My Wild Ride with Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss: What Really Happened?

I've tried intermittent fasting for weight loss, and it's been a wild ride. If you're not familiar with IF, let me fill you in - it's not exactly a new concept, but it's definitely gained popularity in recent years.

I've always been pretty lean, even after having kids. My weight's usually hovered around 52-57 kg, which is pretty standard for someone my height (165 cm). But let's be real, 57 kg is still a bit on the heavier side, especially when you're trying to squeeze into those skinny jeans.

So, how did I get into IF? Well, I hit rock bottom last summer when I weighed in at 57.6 kg, and then again at 58.7 kg in the winter. Yeah, that's not exactly a number I wanted to see staring back at me from the scale.

I've got a few months to go before summer hits, and I'm already dreading the thought of showing off my, ahem, 'assets' on the beach. I mean, check out this photo - I'm not just wearing a hat to block the sun, I'm also trying to conceal my, uh, 'fluffiness'.

And don't even get me started on the couch - I mean, check out this photo. I'm not just a big fan of comfort, I'm also a big fan of hiding my, ahem, 'cellulite'.

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Looking back at these old photos is a great motivator. Like this one from last winter:

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Check out these toned legs - I weighed around 53-54 kg back then.

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And here's a photo from last summer, 2022:

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I was feeling confident enough to rock these shorts, and I felt like a million bucks!

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I decided to give interval fasting a try because I was already doing it a lot of days a week. As a night owl, my work schedule is a bit unconventional - I sleep in when I get home from work at night, and then again when I drop the kids off at school in the morning. So, I figured I wouldn't have to deal with hunger pangs too much. That's why I chose the 16/8 plan. It means I have an 8-hour window to eat whatever I want, and the remaining 16 hours are for fasting, just drinking water. Some people start eating in the morning, but I prefer to start after lunch.

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The 16:8 diet has a few different names, but it's essentially a form of intermittent fasting where you eat within a certain time frame and fast for the rest. It's a pretty straightforward concept, but it can be effective for weight loss and improving overall health.

There are a few different intermittent fasting schedules, but the 16/8 is definitely the easiest to start with. I mean, 20 hours of fasting is a bit extreme!

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During the fasting periods, you can still drink water, and also:

black coffee without sugar or milk;green and black tea without sugar or milk;herbal teas without any additives;unsweetened mineral water without gas.xa0

My 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Schedule

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I found a schedule that worked for me – eating my first meal at around 1 pm, then again at 5 pm, and finally at 10 pm. It was perfect, except when I had to stay up early or work a morning shift. Let me tell you, it was tough! I was starving, my stomach was growling, and I felt queasy. But other than that, it wasn't too hard.

Food. I didn't change my diet at all, and I thought, 'Well, I should lose weight just from eating normally!' I didn't see the point in taking pictures of my meals, but I had a pretty varied diet – fried foods, sausages, chicken, soups, cereals, baked goods, sweets, and fruits. But I'll add a couple of photos anyway:

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I've had days where I wanted to eat more, and days where I wanted to eat less.

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I was constantly reviewing my food intakexa0

But for the most part, I stuck to three meals a day, plus the occasional snack of almonds, bananas, or a handful of mandarins - I mean, I'd eat a main course, drink some tea or coffee with sugar, and have a sweet treat.

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And just 30 minutes later, I'd be munching on five or six sweet mandarins. My diet was pretty varied, but not always super healthy.

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INTERMITTENT FASTING FOR WEIGHT LOSS: IS IT REALLY WORKING???

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I had no idea if I was losing weight or not, and I think it's all down to those sneaky leggings - they're the most deceptive piece of clothing for women, they'll fit any bum! I'm seriously considering a legislative ban on them. They really let me down. After a month and a half of my diet, I finally decided to weigh myself and was shocked to see 59.4 kg.

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I'll be honest, the initial thought of never eating again, of starving myself, was crazy. But I couldn't keep piling on the pounds!

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Interval fasting 16/8 results: before and after photosxa0

But what really shocked me was seeing my own photos taken by my daughter at my request. I needed a wake-up call, and that's exactly what I got.

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When I saw myself on my phone, I was taken aback. I looked like a bloated, shapeless woman, with cellulite covering my body. I even had dimples on the inside of my arms. I wasn't 80 kg, but 60 kg looked awful on me. I felt like crying in frustration. Needless to say, I ditched the whole interval fasting thing and went back to my regular diet. I spent hours reading up on nutrition, watching videos from dietitians and trainers. Some were helpful, while others weren't. I also delved deep into why interval fasting works.

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Who is interval fasting for?

My doctor actually recommended this diet to people with diabetes or a predisposition to it. The idea is that when you eat, your body releases insulin, and these dieticians suggest minimizing that by eating fewer meals and releasing less insulin. That way, your insulin levels can drop to healthy levels between meals, which is a great way to eat for people with diabetes. But for people who eat on a regular schedule or follow a balanced diet, it's a different story. They're constantly releasing insulin with each meal. But here's the thing: why are people so afraid of their own insulin? If you're healthy, all these processes are completely normal, and frequent insulin releases aren't going to hurt you! You're not going to develop diabetes from eating food! That's just a myth, and it's not the only one.

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Let's forget about foods with high glycemic indexes and gluten. Gluten only hurts people with gluten intolerance (celiac disease), which affects only 1-2% of the global population!

I'm so tired of all the myths people and so-called dieticians have created over the years. People are now afraid of oats, butter, grains, and even dried fruits! And just recently, I saw a video from a dietitian who claimed that yogurt is bad for you because it causes cellulite. What's left to eat? Maybe just lettuce salad, and even that needs some careful consideration when it comes to dressing.

I'm not saying that intermittent fasting is to blame for my weight gain – I'm the one to blame, along with my overeating and love for junk food.

I have to admit, I just don't see the point of this diet for people who don't have diabetes. Weight loss with intermittent fasting only works when you create a calorie deficit, period! And that means you can't just stuff your face with food for hours on end. If you do, it's not going to work. Plus, it's not the best approach for people with sensitive stomachs or gallbladder issues. I get uncomfortable if I don't eat regularly, and I start feeling a sharp pain in my upper abdomen.

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I've come up with my own diet - 'eat less'. It doesn't matter when you eat your daily calorie intake - twice a day, or ten times. For me, portion control looks way more appealing than intermittent fasting. But I've ended up with a middle ground, and I'll share more about that in my next review. Not now, though.

Right now, I'm in the process of losing weight, slowly but surely, without intermittent fasting, without restricting certain foods, and without the anxiety that comes with it. I eat whatever I want, I can grab a snack at 11 PM if I need to, and I can still have a cookie or two - and I'm still losing weight!

I have to admit, for me, intermittent fasting is like trying to avoid food after 7 PM. It's a weird psychological pressure to fit in a certain window of time. You feel like you need to eat as much as possible during the allowed period, so you don't feel hungry later.

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I wrote about how I tracked my calories and the pitfalls of this super effective method

One exercise that replaced everything else and helped me get in shape and lose weight

A detox day for weight loss - how much weight can you lose in one day?

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That's it for now, thanks for reading! Stay healthy!