I tried intermittent fasting (IF) for 10 weeks and this is what happened

I tried intermittent fasting (IF) for 10 weeks and this is what happened

April 2, 2019 Health, Nutrition Comments (1)

I’ve been quietly experimenting with intermittent iasting for the last 10 weeks. For those of you who know me and long time readers, this may be shocking.

First of all, I’m typically quick to ~~judge~~ brush-off new diet trends. This is a fault of mine I’m working on.

Secondly, I love breakfast. Love it. Once upon a time, pre-children, I caught up with friends by meeting them at IHOP (pre-IHOB days). I don’t remember the name of what I ordered but I remembered it had a little something of everything: eggs, bacon, and pancakes. My 25-year old metabolism didn’t mind the finisher stack of pancakes and berry syrup. It was glorious.

Finally, I don’t handle hunger well. My kids hangry monster is genetic.

Intermittent fasting has received a lot of attention. Here's what happened when a personal trainer who strives for balanced healthy living tried it for 10 weeks.

Why I tried it

My first experiment with fasting arrived accidentally. A late lunch plus evening concert and an unwillingness to have dinner at 11pm meant I found myself going 18 hours without food.

I found I felt somewhat empowered. And surprised at my ability to function.

I’d heard of intermittent fasting. I’d heard of the benefits (read them here). Both I brushed off due to the reasons above. But this made me reconsider.

Could I actually participate in it without turning into a cranky, short-tempered monster?

I tried Intermittent Fasting for about 10 weeks. This is what I learned:

The positives

More energy in the afternoon

The 2pm lull normally hits me hard. For some reason, delaying that first meal kept my energy ticking steadily. Granted, it took a hit around 8:30pm, when I was steadily watching the clock for it to be late enough to go to bed early.

More time in the morning

Let’s face it: every second counts in the morning. An extra minute at home can mean the difference between a missed bus or 10 minutes of more traffic. Although most of my breakfasts take only a few minutes to prepare, it was nice to have one less thing on my morning to-do list.

Understand the hunger cycle better

Hunger doesn’t consistently last. It cycles in and out. I learned if I just wait it out, it will eventually subside. The application from this is if I’m sitting on the bleachers of my son’s basketball game and don’t have an emergency bar, the screams of my stomach won’t actually stop play. They’ll go away.

I can survive

As I mentioned, I don’t typically deal with hunger well. When the grumbling begins, I want food and I. Want. It. Now. This process helped me understand that my body, indeed, can withstand a grumbling stomach and pains.

At one point in this process, I had a morning event that was supposed to end at noon. An hour later, I walked out the door on an empty stomach.

Intermittent fasting gave me the assurance I will be okay if I miss a meal. Whether I’m travelling, at a marathon sporting event for my child, or just off my rhythm, my body has taught me it will do just fine.

The negatives

Lack of muscle replenishment

I preach to my students the importance of replenishing their muscles with carbs and protein 30-60 minutes after workout. Science confirms this. I know it’s the best thing to prime my muscles to perform again.

Yet I found myself exercising at 6am and not refueling until 11. You don’t need to be a mathematician to know this is greater than 30-60 minutes. Did it impact my muscles and performance? Honestly, I don’t know. My workouts have been modified lately to accommodate some injuries. But going against scientific data is typically not a good idea.

Loss of coffee experience

This will probably sound crazy to you, but I feel like a grown-up when I drink coffee. My mother always had one in her hand and I didn’t start consuming it until my mid-30’s. A few years ago I discovered Laird Superfood creamer. It’s the perfect blend of coconut milk-based cream and a hint of sweetness.

Sipping on the straight black stuff just isn’t as enjoyable. Something feels like it’s missing when I sit down to read my bible in the morning (yes, I know Jesus fills me up another way. I’m just saying I miss the creamer).

Halo effect

The health halo effect refers to the act of overestimating the healthfulness of an item based on a single claim, resulting in the overconsumption of certain foods.

I created my own halo effect with intermittent fasting.

“Yay me! I didn’t eat breakfast so I can eat even more for lunch! And add on a Justin’s nut butter cup! And a piece of Dove chocolate! And some chocolate-covered Acai! And … and … and…”

You get the picture. What began as a skipped meal turned into a larger lunch and pantry binge. The chocolate demons in my mind took that halo, bent it to pieces and mocked me as they threw it on the floor.

Metabolism slowed (I think??)

I don’t know that I can prove this, but my metabolism seemed to take a hit. On the days I did eat earlier, I noticed I could get away with significantly less food. I suppose this is good in a sense, but I wondered if I was doing a disservice to my body.

Mostly because of the halo effect, and probably in part to my metabolism, I gained weight. I mention this last because I don’t want to fixate on it, even though it’s irritating and embarrassing.

What works best for you?

I have a fitness student who swears by intermittent fasting. My husband thrives in this state. Regardless of how hungry he is before bed or in the morning, he waits until that morning clock hits 11 am for his first meal.

I’ve read intermittent fasting is more successful for men than women. However, I know women who successfully time-restrict their meals and healthy men who won’t miss breakfast.

The bottom line: it’s a personal choice.

I truly believe if there was one way of eating and being healthy we’d find it somewhere between Matthew and Revelation. The Old Testament actually did have a lot of rules but the grace of Jesus absolved us from those.

If you’re interested in it, try it. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. Regardless you’ll learn something new about you and your body.

But I recommend hiding all the candy and chocolate before you do.

1 thought on “I tried intermittent fasting (IF) for 10 weeks and this is what happened”

Heather says:
April 13, 2019 at 2:29 pm
It was so great to read your honest account of trying IF, Amy. I personally have waffled back and forth about whether or not its “positives” outweigh its “negatives.” I’ve tweaked it a bit to fit my own needs/issues (when I do it). I had an eating disorder years ago, so it’s not wise for me to implement IF daily or on most days because a person with my history can get addicted to the feeling of deprivation. Also, doing IF too often can impact ovulation cycles and I’m not needing any help in that area! That said, I have found that 1-2 days/week of IF are doable and I haven’t experienced nearly as many “negatives” while doing it this way. 🙂
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