Weight Loss Wisdom

Why I Quit Intermittent Fasting (And You Might Want To Too)

The Great IF Experiment That Broke Me

Two years ago, I was that person. You know the one - evangelical about intermittent fasting, preaching the gospel of the 16:8 window to anyone who'd listen. I'd fast until 2 PM, then pat myself on the back like I'd just solved world hunger.

Plot twist: I was miserable.

But here's the thing nobody talks about when they're busy selling you the latest eating schedule - sometimes the "miracle cure" becomes just another way to fuck with your relationship with food.

The IF Cult Is Real (And I Was a Member)

Let's be honest about what intermittent fasting has become. It's not just an eating pattern anymore - it's a lifestyle brand. People wear their fasting windows like designer labels. "Oh, I don't eat until 3 PM" becomes the new "I only shop at Whole Foods."

The wellness industry has taken what's essentially "skipping breakfast" and turned it into this mystical practice that'll supposedly:

Burn fat like a furnace
Give you laser focus
Add years to your life
Cure everything except your student loans

Don't get me wrong - there's legit science behind some IF benefits. But we've gone from "this might help some people" to "this will transform your entire existence."

And that's where shit gets dangerous.

Why We're So Desperate for Food Rules

Here's what I've noticed after working with hundreds of clients: we're terrified of trusting ourselves with food. We want someone else to tell us when to eat, what to eat, how much to eat.

IF gives us that external structure. It's like having a strict parent for your appetite.

"Can I eat now?" "What time is it?" "11 AM." "Then no."

Boom. Decision made. No need to check in with your body, your hunger, your actual needs. The clock is the boss now.

But here's the uncomfortable truth - this rigid structure often recreates the same control-and-restriction cycle that makes people miserable with traditional diets. We've just swapped calorie counting for clock watching.

The Dark Side Nobody Talks About

Let me paint you a picture of my IF glory days:

I'd wake up already thinking about food. Not because I was hungry, but because I couldn't eat yet. I'd drink black coffee and tell myself how strong and disciplined I was while secretly planning what I'd eat the moment my window opened.

2 PM would hit and I'd practically attack my first meal. Then I'd spend the next 6 hours cramming in all my food like I was preparing for hibernation.

Sound healthy to you? Because it sure as hell didn't feel like it.

The worst part? I convinced myself this was "intuitive eating" because I wasn't counting calories. Newsflash: ignoring your hunger for 18 hours isn't intuitive anything.

When IF Actually Works (Spoiler: It's Not Magic)

Okay, let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater. IF can work for some people. But probably not for the reasons you think.

The real benefits aren't mystical:

Simplicity: Fewer eating occasions = fewer decisions
Calorie control: Hard to overeat in a shorter window (though not impossible - trust me, I tried)
Better sleep: Not eating late can improve rest quality
Reduced snacking: Less mindless grazing throughout the day

Notice what's missing from that list? Magic fat-burning powers. Superhuman focus. Immortality.

The people who thrive with IF usually fall into these categories:

Natural breakfast skippers who finally have permission to do what feels good
Busy people who prefer fewer, larger meals
Those who struggle with evening overeating and need structure
People coming from chaotic eating patterns who benefit from any routine

The Alternative Nobody's Selling You

What if instead of obsessing over when to eat, we focused on how to eat? What if we learned to recognize actual hunger instead of letting an app tell us when we're allowed to be hungry?

I call it "intuitive timing" and it's way less sexy than intermittent fasting. Here's how it works:

Morning check-in: Are you actually hungry when you wake up, or just eating because it's "breakfast time"?

Midday pause: What does your energy feel like? Do you need fuel, or are you eating out of boredom?

Evening wind-down: Are you hungry, or are you trying to fill some other need with food?

Revolutionary stuff, right? Checking in with your actual body instead of your phone.

If You're Still Determined to Try IF

Look, I get it. Maybe you're reading this thinking "That's nice, Maya, but I still want to try intermittent fasting." Cool. I'm not your food mom.

But if you're gonna do it, let's do it without the bullshit:

Start stupid small

Don't go from eating every 3 hours to a 20-hour fast. Try pushing breakfast back by an hour. See how that feels for a week. Revolutionary concept: gradual change.

Check your motivations

Are you doing this because you think it'll fix everything wrong with your eating? Red flag. Are you doing it because the structure might help you eat more intentionally? Green light.

Watch for the warning signs

Obsessing over the clock
Feeling panicked if you eat "early"
Binge eating during your window
Mood swings tied to your eating schedule
Making your social life revolve around your fasting window

If any of that sounds familiar, it's time to pump the brakes.

Remember it's just one tool

IF isn't a moral choice. You're not "good" for fasting 16 hours and "bad" for eating breakfast. It's just a strategy. If it works, great. If it doesn't, there's literally nothing wrong with you.

The Permission You Didn't Know You Needed

Here's what I want you to hear: You don't need to optimize every aspect of your existence. You don't need the perfect eating schedule. You don't need to bio-hack your way to happiness.

Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is just... eat when you're hungry and stop when you're satisfied. Even if that doesn't fit into a neat 8-hour window.

I know, I know. It's not sexy. You can't post about it on Instagram with a bunch of science-y hashtags. But it might just save you from turning food into another source of stress in your already complicated life.

The Real Question

So here's what I want you to ask yourself - not about IF specifically, but about any eating approach you're considering:

Is this bringing more peace or more chaos into my relationship with food?

Because at the end of the day, that's what matters. Not whether you're following the latest trend, not whether you're optimizing your cellular autophagy (whatever the hell that means), but whether you can eat a meal without anxiety, guilt, or a timer telling you what to do.

Your hunger cues didn't evolve over millions of years to be ignored in favor of a phone app. Maybe it's time we started trusting them again.

What's your honest relationship with food timing? Are you following a schedule that serves you, or serving a schedule that controls you?

Drop a comment and let's get real about this stuff. Because I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's tired of letting diet culture disguise itself as "wellness."