Some of my most crucial formative years happened during the early aughts, back when diet culture reached a fever pitch and emo was a growing subculture so everyone wanted to be thin and rock skinny jeans.
I have to admit, I’ve struggled with yo-yo dieting in the past. The starve-binge cycle was tough to break, and although I mostly stick to intuitive eating nowadays and am happy with my body, food was always at the forefront of my mind. Enter intermittent fasting.
I’m aware that intuitive eating coaches are against IF, but speaking solely about my own experience, it has given me a lot of peace and a sense of freedom. I’m not really looking to lose weight, but my weight does fluctuate a lot and I would prefer it to be more stable. Part of this is due to me going through periods (pun fully intended) of snacking a lot. So right now my strategy is fasting for at least 16h (I usually do between 17-19), which gave me the discipline to eat my dinner at a reasonable time. I don’t restrict myself during my eating window, but I do try to ensure I’m getting a lot of protein and vegetables.
What I’ve found is that this strategy stops me from constantly obsessing over food, which I didn’t realise I was doing until after I’d stopped doing it. I feel I can fully focus on living in the moment, and it’s wonderful. Nowadays, I don’t think about food unless it’s to do some meal prep or cooking. I also no longer have any overwhelming cravings, so when my eating window does arrive, it’s much easier to stick to healthier dishes.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that I feel I got my life back thanks to this. People are often confused when I say I don’t do IF for weight loss, I do it because it makes me happy. This is why.
Would love to hear if others have had a similar experience :)
Absolutely the same here! It’s unfortunate I get downvoted for sharing MY experience with IF in other non fasting threads because I wish I looked into it years ago. I get cravings but it’s for healthy foods and I hardly eat as much in one sitting. I can think about my hobbies/ projects and everyday life clearer without obsessing about food hating myself for always feeling hungry.
Exactly the same here. Snacking, overeating, or eating junk food (some of my old favorite hobbies 😅) makes me sooo uncomfortable now and I’m really not triggered to participate now that I fast. If I really want something I wait until my window is open, but usually the craving subsides and I’m focused on meeting my nutritional requirements instead of reaching for detrimental calories. Glad life is easier for you now too!