Part of the problem is me. I tend to turn into an angry toddler when faced with the prospect of restriction. I can't have that food? I have to stop eating at an arbitrary calorie limit even if I'm still hungry? Well, screw you, self, you can't tell ME what to do! It's irrational, but it's what happens.
Another part of the problem is... wait for it... still me. I get obsessive. I can't turn off my brain. I end up thinking endlessly about food. When will I eat, what will I eat, how many calories is it, is it time to eat now? If you recall, this was part of the reason I quit the Whole30. It turned those thoughts from intrusive to non-stop. Also, I was just plain hungry. All the time hungry.
Anyway, drum roll: I'm ready to try something new!
Everyone everywhere:
Unless you've been living under a rock, or just don't consume as much diet-related media as I do (must be nice, honestly), you've heard of intermittent fasting. It's also referred to as TRE, or Time Restricted Eating. There are two main patterns: alternate daily fasting (with "up days" of normal eating mixed with "down days" of either total fasting or up to about 500 calories) or eating windows, where you fast for a certain number of hours, generally between 14-21, and eat for a certain number of hours.
I'm horribly summarizing here, but essentially, the idea is that our bodies were not designed to be digesting and eating food nearly as often we do in modern life. Eating causes insulin to be released, and our society has a major problem with high insulin levels and eventual insulin resistance. By restricting your eating to a specific window of time, you're allowing your body to rest and repair itself during the longer fasting periods. And a lot of the research around it is very promising. There are a couple of great books to read if you're interested:
1) Delay, Don't Deny by Gin Stephens or Fast, Feast, Repeat by Gin Stephens
I've read both of these. The first is great if you want a fast, easy primer about intermittent fasting. The second is great if you want more research, more in-depth, and easy methods to start trying it out yourself.
2) The Obesity Code by Jason Fung
I'm waiting on a copy to be available from the library, but I've heard wonderful things. This is written by a medical doctor who works with diabetic patients, and is very much recommended by Stephens.
So what am I hoping for? I'd like to stop constantly thinking about food. I'd like to stop feeling like I get hangry if I go a few hours without eating. I'd like to lose weight. I'd like to lower my blood pressure (historically pretty low, but it's been high since I had my second child). I'd like some of the continual energy people report from following this lifestyle.
Everything I've read says that this is not a quick fix. Side note: beware any program that claims to solve all your problems in a matter of weeks. FFR suggests giving yourself at least a 30-day adjustment period, if not a few months. So I'm in for at least 30 days, but hopefully much longer (ideally, it will be a great fit for me and I can do it indefinitely!). One of the major draws is that after awhile, this should be a very flexible "plan." You can shift around your eating window, you can change up the lengths of time, you can try out ADF or windows, whatever you need for the season you're in or what feels best for you.
My plan is to start out with a fairly wide window of 16:8 (16 hours fasting, 8 hours eating) from roughly 11/12 to 7/8 PM. Over the 30 days, I'd like to slowly move toward 18:6 (18 hours fasting, 6 hours eating). I'm hoping to check in here regularly, maybe once or twice a week.*
*Well, that's a lofty goal. I started this post a solid week ago, and am just now preparing to publish it. I had to bribe my toddler to give me just 10 freaking minutes to write a few paragraphs. As of this coming Saturday, I will have been doing IF for 3 weeks.*
So, anyway. I'll pop back by Friday to let you know how the first few weeks have gone. Pinkie swear!
Wishing you luck! And love!
ReplyDeleteThanks Aunt Robin!
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