I am giving IF another try. I have done it before, perhaps 2 or 3 years ago and it was successful. I got myself down to 180lbs and I was muscular and fairly cut. I have been sedentary for most of covid for a multitude of reasons that don’t need to be discussed here but regardless, the pandemic has done me no favours.
In the past 6 weeks I have hired a personal trainer and stuck to a weight lifting routine for the first time in, well at least 2 years. My diet has gotten better, I have cut out snacks like candy and chips, mostly. Christmas time has allowed some of that to enter my life again. I am 186lbs, down10 plus lbs from this time last year but I still have a gut that sticks out. I believe the term is “skinny fat”. I have been getting stronger at the gym, my body is regaining its original muscular look but my belly remains. I have tracked calories loosely and been adamant about hitting my protein goals, yet my weight has not moved more than a half pound in either direction since starting with my PT.
I don’t have a goal weight. I just want my belly to not stick out anymore and I want these small love handles to disappear. It is clear that I struggle with over eating in the night time as this is where I have been ruining my diet as of late. I can go all day and stay on track right up until 8pm, then I will often binge. I think conforming to a rigid schedule will allow me to have a goal to chase and because I have seen the success of IF before and I am confident that I can tailor this to work for me again. Today is day one and I am going to be taking progress picks before my workout at the gym this morning.
I have a goal for calorie intake which is in and around 1800 a day to start and will re assess this time next week. I am giving myself permission to eat breakfast once a week (on the weekends). I will be doing a 12-8pm eating window and will not allow myself to have anything after that 8pm mark.
My partner thinks I am crazy for wanting to lose my belly and says that everyone has a belly that sticks out. I am comfortable with who I am but uncomfortable with my body and want to be able to take my shirt off without instinctively pulling in my stomach. I am so tired of attempting to lose weight by trying this and that and I want this to be the last attempt. I want this to stick and now that I have my fitness routine down pat it is time to commit to a proper diet. So here goes!
I have been down this road before but I could always use some pointers that have helped you with your IF journey. What are some key concepts that allowed you to be successful with weight loss in general and what sort of road blocks have you encountered?
The key thing that worked for me is doing something that I can commit to.
I see a lot of people try to jump straight into the deep end with OMAD or alternate day fasting and then give up when they slip up a day. Don’t overanalyze and fixate on the small stuff.
Keep busy and don’t have junk fund accessible.
Good luck!