Although intermittent fasting has been a life changer for me, I still struggle. I’ve gathered up 5 challenges I still face in my day-to-day life and how I’ve learned to deal with them.
Just like any diet, it is best if we take it day by day. All of our small efforts add up in the end!
Here are my personal struggles:
Struggle #1 – Fasting Isn’t Fun
Eating is fun. Not eating is not fun. That is the cold, hard truth.
When I start to feel this way, sometimes I just have to slap myself with a dose of reality. I’m an adult. This is life. It’s not always going to be fun.
But here are some things that are fun: seeing a big loss on the scale, fitting into my favorite shirt again, getting compliments from others on my weight loss, accomplishing goals, and feeling good in my skin.
All of these things are the result of my sacrifices.
When you are feeling down, remind yourself that if you put in the hard work (even though it’s not fun), it will pay off.
Struggle # 2 – I Still Have To Cook (On Fast Days)
This is probably my hardest struggle of all. I have two kids and a husband who still need to eat, even when I don’t. I spend a lot of mornings smelling the delicious stack of pancakes that my kids are eating.
Resisting food that is right in front of you is very hard, that’s true for any diet.
The best way for me to combat this struggle is to plan meals that I enjoy during my non-fasting days. When I remind myself that I am not saying “no” to food I love (see post – The Power Of Saying “Not Right Now”), it doesn’t seem so hard. I can look forward to what I am eating tomorrow.
I’ve preached it all along – planning and getting excited for future meals is the key reason why this diet is so successful.
Struggle #3 – My Weight Loss Isn’t Consistent
There is nothing more frustrating than when you put in the effort and it doesn’t show up on the scale. It’s hard not to give up.
My weight loss has never been consistent. When I lost the first 35 pounds, I did it over a year’s time. That is only 3 pounds a month… or less than a pound a week. It felt like such a sloooow crawl.
Some weeks I would lose 2 pounds. Other weeks I would lose 0.2 pounds. But over time, I did lose weight.
When your weight loss doesn’t feel consistent, remember my weight loss mantra: Trust the process. If you put the work in (without cheating, don’t kid yourself), you will lose weight. Start tracking calories to make sure you aren’t overeating. And keep pushing yourself, it will pay off in the end.
Struggle #4 – Social Events Are Hard
My husband and I recently celebrated our 6 year anniversary and I did something a little crazy.
He is a wonderful guy and made reservations to celebrate with a pricey anniversary dinner. The morning of, I asked him to cancel.
While I appreciated the gesture so, so much, I knew I couldn’t fully enjoy myself there. I know my limitations, and I didn’t want to overeat and regret it.
Instead, we booked an escape room challenge for the two of us and a simple dinner out. We had an absolute blast, and the evening did not revolve entirely around food.
If you have a tendency to overeat like me, you need to learn to plan ahead. Before you go the event, walk yourself through what you are allowing yourself to eat, and stick to it.
If you are attending a social event on a fast day, remind yourself that food is not what makes the event fun. No one will notice if you are having small portions and low calorie beverages. Enjoy your time out, socialize and have fun, but remind yourself that it is not an excuse to eat (or drink) more than you planned.
Struggle #5 – I Wish I Didn’t Have To Diet
Yes, it’s true. While I have found intermittent fasting is a very effective dieting method for me, I really wish I didn’t have to diet at all. I wish I naturally had better self control.
But I know that food is a struggle for me. I can’t leave a bowl of candy sitting out in my house. If I give myself an excuse to overeat (stress, celebrations, social events, etc), I will use it. It’s a battle I will face for the rest of my life.
I can spend a lot of time dwelling on how much of a burden it feels like to diet forever, or I can accept it and move on. Other people struggle with things that I have never even worried about before. I’ve never smoked a cigarette, but there are many people out there who wish they could quit. I don’t struggle with anxiety, chronic pain, or a host of other things that others struggle with.
We all have our own crosses to bear. We can sit around feeling badly for ourselves, or we can accept them, make adult choices on how to deal, and move on.
Your attitude is what makes you successful in the end!
I love to hear from readers! Comment below – What are your personal struggles? How do you deal with them?
Remember – the LOSS is worth the WAIT!
Have a blessed day,
