Hey everyone!
I did really well last year, but this year I’ve been going in and out of depressive episodes and completely stagnated. I really want to get back on track, but I just give up and undo the progress I make when I do fast. I’ve been using food as a band-aid for when things have been emotionally rough, so fasting becomes really difficult. I used to be able to do week-long fasts, but now I’m lucky if I can do one day,
Does anyone have any tips or advice for how to get back on the horse?
Thank you for your time!
The good news you KNOW how it feels to fast and the benefit. Give yourself points for that. That’s a known goal for you. Portion control - I struggle with that. I seek excuses to cheat and go bigger (eg large large salad). I regained a lot of weight back by not being able to control portion control when I was not fasting - so I get it’s tough. All I can say is that taking small steps helps me. I reduce bit by bit and take it slowly knowing that the water fast mindset is going to work once I get there
The first thing you need to do, is make sure you aren’t being hard on yourself. Depression is no joke. We all have slip ups from time to time, it’s human. If you felt bad about it, forgive yourself. It’s OK.
Next, seek some inspiration. Try to think about why you’re fasting. I like to visit progresspics subreddit and watch videos on the benefits of fasting when I’m struggling personally.
Next, if you’re having issues with overeating after your fast, maybe push them a little longer so that A; your stomach shrinks more and B; you have more wiggle room due to extra weight loss. Also, try scheduling your fasts on a calendar so that it feels more like a hard commitment to stick to.
Lastly, and this is a difficult one because I don’t know what you’re personally going through, but if your depression is coming from real life stress, either do what you can to fix those issues, or minimize them, or, if it’s something outside your control, make sure you either get ample relaxation and self care, or meditation. Both work wonders. Mental health is just as important as physical, if not more so!
You can do this OP, I believe in you.
I struggle with this to. I fell into the trap of binging after fasting, but when i lost the willpower to fast the binge was still there. Part of it is being aware of a when you are binging and trying not to feel shameful about it. The shame causes you to avoid trying to fix the issue with your food relationship. Be aware of those moments and accept them. At least for me, this helps with the willpower, trying to love/accept yourself makes doing the work easier. Much like how it’s easier to be brave around someone else, you can be brave for yourself as well. I don’t know if that makes any sense, but good luck with the struggle!