I’m a 25 yo female with a rounded but muscular body type (does that make sense?) In other words, I’m curvy and if I’m not careful I will gain weight easily/I’m not naturally thin BUT I tend to gain muscle easily and look relatively muscular.
I started IF seriously after I had surgery in my knee in the beginning of the year which caused me to be relatively immobile for a couple months. I hurt the knee in August 2021 and was drinking pretty heavily as well at the time, so I know both those factors contributed to my weight gain.
So far I can tell I’ve lost some fat at least because my clothes are back to fitting better, but I feel like I’m not seeing results as fast as I should. I’ve been doing IF at least 5 days a week for a couple months now. Weight wise, I’ve lost nearly nothing, maybe a few pounds. I weigh 190lbs and I am 5’3, so even though I’ve been told I don’t “look” my weight, I would like to shed actual pounds.
I do deal with chronic stress and mental illness which I know can make you hold on to weight. I do zumba once a week and yoga twice a week usually, but currently I am moving as well and I’m planning a wedding that is taking place in 50 days (I can fit into my dress and it is bigger than when I bought it, so there’s that victory at least) so I’ve been slacking to be blunt.
I usually fast for 14 to 18 hours on average 4 to 5 days a week. Is there something I need to change or do differently to see results? Or do I need to just be more strict and vigilant? Advice and experience appreciated.
I’m a 5’9” guy and I don’t do IF anymore, but I did lose around 60lbs with IF in my early 30s. I also have a lot of the same quirks you do: I easily gain weight that at the very least looks like muscle; even when I was at my heaviest people were very surprised at my weight; I have a lot of unavoidable/chronic stress; and I have a history of mental illness. I also have a history of injuries from exercise or sports.
I find for myself that the stress component is a huge part of successful weight loss/maintenance. It changes my sleep quality, makes me retain water, seems to slow down my metabolism, increases the severity and frequency of hunger pangs, etc. Stress impedes not only weight loss but physical strength and muscular development/recovery as well. If I’m handling my stress, I have zero issues maintaining the discipline I need to continue my regular diet and exercise routines to the letter, even with lots of distractions.
Anecdotally, things that have worked for me include making sure I get good sleep, making sure I’m social (I’m an extrovert), increasing my low-impact cardio on top of my regular lifting/running schedule, going low-carb (not keto) during the week, making sure I get enough protein, and making sure I have absolutely mind-boggling cheat days weekly. Like entire stockpots of healthy food with a moderate amount of carbs, enough for 8 meals in one day.
Also what worked for me (and obviously your mileage may vary) was leaning into the muscle development. During parts of my IF experience I was lifting weights 90 minutes 6 days a week, but I also focused a lot on getting incidental exercise, like walking in circles when I talked on the phone. When I’m stressed I tend to get less of that incidental exercise so even if I’m lifting heavy and running, those workouts are like 95% of all the physical activity I’ll do over a day and that’s just not enough.
You’re threading a needle right now: the factors are your calories out, your calories in, and the stress you’re under from exercise, weight loss, upcoming events, managing your diet, your past, etc. Changing any of the factors is going to change the others, and you kind of have to just keep wiggling until you find something that works for a bit. I’d start with walks, sleep, or nutrition and go from there - but take it easy. Being more “strict” or “vigilant” right now is going to increase your stress.
Fast 6 days, cheat one day. Or even fast two weeks, cheat one day. Make sure you’re eating at least 1200 calories of good, nutrient rich food. Also, give yourself grace and patience. IF is no easy task and being hard or down on yourself makes it much worse. Good luck!!
Not to say you need to track compulsively, but I find that tracking what I’m actually eating for a week helps me to see what’s going on. That and prioritizing my sleep. Stress and lack of sleep can really affect our bodies, and it’s amazing how many calories can be fit into an 8-10 hour window.
With the wedding coming up (congratulations!), I would suggest being gentle with yourself for the moment and focus on sleep, stress reduction, and making sure you’re eating healthy, without any junk carbs mixed in. Maybe try to extend time between meals within your eating window (getting rid of snacks). Nothing too drastic, you have a lot on your plate right now. Once you’re back from your honeymoon is plenty of time to get strict.