Understandably, since it involves me, Intermittent Fasting had nothing much to do with my weight loss, though I did lose some weight when I followed it diligently. But I sure can wear out any self respecting diet or weight loss program - I am that relentless. Nevertheless I had started Intermittent Fasting last year with the noble intention of losing weight before I hit 40. The mile stone came up alright, except it did with the same fat and weight on my person as it was at 39. So yes, this post has nothing to do with weight loss. But it is about the adoption of a healthy eating mindset, thanks to Intermittent Fasting. After trying it for almost a year without doing any exercise, I had managed to lose a couple of kilos. But I haven't pursued it this year, as I have started yoga and exercise and I wanted to use the confidence Intermittent fasting had given me to pursue a concrete and fitting diet plan that will get me through my forties and my binge days.
Now what did I learn?
1. Mind over matter matters - My relationship with food has been intense, emotional and thoroughly faithful - pretty much how I'd keep things going with darling S. So when I had to kind of break up my relationship with things that nourished not just my stomach but also my soul, I had expected it to be difficult. Surprisingly it wasn't! After a very illuminating Ramzan fasting period in 2018, where I would fast easily for 14-15 hours with not a drop of water to drink in the interim, it seemed easy and practical to continue it for 16 hours period in the months to come. And it worked wonders, not just on my body but also on my mind.
While my intention to fast during Ramzan was pure and positive, it changed to a needy, affirmation-seeking relationship with food after the holy month got over. What then was different between that one month and the rest of the year? My intention to fast. I sincerely followed the principles of fasting in Ramzan because I believed it was good for my body and soul. Why couldn't that be the case while fasting the rest of the year? The moment I convinced myself of that intention, things became very easy. Even when my body craved food, thinking it needed to store up fat for emergencies, my mind convinced me that nothing was going to go wrong in 16 hours. At the end of it, however, I was going to get something to eat wasn't I?
And so I started my 16 hour intermittent fasting and soon found that my mind was dictating and my body was happily following - simply because I believed. I think any diet really works as long we believe whole heartedly that it will work. So mind over matter does work.
2. Eat only to Live - Intermittent fasting radically changed my perspective about food. Earlier I had to only look at something on my plate to feel a deep need to engulf the same through my five senses if possible. I wolfed down stuff ignoring my stomach's signal that it was full, way full. Worse was that I thought this was a good thing - the way I felt, the way I gave my attention to food and allowed it to dictate my portion size. Of course the size that truly increased was my waist size :(. I still have a tough time removing the stubborn layer of fat deposited in my body that seems to love my body. Post my stint with Intermittent fasting, I began to understand that loving food is not unlike true love - you let it be, you enjoy it, you don't hold it and you don't let it destroy you.
So now I channel my desire to eat something into eating something healthy. I pack my lunch with fiber rich, protein rich, low carbohydrate alternatives and it is amazing what a lot of variety there is. I have a desire to try out stuff and not fall back on comfort foods and tastes. And since I like to wolf down stuff when I eat, I see to it that it is plenty of sprouts and veggies that take the place .
3. Life is Simple - Once there is no big decision hanging in the air as to what to eat for breakfast, because that is the meal I skipped, it is amazing how much time there is in hand and how simple life becomes. I was not rushing around doing things, I wasn't trying to accommodate priority activities around my breakfast time, I was very flexible with what I had to make or what groceries I had to buy to fill in all meals. Now one was cut off and things were simpler. And just like during days of fasting, I actually felt rather energetic and productive during the day. I didn't realize until later that a good hour and a half would go in getting a meal ready and eating it. That was one hour of productivity.
The greatest learning of course was to not take myself so seriously. Yes, you heard that right. I was happy to understand that a 16 hour fast did not leave me weak and cranky, instead I felt energetic and clear headed. Most of my life I gave a lot of credit to what I ate, simply because I thought my body needed all those calories. But if there was no calorie getting burned out and the intake remained the same, how in the world was I going to lose weight? Or even remain healthy? Intermittent fasting helped me to achieve this balance. The intake should always be less than my output, only then was I going to be healthy.
There are a host of benefits of Intermittent fasting, but do read up on what would work for you and if it is feasible.
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