My Intermittent Fasting Journey

I feel that many of you already know what is Intermittent Fasting (for short IF) but for those who don't - it is a lifestyle. Eating lifestyle. You can call it a diet but IF doesn't tell you what to eat. It suggest to you what would be a better choice but it's more about when you eat and when you don't. There are few types you can chose, which I won't name here, but I chose the 16/8. You eat for 8 hours and give the other 16 hours to your body, for rest and restore. 

People say that food heal the body but it is simply not true. Food definitely benefits your body in many ways and provides it with the best or worst fuel, but it is your body that heals itself. Once you get out of the way and stop putting too much food in your body it then has time to turn in and do some serious work. If you always eat, like 5-6 meals a day (and we all have heard this phenomenon, that if you don't eat, your metabolism shuts down and you go into starvation mode) your body spends all it's time digesting and it only has time to repair at night, of course only if you are not eating.

So we all naturally fast when we are sleeping, only IF prolongs that period of fasting and gives your body more time and opportunities to heal itself. It is pretty great. As for me, there is no greater medicine then the organism healing itself. The intelligence that is keeping itself alive should be the one that knows what to do. I firmly believe in that. Go body!

I am very happy and proud of myself that I am on this journey now because I just got tired of feeling bloated and overeating in the evening, and I finally took responsibility for my life. I wanted to change and I understood that I have to do something different. I got tired of never achieving great results even if I am going to gym and smashing my every workout. I wanted to see what my body is capable of. What I am capable of and I realised, I am capable of more then I thought, and that is a fricking amazing feeling. Talk about getting some confidence boost. Nothing can give you more confidence then doing something you never imagined yourself doing. 

Why I never imagined myself doing it? Because I am addicted to food. I tie it together with too much emotions. Everything fun I do has to involve food. Chilling with my husband? Let's eat something. Going to the movies? Let's eat something. Home bored/tired/overwhelmed? Let's eat something. Got some problems, don't know how to resolve? Let's just eat something. I lost my natural hunger and satiation feeling, I was tense around food and I exerted intense amounts of willpower to stay on track, which failed me almost every time. 

As I have heard many times while researching IF, I want to repeat it here - IT IS NOT MAGIC. It is not like you don't eat for 16-20 h and when you do you go crazy. I feel to be in the right mindset to start IF is crucial. First time I tried it, when our baby was younger, I was too stressed out and thinking about not eating just threw that stress over the roof. I simply wasn't ready. Because not eating for longer period is stressful for your body but if done correctly it is good stress, positive stress. Same as exercise is stress for your body, and you don't build muscle while exercising, you actually break them down. All restoration happens when you are relaxing. That is why while you fasting being in calm state is very important. If all you do is sit by the clock and count the minutes till you can eat, rethink again if IF is for you. It has to be much more natural. 

So when idea about doing IF came to me again, this time it was different. This time I am so much calmer, more patient, I even enjoy the feeling of hunger as I imagine how my body is doing some wonderful work. I feel that I am coming from a loving place and my body responds positively. I am not trying to punish myself or think that I am fat and should stop eating, definitely not. If that's your mindset, you have to get your head straight before going on IF. Because it requires patience, learning art of observing, befriending discomfort and being a badass. It requires belief in oneself and your body. It requires love and acceptance. 

Good luck to whoever want to go on this journey, but first research, be honest with yourself if you are ready and then do it or don't. I would love to hear your thoughts and stories so please share.