Gained weight with intermittent fasting

[Anonymous]

I’m so depressed. I’ve been doing 14/10 IF for three weeks now. I finally unpacked our scale after it being in storage and not weighing myself for probably eight months, and was pretty excited because my body has been changing. Well, I’m 6 pounds over my heaviest weight!

Ok, so I’m obviously eating too much, and I knew going in that IF wasn’t a cure for that. The thing is I’m constantly hungry. I skip breakfast, have a salad for lunch with only lemon for dressing, and a normal but small dinner. I stop eating just after, so between 5:30 and 7 depending on work and school schedules. IF has taught me that hunger is ok, but if I’m constantly hungry and gaining weight, I don’t see the point!

I tried adding exercise, and that's when the hunger turned from an interesting observation to all-out nausea. I am hugely obese, so this is devastating to me. What else can I do?

[Anonymous]

IF doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me. Instead of restricting to time, really focus on calories in. Make sure you record every little thing because it all adds up

[Anonymous]

Me too. Whole30 helped me identify my food intolerances - I do not have to restrict amounts anymore, just avoid food that doesn’t work for me.

[Anonymous]

I don’t get it. If you haven’t weighed in 8 months how do you know you gained in the past 3 weeks?

[Anonymous]

14/10 hardly seems like IF. That would be like eating from 9am until 7pm right? That is just avoiding nighttime snacking.

[Anonymous]

14/10 isn’t long enough to see results.

It needs to be at least 16/8. And the fasts need to be “clean” meaning only black coffee or unflavored water. No lemon. No flavored seltzer. No gum. Nothing.

Read or look up Gin Stevens’ “Delay, Don’t Deny.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IF doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me. Instead of restricting to time, really focus on calories in. Make sure you record every little thing because it all adds up

I have OCD, so my psychiatrist recommended I don't do this. Maybe there’s no difference between restricting time, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:14/10 isn’t long enough to see results.

It needs to be at least 16/8. And the fasts need to be “clean” meaning only black coffee or unflavored water. No lemon. No flavored seltzer. No gum. Nothing.

Read or look up Gin Stevens’ “Delay, Don’t Deny.”

I drink nothing but water.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me. Instead of restricting to time, really focus on calories in. Make sure you record every little thing because it all adds up

I have OCD, so my psychiatrist recommended I don't do this. Maybe there’s no difference between restricting time, though.

If that's the case, it may be worth meeting with a nutritionist /RD to set up a meal plan. That way you're not counting but also not overreating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:14/10 hardly seems like IF. That would be like eating from 9am until 7pm right? That is just avoiding nighttime snacking.

I normally can get from 6 pm to 10 am.

I guess I’ll just accept being fat, then. Because if I’m starving and angry doing 14/10 (can’t even jog or I feel dizzy), 16/8 will make me a monster. Who can’t leave the couch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14/10 isn’t long enough to see results.

It needs to be at least 16/8. And the fasts need to be “clean” meaning only black coffee or unflavored water. No lemon. No flavored seltzer. No gum. Nothing.

Read or look up Gin Stevens’ “Delay, Don’t Deny.”

I drink nothing but water.

Okay. Then you need to adjust the window. Eat between 12noon and stop at 8pm. And definitely up your protein: chicken, turkey, fish, eggs are all good.

[Anonymous]

And for whatever it’s worth, I used to snack a LOT at night. A LOT. Like from after dinner until just before bed. So I’d have thought that just ditching that and eating less during the day would do something, even keep me the same weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14/10 isn’t long enough to see results.

It needs to be at least 16/8. And the fasts need to be “clean” meaning only black coffee or unflavored water. No lemon. No flavored seltzer. No gum. Nothing.

Read or look up Gin Stevens’ “Delay, Don’t Deny.”

I drink nothing but water.

Okay. Then you need to adjust the window. Eat between 12noon and stop at 8pm. And definitely up your protein: chicken, turkey, fish, eggs are all good.

I feel ill by 10 if I don't eat something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:IF doesn't work for everyone. It didn't work for me. Instead of restricting to time, really focus on calories in. Make sure you record every little thing because it all adds up

I have OCD, so my psychiatrist recommended I don't do this. Maybe there’s no difference between restricting time, though.

If that's the case, it may be worth meeting with a nutritionist /RD to set up a meal plan. That way you're not counting but also not overreating.

If I'm always hungry, how am I overeating? I banned junk food from the house. No snacks. No fruit. No cereal.

Honestly, I feel like I should just go back to eating whatever whenever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:14/10 isn’t long enough to see results.

It needs to be at least 16/8. And the fasts need to be “clean” meaning only black coffee or unflavored water. No lemon. No flavored seltzer. No gum. Nothing.

Read or look up Gin Stevens’ “Delay, Don’t Deny.”

I drink nothing but water.

Okay. Then you need to adjust the window. Eat between 12noon and stop at 8pm. And definitely up your protein: chicken, turkey, fish, eggs are all good.

I feel ill by 10 if I don't eat something.

Because you’re not eating enough. If all you’re eating is a salad at 10am with some lemon and a small dinner, then yes, it would make sense that you’re really, really hungry.

You’ve got to eat more, believe it or not. Gradually shave 15 minutes off. So stop eating at 6:15pm and open your eating “window” then next morning at 10:15am. Keep doing that until you’re at a point where you stop eating at 8pm and start again at noon the next day.