my thoughts on intermittent fasting after 6 months

I've been wanting to try intermittent fasting because I've heard so many stories of people trying out this trend when it first made its big splash a few years ago. A couple of my friends started intermittent fasting, and I asked about their experience and approach to it. But, what pushed me to try it out in the end was the fact that I had gained A LOT of weight last year.

I moved to California in 2019 for an internship in the heart and centre of downtown San Francisco, and the food was flowing through me like water.

I thought "yes, this is the great, big catalyst I needed to launch me into intermittent fasting."

I had gained almost 20 lbs over the 8 months I was there and quite honestly was *horrified* that I had so little will power to say no to free and/or delicious food, which there was plenty of in Silicon Valley. Not to mention being a brand-spanking new grad looking for an entry level job amidst the Covid-19 pandemic meant that I was unemployed and had plenty of time to change up my routine in 2020 without any work-related stress.

I began my intermittent fasting journey in the new year of 2020, starting slow and steady with a 16/8 feeding window. This means you eat for 8 hours, and don't eat for 16 hours. I gave myself the time frame of 11am to 7pm.

The first week was brutal. I remember purposefully staying in bed longer so that I didn't feel as hungry. However, after the first week hump, it was surprisingly easy. Keep in mind I did not calorie-restrict at this point.

6 months later, at the end of June, I committed to decreasing my feeding window. My rationale was that once I start eating, I essentially am munching on something every hour. But, if I shorten WHEN I can eat, then overall I will eat less.

I started tracking my calories through MyFitnessPal, an app I had used in the past. I started being much more mindful on what I ate, my macronutrients, and also my exercise. Overall, I had a good streak going, eating from noon to 5pm, eating the healthy amount of calories, and exercising 4-5 times a week.

However, 6 months in, I started waking up hungry again. I found myself snacking late at night in order to hold me over until noon the next day, and I did not feel energized or excited for the mornings as I used to be.

I started counting the minutes for when I could eat and I knew intermittent fasting wasn't a sustainable lifestyle for me. I began intermittent fasting with the goal of losing the weight I had gained in San Francisco. Now that I'm on the other side of my intermittent fasting experience, it's easy to say that constricting my body to follow some arbitrary eating window is unnatural and unnecessary.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely saw benefits, I shed the extra 20 pounds from the previous year and was able to keep myself accountable on my food choices- something I struggled to do in San Francisco. But, it came at a cost. I essentially scheduled everyday around when I start/stop eating. I did low-energy activities before my first meal, and spent most of my waking hours waiting to eat. This was not making me happy, and my *zest* for life was becoming more and more reliant on food.

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Through this 6 month experiment, I've learned to listen to my body, and make more conscious choices when it comes to food.

Now, I practice intuitive eating- listening to my body, eating when I'm hungry, stopping when I'm full.

I am still tracking my calories on MyFitnessPal and my exercise through the Apple Health App. In learning to eat when I'm hungry- rather than on a schedule or out of boredom- I am freed from the rigid schedule I put myself in, and am able to occupy my brain with more fun things, while keeping my taste buds happy.

Some of the friends I spoke to about their intermittent fasting journey have stopped as well, others are going 3 years strong. I am not a certified person or qualified to give any advice on diet, health, exercise...but wanted to share my own experience to say that if you are looking to live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, I think intuitive eating is the most long-term, non-restrictive choice for a healthier life.

What about you? What has your relationship with food been like, and what diet trends have you tried? lmk in the comments :)

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~some content that shifted my opinion on intermittent fasting & food~

Netflix Docu-series (Un)well episode on Fasting

Stuff You Should Know Podcast episode "How Anti-Dieting Works"