I left IF for “intuitive eating” and am back to IF

A little background - I have been practicing IF for over almost 7 years and have always loved it but started to question it when I tried to do too much restriction coupled with fasting which lead me to then try “intuitive eating”. I liked it at first but like most people was actually feeling like I enjoyed the boundaries of fasting. So I’m back to fasting and am realizing all along I was doing it because it felt good, not necessarily because it produced weight loss (although it did). Has anyone else had this experience?

Answer

I binge eat/overeat when i try to count calories, i can’t eat intuitively as my schedule messes with my hunger ques and i struggle to know when I’m full in a full day of eating so end up eating to much. The thing i always come back to is IF it’s the thing that always works i try to do the other ways to be normal and i just end up gaining weight.

Answer

I’ve done every diet, calorie counting, tried intuitive eating, but all of them made me obsessed with food. I felt like I was constantly thinking about what to eat, when to eat (every 2 hours!!! or 3-5 hours between meals!!!) how much to eat, weighing, measuring, counting etc. etc.

IF is the only plan that’s allowed me to remove thoughts of food almost all day. I have a great, nutritious meal planned for dinner each day (I do 23:1 OMAD) but other than planning that one meal, and later prepping / eating, I don’t think about (or worry about) food at all! It’s incredibly freeing.

Another bonus is not stressing about social plans. My goodness I would study the menu before going to a restaurant, guilt myself about to order and how many calories did I think it had, to the point that I dreaded going out. Then I’d try and plan what to eat before those plans, what to eat after / the next day to “make up for it.” Now if I have a big night out filled with calories and carbs and sweets and wine, I just fast a little longer the next day! Easy!