Lots of my subreddits are amazing food. My ig same. And here I am stomach growling craving a huge bowl of pho. I don’t want to give up this pleasure but i need something to occupy my mind otherwise IF feels like doing a plank that never ends. I can’t be the first.
In my experience, I think part of the IF experience is fantasizing about the food you will eat in your window, not sure why - maybe absence makes the heart grow fonder? One gift I think IF has given me is not wasting my time with subpar food. So I think your food enthusiasm can be indulged appropriately. In fact, sometimes I start cooking something elaborate an hour or two before my window opens and just anticipate the enjoyment. For times when you really don’t want to think about it, what works for me: running or other exercise. A fit of housecleaning. Getting engrossed in a book or craft activity. Anything that keeps my mind and body busy. What does not work: watching tv/movies - it just makes me want to snack!
I don’t have a past time more captivating than food but I fix myself some tea in a cute cup and I get all my chores and to do list for the day done while I’m waiting for my fast to end. Basically just keep busy and by the time it’s 1:00pm I have my broth or soup ready to break my fast and I cook lunch in a clean kitchen. Laundry is done and house is clean and I can eat so it feels like an accomplishment.
I would focus on the quality of food. I still love eating, I just don’t eat everything all the time. Since I am only eating 1-2 ish meals a day, I put more thought into what I want. Since I am buying less food overall I can afford better/local goods more often. You know what that pho tastes like, you can wait till next week or the week after to go get it. I usually let a craving for such things linger for atleast a week or two before I go for it. Except tacos. gotta get tacos most weeks.