You may have to start counting calories. Some people are fortunate enough to maintain a calorie deficit by simply limiting their eating window. Others (myself included) have to track calories.
I’ve also found that subsequent attempts to lose weight—particularly once I hit late 30s—are a LOT slower and don’t include the initial “whoosh” of water weight like I’d get the first week or two of starting keto. It sucks. It all just seems to take a lot more time and effort. But it does eventually start to come off.
IF works primarily by lowering insulin, similar to keto. So it could be that your insulin just isn’t getting low enough (you could test this by eating low carb foods in your window, or by lengthening your fasting times to 20/4). You could also try cutting out the sweeteners/Gatorade and see if it makes a difference.
Alternatively, it could be that you’re eating too much food in your eating window. Some people try to “make up” for the meal they skipped, but you shouldn’t do that - just eat until satiety with natural, whole foods.
A third thing that I rarely see mentioned is sleep. Are you getting enough sleep, at reliable times? That’s such a huge part of healthy weight loss. Personally, I saw a big difference on the scale when I started taking my sleep schedule seriously!
I do a cheat day myself on the weekends but only one cheat day, not two.
If you are going to do 2 cheat days then I recommend an OMAD or even a 24 day fast after the cheat days to reset your system.
If you are going to have some cocktails, try to drink vodka/gin with diet soda/diet tonic or reduce the wine intake so that if you have wine, try to drink it earlier in the window. The insulin spike that you get from wine intake makes returning to ketosis harder.
You can combine keto and IF. I recommend it with a decent amount of exercise before your first meal. Perhaps change your window to 18:6 or 20:4 if possible?
Skip breakfast and lunch and have a snack in late afternoon if you can’t wait until dinner. Don’t drink coffee or anything else that has calories outside of your eating window. Counting calories isn’t that important IMO as long as you’re obviously not overdoing it or just eating junk food during your window. If you have a small afternoon snack and a normal dinner you’ll be just fine. Normal dinner meaning a main course with two sides (preferably lean meats with veggies, etc.). Cut back on sugars and fried foods. Try to get in light exercise in some way or go for a walk everyday if possible. I usually do 18:6 or 20:4 because that’s what works with my lifestyle.
I’ve done this with very minimal exercising and I’ve lost 30+ pounds in the last 6-9 months.
Keto + IF is a great combo.
Weight loss is slower the closer you are to goal.
I would cut carbs and change your window to 18:6, maybe do some longer fasts too.
When you did keto did you do that 7 days a week?
I’ve read that eating things that taste like sugar, even if they’re not sugar, can break a fast. I would try cutting out the artificial sweeteners, Gatorade drink mix, and sugar free gum for a week or two and see if that helps.
Don’t eat after dark. Not the darkness, but that time of day you’ll go to bed with food still digesting and that energy WILL be stored (fat). Make your eating window the first hours of the day and you’ll be back to thank me.