I fell in love with intermittent fasting a while back. It was actually the way I always ate on weekends and when I was a kid. You are not looking at a morning person here. I do ‘brunch’ — I never had an appetite in the morning, but being in the OR at O’dark thirty you better have something on your stomach or the smells alone would make you heave. So for nearly all of my nursing career at 5 AM I force fed myself.

Now — I have some coffee around 6:30 AM on a workday. I don’t eat food until 11 or 12. Then it’s my oatmeal… I love me some brunch. :) I stop eating 8 hours after I’ve had that oatmeal and call it a day. 16 hours with no food/8 hour window to eat — which is usually just 2 regular sized meals and maybe a snack.

If I get hungry — some hot tea before bed hits the spot and we’re done. When I went back to eating when I was hungry — the way my body always wanted me to eat — my cravings went away. I dropped 5 pounds immediately. I had more energy. I never felt over full when I stick to this routine.

I’m not militant with it — I go on vacation — eat out late with friends — go to parties, etc.

But listening to you body is key. I also don’t eat processed food, or drink much alcohol these days. Never have soda. Rarely desert — like a donut/cake/cookie. If I want something sweet it’s a daily dose of dark chocolate (heart healthy) or a couple scoops of ice cream — and I’ve even gone almond milk there because yummy flavors — less sweet and the whole damn pint is 320 calories. Guilt free binges for broken hearts allowed. LOL

But — I meditate — practice yoga and hike in the woods or take walks on the beach to soothe my soul.

When I changed jobs one of my MDs noticed that since I wasn’t killing myself at work walking over 13,000 steps a day — I had gained weight. (I am still a size 10). They asked me what I planned to do about the weight? I told them — WEAR LEGGINGS.

Namaste —