Me and my girlfriend have both gained a bunch of weight during quarantine and an inability to really afford to eat very healthy and are considering starting but we both work often on different days and at different times around the day and are not sure how we would plan out meal times due to the inconsistency of our schedules. Where one day it would be the perfect time to eat but somedays one or both of us are at work and would be unable to commit to a consistent window to eat and would like to be able to be able to have coffee in the morning because we both need it in the morning to function but she hates black coffee and loves experimenting with espresso drinks so the morning would be perfect except for days where we work in the morning and would spend our whole eating period at work. So it’s pretty complicated so should we start intermittent fasting or look for another alternative for losing weight? And how inconsistent with times can you be and still see an effect?
edit: im starting without her and starting on a 15:9 fasting period to make it a little easier. due recent health developments i am currently doing research on whether it would be a good choice for her
Just do it, start moving breakfast to later times, miss it sometimes - just a coffee. Do something, typing won’t make you fit.
Personally I only 16:8 4 days in a week - you start to eat healthier, wake up early, stomach shrinks. You will feel it and luckily make it lifestyle for 7/7 days a week
Yes, start fasting. Start by skipping breakfast, then keep moving your window longer. As far as having a low budget, you absolutely can still eat healthy. I find i can eat way cheaper on keto and making my own food. As an example, my weekly food cost is about $25 shopping at Aldi and doing OMAD. I typically buy two dozen eggs (last week.37 for 18 and my main protein source), romaine or mixed greens, cheese, olives, a cucumber or two, chicken, nuts, sometimes beef. It’s easy when you get the hang of it.
The coffee and espresso are fine while in a fasted state, as long as nothing is being added (sugar, honey, Splenda, stevia, any sweeteners in general.) And, as far as whether or not it’s more beneficial to stick to a consistent time to have your window, I’m not sure on the science of it being healthier or more effective one way or the other, but I can see it being more difficult having different windows. For instance, I can’t have my window early in the day. If I start fasting around noon, I end up breaking my fast before the day is over. It’s much easier for me to wake up in a fasted state and just push my window back. And to answer your overall question, yes, you should start IF. I’ve always had fluctuating weight. Now I’ve being doing IF for a couple years and I’ve lost weight and kept it off. It might be difficult for y’all to figure out exactly how y’all want to set it up for yourselves, but if you can, I think you’ll see the benefits.
Your eating period doesn’t need to be the same everyday. Decide on what the earliest times you’ll start eating, & what’s the latest you’ll stop eating, that’s your minimum time fasting. Fast longer when you can. You may eventually work up to just OMAD, & that doesn’t need to be the same time every day either. Be wary of eating just because you can.
Yes. Do it. Trust me, I’ve been in a similar boat. When I started I suddenly realised, what was all that panic about beforehand? Sure its a slight change of schedule and stuff but I keep envisioning the goal and then the bit of admin to stick to it is easy.
I also use an app which really works for me, called Fastic. It shows what is happening in your body during the different hours of fasting - I just find it fascinating and I break it up into moving into the next step in each fast, which makes each step feel more attainable. (not a promo I promise, just explaining why I like it and how the breakdown makes it more ‘palatable’ for me).
It’s like anything, scary to start but after a couple of days you’re so used to it and you become more confident with it.
You don’t need coffee to function.
Your IF window can be as dynamic as you want it to be. It doesn’t have to be on a strict schedule. Just start by skipping breakfast, and not snacking between meals.
If your goal is weight loss, I think it’s okay to be flexible on your drinks. If a coffee with some added calories (50 or less is the rule of thumb) is what gets your gf to her eating window without eating, it’s worth it. If y’all can do it with zero calorie drinks/sweeteners, that’s even better. And no calories or sweeteners at all would be ideal.
Drink lots of water and you can put salt and a bit of baking powder in it too (I know this sounds wierd but It’s actually good for you) Carbonated water is also ok like club soda.
Take the money you are saving buying less food and get better quality coffee in bean form, and a hand grinder. You can put a blob of butter or whole cream (must be whole cream, not half and half or table cream) in your coffee without breaking your fast. i now have my coffee this way even when i am not fasting.
Agreed with the comments of “just try it”. You don’t need to sign up for this and not ever change. Who knows, you might like it and change your routine to fit.
I’d say take it a day at a time and reevaluate along the way.