November 15, 2021, is my first fasting anniversary. I started my dieting journey 52 years ago, but on November 15, 2020, My dieting journey began over 50 years ago, but it wasn’t until 2020 that I was introduced to the fasting lifestyle. On November 15th, 2020, I had my first encounter with fasting, and it has completely changed how I view dieting and healthy lifestyles. Safe to say, this is an eating pattern that’s here to stay. I’ve observed immense lifestyle and health-related changes ever since I began my fasting journey.
A Year in Review
November 2020 – “Only a lunatic would start a diet in the season of celebrations.” At least, that’s what I thought a year ago. I had been researching fasting for several months and decided it was time to give it a try. I started by reconditioning my body to a fasting lifestyle. Every other day I fasted 18/6. That’s 18 hours of fasting with a 6 hour eating window. I did not eat any special foods or take any dietary supplements. I simply ate the foods I love.
December 2020 – The two things I wanted to achieve during November and December were: 1. to retrain my body to burn fat rather than carbs and 2. reduce my fear of foods. No more worries about how many calories, carbs, or fat grams are in each food. I needed to relearn how to enjoy all foods without fear. By the first week in Jan. 2021, I had gained 6.8 pounds, which was expected. During the transition period, weight gain is okay.
January 2021 – During Jan., I continued 18/6 every other day but cut out all special holiday treats. I lost 4.0 pounds.
February 2021 – This month, I hit my first plateau; for the first 3 weeks, I did not lose any weight. I had to keep reminding myself that NOT gaining weight is a victory! Several times I tried doing 18/6 for 3 days in a row but could not do it. The last week I added a low-carb diet to my fasting days and lost 1.2 pounds.
March 2021 – A month of new hope. During this month, I achieved 6 days of fasting per week for the entire month. I enjoyed all the foods I love, including a bowl of ice cream, from time to time. I lost 1.9 pounds.
April 2021 – A grand month. I first noticed a significant increase in my typing speed and increased mental clarity. During this month, I completed a 22/2 day and a 30 hour fast. My motivation was to see if I could fast for extended periods. I could. I don’t feel it is crucial to do extended fasting, but it was fun to try. The next time I hit a plateau I know, I can break it by a few days of extended fasting. Weight loss for April was 4 pounds.
May 2021 – During May I fasted 18/6 for 7 days a week for the entire month. During this time, I began to limit high fructose corn syrup in my diet and added more fresh foods. I was eating more from the refrigerator and less from the pantry. Weight loss 1.5 pounds.
Continued next week.
For those who have been overweight for many years, it takes time to retune our bodies for weight loss. We must transition from carb-burning to fat-burning, and it can take time for our bodies to adjust. To make this adjustment, it took me from November 15, 2020, to January 8, 2021. The good news for the younger generation is this transition will be much easier. Also, if you start now, you can avoid many weight-related health problems in the future.
Why is November a great month to start a new diet and fasting lifestyle? In the first phase of your transition into fasting, you are probably going to gain weight. People often gain weight during the holidays, so why not work through the transition period during this time? In the first week of my fast, from November 15 to the 22nd, I lost 2 pounds, but then I started gaining. I was lucky that I had studied fasting and understood that this was normal. The hard part was to accept the weight gain as normal and not to worry.
Since January 8, 2021, I have slowly and consistently lost weight. It has not been the “I lost 30 pounds in a week” or any other extreme weight loss.” It has been slow and steady, but the benefits have been remarkable. For example:
1. My food cravings went down to ZERO. I’ve always struggled with these when dieting before, but intermittent fasting made crushing food cravings a thing of the past. Sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?
2. I became more mindful of the food I ate. I still enjoy my favorite meals, but now I’m more aware of what foods I consume. It’s an ongoing process, but over time, I’ve become more accustomed to eating more whole foods voluntarily instead of feeling like I’m forcing myself. Safe to say, my processed food intake has decreased significantly.
3. My gastric reflux disorder saw a massive improvement by March. I’ve been dealing with this condition ever since I was 19 and have had various stomach problems over the years. This changed when I first began intermittent fasting.
4. I felt more energized and mentally and physically healthier once I started fasting. Thanks to reduced brain fog, my typing speed has increased significantly!
5. I experienced sustainable weight loss. I’ve been following this diet for over a year now, and it’s one of the best lifestyle decisions I’ve ever made.
Sustainable weight loss: The bottom line is that I have remained on this diet for over 12 months. Fasting is the most sustainable diet I have ever tried. I can see no reason not to keep this lifestyle. I am looking forward to continuing on for the next 12 months and for many years to come.
