I’ve been doing IF for a few weeks. I’m enjoying it, for the most part. I got over the hunger and actually enjoy the feeling of fasting in the morning.
However, after a long night or day (or multiple) fasting gets so much harder. I’m realizing how much I use food to cope with stress. After a long night I’m so hungry in the morning, or after a stressful day IF is no longer enjoyable and just seems to add to the stress.
Anybody else experience this?
Sure, everyone does. My advice is to deal with the frustration as best you can, and accept any limitations you have at this moment in time. Maybe you need to scale back the fasting by an hour or two, I think that’s fine. Better to build a strong foundation than to set unrealistic goals.
So, i learned years ago that everyone deals with stress differently. Some go for a jog. Some commit adultery. Some work on a hobby. Some go out gambling. Some work in their yard. And others start eating too much food. 😅
So, maybe find a new way to deal with stress. Fwiw, mine appears to be leaving my house and power walking the stress off around the block until it’s gone. I tried lots of different things. That’s the one that works for me.
I’d like to say I’d just find another avenue but I started back to college this year after 20 years away and there have been a couple times where I feel so stressed, I get anxiety, and all I can think about is I just want to eat and not have the added pressure of fasting. In those moments I give myself grace (after breaking down of course, lol), and decide that night won’t be a fasting night. I just remind myself (with the help of my friend who also fasts), that this is a long term plan, it won’t be won in one night and of course it would be better not to, but it isn’t the end of the world if you give yourself a mental break sometimes. After IF for almost a year now I’m handling those stressful moments better and I think part of that is not beating myself up when I caved. My progress is way slower than a lot of people but I’m still on track and have never stuck with something so well for so long.Good luck and don’t be too hard on yourself! I back track a little here and there but overall I’m making progress:)