Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on the Internet. The following is for informational purposes only. Check with your doctor before you change your diet or exercise plan.
A Simple Plan
The plan that I finally landed on that was simple and effective for me was:
- Intermittent fasting 6 days a week (which started as a 16:8 and eventually morphed into eating one meal a day (OMAD).
- Meals have absolutely no restrictions. I don’t limit carbs, count calories, or do macros.
- I eat what I like, and I eat until I am full.
- Walk 6 miles a day (14,000 Steps on my Casio G-Shock) at a normal pace (about 3 miles per hour on average.)
- Eat whatever I want, however much I want, whenever I want, on Sunday
My Typical Day During Weight Loss Mode (If needed during maintenance)
Monday – Friday (OMAD):
- Wake up
- Weigh and log that number on my Fitbit app on my phone
- Drink coffee with full-fat half and half three times a day during my fasting window
- Walk 6 miles (log 14,000 steps on my Casio G-Shock) by the end of the day*
- Break the fast by eating supper
Saturday (2MAD):
- Wake up.
- Weigh and log that number on my Fitbit app on my phone.
- Eat pancakes and bacon for breakfast.
- Drink coffee with full-fat half and half three times a day during the day.
- Walk 6 miles (log 14,000 steps on my Casio G-Shock) by the end of the day*.
- Eat supper.
Sunday (Cheat day):
- Wake up
- Weigh and log that number on my Fitbit app on my phone
- Eat however much I want, whatever I want, however many times I want
- Walk 6 miles (log 14,000 steps on my Casio G-Shock) by the end of the day
*Note for eating Monday-Saturday: I try to eat just enough so that I’m in a deficit, but one that feels very doable. This means I should feel full after the meal, and that I should feel good and hungry by my meal the next day. If I’m not feeling any hunger, that means I’m not in a deficit. If I start to have migraines or nausea, I take that as a cue that I’m not eating enough, and I will increase my food intake.
My Typical Day During Maintenance Mode
Monday – Saturday
- Wake up
- Weigh and log that number on the weight tracking app on my phone
- Drink coffee with half and half twice a day (I cut my coffee consumption because I feel calmer drinking two as opposed to three. It had nothing to do with trying to cut calories.)
- Walk 6 miles.
- Either break the fast at supper or have two meals a day. I’ve experimented with eating three meals a day, but I don’t really enjoy how I feel, and how much it interrupts my day.
Sunday (Cheat day):
- Wake up
- Weigh and log that number on phone
- Eat however much I want, whatever I want, however many times I want
I’ve written the following books to help you on your weight loss journey:
The Laid Back Guide to Intermittent Fasting. In that book I share the way I practice intermittent fasting, and what my overall journey looked like. (To view all the retailers this book is available at, click this link.)
The Laid Back Guide to Intermittent Fasting Workbook. This workbook is the companion to The Laid Back Guide to Intermittent Fasting. I walk with you on your weight loss journey, from setting your goal weight, all the way to the day you see that magic number on the scale, to what to do to keep it off for the rest of your life in maintenance. The activities in this workbook are based on my lived experience of my 80-pound weight loss journey with intermittent fasting.
Overcoming Weight Loss Obstacles: How to Keep Going When Things Get Difficult. That book goes into more depth about the difficult parts of weight loss, such as facing the fears associated with losing weight, how to handle self-sabotage, and dealing with body image issues.
The Laid Back Guide to Weight Loss Maintenance. This book takes you through the weight loss maintenance journey, step by step.
Ready to get started with Intermittent Fasting? Visit the Start Here Page.
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