So often I have heard from people in my life they couldn’t be an intermittent faster for one reason or another. One reason I’ve heard numerous times is missing out on celebrating with loved ones or special occasions – or having to fast on holidays. But I want to offer hope; intermittent fasting lifestyle is flexible and YES you can still celebrate!

Before you lose interest, this post isn’t me telling you you can have fun without food! While celebrating without enjoying a feast is certainly an option, I am the first to agree that it is fun & important to still partake.

Everyday isn’t a special occasion

With most days being ‘normal’ days, we have the ability to maintain regular intermittent fasting window that works well for us. This is whatever combination food, fasting windows & eating windows allows us individually to pursue health and wellness.

When we regularly intermittent fast, we have the ability to switch our normal patterns to accommodate special occasions.

My Daughter’s Birthday

Yesterday my oldest child turned 12! I love celebrating my kids’ birthdays. What better to celebrate?! Nothing in my opinion. In our house the birthday person gets to pick dinner and dessert; whatever they want! Usually this involves indulging in favorites.

What a joy that with Intermittent Fasting I don’t feel guilty today (the day after celebrating).

First off, our day started with birthday donuts at Sweetwater’s Donut Mill. They offer birthday individuals a bogo deal (buy a half dozen, get one free) so we always pick up donuts on birthdays! I hadn’t reached my 18 hour minimum fast when we first picked them up, but when I did I enjoyed a donut.

Once my window opened at 18.5 hours, I was happy to leave my window open the rest of the day. I allowed myself to be flexible and have a longer than usual eating window (though I don’t set limits, I average 21.5 hours fasted and 2.5 hour eating window daily). In the end, my eating window was just over 6 hours.

The day continued with an iced coffee (with flavorings) while taking 3 tweens to the mall, sharing a mall pretzel, dinner at Red Robin and finally dessert at home.

Birthday Pie! Apple and Coconut Cream (I picked coconut cream!!)

Incredible Freedom

I didn’t feel the need to diet or to shame myself for my food choices. I enjoyed Mila’s picks for the day and was able to celebrate her without the cloud of decision fatigue weighing on my shoulders.

In the past I would have probably still indulged but second guessed every single decision. And if you’re familiar with dieting you know the thinking of your upcoming or already made food choices is really exhausting!

I will forever love the mental freedom intermittent fasting gives me!

Even if I didn’t get a full 18 hour fast in before her birthday, I could have enjoyed all the birthday goodies and resumed my normal fasting schedule afterwards. Having an intermittent fasting lifestyle allows flexibility! I look forward to many more blogposts on this in the future.

So to answer the question, NO – celebrations don’t end for intermittent fasters! In fact, they’re sweeter because I no longer live in a constant state of dieting decision fatigue. I love fasting on holidays!

I’d love to see in the comments how you love to fast on holidays.

So let’s celebrate and fast on together! Thank you for reading!!