I would say try to do IF even if not perfectly when times are tough. 9 hour eating window with subpar diet is still better than a 14 hour eating window.
Be kind to yourself. Times are stressful and your fighting billions of years of evolution that says to eat what you can during hard times.
The same thing happened to me just a few months ago. I have been trying to find that same mojo since, but have struggled a bit. I decided to switch up my routine entirely, moving my eating window from 11am-17pm to now be 8am - 4pm. I am hoping this change will help me get back in the groove again.
I’m going through the same thing now. I did IF for a little over a year. Depression hit hard, fell out of IF, gained half the weight back. I’ve been struggling to get back on IF for a few months now. Some days I manage, but others I break my fast too early. Other days, I eat after my eating window closed.
So, I think rather than focusing fully on IF this time, I’m trying to implement what I learned throughout my IF journey. Sodas and sugar have a greater effect on weight than I truly realized, so I’m going to stay away from those, as well as fast food. I don’t need to eat at midnight, nor do I need “just one more chip” lol
OP, if you find an effective way, reason, or method to start IF again, please come back and share!
I’ve had good luck taking a week or two to just document my start/stop times for the day. It sets the bar at “be accountable for your choices” rather than “eat within this window”, and somehow it makes it easier to reset my focus.