My experience with IF
 

I did VERY well with the paleo diet, going from 226lbs to 170lbs...and then, you know, I got naughty...and over time went back up to 212lb.

I started paleo again, but was not losing much weight at all. I realized I was just eating too damn much food.

I began eating only one meal a day, early in the evening. I was AMAZED at how quickly my body adapted to this WOE. I do get stomach grumblies in the morning, but not APPETITE pangs...as long as I only eat paleo. If I introduce any carbs (other than those found in non-starchy vegetables) my appetite runs away with me and I am miserable.

During the day, M to F, I am very busy, and it is easy to ignore the stomach rumblies...which eventually go away by around noon. I drink LOTS of water. My meal in the early evening is not huge...I don't feel the need to pig out...I eat probably the same amount that I always would have eaten, even if I had been eating throughout the day.

I am DELIGHTED with my weight loss, which is around 1 kg per week. When my TOM rolls around, all weight loss stops, and in fact I will gain, despite my IF.

Weekends have been much harder for me, because I am not as busy, so I eat two meals per day on weekends. I really look forward to my Saturday and Sunday bacon and eggs in the AM!

The ONLY problem I have encountered is muscle cramping in the night. I read that we lose a lot of electrolytes, esp. potassium, when we do IF, so I started taking both a magnesium and a potassium supplement morning and night. That has taken care of the cramps, UNTIL last night, when I got a doozy of a cramp in my left foot (it's ALWAYS the left foot or calf...what's up with that?) I am now going to add a calcium supplement.

I wanted to post this to encourage anyone who has seen a stall in their weight loss (assuming, of course, that you want to lose weight), and to say that this has really, REALLY worked for me. I am not starving, I do not feel deprived, I feel TERRIFIC during the day...as other IF'ers have posted, we seem to experience much more clarity in our senses.

If anyone has any advice to offer me re the muscle cramps and mineral/electrolyte supplements, I would be delighted to read them. Happy IF'ing everyone!

That's great - I did really well with IF for a while too.

The only advice I had on the cramps you're already doing (magnesium) - although I have read that the type matters a lot, it needs to be a chelated form, or the oil (which isn't really oil, it's transdermally absorbed and apparently feels greasy).

Salt can help with cramps too. Salty broth is a great way to get this. Or in a pinch, I've even dissolved some sea salt in a shot glass of water, and shot it down before bed, in order to stave off the cramps. Sounds odd but it really helps. Esp if you're only eating one meal, you might not be getting enough salt.

You know, something very interesting has happened since I started exercising regularly. I don't have leg cramps any longer. I don't know why, but I'm happy about it. I'm doing mostly weight training with 2 days of 20 minute cardio (water aerobics).

Congrats on finding a way that works for you! :thup:

I'm a bit curious about the fact that you can't introduce any other veggies other than non starchy ones. I'd be interested in knowing which veggies you can eat.

Sue: Your IF experience is much like mine. It's wonderful for keeping me on the straight and narrow in maintenance and for curing any pesky carb creep. Some days I do get hungrier than others and, like you, at weekends egg and bacon breakfasts are a must-have. Actually, today is a hungry day but I'm white knuckling it.

Leg cramps at night. OMG, I've suffered with them all my adult life no matter how I was eating/drinking/exercising. In my case it took a series of vein ablations last year to get some long-term relief. You'll probably solve your problems with salt, magnesium, and all the other good cures. But if you find that NOTHING works, it would be worthwhile to have a consultation with a vascular surgeon who will do a sonogram to see what's going on with your veins.

Judynyc, I eat all vegetables except for the big starch offenders, i.e. legumes, corn, and white potatoes. I'll confess to eating a SMALL portion of white potatoes from time to time (if I eat more than maybe 1/2 cup my appetite ramps up) and I will eat a cob or two of corn when it's in season, coming right out of my own garden. Other than that I avoid them, just to avoid appetite ramp up. I don't know if legumes are "anti-nutritious" as some people claim (Mark Scisson really hates legumes, and I have found him to be pretty trustworthy,) but I DO know they make me more hungry (and they give me gas, lol!)

Ah, thanks! I'm the same as you. Lots of good low starch veggies and once in a while a fresh corn on the cobb. I rarely eat white potatoes and sometimes do eat a sweet potato. :)
Not so much on the legumes other than when I have some hummus.

The type of magnesium is important, one that is well-absorbed and not just a laxative. Natural Calm taken as a drink before bed is popular. Also read a hot bath with Epson Salts before bed is both relaxing and you absorb the magnesium through your skin to where it can be used. Feels wonderful...certainly can't hurt! I love it.
http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/20/...eral-available/