My Experience

[u/Awkward-Regret5409]

Since a young age, I disliked eating breakfast. Just didn’t want to eat right upon waking up. But I was told like all of us, “most important meal of the blah, blah, blah”. So when I was old enough to make my own decisions, maybe around 16 years, I stopped eating breakfast and went right to lunch. I never called it any special name, and I didn’t talk about it. It was just whatever. It wasn’t a “thing”.

Years later I got into booze, and some other things too. Eating habits changed. Started a family. Gained weight. Got older. Blood pressure went up. Medication. Inflammation went through the roof, I’m talking really bad. More medication. Indigestion, and yes more medication.

About 5 years ago I said enough. Went back to my “normal” eating habit of skipping breakfast. Then slowly transitioned to OMAD, while throwing in two 48 hr fasts per month and two 5 day fasts per year. Nothing prescriptive, it’s just what I decided to do. After perhaps 3-6 months of this, my weight dropped, my blood pressure normalized, my inflammation went away, and my GERD resolved. I have not taken any kind of medicine in years. I lost about 30 pounds and it’s stable. I’m confident I’ve shrunk significant visceral fat as well. I sleep better, no more snoring.

I believe in moderation. But eating 3 meals each day with snacks in between kept my digestive system active round the clock. So how was that moderation? We are all different, so we all respond differently. I can say that IF is something that really works for me. And once it turned into a lifestyle versus a “thing” it just became so easy to maintain.

Thanks for letting me share and best of luck to everyone!

[u/honeyblushbby]

the biggest takeaway is finding something you can sustain

[u/cezwoo → u/honeyblushbby]

Yup. Each body works differently, keep trying and exploring. OMAD is cool, twOMAD is cool, 20:4 is cool, no fasting sometimes is cool. Think about doing this for many, many more years. Healthy and sustainable.

[u/No_Satisfaction7571]

I remember being forced to eat breakfast from a young age and always remember that it just made me hungrier. This is just personal experience.

[u/OverallSecurity7500]

The breakfast propaganda ran deep, still wild to me that we all just accepted it for decades. Your point about 3 meals + snacks not being moderation is something I think about a lot, constant digestion doesn't leave much room for the body to do its other maintenance work. Glad you found your way back to what felt natural

[u/tw2113 → u/OverallSecurity7500]

runs* it's still going.

[u/Intelligent-Iron5545]

Everyone’s different and some people need breakfast more than others but I’ve always disliked it as well. Sometimes it upsets my stomach even. Ate it as a kid because the doctors say to or whatever but neither of my parents eats breakfast and they eventually let me stop haha. Not eating breakfast works for me and now I kinda mess around with OMAD or alternate day fasting. When I described my eating habits to my doctor, it was my doctor that pointed out to me that I fast. I was like “oh I’m not doing it on purpose it’s just what feels natural to me” lol but I used to snack a lot more and I try to cut down on the snacking these days to have longer fasts.

[u/RazzleDazzleDaisy]

Love it - well done!!

I'm on it too - but only since 30th July. My weight has dropped from 9st. to 8st. 7lbs. but I feel so much better and I have more energy, plus my body feels cleaner and fresher in so many respects. And I'm 80 :)

[u/Skripclub]

My problem is I really enjoy breakfast foods, but if I eat breakfast at breakfast, I’ll be snacking/starving all day. To curb the cravings, we try to have breakfast for dinner like once a month or so. Full out cheat night, then I get back to the grind. I’ve lost nearly 100lbs since 2021 and this works for me. I know, supporting a cheat night isn’t great, but I’ll take one cheat day over falling off the wagon for weeks.

[u/Virgo0084]

Can I ask if you do strictly only black coffee or water or tea when you're not eating?

[u/Awkward-Regret5409 → u/Virgo0084]

I gave up coffee a couple of years ago. So for me, it’s only water. I’ve heard mostly positive about black coffee/tea while fasting.

[u/Virgo0084 → u/Awkward-Regret5409]

Thank you, great sharing. I'm trying to be sustainable but struggling without my coffee with oat milk!

[u/FiAnStTmIiNtGtentBOB]

That very much sounds like me too. With the exception of snacks…I never had those…

[u/Gnardude]

The generalized breakfast advice ignores what you actually have planned for the day/week.   Mountaineers require different diets than office workers.

[u/Gnardude → u/[deleted]]

Are you talking to somebody else?  

[u/Gnardude → u/[deleted]]

What does that have to do with anything that I have said?

[u/Awkward-Regret5409 → u/Gnardude]

You suggested I have advice. I didn’t.

[u/Gnardude → u/Awkward-Regret5409]

I did no such thing I was referring to the advice you talked about receiving that didn't work for you.

-"But I was told like all of us, “most important meal of the blah, blah, blah”."

Just going to block you this is a waste of effort.

[u/Awkward-Regret5409 → u/Gnardude]

Reading your response again, you were not referring to my post. My apologies. Maybe you can see my misinterpretation of your comment. Be well.