I’m a year postpartum & I wanted to try intermittent fasting to gain control of my health as I’ve been dealing with autoimmune flares since giving birth. I don’t know if this is related to the fact I had gestational diabetes but I feel very sensitive now to blood sugar fluctuations although I do not have diabetes. In the morning if I don’t eat as soon as I wake up I start retching & feel like I could faint & eating is the only thing that resolves this. I have yet to actually make it to 12pm without eating. Has anyone dealt with this & was able to overcome it? Any advice? I’ve been trying to follow the 16/8 schedule.
Its definitely connected to your gestational diabetes (and quite possibly— pre diabetic)… you might want to consider doing the Ketogenic diet for a few months before intermittent fasting.It will help stabilize your blood sugars so you won’t feel sick every time you don’t eat.
Likely, no one on this forum is an actual, trained physician. If I were you, I would consult your physician. Talk through your current medical history and confirm with them it is safe for you to practice fasting. I think it’s important to listen to what your body is telling you. There is no “right answer” for everyone. So, maybe the 16:8 protocol isn’t for you or isn’t for you right now. And that is okay.
I’m a big fan of The Fasting Method. These are actual physicians. Here’s what they say about nausea during a fast:
“If you feel even the slightest bit nauseous during a fast, you should end your fast immediately. Nausea usually occurs because you’ve become too dehydrated. Either your electrolytes have become too depleted or the concentration of ketone bodies (fuel source produced by burning fat) in your blood has become too high.”
Their blog is fantastic and I highly recommend their podcast. They have lots of content specific to woman and people who menstruator.
Is it possible for you to start your 8 hours when you wake up and then start fasting in the afternoon? (In other words, skip dinner rather than skipping breakfast?) Otherwise I’d suggest you talk to a doctor before proceeding - vomiting the first thing every morning unless you get food doesn’t sound normal.
Eat in the morning. Clearly your body needs it. Also IF is one tool in weight control, not the only tool. CICO, glycemic index, and other methods might work better for you until you recover from giving birth. Also, talk to your physician if you have one just in case you have an underlying condition affecting your health.
Are you pregnant? Do you have morning sickness? Please take a test before proceeding with any further fasts - even if you think you’re not pregnant.
I’d recommend you book a doctor’s appointment to check your overall health before starting any fasts.
I’m 35f with autoimmune disease (lupus)
I do not deal with those symptoms in the morning, but my advice would be to eat (something nourishing) in the morning if that’s what your body is telling you it needs. Most people have their feeding window in the afternoon/evening because that’s what works for their lifestyle. Dinner with family/friends is often part of that, and it can be difficult to skip if others are eating – but your feeding window doesn’t have to be during this time. Maybe yours is from 7am-3pm, for example.
It’s about finding what works for you.
I can safely say switching to a planet based diet has made the biggest positive impact on my health. I use IF as a tool because of the health benefits as well, but cutting out meat and dairy reduced the inflammation in my body so much, and adding in tons of plant protein and vegetables nourishes the cells. I now only have flares when I’m sick (like a cold or flu, haven’t had covid yet) or I am insanely stressed (for example tye death of a family member sent me into an awful flare a few years ago). I’ve been vegan Goin on 6 years, and more strictly WFPB the last 2.5 years.
Oh, and TONS of water!
I wish you the best in finding a routine that you can stick with :)
Hi there! Since you mention blood sugar issues, I thought I would recommend a book called the Glucose Revolution, by Jessie Inchauspe. She discusses issues that sound similar to what you are describing. Good luck!!
Not everyone can do 16:8 right off the bat. Did you start with 12:12, then work your way up to 14:10, and then stayed there a bit and worked yourself up to 16:8? Or did you just go balls-to-the-wall starting with 16’s?
Have you had your A1c checked? Fasting glucose drawn? Hypoglycemia can impact you even without an official diabetes diagnoses. Are you healthy enough to begin fasting like this?
Your body feels that way because that’s when it’s used to getting food. How long have you been doing IF consistently? It takes 2-3 weeks minimum to break those habits and tolerances your body has been conditioned to. My wife had the same issues initially post pregnancy, but they subsided after a few weeks of strict consistency in terms of time frame.
No do not skip the food u will break your fast with = breakfast. I have mine at 6 at night because I work nights but if I got up early I would have it then but still maintain your 16/18/20 hrs of fasting. It’s not that complicated. Listen to your body