These days, my diet has waaay changed from what it used to be. Since last summer, I have a completely altered my way of eating: not only have I stuck to intermittent fasting (where I eat over an 8 hour period each day and fast for the next 16 hours), I have also severely reduced my reliance on breads, grains, and refined sugars.
Here is what a typical day’s diet would have looked like prior to last August (times are guessed at to the best of my memory):
- 7am Wake up, write, and read
- 8am Go on a run
- 9am Eat breakfast, consisting of oatmeal and a banana shake
- 12pm Eat lunch, consisting of home-made french fries, turkey, cheese, and a pickle
- 3pm Eat bowl of cereal: 2% milk and one of your standard breakfast cereals (Chex, Lucky Charms, Corn Flakes, Mini Shredded Wheat, etc)
- 6pm Eat dinner, maybe light because of a heavier lunch… mayhaps rice with chicekn
- 9pm (or later) Eat a 2nd bowl of cereal
- Go to sleep, and repeat same cycle, if no run, then eating breakfast earlier.
- Eating hours: Whenever I feel like it!
- Maximum hours of fasting: 12, but by coincidence, no plan involved.
- Maximum amount of carbs and refined sugar: potentially A LOT!
Nowadays, my schedule is a bit different:
- 7am Wake up, write,
- 8 or 9am go on a run
- 10am Eat breakfast, consisting of a bowl of cream or yogurt, nuts, and berries; possibly with a banana smoothie as well
- 12pm Eat some nuts.
- 3pm Eat a nice meal of turkey, cheese, and (perhaps) some french fries,
- 5:30pm Eat some more nuts, cheese, or cream, before fasting
- Eating hours: 10am-6pm
- # Hours of fasting: 16
- Maximum amount of carbs and refined sugar: Generally limited to banana and perhaps the starches in french fries or sometimes rice, but usually few if any refined sugars (especially now that I have finished all the soy milk… I still have some ketchup with sugar, but that will be gone eventually).
The main change is that now I have a routine to my eating. My stomach has office hours, and non-office hours. Eating times are generally 10am-6pm, although there is some variation based on my schedule for that day. Also, nowadays I am always aware of actually eating a meal when I eat. What I eat generally is actually nutritious, full of good fats and proteins, instead of possibly just carbs and sugars. This tastes more satisfying.
It feels like I finally learned how to eat. I feel like I’ve found something that works for me. My shift to a diet with limited window of eating and consistenting predominately of dairy, meat, nuts, fats, veggies and some fruits has become a game changer. Gone are the days of uncontrolled, unconscious eating. I find this discipline and structure does gives new definition and meaning to my eating experience. I am hungrier when I eat. And I generally eat rich, filling foods.
All in all, it’s been a satisfying development. Each day, food is an enjoyable experience, dare-I-say-it, an adventure. Today I stopped eating by about 7pm. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow’s eats!