I’ve been doing 16:8 and 18:6 with CICO just fine. During PMS and my period, I switched to 13:11 so I don’t exacerbate the evil hormones in my body. I noticed I get more irritable and sad if I try to force the 18:6, 16:8 during my time of the month.
The biggest benefit fasting has given me is curbing binge eating. My binge eating usually happens after sunset (I’m a calorie werewolf, I guess). Doing 13:11 means I don’t eat from 5pm to 6am. So I’m still benefitting from fasting, not bingeing, without stressing out my body during a precarious time.
I know this won’t be for everyone. I just wanted to offer an alternative to anyone who struggles during this time too!
Personally I just allow myself a cheat day. I get absolutely ravenous a day or so before my period.
That doesn’t mean I order a whole pizza and eat it by myself, but I take a break from OMAD to have breakfast and lunch.
I’ve been IFing for a while, and a couple days, or even up to a week of PMS appetite eating didn’t really make me gain anything. It will, without any doubt, slow down weight loss if you had a target, but only by very little. I’m writing as I finish my bag of sour patch. This is so bad for my teeth lol. But yes, I definitely agree that it’s okay to bend the rule and change around when you are PMSing. That bitch needs to be saddled or you will be so miserable.
Because of the rise of progesterone after day 21 of our cycle we are usually hungrier a week before our periods, so I recently learned that we should extend our fasting window during this time. I can even do OMAD or a 80 hour or more when I start my period but the week before I will change to 20/4 or 18/6 but definitely not OMAD like I usually do. Trying to do OMAD a week before my cycle always left me feeling extra tired & sleepy and most likely to binge eat fast food for like a day or two so now I will not fight it anymore but just prep to eat healthier bigger meals and snacks.
How do you mean exacerbate the evil hormones?
For me, I don’t work with my period. I don’t have the mental/emotional capacity to change my schedule around it.
TBH, I started a 7 day fast and forgot timing, so I started my period on day 2. Rn I’m on day 5 of my fast. 🤷♀️ Only difference I’ve noticed in periods is that they hurt a lot less.