So I love intermittent fasting because I can have junk food. I feel like I need very little self discipline for this because during my fasts I know that I can pig out in a couple hours. I don’t mind the discomfort of being hungry because I know that I can eat what I wan soon and I know that I’m burning fat. I just weighed in this morning at 139, first time I’ve been under 140 since I puberty. And that’s after having a really awesome ice cream party on Sunday. I say this after pigging out on chocolate pretzels and nosh kise (a jewish snack) and strawberries. So good, and I just had a tuna sandwich and now I’m done eating for the day.
So I made it sound like I’m obsessed with food but I’m not but I was just thinking about it because I was pigging out, anyway I know this would probably go faster if I didn’t eat junk, but I don’t want it off fast because I don’t want people to notice and also I want to make this sustainable because I feel like this is something I could keep up. Also, I do t want to develop an eating disorder, because if I do I know I’d just get fatter in the end and be miserable.
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.