So I tried this before and was able to do 16:8 reliable but depression happened and now I’m better so I was thinking of starting again but doing 20:4 since my job has me sleeping more (overnights suck). So I have a few questions.
What foods should I eat to stay fuller longer? What foods should I avoid? Is doing a cheat day once a week recommend and if so should it be the same day a week or can it varry?
Congrats on starting this journey again! Good proteins are your friend and will help you stay full. Start and end your eating time with them. Maybe a cheat meal instead of a whole day so you’re not too tempted? Good luck and keep us posted :)
IF can be easier with a more generous eating window. Starting off very strict is inadvertently setting yourself up to fail. It takes quite a few calories per day to maintain 500lbs of weight, probably in the ballpark of 4,000kcal, so with a consistent restricted, yet reasonable, eating window and a moderate calorie deficit you should begin to see results. I wouldn’t start off too strict, it doesn’t take drastic measures to lose weight at first. Let yourself get used to a fast/eat rhythm and learn to accurately track your caloric intake before you dial it into something as strict as 20:4
Protein, fat (cheeses/butter/oils) and as much fiber as you can get through veggies. Try to go low carb (keto can be pretty extreme if you are just getting going so low carb is much more approachable). As others have said start with 16:8 to just get the hang of things. I did that for about a month, then saw my hunger drop a lot then naturally shifted to 17:7 then 18:6 (all a month apart) and still not super strict. Some days things come up… gotta live your life. But the goal is to get into a mode where it just becomes your new program and you aren’t super hungry outside of that - you can get there with low carb… carbs/added sugar will set you down a spiral so be careful. I shoot for 50-75g carbs per day.
Also - starting at 500lbs make sure you ease into calorie restriction… maybe don’t even do any calorie counting for the first month just to get this to become a habit and manageable. Just shoot for your window and low carb… those 2 things alone should get you dropping weight quickly! Best of luck on your journey. We are here for you!
No joke, a combination of this subreddit, plus r/HydroHomies helps remind me to drink water all day to help curb off the hunger and keep me moving around (especially to the bathroom). Helps remind me to behave when I see this thread, and to chug when visiting the homies.
Spoil yourself with a cup you’ll actually use too. It’s worth the 20 or 30 bucks to be happy with something that’s going to help keep you going.
Good luck!
Higher protein. Protein digests slower/takes more energy
Lower carb….especially processed sugars. These spike insulin. Insulin spike spike hunger/cravings
Ideally…you find eating habits that you love…then the urge for cheat meals is less frequent. It’s a lifestyle…not a diet….so find a lifestyle you really like
This said…nothing wrong with a weekly cheat meal if that works for you. I reccomend tracking calories. Your TDEE is what…3700 to 4000? Perhaps a snaking deficit is the way for you. Remember…X calories per 24 hours is an easy way we process it. 4000 calories a day is the same ((kinda sorta) as 28 000 in a week. So maybe tou do like…2700, 3200, 2700, 2500, 3200, 2500, 5000 (random example). That would be what….21 800 over the week?