Hey everyone,
I have been dieting for a while trying to control my calories but I was always feeling hungry. I tried intermittent fasting for a week and I felt better. However, I am very scared that once I come back to my normal weight once again, and switch to a regular diet, I will regain all that weight because my body would react poorly. I am planning on seeing a dietitian soon but I would still like some input from some of you. Thank you for the help in advance!
Here’s the reality, there is no ‘regular diet’ afterwards. Our regular diets got us to where we were in the first place. That doesn’t mean you necessarily need to do intermittent fasting the rest of your life, but you may want start thinking about what changes you’ve made that can be permanent lifestyle changes. Because that’s what it’s going to take to not put weight back on.
You are touching on an important and not-often-enough discussed topic. Maintenance.
“Eating normally” is what got so many of us to the point where we need to cut weight.
You need to decide what you can do to maintain weight. Eating at your TDEE (maintenance calories) is one thing. However, it may not be enough. Depending on how your body works, you may need to continue some form of IF.
Many people who are successful with keeping weight at their goal often continue with some form of IF. Perhaps they increase their calorie intake, decrease their fasting windows, take days off in their fasting, but they tend to continue with some regimen.
This is what I plan on doing as well.
I think the cornerstone of maintenance is vigilance. Keeping track of the weight and having limits where action needs to be taken. I plan on tracking a 10 day average. If I get more than 5 pounds over target, I will do one regimen of increased IF and reduced calories. If I hit 10 pounds over, I go back to the weight loss regimen I use today until I’m back at goal. I’m not suggesting this is right for you, but I am suggesting you get a plan ready.
I think seeing the dietician is a great idea. Formulate a plan. By the way, I’ve interacted with a number of dieticians over the last 10+ years. Many (most?) are hostile to IF as part of a weight loss or weight control routine. CICO with regular meals is still often taught as the only way to safely lose weight despite mounting research that says this doesn’t work for a portion of the population. Be prepared.
If it works why would you change it? I eat within a restricted window for health reasons. My weight is pretty stable - I think once you don’t have excessive fat stores to burn weight loss gradually slows.