How to Make Intermittent Fasting Stick: My Perspective

Many people start with Intermittent Fasting (IF), but for various reasons, their IF gets sidetracked. Some are able to bounce back and resume IF, while others stop fasting altogether.  Here are some common reasons why this happens:

• Lack of motivation due to a perceived lack of progress, etc.
• Stressful phases in life
• Changes in environment, such as moving to a different town/city or frequent work travel 
• Changes in eating patterns during or after vacations

Of course, there can be several other reasons. The idea of this post is not to delve into all of them, as they will vary for each individual. Instead, let's discuss how we can set ourselves up for success. I will share my perspective based on my own three-year IF experience. 

Understand the WHY behind IF from a layperson's POV before the HOW

I stumbled across Fast Feast Repeat while I was just starting with IF, and that was a game changer for me. Gin explains why IF works in an easy-to-understand manner. Highly recommend giving it a read. At a high level, once I understood the interplay between hormones, it helped me get through the first few months. The role of mindset cannot be understated as our bodies take time (often weeks) to get used to a new way of operating.

There is a lot of disinformation on social media about IF and ways to go about it. Having a clear understanding of your WHY for IF, along with your approach, is key to not getting sidetracked by conflicting information. A strong WHY statement helps to stay motivated. Highly recommend crafting your own WHY statement

Establish guardrails

In the initial months of IF, this was super important for me. I used an app to track the start and end of my fasts. There are several apps out there that can help you build a routine. At least for me, it did, and I still use a fasting app in my third year of IF.

Gin, in Fast Feast Repeat, talks about tracking your weekly average weight, which helped me to stay  accountable. Step on the scale each morning. There will be fluctuations on a daily basis. It's the weekly average that tells a story. Modern weighing scales connect to apps seamlessly making the data available for analysis and reflection.

It's also a good idea to have a baseline measurement of fasting insulin, waist size, and other metabolic health markers such as lipids. Then track movements after a period of, say, six months - or even three months if you prefer.

Use friction as a friend to stay away from Ultra-Processed Foods

Getting rid of biscuits, sweet chocolates, cookies, etc., from my kitchen helped me avoid food cravings in my initial weeks of fasting. A lot of our hunger cues are dictated by our thoughts, and if we do not have access to such foods, we can't snack on them mindlessly. Of course, you could still venture out and buy them, but that extra friction might inhibit you. Hopefully, good sense will prevail! :)  It is a question of delaying and waiting for your eating window.  

Another way to keep food cravings away,  while fasting, is to keep yourself busy at the time you usually get those cravings - going out for a walk, doing some chores, or doing some activity to keep your mind engaged, while you fast. 

Worth noting that it is a matter of time, till you get fat-adapted. Fasting is a breeze after that,  as food cravings go away, as you build your "fasting muscle". 

Keep things simple: Nail Clean fast first

Clean fasting is foundational to IF. Other changes, such as improving quality of your food, or adding  exercise can be made after getting fat-adapted. Doing too many changes simultaneously can be overwhelming for some

Join a supportive IF community and listen to IF podcasts

I joined Gin's community, and it is great to be in a space where people are so supportive and keep each other motivated by sharing their own experiences. Listening to podcasts such as Intermittent Fasting Stories, Fast Feast Repeat, Metabolic Classroom by Dr. Bikman or YT videos of Dr. Jason Fung can be insightful.

At the end of the day, each one of us is unique and a study of one. Love to hear your thoughts. What helped you stick to your IF lifestyle?