Jun 16, 20215 min read

How Megan Lost 13 Pounds AND Boosted Her Mental Health With Intermittent Fasting!

Taking time for yourself to address your health and wellness can, unfortunately, feel selfish. When there are family obligations, work demands and friends to be there for, prioritizing YOURSELF seems like an unnecessary luxury. However, as the old saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup. AENpeep, Megan explains her experience of taking time for herself and her health and just how revolutionary it can be.

"Putting effort into caring for MYSELF instead of just those around me is a BIG deal for me. I suffer in silence, sacrifice all sorts of things for other people, and NEVER put myself first... And this program really helps me to feel like I'm doing just that-taking care of myself like I deserve."

If you've been feeling like you don't have time to truly take care of yourself, Megan's story will inspire you to begin your wellness journey!

Tell us about yourself!

I'm a 34 year old that's struggled with weight fluctuations my whole life. Slowly gaining weight in a relationship. Slowly gaining weight with life stressors. Slowly gaining weight from a hectic life. MASSIVELY eating my feelings. Finally deciding to do something about it, eating slightly better and exercising. Getting back to where I wanted to be weight wise and health wise..... Repeat the process. Well it's happened again after about 3 years of serious health complications that my partner has gone through and the toll it's taken on me (and my emotional eating).

This program really helped me to put time and effort into my own health, and show me that you really don't need to spend hours and hours cooking each day just to eat healthy (sure, some meals take longer, some days I'm slower at food prep, but overall I have time in the day even when I don't feel like I do!). I've so enjoyed putting good for me foods into my body! I'd fallen into the cycle of quick, easy meals (read: PROCESSED foods), and it's really nice to be nurturing my body and state of mind with whole foods.

Which of the Intermittent Fasting Programs were you following?

I followed the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Challenge. It's the second time I've done it. The first time I was BLOWN AWAY. Admittedly I didn't really exercise much the first time, just changed my eating styles, but I lost I think 13 pounds?!?! WHAT!?

This time around I haven't seen that kind of weight loss (which I'm surprisingly please by) because I had maintained a generally healthier lifestyle between the last time I took the challenge and now--not as much water weight to lose. But I've incorporated a workout plan this go around and just feel great.

Did you have any hesitations before starting?

My biggest worries before starting were things like "will I have time for this food prep? will I be able to stick to it?" Turns out I do and I did! Some nights I've run out of leftovers and have to cook something fresh when I REALLY just want to be a couch potato--but I've proved to myself that I can still do it!

What's the biggest "wellness win" you've experienced with the Intermittent Fasting Programs?

I'm pleased with the physical health benefits I've seen (looking slimmer and more fit, a lower number on the scale) but I think the MENTAL HEALTH side is the biggest win to me! Putting effort into caring for MYSELF instead of just those around me is a BIG deal for me. I suffer in silence, sacrifice all sorts of things for other people, and NEVER put myself first. I did that, and I DO that when I do the IF challenges. It's really (and STRANGELY) hard for me to do things for myself, ask for help (from others or myself), and feel like I'm worth taking care of. I am. And this program really helps me to feel like I'm doing just that-taking care of myself like I deserve.

How did you find out about Autumn Elle Nutrition?

...I'd done intermittent fasting before--though not with caring what went in to my body during my eating window. So I was (somehow) shocked to find that it MATTERED how you fed yourself during your eating window, haha!! (who would have thought?) So I jumped aboard with the hope of "sort of" following the plan, but I actually really went for it and think it was a great investment.

What was your favorite meal in the Intermittent Fasting Programs?

It's a tough one.. I'm vegetarian so made modifications when meat was in a recipe, but I was a BIG FAN of the Pumpkin Chili Goodness!

Did you have a nutrition nerd moment?

I'm a CRAZY sugar addict! It's my comfort food - ice cream, candy, chocolate... - and I always say I'm going to stop, then travel for work and pick up a candy at the gas station and then, hey, why not?....next trip to the grocery, get a little goodie and it just avalanches from there. I don't want to eat it, but I crave it and reach for it CONSTANTLY. And I'm embarrassed by my sugar consumption and the harm I WILLFULLY do to my body with it!!

But that wouldn't get me to stop...it'd just make me buy treats then hide them among pillows on the couch so I could reach in and take a little piece without anyone but me noticing. NOT GOOD.

So starting the IF challenge--COLD TURKEY on added sugars... boy oh boy. But I DID IT! I never thought I could. I was pretty cranky for about the first 3 days without my "fix," but now... I only crave it in my head, mostly due to seeing things in ads or watching baking shows. I'm not dependent on it! Some meals were harder than others without a sweetener, like the yogurt parfait. Greek yogurt can be TART! Pair that with a tart blueberry and my face puckered! Normally I'd put a healthy helping of honey on my yogurt. But now... the sweetness of a strawberry in yogurt or a blueberry with a pancake... it's plenty for the satisfying sweet I usually expect with a food like that.

I'm so pleased with myself for discovering I DO have it within myself to turn away the candy I relied on. I even started the journey with my allowed dark chocolate each night (which--I don't even really enjoy dark chocolate?! I just NEEDED my candy!) and after a week and a half of having that, I no longer even need that "sweet treat" after my final meal of the day. What a relief!