Ultimately it’s about finding a balance and creating a better relationship with food.
Obviously someone can’t just eat junk the rest of their life, but denying yourself things you enjoy is miserable too. Personally I just try to eat better most of the time, while still having my favorites occasionally.
If we don’t work on our relationship with food then we’re likely to put the weight back on if we ever have to stop doing IF.
Eating junk and pigging out using this method is a recipe for disaster and could lead to binge eating disorder. Get your TDEE calculator out and use it as a rough guideline. If this is how you eat consistently, you will feel sluggish and possibly gain weight - don’t blame IF if this happens.
I’ve been doing IF consistently for almost 3 years now and have been at maintenance weight for a long time. I totally get what you are saying. I have a much healthier relationship to food now that there are no “bad” or off limit foods. I don’t count calories and I don’t feel deprived. I rarely feel the urge to binge on anything anymore.
I maintain good nutrition by opening my window with a large serving of vegetables and then adding protein. Then I literally ask myself if there is any foods that I have been missing or craving during the past fasting period and I try to have those. By that time I’m pretty full and can usually be satisfied by having a little of anything I want. Sometimes it’s a bite or handfuls of several different things. Sometimes it’s a sweet. I end with my coffee and call it a day until my next window.
I have learned to listen to my body, I don’t feel shame about what I eat, I don’t track my food or count calories, my body looks and feels great.
Early days, I had more junk food cravings but that has decreased over time and I don’t eat that stuff when I’m hungry so it’s not really a problem.