I started intermittent fasting about a week ago and was off to a great start with no issues adjusting at all actually, but the last few days have been hell! I can barely stay awake in the morning, I am hungry as hell and generally just can’t focus and it is affecting my work. I am starting to feel like this won’t work out for me if things don’t start to change for the better. I am looking to hear advice on if this is a normal reaction after a week of if and hopefully some tips on dealing with these challenges. Thank you all for any guidance.
I had a similar experience. I really had a hard time with hunger and crankiness for the first three weeks. Then it got a lot easier. I started with 12 hour fasts and have worked my way up to 18 hours. I didn’t know what I was doing at first so I was dirty fasting and having monk fruit sweetener in my coffee and chewing gum, but I learned that those artificial sweeteners made me hungry all damn day. It became so much easier after I switched to sparkling water, tea, and black coffee with a pinch of salt only during my fast periods.
You might want to ease into it, especially if you are young and grew up grazing your way through the day.
Start by eliminating snacks.
When that is easy, begin messing with your meal times.
Remind your lizard brain that constant snacking was not a “thing” until recently. People eating three meals a day without snacks in the 1970s did not starve to death, for example. (They had lower rates of obesity, too… hmmm, perhaps a connection to be made…)
Ease into the fasting. Let your body build up to a bigger window naturally or it’s going to hurt. Also electrolytes! You will feel dizzy and tired without them. You can also do dirty fasting with great results as well. 5 calorie black coffee in the morning or zero calorie sparkling drinks. Try to aim for 2 balanced meals in your window. Make sure you are eating enough during your window. I always start with cooked veggies before my protein and carbs. When your meals are balanced, you won’t find the need to snack so much. Eventually you will find your energy. It will come. Then if you accidentally break a fast you will find that extra food will ruin your new energy.