Quote:
Originally Posted by Georgette
Anyone done IF for maintenance and/or had long-term success with IF as a loss method?
Hi! I've been IF'ing since early 2013 and have been maintaining my 80 lb. weight loss with a lot of success.
When I first started I was experimenting with different eating patterns because I was simply not hungry in the mornings. I would still force myself to eat because I thought that was the thing to do. So I eventually started to delay breakfast and found it to be very sustainable. I did not know what IF was at the time.
I usually eat 2 larger, well-balanced satisfying meals with no snacking in about a 6 hour period daily. I still eat all of my maintenance calories everyday, just my eating window is condensed. I do my non-strenuous exercising in a fasted state as well.
I do not calorie count hardcore, but I am very aware of what I am eating and its calorie content. I write down everything I'm eating in my notebook. It helps me to see what I have eaten and helps me to make sure I am hitting my macros.
Also I learned that mini-meals made me hungrier so I was actually eating more then I thought throughout the day because I was rarely satisfied.
IF has been incredibly freeing. It has helped me have a healthier relationship with food and I feel more in control with my choices. For example since I close the kitchen at a certain time, it helped me to kick my night-time mindless eating snacking habit over time.
Also it's great to be fat-adapted and be able to go some time without eating especially if I'm travelling or busy. I don't cut any foods out (when I was losing I did cut out some trigger foods, but I can eat them now).
It may not be for everyone, but this is something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life.
