My Top 8 Intermittent Fasting FAQ’s Answered

**Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional. This is for informational purposes only. Please consult your doctor or your dietitian for your health.

I published a video about my intermittent fasting journey a couple of weeks ago, and it went viral. There were so many questions in the comments, so today, I wanted to go over the most common questions.

How old, how tall, and how much did I lose?

I am 46 years old as of November 2022

I am 5’7”, I was 150lbs in 2020 and now 128 lbs as of November 2022.

I have lost 22 lbs.

What is my eating window

18:6

I fast for 18 hours, and my eating window is 6 hours. From 1 PM – 7 PM, approximately.

Tuesdays are our busy days during the week, and I often eat closer to 7:30 or 8 PM on those days, and I don’t stress about it. I’ve also had days where I wanted to eat breakfast with people, so I did, and on that day, I ate three meals. I don’t want my diet to be rigid and feel restrictive, but overall when I consider a full week, I fast for 18 hours a day and eat within a 6-hour window.

Do I drink anything in the morning before I break my fast?

I drink water and sometimes herbal tea. I know some people drink black coffee, I can’t drink handle coffee on an empty stomach, so I have just avoided it. Caffeine has long-lasting effects on me, and I’ve found that if I have coffee at lunch because I’m eating at one PM, it will keep me up until midnight.

Why I went with intermittent fasting

1. Because I need something easy. Counting calories isn’t easy for me. One person commented on my video that counting calories took all the joy out of eating, and I agree!

I need something easy to stick with. 

Just like I needed simple routines to actually cement cleaning habits into my everyday life, I do better with things that are so easy I don’t have to put much thought into it. My motto is stupid-easy. So easy that it would seem silly for me not to do it.

And intermittent fasting fits into that – all I have to remember is that I can eat between 1 PM and 7 PM I don’t have to remember anything else. Intermittent fasting is like the Container Concept for health.

2. We have a couple meals weekly with our church family. Different people cook, and it’s important to me to be able to eat with everyone. I have eaten a grain-free diet in the past, just for a while, and the most challenging part of it was when we wanted to share meals with others. If I was allergic to something, I understand being strict with my diet, but since I’m not allergic, I don’t want my diet to get in the way of sitting down and sharing a meal with someone.

Did skipping breakfast actually make me lose weight?

Yes and no. Skipping breakfast meant I changed my eating window. It’s my understanding that a longer fast time changes how our body creates insulin and normalizes the hunger hormones, which removes ravenous hunger feelings. Now, I don’t feel hungry. I don’t crave food.

Intermittent fasting has been proven to initiate the repair of important cells in the body and balance hormone levels, which facilitates fat burning. On a broader scale, intermittent fasting also has a significant effect on metabolic health and the body’s insulin levels.

jeffersonhealth.org

I used to daydream about going to the store and buying a chocolate cream pie. I still love eating chocolate cream pie, but I don’t fantasize about it. It’s not something I’m focused on, but it used to be.

I used to anticipate when I could eat dessert, drink pop, or have a burger and fries. And now the desire for that is gone. I have eaten a burger and fries since doing my IF, and honestly, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I used to. I feel like IF flipped a switch in my brain, and now I’m able to appropriately value food. Now, I still very love food; I am someone who lives to eat, I love cooking and baking, and I love tasting new things, but instead of constantly thinking about junk food, I have a different perspective. I enjoy the smells, flavors, and textures, but I’m not craving things. It’s not consuming my thoughts.

What about breakfast foods? Do I ever eat them at 1 PM?

Yes. I regularly have avocado toast with eggs or salmon; I’ve also made eggs benedict, which is my absolute favorite breakfast food. I’ve gone to my local bakery, gotten a croissant, and eaten a bowl of cold cereal.

I don’t normally eat an all-carb breakfast like pancakes or toast because I know I feel better eating plenty of protein. 

How is my health? Cholesterol, blood pressure, etc. 

I have not had my numbers checked for about 18 months, but the last time I did, everything looked great, and I’ve always had low blood pressure, so it’s not something I’ve been concerned about.

I see the benefit of checking these things regularly, but I’m not one to visit the dr. frequently. Instead, I want to pay attention to what I notice in my body – how do I feel? How is my mental clarity? Am I having mood swings? Am I getting enough sleep? Do I feel strong? What is my energy level?

Do I eat low-carb?

I would say no. But if you were to compare what I eat to the standard American diet, I eat fewer carbs than the average American. 

Years ago, I followed the GAPS diet, which is grain free. I did it to heal my gut, which made a big difference in my life. I felt so much better, and when I introduced regular foods again, I noticed wheat affected me more than anything else.

After that, I would often avoid wheat and not eat as much bread, and then I found that sourdough bread is easier to digest, so these days if I eat bread, it’s sourdough bread that I make from scratch.

About Rachel Jones

Hi there! I’m Rachel Jones, and I founded Nourishing Minimalism in 2012 at the beginning of my minimalist journey. If you're looking for encouragement in your journey, I created a FREE Facebook Group - feel free to join me there: Nourishing Minimalism Facebook Group and I share videos each week on YouTube

4 Comments

  1. Christine Phillips on 11/09/2022 at 9:43 am

    I added cinnamon to your egg biscuits as it helps with the blandness. I am enjoying them. Still new on the IF journey. Thanks for sharing.

    • Rachel Jones on 11/09/2022 at 1:03 pm

      Good idea! Thanks for sharing Christine 😊

  2. Mary on 11/09/2022 at 10:05 am

    I know you don’t like to count calories, but can you estimate what your typical caloric intake is for a day?
    Personally I feel our bodies can function on fewer calories than I used to think we needed.
    I feel even 1000 – 1200 can be enough if you are not working out significantly. Possibly even a bit lower.

    Are you doing any cardio work or weight lifting? (I’m guessing no)
    Thank you!

  3. Mary on 11/09/2022 at 10:11 am

    Forgot to mention….you look great!
    And look happier!

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