I started a modified version of intermittent fasting a few weeks ago. I can't remember exactly when I started, to be honest. I'm pretty sure this is my fourth week. It is, I just checked.
I listen to true crime podcasts (and Watch What Crappens, about Bravo TV shows). One of my favorites, that I've listened to since the very beginning (only a year and a half ago), is
Housewives of True Crime. They do a lot of gossiping and are very cliche "California girls." But I enjoy them. I follow them on Facebook and they started another page for the keto diet. I don't do keto, I have tried to stay low carb, and have cut way back since they started this group. But someone in the group said they were doing keto and intermittent fasting. And then a friend of mine said he lost 10lbs from intermittent fasting, so I decided to try.
I am very,
very loose with my IF. I wanted to do something that I
could do without cheating. So I am only fasting for 15 hours, instead of 16. I choose to eat between 11am and 8pm, this is because of coffee and wine. And believe me, waiting for my coffee is difficult. I know black coffee is allowed, but I don't drink black coffee, I think it's gross. I have not been perfect with my timing, either. In fact, just this morning I ate my avocado at 10:50 and had my coffee. And last night my last glass of wine was finished at 8:08pm.
The first couple days I had a headache in the morning because of lack of caffeine, but even though I'm looking at the time from 10am on, I am no longer getting a headache. I did discover that I cannot run before eating. I ran one day at 10:30 and it was terrible. With the hot days coming (remember western WA summers don't start until July 5th, and we had one day of warm weather and today it's cool again) I'm not sure if I will be able to avoid eating because I will need to run before it gets too warm. I have been running most often at 11:30, time for my coffee to get in me and some food, but then I also run into (literally) the problem of having to use the bathroom. Sometimes so bad I can't wait.
Last Thursday I had to brave the hospital because it's on my route and I couldn't go any farther without using the bathroom. The lady that screened me was really nice, but I don't really want to go into the hospital if I don't have to, and I was worried she wouldn't let me go. I would have had an accident, so I'm glad she was nice.
I have decided that Saturday and Sunday I will not be waiting until 11am to eat. I did the first 2 weekends and it just doesn't work with my weekend schedule (shopping and running). But I also figure that it will change things up so my body doesn't get too used to a certain routine.
I think IF is supposed to make it so you eat less, but I really don't think I am. I still keep track of all my food and my calories are still pretty high. I did lose 7lbs the first week and a half I started IF, but then I gained 3 lbs back, and then my weigh in this morning (which is not official) I was back down another pound. So I've lost 5lbs in 4 weeks, which is actually better than I've done in a long time. I'm going to continue with it for now and see where it goes. It does help me to quit snacking in the evening, and quit drinking wine. So that's good.
I would like to lose another 10lbs before going on vacation in August. That is only 4 weeks away, so I think that's not going to happen. If I lost 5lbs I'd be happier, but it would be better to lose 10 . . . I think I have to do better at eating less during my 9 hours of eating.
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