So so gorgeous to come back today to a flurry of posts - welcome @desikated and @Carno18. I do a clean fast. Gin Stephens (my go to person) is pro a clean fast with just black tea and coffee and water (and Himalayan salt), not even herbal teas in the fasting window. She is clear that everyone is different and some people react to these or the splash of milk, while others don't... Only you can find out for yourself which camp you are in. I agree with others though, that many say that a splash of milk often makes it tougher to fast as hunger pangs can follow.
And I too am a big fan of the hardboiled egg - I've often taken a couple in a bag for a work event, being unsure what the food will be and knowing I can eat something safe. And one of my favourite "lunch in a pots" is chopped hardboiled eggs and tomatoes with some capers.
Regarding 5 days on, weekends off - why not shift your thinking to I am fasting all week, and choose the windows that work for me - so perhaps choosing an 11 or 12 hour window for Saturday and Sunday? Deciding each weekend and recognising that 12 hours or less is a win. Does this appeal??
Oh yes @HarpQuartet - for me it can be a tiny trigger too and once Ive started it is difficult to stop ... and its not the carb craving cycle as it is too fast for that. @Fouramclub , enormous empathy here, recognising myself in this. IF does like you help me most of the time, and is the reason this works for me so much better than other diets - I feel full and satisfied so much of the time. I hope you recover soon and totally understand that yen for exercise but do do do give yourself and your body time to fully recover, however frustrating it is, knowing that you will recover faster without the exercise if it is too stressful for you body that day.
@StealthLaSilkySightHound that is so interesting that it is the no 1 reason, I am clearly not alone and love your almost-encyclopaedic knowledge of what others are saying/researching.
I am so very very sorry to hear of all your losses. I hope you can be kind and gentle with yourself as you grieve, it is huge and I so understand it opening the floodgates for historic sadness to come spilling through. Are you able to ask yourself what's best and most supportive for you each day as you go through this challenging time? and wow, those are two serious NSVs - on the sweet stuff and of course on the mental health front. All the more important to care for yourself gently, to support this extraordinary strength you have gained, giving yourself time and space to recover.
I love your reflections on being prepared, and I realise it is now usually at home that I get caught out, in the evening or the wee hours... my first step forward on this is going to be to make sure I know what my go-to food is when the demon strikes - yes, a piece or two of dark chocolate but swiftly accompanied by berries/kefir/muesli and a small amount of cheese if they continue. I am going to practise talking to myself out loud when it happens, slowing down my thought processes and asking myself what might work to eat that is a bit healthier... and if possible, gently remind myself that eating a mountain of unhealthy stuff is unsatisfying, while curiously 3 large bowls of berries/kefir/muesli at 2 am did somewhat soothe me when grieving my sister. And writing this, I think I am going to imagine a little red demon on my left shoulder egging me on to eat a monstrous amount and even consider having a conversation with them!!
I am becoming more adept at giving myself permission for a longer eating window when I feel I need it - giving myself permission without guilt is so important and a skill I am developing. So yes some days 10-12 hours rather than 3-8 is what I need to stay on track and genuinely nurture myself with compassion.
@Clearingaspace icy hands and fat burning – tell me more...I've not heard this before and I often get cold when fasting!!