Why It Backfires

Most IF disappointments are not the method failing — they are simple mistakes.

The biggest one is treating the eating window like a free pass and eating more than you burn. Skip 16 hours, then eat two days' worth of food, and you gain weight. The fast is not magic; the calorie math still rules.

The other trap is forcing it when your body fights back. Feeling shaky, foggy, or obsessed with the clock is a signal to ease off, not push harder.