Welcome to my eighth month of intermittent fasting! If you’ve been interested in the fasting lifestyle I hope that my experience here is useful to you. This post is part of a series, so if you want to start at the very beginning, click on over to Month Zero – I’ll wait.
Last update I got lazy and gained size, and since then I have straightened up and am burning fat and slowly shrinking again. I’ve dropped down to a general size medium, and can now fit into a size six in some Old Navy pants, and some Loft. It’s exciting, but I’m trying hard to not buy clothes since I have plenty smaller clothes, also I’m indoors at home 97 percent of the time where pocket leggings are the practical choice.
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Eight months of intermittent fasting (some better than others) has really shown me the value of metabolic flexibility. And I’m kind of amazed that I was able to naturally fast for so many years in my 20s, but it’s definitely harder as a stay at home mom during a pandemic. Fasting will be easier when we can go outside again without melting or fear of catching COVID-19.
Month eight was July for me. After gaining in June, I told Mister Jupiter that I need to straighten up and he was supportive. His support has helped me get back to shrinking!
I eat one meal a day between five and six in the evening. My new change is to focus on feeding my microbiome twice a week. So any meal with bread, cheese, or meat are for me – the writer. When I focus on my microbes I load up on fiberous veggies and maybe have some bone broth.
Eating for my microbiome two nights a week could be interpreted as down days because I am probably low calorie those nights. So one could say that I have added Alternate Day Fasting to my One Meal A Day protocol. The only reason I don’t stand behind that definition is because it’s not about the calories at all, it’s about caring for my gut and giving the good guys the fiber they’ve been requesting.
July – I’m happy that I decided to focus on my gut twice a week. It’s something that I know I should have been doing, but was hesitant that Mister Jupiter would find dinner to be lacking. So this is when I use his late nights to my advantage and lengthen my fast a bit before having a big bowl of veggies.
A 12oz bag of steamed broccoli with about a cup of fresh celery is pretty amazing with a generous glug of good olive oil and chili lime seasoning. Serve with a small bowl of shredded beet and jicama (dressed with lime juice and honey), and it’s hard to be hungry after all of that flavorful fiber.
The struggle in month eight – Just being a little more disciplined. I want afternoon cheese snacks. I miss picking up a latte on the way home from grocery shopping.
The success in month eight – Shrinking! I’m back to where I was on June first, before I got fluffy eating a lot of breads and sweets. I absolutely love when my jeggings fit as if they were made for me.
➤ ➤ Goal Pants, Two Pairs
➤ ALLSAINTS, 30″ waist. Waist is getting loose, but the seat is still too snug.
➤ Community, 29″ waist. Still hilariously too small. It’s harder to see that I lost mass in July, but these slightly fit better on August first than July first (but I doubt that these will ever see the light of day. These pantaloons seem to have been cut for ladies with flat butts…and that’s not me (not right now at least)).
Q. Any new plans for the rest of August?
A. Not really.
I’m going to keep feeding my microbiome regularly, and try to be disciplined at night again. My weakness is to snack a few hours after dinner. Not because I’m hungry, but simply because I really enjoy eating. Luckily I don’t buy junk food as a rule, so instead of sneaking chips and cookies, it’s having some chocolate chips and cashews.
However at the time of writing I do have bread and cookies in the house – both non-standard foods. I just need to crank up the discipline so I don’t repeat the other month’s size increase. Wish me luck!
☞ Ready for more? Intermittent Fasting, Month Nine (August 2020)
Lady Jupiter 