Postby LadyMaverick » Mon Jun 13, 2022 8:47 am
Today is Day #40 of my 6-week experiment with Intermittent Fasting. Overall, it was successful in that it got me started in learning how my body responds to different eating patterns. When I started this IF challenge, I was intrigued by OMAD (One Meal a Day) and I tried that for a couple of weeks. I was eating anything and everything I wanted during that one meal. I had to make that one meal in the evening so I wouldn't be hungry at night. After 3 weeks of doing this, I was growing disillusioned. However, I had committed to doing IF for 40 days, so I didn't want to quit.
Instead of quitting the Intermittent Fasting experiment, I added DDF (Data Driven Fasting). Using my blood glucose (BG) to learn when my body needed food made sense to me. I did multiple BG tests before and after eating for 3 days to establish a baseline BG. I learned what my target BG # was and would wait until I reached it before eating. This usually happened around midafternoon but has gradually changed to be closer to noon.
Because I am testing BG before & after eating, I am learning how my BG responds to different foods. I quickly learned what foods spiked my blood glucose into scary BG #'s and the joy of eating them disappeared. Eating a half cup of rice will send my BG soaring 100 points! However, eating a big skillet of stir fry vegetables & protein will only bump it up 20 points. Eating food that makes my BG stable makes me happy. It has been a trial-and-error time of learning for me. As my BG levels out, I started feeling much better and my hunger disappeared. I am not diabetic, but my BG levels make a dramatic difference in my energy level and my mood.
That experiment prompted me to learn more about macros, so I signed up for a nutritional course that focuses on optimal macros. I am enjoying this class and am doing daily homework assignments on myself. Book Learning ---->> test on myself ----->> implement what works for my body.
I have lost 8.1 pounds, reduced body fat by 1% and my waist circumference is 1" less over the past 40 days. I can't contribute that to only IF but a combination of several learning experiments. My IF 40-day challenge ends today but I will continue with other on-going 40-day challenges.
1. Know what you want.
2. Go after it relentlessly.