Color me surprised...it's actually working!

(F42, 6', SW: 210, CW:205, GW:175 (to start)) I started 18:6 a couple of days before Thanksgiving, after many years of believing that I would a) die without eating breakfast, b) never have the self-control to stop eating when I was full, and c) realistically never lose the lbs I need to.

But yet, here I am. I'm not seeing the massive drops that others have had...I'm 5 lbs down over 3.5 weeks, eating at a deficit of about 700 calories per day. Walking is my only exercise right now due to logistics, though I look forward to starting C25K and lifting when I get home to warmer climates after a frozen Christmas. I need to track calories using MFP to make sure I don't go over my calorie count every single day, and that does get tedious and make me feel like I'm obsessing a little over food.

However. I have gained what I think is the most valuable thing. Following IF has revealed is that mentally I am much stronger than I thought I was. I'm learning to really, truly listen to my body. A few days I've felt dizzy hours before my eating window, so I ate. Some days I've been able to go much longer than my usual window, so I did. Most importantly, I am gaining the willpower to stop when I feel full rather than finishing the plate, to plan meals and snacks wisely, and to say no to food I know I'll regret later. It's something I should have learned long ago, of course, but better late than never, and it's seriously so freeing!

For those of you out there wondering if this could work for you, I wholeheartedly encourage you to give it a try for a month or so. Think of the process as a marathon, not a sprint, and realize that old habits take time to undo, but you can build momentum toward new, healthier habits. I look forward to posting again in a few months when there's a lot less of me around!