Intermittent Fasting Update #3

I started Intermittent Fasting (IF) back in June 2020. Two and a half years ago and I am pleased to say that I am still going and I would never think about going back to eating all day long. I just can’t and don’t want to.

My last update was back in January of 2021 – quite some time ago. I’m not sure where the time has gone and how it has slipped away so quickly but somehow it has. I thought it was time for an update.

If you would like to catch up on my IF journey here are the posts:

Intermittent Fasting – A health plan with the side effect of weight loss
Intermittent Fasting Update #1
Intermittent Fasting Update #2

I really would encourage you to read those posts if you are thinking about giving IF a go yourself, they have all of the info that you need and that I follow. I still listen to the Intermittent Fasting Stories podcast with Gin Stephens, I have listened to every single episode and it always keeps me motivated.

Now that a new year is upon us I have been reflecting on my IF over the past year to year and a half. I have never stopped fasting, I have no desire to do so. I feel so good fasting and I have never been more productive in my whole life. I have so much energy when I am in the fasted state, it is when I get the most done. I find it makes me a better cook too. I want to cook all of the food but the moment I break my fast it is game over. Last year I found myself doing OMAD (one meal a day) – I wouldn’t break my fast until dinner time most nights. I would make the yummiest dinner which often included fresh bread of some description and a delicious dessert. I would eat all of the food – during about a 1 hour window.

Of late I have found my clothes getting a little snug and figured I had put on a few kg’s. I broke up with the scales over a year ago so had not weighed or measured in quite a while, but I could feel it. I didn’t feel as good as I did back in 2021. I reckon it all started when we bought our caravan… for some reason I think all bets are off when I am in that caravan and that I can eat all the bad food that I like. Yes, I am still fasting but during my eating window, which may be 4-5 hours, I found myself making very very bad choices and also drinking too much wine.

But I still thought it was all good because: I was still fasting, right??!!! WRONG.

These poor choices trickled down to being at home as well. Although I may not have been stuffing the Thins light and tangy chips into my mouth I was still over eating and probably not making the best choices. It has only just occurred to me and I feel a little silly to be honest. I can see it now, plain as day. Because I was doing OMAD and not opening my window until dinner time I felt like I had to eat a lot – that I needed to. So I was filling my plate right up and I could never eat it all. I would have some bread with lashings of butter and then I would probably have dessert a little later. I can see now that this was not working in my favour.

Last week I decided to get on the scales and get things back in check. I knew that it was all ok and I totally had this but I just needed to tighten things back up again. You can eat all of the food but you still need to make good choices. I can have the bread, butter and dessert but perhaps just not every single day – maybe just on the weekends or as a special treat once a week. Sure I can drink wine but it is not going to do me any favours. So here I am, sorting myself out and I am feeling really good.

I am back to breaking my fast around 2 or 3pm with something healthy and filling. I have started having the Uncle Toby’s fast oats porridge – you know that stuff that comes in the sachet and you just pop some milk with it and put it in the microwave. I have been having the brown sugar and cinnamon. I have also discovered that a whole sachet is too much for me so I just have half. I also top it with a bit of yoghurt, some fresh berries, apple and banana, some home made granola, some Blend 11 and a sprinkle of cinnamon and I tell you what – it is delicious. Who even am I? Very filling and it doesn’t make me feel yuck and tired. I feel great.

We had my Mum (DD) up visiting for a month – she left last week which was very sad but I think I figured a few things out while she was here. I noticed how little she put on her plate of an evening… she just put on what she thought she could eat – didn’t load it up like I was. So I tried to do the same… remembering that I could always go back if I was still hungry. Even when I tried to put less on my plate, often I still couldn’t eat it all which just goes to show how much I was overeating. She also has porridge most mornings when she breaks her fast. Anyway I am channeling my inner DD.

We also did water aerobics while she was up here. Now, I have to be honest, I haven’t exercised much since I started IF but this has really motivated me to start moving again. So I have kept it up. I am now exercising each day and feel great for it. I do water aerobics every second day, on the other days I do a workout from YouTube of some description. I’m trying never to do the same workout from YouTube. I have also been getting on the rowing machine each day which gives you a whole body workout.

So here are my take aways from looking back on the past year and a half and how I have slowly but surely been making bad food choices:

 

1. I need to change my thinking paradigm and make better choices – there are good foods, sometimes foods and special occasion foods.

1. Drink less alcohol – wine is not my friend. Drink less of it!

1. Put less on your plate Dan!

1. You can have the bread, butter and dessert – just not every single night. Maybe once a week.

1. Move more – respect your body and build strength to keep you safe and healthy as you age.

And there you have it my friends. I know I will be able to report to you that I am back to my best very soon because I know Intermittent Fasting is a lifestyle not a fad diet. I will always do it and if I do it right and make good choices it will love me back.

Do you do IF as well?

If you are keen to learn more and get into IF I recommend reading Gin’s latest book: Fast Feast Repeat. You can read it or listen on audiobook.