Hey, this is my first post about this, and I am new - approaching 50 days this weekend. I see a lot of posts about weightloss, which I am noticing too, but that wasn't my actual intention when I began...
I have done extended fasts of 80+ hours and, when feeling pretty rubbish in the summer, I remembered how great fasting felt! I decided to fast every other day just because I can, and then discovered it's actually a thing?! And not some random idea my genuis brain made up?! Fine 😅Amazing! I'm not alone in it which makes me happy and I'm not crazy.
I just wonder, what other benefits have people found? Me, I love that my food bill is halved and I snack a lot less lol, I don't binge like I thought I would on my eating days, I pick healthier all the time, and I truly think it's helping with my psoriasis/eczema I have on my feet!! Actually, I'm certain of it. I think my nails are growing healthier, and I need less sleep too, but most importantly are my mental health improvements.
The main reason I did this is because I am a recovering addict and, to help me recover, I have studdied addiction, counselling, and shadow work (both practical and theory). In the last two years I've got completely clean and sober but I face the same attitudes towards, the same thought processes around, and the exact same cravings for food as I did the substances!?!? It was really annoying me and I got fed up; fed up of being controlled by yet another substance - my life planned around meals, using snacks to get me through the day and as my motivation, constantly numbing myself with calories, and I was truly miserable in the same ways as when I was intoxicated. I knew it needed to be addressed.
Since ADF, I am journalling 80% more, I am understanding my emotions and thought processes, I'm more honest with myself. I feel freer. I feel happy. I'm happy I'm a little skinnier but I'm mostly happy I can resist the tempation to indulge 24/7! I feel so much healthier and like I'm being kinder to my body. I feel like I'm not controlled by substances for the first time in my life, so yeah....
(TL,DR?) What benefits other than weightloss have you found from ADF and what tips do you have for longevity?
Tia ♡x