How intermittent fasting has changed my life.
I've lost weight while eating anything I want.
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Intermittent fasting reshapes my body and improves mental acuity.
The reason why anything with the word fasting is allowed through my door is that I eat whatever I want within an 8 hour time frame. The secret? Once I granted full permission to my body, rather than seeing fast as a dreaded chore, it was a real game changer.
Really? Anything? my body said.
Yep. Anything. As long as there is 14-16 hour fast, too.
Diets never worked for me, regardless of the incessant programming that women receive almost from birth. Not only was my body unhappy and stressed when I decided to “lose weight”, I also required certain nutrients as a fertile woman. Yet there was always the pressure to be thin, lose those hips (not so much anymore, thankfully) and do the carb/protein yo-yo craziness.
I didn’t love myself enough to lose weight, so it didn’t matter what I did.
I wasn’t obsessive about diets but unhappy with my body for many years, despite gym, yoga, etc. There was absolutely nothing wrong with me and but gave into the programming, to some extent. How unfortunate.
Once I become educated about gluten/dairy and inflammatory foods, that’s when my body finally started to relax. Almost like — ah, she’s finally getting it. Combined with amazing healers, organic food and a deep understanding of how it all connected, I began to find a way back to accepting my gorgeous, perfect body.
All takes time. I found it better to go slow, try things out and see how they land. Some advice didn’t work because no matter how great the food — if I was allergic, it provided the opposite result.
Every body is different and requires whatever it requires.
EXAMPLE DAY WITH INTERMITTENT FASTING
Note: I use a pendulum and ask whatever food/liquid/vitamin/tincture is needed — and do the same for my cat. Every day is different.
7:30-8a Breakfast. First, 16 ounces warm water. Then usually 3 local eggs, mayo, nutritional yeast and a large piece of homemade bread with almond butter and honey — or a huge bowl of oatmeal w/nuts, raisins and pumpkin seeds. Black coffee or black tea. Everything organic. Breakfast is my biggest meal.
Herbal tea and water throughout the day.
11ish — Banana smoothie time. I make absolutely insanely good dairy-free coffee smoothies, loaded with protein like flax, chia, almonds, hemp, cacao, etc. Mid-morning smoothies are the key that make intermittent fasting work for me.
2ish — Snack. Usually more bread with a schmere of something like almond butter or black tahini and tea. Sometimes an apple but I don’t eat a ton of fruit. Sometimes baked oatmeal with almond butter, soaked in almond milk.
3:30-4ish Light dinner. Usually stew/soup or salads, bread (I eat a lot of homemade oat bread) or a burger with some dark greens or roasted cabbage.
4:30p— 7:30a. No food, juice or anything sweet. Tea or water only.
And that’s it! I never go to bed hungry and I’m excited for breakfast without being famished.
Intermittent fasting works great when there is already healthy eating in place. Since most of my food is homemade and organic, I don’t require a lot to feel full — and being able to eat whatever I want removes the stress of lack, “diet rules” or disgusting food on a pre-fixed plan.
The results of intermittent fasting on my body.
My body completely reshaped, sleep is awesome and mental acuity sharp — thanks to post menopause, intermittent fasting and removing all inflammatory foods, which are the real weight holders. None tempt me enough to feel like crap.
I’ve probably lost 25 lbs (don’t use scales) and jeans dropped 1.5-2 sizes without doing much exercise, other than occasional yoga or walking. I continue to check foods with my pendulum to see whether allergic or sensitive (sadly, garlic) but whenever one is given up (rice/potato products), a new one is allowed (eggs).
I adore sugary foods but found — oddly — that my body doesn’t want much, even dairy-free ice cream and sweets once enjoyed. I certainly wouldn’t deny myself, though careful with sugars and eat sweets earlier in the day. Otherwise, sleep is disrupted, I have disturbing dreams and my teeth grind. Definitely not pleasant!
Intermittent fasting has provided amazing results — and it’s built into my everyday routine now.