i might get downvoted for this but the only way i can stay on track is by allowing myself freedom to eat what i want, that looks better on some days than it does on others. i fast 16-20 hours per day, and i walk for an hour in the evenings. i do enough. im allowed to enjoy life and be happy, and my weight is what it is.
My mom used to say, if you gotta lie, stay as close to the truth as you can.
If you gotta fall out from IF, stay as close as you can to keeping the principles -so you can get back to it next meal, day or week.
I had a rough January. For a few days, while I kept to my fast, I let myself eat a lot of comfort food. I also gave myself time to meditate, organize, and do other things that get me centered. And now I’m back on—beginning with a week of more intense fasting (20:4) and very low carb before relaxing back into where I was before. Hopefully it works. It felt right to give myself a few days to feel down and to comfort myself, then to hit some harder discipline briefly afterward.
Sorry to hear about your pet.
>I am a chef/business owner
that’s not an easy gig, I bet the work is never done and there is always more to do. I also bet you sleep on a regular basis, because it’s necessary and you wouldn’t be able to perform your tasks adequately.
…. going off schedule/diet can be necessary to get other pieces of your life in order. you shouldn’t feel guilt about, just recognize that it can be a necessary break so that you can perform at the level you expect out of yourself.
If IF feels like a high effort / chore, you may want to try reducing crabohydrates. (For me personally, tan/sunlight is also a huge factor. Maybe I have low vitamin D.)
Having said that, falling off the wagon from time to time is to be expected, and not something to feel bad about. Start pulling yourself together as best you can, and start trying to get back on. Even that may take several tries, which again is common and not worth feeling bad/guilty about.