I am in freakin’ AWE of the power of this way of approaching food.

I am a morbidly obese woman who has probably had a clinical food disorder almost all of my 68 years. But when I fast I am relieved of my food compulsions.

I’ve known that for possibly 30 years. But friends, family and medical professionals pressured me over the years not to fast and to be “sensible” or “moderate” in my approach to food. …only I CAN’T. When Dr. Mosely and the researchers he relied on added the all important *intermittent* factor to fasting it made it sustainable and manageable.

Today I made chocolate truffles for my husband for Valentine’s Day. I was up to my wrists in chocolate. The air was full of the smell of chocolate. I was washing my hands after I rolled each truffle so I wouldn’t accidentally get any trace of chocolate in my mouth. I cut out every individual one. I rolled every single one in cocoa. What I’m saying is I was handling it all and I was *immersed* in this experience for at least an hour. And then I put them in my fridge where they’ve been sitting for 3-4 hours.

In all this time I have NOT BEEN TEMPTED OR TORTURED in the least by not having any of it. All of the 9 weeks or so I’ve been IFing I have baked my husband’s bread and cooked his meals. I am not plagued by any of it. I don’t feel deprived to avoid what isn’t a good idea for me. I *enjoy* the veggies, the proteins and the fatty sauces and dressings that enhance my food and I’m SATISFIED by them.

I have already seen measurable improvements in my life. My cholesterol and blood pressure are down to normal. I no longer take drugs to control them. I’ve been advised by my doctor that I can stop relying on inhaled steroids to control my asthma. I have lost weight. But all that pales in comparison to being LIBERATED from having food run my life!!!

I just have to say it. SHOUT it, actually because it may turn out to be the most profound experience of my life.

It’s not me that’s awesome, Jade. I take no credit at all! What was worth noting is that it wasn’t hard at all!

It’s what this way of eating does to decimate my craving beast that’s remarkable.

Today I’m baking this bread http://yinandyolk.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/chocolate-orange-challah.jpg to take to a friend I’ll be staying with in the Bay area and our Vancouver landlords. It’s such a *pleasure*; to be able to do these things without having them overwhelm me.

How long have you been doing intermittent fasting, Melinda? Have you figured out and eliminated all your trigger foods?

It may be that with a little time and experimenting you’ll be able to bake again too. My trigger foods are grains and sugar. At least those are the major ones. Provided I keep my hands clean so I don’t accidentally ingest any and start the craving mechanisms again, I can handle and smell and enjoy all the experiences other than eating them. And I don’t mind that I’m not eating them.

I hope you can get to this point too. It only took me a few weeks. Anyway, it’s so great because giving up eating turns out to be not so hard but giving up the pleasures of dough and the pride of looking at something and saying “I made that” are too precious to miss!

PS I’ll tell you a secret too: I have other stresses in my life right now. My husband and I just made a big move and the tension just got to me. So one night just before I left I had a brownie. And then another one. I ate 5 (they were only about an inch or an inch and a half square). But then I said “no more” and for the rest of the night I left half a pan of them sitting undisturbed and didn’t even give much thought to going back to them the next day.

When you hit the combination intermittent fasting gets pretty easy because some fundamental change happens from giving our guts some time off for good behavior on a regular basis. I don’t think of my food days as my reward for fasting anymore. I think of my food days as the necessary step to enable my fasting!

” (Cause really if you’re going to eat a brownie why ruin it with guilt.) ”

I’ll say!!!! LOL