of counting calories, tired of any restriction of any sort. I just want to focus on eating whole healthy food while fasting and exercising very regularly.. and still treating myself in small amounts when I feel like it.I lost 17kg (approx 38lbs) in 3months in 2016 just by focusing on eating healthy low carb meals (not keto) and one hour regular every morning. I only cut out refined carbs, sugar and starchier carbs. I would eat oats for breakfast, snack on almonds, something like cauliflower rice and fish for lunch, and a salad with chicken breast for dinner. I ate fruit in small amounts. Sometimes a smoothie for breakfast, sometimes eggs for breakfast and a fruit salad for lunch. I never counted any calorie. The weight dropped off like butter. I also didnt gain it back quickly. Trying to count calories now is having me in a bad stressful place and i guess its not for me. I already have anxiety and it worsens it.Theres nothing wrong with calorie counting but its been triggering my binging disorder. I don’t want eating to feel like a job. I am currently hovering between 18:6 and 20:4 and yesterday after i made the decision to stop calorie counting i felt like this weight had been lifted off my shoulder.Today i truly enjoyed eating my lunch after i broke my fast, i enjoyed eating it knowing i didnt have to start counting and calculating every single thing urrghh. I had a small bowl of soup (mainly some meat and sweet potato and carrots) just a small bowl and i enjoyed every bit.Tonight I’ll have a salad and grilled chicken breast. Snack on plantain chips. And begin my next 18hr fast. I also worked out this morning. Treadmill and weight training.Honestly im happier this way and i havent had any urge to binge since yesterday.So dear OP, I UNDERSTAND YOU
The answer is in your question. “ I’ve had a bit too many sugars and snacks…..My cravings for snacks just seem to be so strong”
Only option is to either: Have the willpower to not give in to cravings, which is hard, or reduce the sugar/carbs, which is hard, but less hard than the other option.
I have the same thing. I can tell if I eat something with sugar/carbs and even some fake sugars as I get cravings an hour or 2 after eating them. If I eat low carb… no issues.
Google “insuline spikes”.
Also… my life isn’t veggies and protein alone. I eat eggs, bacon, sausage, protein shakes, salads, chicken, steak, bun less hamburgers, tortilla-less taco’s a variety of cheeses, dried/cured deli meats, nuts, chicken/tuna salads..
If that kind of food isn’t for you….it’s gonna be harder, but not impossible. Any diet with a calorie deficit will get you to loose weight. Low carb just takes away the cravings. But in the end… you will loose weight eating only a medium big mac meal every day (1000 calories)…. it’s just not very filling and makes you crave food after 2-3 hrs…. which is hard to control.
edit: check out /r/keto… they have some good tips, recipes etc. You don’t have to go do the keto diet. Keto is just hardcore low carb diet (less than 20g carbs a day)…. but you can follow the pattern and up the carb count to like 40-60g and be low carb.
When you are starving whole foods taste like nectar of the gods…when you are drowning a breath of air is the sweetest of all experiences….
Give yourself a month to adjust, trust me you will never look at veggies and protein the same again😁
I understand…try eating 0 processed foods for a month, when you are ready, and I guarantee you that you will see food differently….1 month…by 0 processed foods, that includes foods that have any added sugars…you have to recondition your body and mind…it takes a bit of time…but you will start craving meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and nuts and seeds the same way you are currently craving all the processed shit that is literally killing you…
Sugar is definitely additive. And yes, counting calories sucks butts. And eating cookies makes you feel momentarily better.
All I can really tell you is that you have to work on this as a discipline. It’s hard to be on a diet and it’s hard to count calories, but the time spent using fasting as the format to be on a diet and to count calories will help you in the future. The part where you are a healthy happy person who knows how to stay calm and have a cookie but also with the discipline to let momentary pangs of hunger subside and not give in in every situation.
I’m on the other side for a few years now. I eat cookies. Mostly crackers, but sometimes cookies. And it’s fine. But I never eat them at night, which is great.
I have one of these most nights at the end of my window. The nutrition info would be correct for 18 servings- I cut it into 9. I use dark chocolate chips and with the large protein hit- really satisfies me and feels pampering!