Tuesday 3 December 2019

Trying Something New

I started trying intermittent fasting a couple of weeks ago, and it's interesting.

It basically means I'm trying to finish eating for the day around 7:30 pm and then not starting to eat for the day the next day until around 11:30 am.

I've noticed a few interesting things, other than the obvious adjustment discomfort (OMG I'M SO HUNGRY... well, ok that passed... hmmm) period.

I'm not ready to declare this yet, it's still just a few weeks in, but so far, not eating right off in the morning seems to have meant I've not yet had any really bad stomach mornings.  Like I say, it could just be coincidence, but I'm... curious!

I've also adjusted pretty well I think, and I've lost the few extra pounds that had slid on these last stressful couple of months.  The few things I notice are what I'm coming to call "habit eating."  Like, waking up on a Saturday morning and thinking "ahhh, time for tea and a yummy breakfast" and just wanting to sit and relax, and then realizing it'll be a few hours and that's a strange feeling - to know that there are eating "feelings" that aren't actually to do with hunger.  Like, I was over at Jason's the other night, and we watched some show and I got home and wanted cereal.... because that's what I've always done when I get home later at night.  Hmmm.

It's also meant adjusting when I take my "morning" and "evening" meds.  So now I have a backup bottle with me of my "night time" meds (since I'm one of those people who has to chew food to hide the pill in to swallow it and that would technically break the fast) if I'm eating over at Jason's, and I'll have to play it by ear if and when I eat elsewhere or out with friends or what have you, and I'm hoping my body is ok with my morning meds coming a few hours later (they're meds I've been taking since I was a kid, and so I'll check my [thyroid] levels in a few months but right now they're fine) but yeah... I'm really curious to see if this helps my semi-regular "stomach is awful" mornings.  It might not, but we shall see, eh?

It is a little stressful in the evenings to have a cut off time, especially when say Jason is cooking and I'm clock watching and thinking about the number of hours before I will eat again and how I'd like that to not be so late in the "morning" etc etc.  I'm not sure how it will go once I'm more active again in the mornings (more regular schedule) or on days when I have to be somewhere at the time I'm having "breakfast" (break.... fast!) or what about the days Jason and I go for a drive and are on the road from ten til seven... hmmm... things to consider.

I suppose I'll figure these things out and will hopefully be able to give myself leeway when circumstances dictate, but for now, it's interesting, and I can work with it, so I'm giving it a go.  So far no ill side effects that I know of, which is great, and potentially even some positive effects that I'm still watching out for!

Oh and one other thing that might just be co-incidence... I might be less hungry?  Hard to tell cuz I'm having a not so healthy eating week but, yeah... it's... weird, that's for sure!

3 comments:

Jason Langlois said...

*makes notes in a scientific record book* Interesting.

Happydog said...

I do something sort of similar. I eat when I’m hungry stop when I’m full. That’s it. It sounds really easy but you’d be surprised how difficult it is in the beginning to know when you’re actually hungry and actually full. I originally did this to lose some weight but also found it made a huge difference in my gut health and even mood. Eating too late at night was my kryptonite and that was hardest to figure out if I was hungry or was it habit. You’ll find a good compromise and adjustments as you get used to paying attention.
I do over do it sometimes but I get right back on track because I feel so much better when I do!
Sending good vibes!

Victoria said...

It IS kinda interesting Jason!

Thanks HD! And you're right about the difficulty at the beginning and learning some different "cues" or what have you. Cool that you've noticed some gut health improvements too!