Hey everyone! I’m really new to IF and I’ve got to say I love it. My sleep has improved, my brain feels laser sharp and I feel generally more energised overall.
However, I’m really struggling to hit my maintenance calories and I’m not using IF to lose weight, more to reap the benefits that can be brought about with it such as changes to insulin resistance and more focus.
As such, if my maintenance is around ~3k calories does anyone have any hot tips on some easy healthy nutritious recipes I can eat in my 8 hour window to make goals?
One thing I would look at is making sure not to load up on protein too early in the window. Often it can be difficult to keep eating once that macro is internally satisfied, and you do indeed have a lot of eating to get through. Likewise pay attention to how you respond to fats: some people feel satiated from them very easily, and if so, being mindful of how you space those out could help too. Obviously your takeaway shouldn’t be “live off of carbs,” but they are generally going to be easier to keep eating than the other two. Also, most people’s bodies don’t hugely “notice” calories coming from liquids, and it’s relatively easy to eat a lot as a smoothie or soup, compared to actually biting/chewing the equivalent.