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'I Tried The Latest Extreme Dieting Fad And Here’s What Happened'
I don’t do diets, especially extreme diets. I love food, and I’ll never turn down a new or delicious taste experience because I’m watching my weight. That said, my upcoming wedding next year has me thinking I should at least try to get in shape. And I thought that this plan, which limits eating to eight hours a day, could’ve helped put a dent in my out-of-control late-night snacking habit.
The premise of the plan is simple: Fast for 16 hours (including overnight when you’re asleep) and eat what you like (within reason) during the remaining eight. Since I’ve never been much of a breakfast eater, this sounded good to me. And I liked that even though it’s considered fasting, there are no insane caloric restrictions or rules.
I tried to keep my meals generally healthy, in line with the sample day of eating a nutritionist sent me as a guideline. Here’s how it went:
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Day 1:
I never wake up starving, and today the excitement of wedding dress shopping had me completely distracted from food anyway—a good day to get started on this whole fasting plan. I started the day off with a smoked salmon scramble around noon and ended it with champagne and some roasted vegetables and spicy pork at a restaurant in Brooklyn. The excitement of finding my dress that day sent me to bed happy, full, and not even thinking about a snack.
Day 7:
One week in, and I’m doing okay. I tend to get hungry around noon but hold out (with the help of plenty of coffee, water, and busy work) until 2 p.m. to start eating. I’m thinking that I’ve totally got this diet nailed—until I go out to a dinner with friends one night and can’t order anything. I love eating socially, but I was an hour past my fasting window.
Day 12:
I’m SO hungry this morning—my stomach growled in a meeting and it was not cute. I definitely need to hydrate more, so I’m working on drinking more water to hold me over. The one good thing I’ve noticed: When I was snacking at night, I would usually wake up looking and feeling pretty bloated. Though I haven’t really lost any weight at this point, I feel so much less puffy, which is nice!
Day 15:
I usually prefer working out on an empty stomach (even when not doing this plan), but I slept in late today so I decided grab a quick meal of eggs on toast before I hit the gym to get things rolling. I felt super strong after a weightlifting session and ended my workout with 100 burpees (so unlike me!).
Day 16:
Okay, some days I’m just HUNGRY. Definitely finding it hard not to gorge myself during this first meal. But, another positive side effect I wasn’t planning on: productivity! Keeping myself busy with work in the first half of the day definitely takes my mind off of food.
Day 22:
I’m down three pounds, which feels like nothing, but the real difference is in how I feel. I’m less bloated, full of energy, and kicking that midnight snack habit! I made it through three weeks of fasting without too much trouble, but I don’t think it’s a lifestyle change I want to make permanent. In fact, I have to admit I’m already back to my late-night snacking habits—oh well! I think to prep for the wedding, I’ll go with something that’s more consistent, like counting calories, since on this plan I tended to fluctuate between days with no issues and days where I was forever starving and would eat everything in sight. The biggest benefit I got was not feeling so bloated all the time, which is a good trick to know before I walk down the aisle.
This article originally appeared on Women’s Health US.
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