Hi all. I just started 16:8 IF this week. It’s been really rough and I’m wondering if this is normal? I get extremely hungry and have bad headaches during fasting. I also feel like I can’t concentrate on anything and am just counting the clock until I can eat again. When I finally can eat again, I end up binge eating. For example yesterday when my fast ended at 11 am and I ate a banana and more than half a box of pita chips with hummus and then made a ham and cheese sandwich and had kalamata olives and dill pickles and then more pita chips and then 3 reeses peanut butter cups. Apologies if it sounds gross. My plan had just been the sandwich and banana to break my fast but I just couldn’t stop myself from the other stuff. And after all that I still felt ravenously hungry. I got back to work after lunch and even though I had eaten I still felt like I couldn’t concentrate and was just thinking about food. I literally felt like I wanted to go eat peanut butter out of the jar by the spoonful (luckily I was able to control myself and not do this). I ended up eating more pita chips over the course of the afternoon though. My headache also briefly went away after eating but came back maybe an hour or so later.
Is this normal? Is it some kind of withdraw and will it pass? Am I doing something wrong? How do you deal with the extreme hunger and prevent binge eating?
Be sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout your fast. As for breaking it, I find my first food should have a good amount of fat and protein in it to avoid this situation. If I ate a banana first I’d just wanna house carbs same as you did.
So, you ate a bunch of carbs when you came out of your fast. I’d go for something more satiating — like protein or fats, and preferably something with fiber. The carbs are going to Jack your blood sugar up. And then when it drops you want to eat everything. Kind of like your body trying to find the good feeling after the first beer, over and over.
Also, why not ease into 16:8? Do some 12:12 and the 14:10 etc.
I need to get enough fat (a biggie) and protein with my last meal. I don’t do low carb, but if I have too many, or too much sugar, I’m hungry in the evening, and ravenous (like painful) when I wake up. Took some trial and error, but the fat & protein was the trick for me
It’s only your first week of IF, so it’s not totally uncommon to experience hunger pangs, headaches, and exhaustion. For me it took about 30 to 40 days to get used to my fasting schedule and to actually see noticeable changes. Be patient and take it one day at a time.
As another commenter mention, you should make sure that you stay hydrated. If you’re just starting and still need to get used to drinking plain water, what helped me when I started off is adding a twist of fresh lemon juice or a couple drops of Apple Cider vinegar to my water to add flavor and to stave of hunger (though this is technically a “dirty fast”). Also drink black coffee or unsweetened tea (preferably mint or ginger).
When you break your fast, eat slowly in smaller portions. Make sure that the food you eat is packed with protein and nutrients. Try to to cut back on sugar, salt, and processed foods if you can.
CUT THE SIMPLE CARBS. If you don’t you’re setting yourself up for failure. It will be ridiculously hard and you won’t last. I am on a modified keto diet and that works well for me. IF and healthy diet go hand in hand.
What you eat during your window is as important, if not more, than the fasting part. Your situation sounds like you’re just not eating enough during your eating window, or not eating foods that are truly satiating.
For weight loss, you should have a manageable calorie deficit. Eat foods that are nutrient-rich and calorie dense. Proteins, good fats, vegetables are all good. Try to avoid simple carbs, they’ll just amp up cravings.
Make sure you’re getting plenty of water. As for salts/electrolytes, season your food well and you should be fine.
That binge you describe is a lot of simple carbs and sugar, none of that stuff will keep you feeling full and it definitely won’t be satisfying for more than 20-30 minutes.
Do you fast at night? How about 4 or 5 pm until sometime in the morning. Also cut out the carbs (pita chips), bread, sugar foods. They just simulate your hunger. Make sure you have a significant amount of fat in your last meal of the day.