Losing Fat by Intermittent Fasting 4 - 16:8 Eating Pattern

(This is the continuation from Part 3)

Today is my first day at Intermittent Fasting and I think I've violated it already. Ha! The ratio of Intermittent Fasting I chose is 16:8, meaning 16 hours fast and 8 hours feed. The time I find most convenient for this ratio is to eat between 12 noon to 8 pm (8 hours). So that means I have lunch at 12 noon and then dinner at 7:30 pm which ends at 8 pm.

The fast starts at 8 pm and then ends 12 noon the next day (16 hours).


Breaking the Intermittent Fast

Unfortunately, in our early morning walk today, DH gave me a guava to eat. And I mindlessly ate it!

There's a guava tree that we pass by every morning. Nobody seems to own it as it grows between a vacant lot and an empty house. Some of the guavas may be picked from a standing height.


Others though, can be be picked by climbing the tree. DH has no qualms climbing the tree if there are ripe or near-ripe fruits up there. Here, she's reaching for a big good one.


They're the kind of guavas that are yellow (not pink or red) on the inside. The fruits, when ripened, are really sweet. But DH likes them with the skin still green and not too ripe.


Like I said, I ate one and later realized I'm on a fast. I felt bad and was thinking of putting off the start of my fast to another day for fear that munching on a guava may have triggered a metabolic response.




During the walk, I kept muttering "stupid me" to myself. And I partially blamed DH for my violation. Jokingly, she referred to herself as "Eve". I couldn't understand what she meant until she explained the biblical Eve who gave the forbidden fruit to Adam. Ha!

It's fruiting season and there are practically fruits everyday for the picking. Today's been a good day. Here's "Eve" showing off her picks for the day.


But, I just decided to continue and not to worry. It's one small fruit and nutritious anyway. That wasn't enough to ruin an already started fasting period.


16:8 Eating Pattern Isn't So Bad

Unlike a few that I've read that adjust so much on the 16:8 ratio of eating pattern, or make a big deal out of it, it wasn't too bad for me. I suppose just having my early morning black coffee is good enough for me.

Sure, I was looking around the kitchen during the lull (fasting) time. It's probably just a force of habit. What did help is to avoid the kitchen and dining area altogether.

Since I work mostly from our bedroom, I try to stay there as much as I can. I only go downstairs in the kitchen to get more hot water for my coffee or tea.

For coffee, I only take half a teaspoon or maybe less to create a weak brew. It's almost similar to tea. I don't put sugar - no milk and no creamer either.

(See Part 5 for the continuation of this article)



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