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Writer is an intermittent fasting fan

Dear Annie: I have discovered something that your readers might find helpful, and if you agree, I hope that you will print my letter.

For the past 20 years, I have wanted to lose the same 10 pounds. In fact, I have lost them dozens of times and then regained them after going off whatever diet I tried. And I have tried them all!

Low fat and high carbohydrate works well, as does high fat and low carbohydrate. The problem with either diet is that I find myself missing too many different foods and eventually go off it. When I was following a low-fat diet, I craved hamburgers and fries all the time. When I was eating a low-carb diet, I instead craved ice cream and cookies.

I exercise a lot to maintain my fitness and am in good shape overall, but, as I say, I have struggled with those extra 10 pounds for many years.

Finally, I found a solution that I find easy to live with and really works. My daughter told me about it; I tried it and did not feel uncomfortable at all, and gradually seven of those 10 pounds have come off. I wanted to share this with your readers. The “diet” is called intermittent fasting.

As a practical matter, what this means for me is that I do all my eating during an eight-hour time period and then don’t eat again for the next 16 hours. I eat whatever I used to eat — no limitations at all — and as long as I do all my eating in eight hours, I keep losing weight. If I feel like a hamburger and fries, I eat them. If I want ice cream and cookies, same thing. But I try to practice moderation and not go overboard the way I used to when I would come off a starvation diet.

Most days, I eat my breakfast at 11 a.m. and make sure to finish dinner before 7 p.m. But if I have to have an earlier breakfast, then I eat an earlier dinner, and if I start eating later in the day, then I might eat dinner a little later.

I don’t know why this works, but it really does, and I feel much better without those handful of pounds on my body. I love your column and wanted to share my experiences with your readers. — Eating and Satisfied

Dear Eating and Satisfied: It sounds like you have found a meal plan that really works for you. My guess is that you are consuming fewer calories during each 24-hour period. I am printing your letter in order to share your success with others.

As always, however, my advice to all readers is that before trying a new meal plan, be sure to check with your physician to make sure it is right for you. Thank you for your kind words! Keep up the good work.

Editor’s note: “Ask Me Anything: A Year of Advice From Dear Annie” is out now! Annie Lane’s debut book — featuring favorite columns on love, friendship, family and etiquette — is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

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