TL;DR: inquires about IF and hormonal interference.
Hi all, I’ve just started getting deeper into my IF journey and I need some help. I started doing a daily approach to IF starting with 12hrs moving up to 18-22hr fasts and lost some weight that way a couple of months ago before stopping to take a break for a couple months. I think I was getting burn out and combined with my health issues that effect my emotional and physical levels of energy I ended up taking a break from it for a couple months.
Now, I picked it up again in January with a different approach. I started with a 48hr fast to get things moving then moved to ADF and managed about a 9-11lb loss in the first 2 weeks (even while taking daily herbal supplements and teas routinely that were given to me by my acupuncturist). I completely plateaued by the start of the 3rd week and decided to do OMAD for the past 4th week but have gained at least 4-5lbs back during that time totaling a net loss of about 4-5lbs in a 4 week period.
I noticed after I hit my 3rd week wall I started having stronger hunger cues and cravings, especially in my 4th week leading up to my period. I’m currently on the fence about returning back to an ADF or continuing OMAD during the duration of my period because I have read that your cycles hormonal fluctuations influence hunger and weight both prior and during your period. My worry is that if I continue to struggle with hunger cues and stick with OMAD only, I will continue to see this weight gain trend even when my cycle is finished (it’s generally a 7-day cycle and I’m currently day 2 into it).
So my questions would be, as a woman how did you notice your cycle impacted your IF schedule? Did you also have stronger hunger cues during certain times within your cycle and how did you deal with it? How did you keep yourself motivated at the start of your journey and what got you through your plateaus and fluctuations throughout the course of your IF and how often did you encounter these? As someone that mentally understands that the general assumption that all weight loss is a straight downward trendline is false, how did you cope with actually experiencing the true process of weight loss in practice?
I suppose I’m a bit sensitive and am getting discouraged watching the scale slide up in numbers the past week since I’m still pretty new to this and seeing others suggest diving into further rolling 48’s to counter a plateau can seem pretty daunting when I’m already struggling with the hunger cues and fluctuations I am encountering presently. I try to look around for other guidance through others’ experiences and general information out there but then quickly get intimidated when I just see an avalanche of posts about significant weight loss or heavy fasting periods lasting for days to month long ventures. I know realistically I’m not someone who could implement something like keto while IF and I have little to no ability for added exercise due to prohibitive health issues so I’m trying to get down to a healthy weight range through IF mainly. I don’t have any external support and the comments I do receive if the topic is brought up are usually ill informed retorts about starving myself or false concern over how often or how much I’m eating based in popular misinformation and even if logistically I am aware that their comments are factually unfounded it still doesn’t help that initially their words impact me negatively. Generally, I’m a hopeful and optimistic person but my weight and starting this journey alone with constant neysayers is proving difficult to navigate.
Answer
Lots of good questions - I’ll share some of my experience.
The week of your period and the week following your period are supposed to be optimal for any type of fasting, with the two weeks preceding more challenging as your body wants extra energy to prepare for a potential baby. I have extra cravings the week before my period, sometimes heading into the first few days of my period.
The 4-5 lbs you gained back are the water weight portion of the weight you lost the first two weeks. (I’ve read that WW is generally the first 5-20lbs, depending on the person and the amount of fasting/dieting.)
OMAD with controlled calories can definitely keep you losing. You may not have seen progress because you had more than 4-5lbs water loss, and it was still creeping back, because your calories weren’t on point, or because your body, like so many of ours, was being a stinker and not showing linear weight loss on the scale, and was likely to surprise you with a whoosh in a few days or couple of weeks.
I have completely skipped a period after a 5 day fast, and spend a small fortune pregnancy testing for a few weeks. (I’m very happy with my three kids and not hoping for more.)
Lots of people are stupid about fasting and lacking in filters. This is a much better place for support and to learn more.
While OMAD or 16:8 or 18:6 or all sorts of fasts are super effective, and for many people much easier to maintain and generally produce a meaningful and gradual loss, some of us go for longer fasts. I’m doing so right now to kickstart myself back into a faster loss before a birthday and trip. Others do so for autophagy and its many, many benefits. I plan to revert back to OMAD after my trip because it’s more comfortable for me, and throw in the occasional 48 or 72 hour fasts because I get good benefits and they break plateaus. Don’t worry about all of the extended fasting crowd - it can lead to an unhappy game of keeping up with the Jones’. I have done several 5 day fasts, and whil I admire and applaud those who go for 30+ days I know it’s not a fit for me.
Try to incorporate several means to track and gauge your success to insulate yourself when the scale is being a butthead. I like happy scale as an app because it shows all different averages for my progress beyond that day’s weight. I like Zero because I start a fast and end it and it logs the fast on a calendar where I can see that I accomplished something. Measurements can also change in your favor before the scale bends. Try a new food with a calorie count that works for you, or find a new non-caloric tea that feels like a special treat. Create a calendar that you can color in every time you stay within your calorie or fasting goal.
Overall, give yourself grace and appreciate the steps you’re taking for better health. I feel your pain and frustration, and I’ve been there. Wishing you success!
Answer
My advice is that you need to stop being an extremist.
You need to settle into a moderate 16-8 IF schedule and stick to it. The end.
Stop trying fixating on the scale and give the process time to work.