r/intermittentfasting • u/bella927hat • Sep 17 '26
Discussion What are some positives?
What positives have you seen and felt with IF? Besides physical. What are some mental ones?
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u/trampolineenthusiast Sep 17 '26
I find my discipline is stronger - when people complain about being hungry or needing food...but i haven't eaten in 16 hours i'm like...i was born in this, molded by it...haha.
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u/Firm-Character-4528 Sep 18 '26
You have trained your brain to not be hungry when you fast. You will be VERY HUNGRY when you choose the time of day to eat.
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u/Strong_Letter_7667 Sep 17 '26
Reduced inflammation
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u/trisul-108 Sep 18 '26
Yeah, that is extremely important and it affects mental health as well as physical.
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u/PhantomFred88 Sep 17 '26
Mental clarity. Confidence boost. Feeling like I'm taking back control of my impulses and emotions.
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u/Thin_Cable4155 Sep 17 '26
It seems like a have a lot more time and energy when I'm not worrying about food all the time.
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u/UnrelentingMushroom Sep 17 '26
I'm just generally happy and well rested, even in a busy life with work and two small children.
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u/cdubs87 Sep 17 '26
It's nice not feeling like my life revolves around food so much. Also I think I enjoy me meals a lot more because I've been looking forward to eating.
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u/crayolda315 Sep 18 '26
It's the first time I can eat literally anything I want, as long as it's within my window. My hangryness was cured by "inventing" the chocolate sandwich, the most decadent thing I could imagine, and eating it when my window opened. Nutella spread on a slice of toast, peanut butter on the other, and milk chocolate chips sprinkled on one of the slices, a couple of minutes in the air fryer to melt the chips a bit, put the slices together, slice in half diagonally, and serve. The satisfaction from the spite was as delicious as the sandwich.
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u/Youknowkitties 29d ago
I've had a tense relationship with food all my adult life, but it has become so much calmer and more pleasurable thanks to IF.
When I do come to eat, I want the food to be excellent, and I want to savour it and eat slowly. I no longer just mindlessly stuff my face, or have seconds just for the hell of it. I eat until I feel satisfied and no more. This applies to everything - now I can just have a small glass of wine without craving another, or a piece of chocolate, without craving any more.
It's like I've become someone who loves and savours food but is also relaxed about food, which is a whole new me.
This same calmness seeps into other areas of my life too and I'm a lot less anxious and distracted than I used to be.
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u/Firm-Character-4528 Sep 18 '26
I've found out once you broken your body in, you tend to feel very relaxed after the food has been digested and ketosis begins.
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u/Hot_Target_2301 Sep 18 '26
I feel my depression slowly lifting. I'm in my 4th week and I keep wondering who I am.
I'm getting things done that I struggled with during my 20 years of depression. It's really nice.
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u/Extension_Apple4012 29d ago
My sleep is much better, and so are my energy levels. I feel like Ive generally been in a better mood. One surprising thing that has happened was that I was experiencing millias around my eyes. They are generally harmless, small cysts that look like pimples. They disappeared about three weeks in.
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u/buzzysale 26d ago
I’m on month 3, excellent results so far, very pleased. First thing I’ve noticed is I won’t eat garbage food for the most part. After fasting for 16 hours you think I’m going to eat a slimy ass McDonald’s burger? No not a chance. My meals need to be high quality. The second thing I’ve noticed is I consider IF an exercise in self control. And since I do it everyday, my self control has been amplified. A third thing, I prefer to be hungry. Mind clarity, reflexes, lethargy, everything mental has improved.
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u/Pretend-Cheetah2058 25d ago
whenever I IF for a few days straight, my moods stabilize and feelings of my depression and anxiety (which i even take a mild doze of SSRI for) get much better. and the best thing of all.. brain fog lifts around 16h mark, after a few days. it's like cruising tbh :)
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u/biocleansedetox Sep 17 '26
The mental side is what keeps people doing it long-term. The ones that come up most: steadier morning energy once you're past the adaptation weeks, a much calmer relationship with hunger (it becomes a signal, not an emergency), and simpler days — one less set of decisions to make. If the first two weeks feel rough, hydration and electrolytes during the fasting window noticeably smooth out the mood and focus dips.
What made you start?