Intermittent Fasting and Quitting Instagram -2

Just like any other addiction it was not easy to quit.

Instagram gave me this illusion of happiness and a sense of belonging like nothing had in the last few years. This just meant it was harder for me to do what I had set out to do, which is quit it.

I began to make a list of why I was there in the first place and what sort of app I need to get through alive in this world full of beautiful technology traps.

Here it is:

  1. Take pictures
  2. Share art
  3. Engage with people
  4. Discover art and pictures
  5. Discover people — learn about their hobbies
  6. Discover different parts of the world through this visual medium
  7. Share a part of myself
  8. Read or find what to read!

I got all of this on Instagram. Where was I going to find something equivalent to this? Nowhere.

I remembered downloading VSCO at the same time as I had Instagram, around 2015 or 2016. And a few months ago there was this app that made a little noise called Vero.

What I noticed about Vero:

  1. That I had a lot of control on content and audience. I get to decide who gets to see what. While this meant that I don’t have to worry about censoring content for my audience this meant sorting content. This I realised led to more politics and people segregation in my life. And in turn me in their life.
    This might mean I might have someone in my close friend list and they might have me in their acquaintance list. Which meant more anxiety for me.
  2. Vero was a speedy no for me because of the fear of making lists. It is an app for a person who loved sorting, making lists and showing people how to make beautiful lists. A planner or rather a person perceived as a planner.

VSCO on the other hand:

  1. Had amazing filters
  2. Editing tools and camera
  3. BEST NEWS EVER: No likes! You can favourite(or like) someone’s picture but the popularity of that picture or of that person is not on display! This point hit directly with my politics of media sharing and socializing on the web. It was sort of like, you know you are alone so be alone and be awesome! Whereas instagram was more for people who want to be alone but they are in denial of that. I don’t want to be alone either but at least VSCO was clear about this and did not paint me an illusive grid.

Other things through the week:

  1. I begin to miss my friends and their stories a lot
  2. I begin to miss my crush and my ex
  3. I also noticed a huge drop in my picture taking. I was still taking pictures and recording videos but I sometimes miss the best parts or stopped noticing my day. I loved noticing the details of my day and now I had stopped.
  4. I missed scrolling through people’s posts and write ups and even their corny quotes and shady poems.
  5. And of course the ton of art I follow on it.

Okay enough, how is your fasting going?

Well this week I felt most hungry in the middle of the week. And I also missed my deadline for eating which is 9pm and had to eat dinner at 10pm on one day. I also noticed a whole other bunch of things I am probably doing wrong:

  1. Taking milk with my coffee
  2. Oily snacks
  3. Not eating enough fruits and vegetables
  4. Still eating lots of carbs
  5. My need for water has dropped on its own I now drink more water in the eating window than the fasting window. This is not anything I read anywhere, my body has made this shift on its own. I think it might because of two things, one, not the best sanitation facility at work and the temperature is so low that I am not very thirsty.
  6. Over the weekend I found it harder to restrain myself from eating till 12. I started to eat by 11.45 am. And continued to eat till around 9.40pm. I took long naps in the afternoon which is unlike me and my back pain which had receded over the months was suddenly back.

What are people around me saying?

Sometimes people do not take your goal seriously especially if they know you love food and eating it. So I have learnt to politely explain to them why I am doing what I am doing.

And then there are some who only like to point out how stupid you are for doing this without saying it so bluntly. For eg: Oh hey one of my friends tried this and you know it didn’t work really well, she thought it was a waste of time.

Some others, also interfere into your fasting to share their view of why it wouldn’t benefit them. For eg: You know I would take up this diet too but I just am weary about taking up new diets like this because who knows what sort of effect it will have on my body.

Me: Just Shut up.

Supportive people are hard to come by. So make sure you hold on to them or show them your appreciation. And I urge more people to be supportive.

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