Welcome to my eleventh 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 Intermittent Fasting for Autophagy and Designer Denim, Month Zero – I’ll wait.
Stress is a bigger factor with my weight than I expected. Not a huge surprise, but I’ll chalk this up to either being over 30, or having had a child. Childbirth changes all sorts of things.
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Last month I realized that I wasn’t getting into ketosis daily anymore – or if I was I didn’t feel the energy or perceive any fat burning. So I increased my fat intake and started to feel that fat burn again…just a little bit. Then I realized the real problem. STRESS. And probably exogenous hormones (my birth control).
Stress was causing me to eat more than I needed (totally ignoring intuitive eating), and generally made every day an uphill battle against me and some unknown force. Otherwise, I’ve spoken before about hormones and I’m happy to reiterate. I’m using a birth control method that is famous for making its users gain weight and have very long periods. When I took it in my 20s my experience was very positive; no periods at all, and no weight gain. Now in my 30s I am less lucky because now I have periods for weeks, and have been struggling to maintain my size.
Now that these issues have been identified, maybe I can change them and move on!
Month eleven was October for me.
I eat one meal a day (OMAD) between five and six in the evening. Sometimes I limit carbs, other times I don’t.
In the time-restricted eating (TRE) mind, I average about 20/4 daily.
October – Early in the month I got to squeeze in some ADF days. Not full fasting on the down days, but having a small late meal.
I really enjoyed the simplicity, but I can’t have my ideal down days when my husband is home. He does support me, but thanks to his career in the U.S. military he can’t be home every night, so we share meals when we can.
The struggle in month eleven – A big struggle is knowing that if I dare eat more than once a day I will gain size. But also understanding that mitigating stress and changing hormones are both long term projects.
The success in month eleven – Making plans to work on stress and hormones has been a huge success for me! I’m changing birth control methods next month, and I just hired a part-time nanny. Our nanny will watch Kid Jupiter for a few hours each week so I can tackle the things that stress me out. I talk about it a little in Lady Jupiter Podcast on episodes 30 and 31.
- Click here to stream episode 30: Nanny Trials & Fredericksburg, Texas (~8 minutes)
- Click here to stream episode 31: Static Life & Nanny Hiring (~5 minutes)
➤ ➤ Goal Pants, two pairs
➤ ALLSAINTS, 30″ waist.
Button fly is easy to fasten, but my belly easily squishes out of the top when I bend.
➤ Denizen by Levi’s, size 3.
I *can* zip and button these, but it’s not comfortable or attractive.
Q. Any new plans for November?
A. Just like last month, I want to have more alternate day fasts when Mister Jupiter isn’t home to have dinner with me, and otherwise
1. Wait for December when I can change birth control
2. Use our nanny’s on-the-clock time to really work on the things that are stressing me out
So as usual, I just need time for things change. Luckily, the things I need are in motion.
☞ Ready for more? Here’s the next in series; Intermittent Fasting, Month Twenty
Lady Jupiter 