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Noob looking for advice

Hey everyone. I’m Mario. 44-year old recovering alcoholic who gained 60 pounds during the stupid pandemic. I’m currently 6’1 and 274 and want to get down to 215. I’ve been dealing with weight my whole life so I’m pretty up to speed on any “diet” out there. I find that I do pretty well on Keto if I can cook at home and plan etc. I’ve never really fasted but I just finished reading The Obesity Code and feel inspired and motivated. I’m looking for any advice, but specifically advice on how to handle the last few hours before bed while doing a 16:8 plan. I’ve targeted that as my trouble zone. Thanks in advance all and I appreciate you and this community!

Answer

I too struggle the most at night time. What saves me is drinking a couple cups of tea…I tend to lean towards a tea blend with mint in it bc it tastes decent with no sweeteners or cream. They say green tea have properties that help curb hunger, but I try to avoid before bed.

I also try to avoid the kitchen. For instance I clean up right away after dinner and put everything “away”. I also have a note on fridge and pantry that says “STOP: are you actually hungry?”

stay busy…go for a walk!

Answer

Hi there Mario. To start, congratulations on your recovery. I’m sure it has been a journey.

I’m 47..6’2” and CW is 215…SW was 265. I’ve been doing IF for around three years….I didn’t really have a goal in mind when I started but here I am…50lbs lighter.

Anyway…I was reading through your post and it said you are looking for a way to be less hungry in your fast before you go to bed? What hours are you fasting?

Answer

Hello Mario, the princess is in another castle.

Jokes aside, welcome to the club. The beauty of intermittent fasting is that we can adjust our eating windows according to your trouble spots.

I usually prefer to eat in the evenings because if I break my fast early. I will constantly be grazing throughout the day. Maybe you can plan your window such that you break your fast later in the afternoon and eat your last meal a few hours before bed.

Best way to beat hunger and crankiness is to stay physically active.

Answer

Hi Mario! Fellow recovering alcoholic who gained 50 during the pandemic (lol); huge congrats on starting this journey!

For me, handling pre-bed hunger hinges a lot on how much water I am drinking and whether I am putting myself in triggering positions. IE; watching a movie with my girlfriend = intense popcorn hunger. Having something to do with my hands and mouth helps a lot. For me, that means having water, herbal tea with lemon (no caffeine!) or a little bit of Himalayan salt at the ready, as well as something to fidget with.

I think it’s great that you’ve found keto beneficial and will just note that as alcoholics (especially early in sobriety, not sure where you are on that journey) we have a strong proclivity towards craving sweets, and it’s really easy to binge. Being prepared for those cravings makes all the difference for me.

Best of luck on your journey, you can crush this! 🚀