Hey everyone. I’ve been doing research on intermittent fasting and found a number of articles saying you should decrease fasting hours during the days before your period (suggestions range from “fast only 13 hours for the two weeks before your period” to “Don’t fast at all for the 10 days before”).
I’ve only been IFing since March 1st (started at 14:10 and now I usually do 15:9). I don’t really feel like breaking my fast earlier than usual but wondering if I should based on this research.
What do you guys do?
I usually go by how I feel. Sometimes I’m good fasting my normal schedule and sometimes I get huge cravings and need to break it early. I just give myself a lot of grace during that week before. I also try not to weigh myself much during that time because I tend to hold more water weight and it can be mentally annoying.
I’ve only had repercussions when I’ve been extended fasting leading up to my period. I do get PMS cravings, and find I’m happier if I integrate some of the cravings into an IF window. I’ve read that eating a couple of dates can be sufficient, but that’s not satisfying for me 😆
I kept my 18:6 schedule and it has prooven to be better for me than reducing fasting window. That will only make it easier to give in for temptations, but then again everyone has a different way and maybe what works for me doesnt for others! Experiment and try, you will find the best formula for you!