Your self-declared boundaries are only as good as they are enforced.
Which is why it’s good strategy to only declare boundaries that you’re going to enforce completely. Not partially and only when you feel like it… but in an all-of-the-time kind of way.
Because the problem with being partial or mood-dependent is that the same energy seeps into other boundary areas, too. Your being soft with your intermittent fasting boundary, causes you to become soft with your exercise regiment, which trickles into being soft about your cheat days, etc.
…But, that’s also the opportunity.
Because if you can get one boundary completely correct… your other boundaries will start to absorb the same kind of energy too.
You resolve on an intermittent fasting window that’s practical and aligned with your lifestyle; this makes you feel like the kind of person who does what they say and makes you want to show up to your workouts when you say you will; which makes you more likely to stick to your cheat day(s), etc.
It’s a reminder to 1) treat your word as law, 2) be mindful and practical with what words you choose to say as law, and 3) start by getting just one law right—like really and completely right. Use the energy from that to build your others from there.