It’s Not a Diet, It’s a Way of Life
Zachary & Erika Billings
How we changed our lives one clean fast at a time.
Our names are Zachary and Erika, and we live in New Brunswick, Canada with our four children. We started 2020 knowing that we needed to make a change, but we were unsure of what that was going to be. One thing that we were sure of was that we wanted to lead a healthier lifestyle and set a better example for our children.
Zachary – age 40.
I have been a bit overweight since my teenage years, but I never let it hold me back and I never really worried about it. Over the years, my weight slowly crept up more and in 2019, when I stepped on the scale and saw a number over 300 pounds, I knew I needed to make a change. Around that time, I had started to notice a lot of knee and back pain. My job is physically demanding, and because of the pain I was experiencing, I was finding each day harder and harder.
Stats
- Starting weight: 310lbs/141kgs
- Goal weight: 235lbs/107kgs
- Current weight: 265lbs/120kgs
- Highest weight: 310lbs/141kgs
- Lowest IF weight: 255lbs/116kgs
- Height: 5’11/180cm
Stats
- Starting weight: 223.5lbs/101kgs
- Goal weight: 148.5lbs/67kgs
- Current weight: 153.6lbs/70kgs
- Highest weight: 223.5lbs/101kgs
- Lowest IF weight: 148.6lbs/67kgs
- Height: 5’4/163cm
Erika – age 38.
After many years of struggling with my weight, it reached an all-time high in 2019 and my self-esteem was at an all-time low. Although I did not have any health issues at the time, I had started to experience some health-related anxiety and I had very little energy. I wanted to get control of my weight and my eating habits, as well as feel better, but I knew from past experiences that dieting was not a long-term solution. I wanted to find something that was going to be sustainable.
Discovering intermittent fasting.
In January 2020, we learned of intermittent fasting while searching online for weight-loss options. This led to finding the Delay, Don’t Deny: Intermittent Fasting Support Facebook group. We were amazed by all of the success stories and progress/transformation pictures. It seemed too good to be true – could it really be as easy as only eating within a certain timeframe each day? We learned about the importance of the clean fast, which means only consuming water or carbonated water (unflavored), black coffee and black or green tea during the fast. We felt like this could be the perfect fit for us as we never really liked eating breakfast anyway, and we had always preferred black coffee. On January 10, 2020 – a Friday of all days – we started our very first fast and have not looked back.
Finding control.
Not long after starting our journey, we were so excited by the results we were seeing and by the way we felt, but most of all by the fact that it seemed almost effortless. We were so thankful that by the time Covid lockdowns started in March, we were already into our journey. We did not have any control over what was happening with the pandemic, but for the first time, we had control over our eating habits.Different schedules, same goal.
Although we are on this journey together, our schedules are not always the same. This lifestyle is really all about finding what works for you as an individual. We have learned that One Meal a Day-OMAD (Zachary) and variations of Alternate Day Fasting-ADF and sometimes OMAD (Erika) are what we prefer, however we are flexible with our schedules and change them as needed. While our schedules are not always the same, we have always been able to count on each other for support and encouragement because, after all – we are working toward the same goal of being healthier.
Moderation is key.
We found that our food choices changed quite quickly after we started intermittent fasting. We completely gave up fast food and eating out and now prepare all of our meals ourselves. We try to focus on how food nourishes our bodies and how certain foods make us feel. Intermittent fasting has really taught us how to listen to our bodies. While we do try to eat fairly healthy, we do not restrict anything as restricting makes it feel too much like a diet. Instead, we know that moderation is key.Flexibility, freedom, sustainability, and effectiveness.
By the end of our first year, we had lost a total of 120 pounds combined! We haven’t lost anymore since then, but we are so happy with how we feel and with our progress so far. Although we have not quite reached our goals, the need to lose weight no longer feels urgent like it did at first. We started for the weight loss, but will definitely continue for the health benefits. Overall, we love the flexibility, freedom, sustainability, and effectiveness of this lifestyle. After over two full years, we still look forward to each new fast and we look forward to seeing where this journey takes us.
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Great story!! Susan and myself continue to make healthy choices every day without the worry of what we eat. It is a change in perspective on food choices. For an example, I have not had a french fry in months. It’s quite a transformation. Thank you for the share.