Hi all, I just started 16:8 IF with a weight loss goal. My cousin had transformational results, so I figured I would give it a go. I have been very skeptical of this because of how quickly people report losing weight. My question for those who have already achieved their goal weight is do you have to adopt IF as your way of life in perpetuity in order to maintain your results? Has anyone hit their goals, stopped your fasting cycle and gained back significant weight? I am hoping to follow this for about 6 months to kick start healthy habits (once I make this a habit I can stick to, healthy eating and working out will follow as compound habits), but I’m not sure I want to commit to it for longer than that. I am hoping this isn’t the same as the yo-yo results that people get from fad diets. The research I have read indicates otherwise, but I am interested in hearing anecdotes from real people. Thank you in advance 🙏🏼
After losing a lot of weight, you can’t go back to your old way of eating. What was normal is what got you overweight in the first place.
So you don’t have to do IF forever. But you do have to modify your diet and your thinking about food. And after a while, IF does become normal. You don’t have to do it every day, but you can.
So when maintenance comes into play, figure out your new “normal” and see if any type of IF fits in.
This has become the way I eat 95% of total time.For instance-I don’t use a “window” for eating and drinking on vacation.However, I don’t get hungry until at least noon so I’m in a fasted state until then anyway.I also eat healthy about 80% - no fast food ever or soda.It’s how I feel!Tweak it to your specific needs.
Once you hit your final goal, that’s when you go into maintenance, which typically means more calories than before. It might look like 16:8, but with more snacks or maybe even two desserts.
Really, the end goal will be a more lax version of IF, but your tastes will likely have changed by then, so I imagine you’ll want to eat healthier at that point anyway.
I personally can’t see myself stopping, I’m in the best shape of my life right now, and IF is helping me keep it that way. And from personal experience, all my friends who stopped IF, or are very lax about their schedules if they do practice have fallen back on old bad habits or rationalize them consistently.
Most of my adulthood I unconsciously practiced I.F.. I only gained weight when I started eating breakfast and lunch. Then I started I.F. again and lost weight. I stopped I.F. and gained 1/3 of it back. I won’t stop this time. However, I eat what I want in my feeding period, but I exercise portion control without obsessing over anything. I.F. can be flexible. You will still get benefits if you go out once a week for breakfast or have to eat a company lunch. You can eat as soon as you get up and fast later. You can take a day off and pick it right back up. I’ve done Keto and CICO as well and if you want to do those things, I.F. will help, but I feel it is the overall the most sustainable way to build the way of eating that is right for you long term.
I got down to my ideal weight. Stayed there for a year. Got lazy and went back to my old diet. Put the weight back on over 2 years. So yeas, you have to modify your diet to a healthier one once you lost the weight. But that’s easier to do once the weight is gone, and you’ll feel much better without the weight on you.