So I have been attempting all week to break the 24 hr mark and get the ball rolling on an extended fast. My only hang up is in the middle of the night, I have a habit of shooting straight to the kitchen and eating whatever is ready. This past week it has been grapes and 2-3 protein bars. I can’t get over this habit and feel stuck.
Any and all advice is much appreciated!
Why are you fasting? What is your goal? Whenever you get up in the middle of the night to eat, start rattling those ideas in your head, then include this one: The absolute worst time of day to eat is the middle of the night, even if you aren’t on any program.
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You got this, keep trying.
Night time is the worst for me too. I’ve given up on numerous fasts with a late night “snack” (really a meal). Lately, I’ve been staying on track by visualizing fat loss (literally holding sticks of butter in my hand to see and feel how much I’ve lost or will lose if I hold out through the night), reading/watching fasting success stories, filling up on liquids like coffee/tea/water, and finally just contemplating how crappy I’ll feel if I do break my fast versus how much better I’ll feel if I pull through.
Best of luck!
Sounds like you are fighting a habit more than hunger. Those can be worst than hunger.
Honestly you should cold turkey that sucker and work on your sleeping. Caffeine and similar stimulants may be a factor.
I suggest you get some psyllium husk (or other source of fiber) and have an amount of fiber before bed. This won’t add many calories, but will help fill you up. It’s a kind of cheat, but I think it will work.
try starting your fast after dinner, that way you’re still full for the night.
you could also make the snacks harder to get to. like putting them in the garage or attic. even just putting a tea towel over your snacks could break the habit
Have affirmations in any triggering space! “I am fasting because…….” Or “I am allowing my body to heal” or whatever your WHY is. Write it down and put it where you keep food to remind yourself your purpose or goal for doing this! It’s not just to lose weight, there’s stuff that comes with it that you want too.
If it’s a habit, you can alter the habit loop. There’s a cue that triggers the habit routine of going into the kitchen and consuming food. You have options where if you know the cue that starts the habit loop, you can try avoiding or removing the cue. Alternately, you can change the habit routine, so when the cue happens instead of going into the kitchen for food you could, for example, go outside for a walk. This option is the adage of the best way of getting rid of a habit is to replace it with another.
Honestly, if that’s all that you are eating, just go ahead with it.
The best fast is the one you can continue. Embrace the OMAD, count your calories, and keep at it for a couple of weeks. Then try a 36 or 48 again.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good!
a) are you eating a big enough meal before starting your fast? Make sure you fill up and get lots of nutrients so your body doesn’t just flood your brain with signals because you have some vital nutrient missing. Alnd electrolytes too!
b) Can you go for a week with no ‘ready to go’ food in the house? I know you have kids, but for a week if the house is full of meats that need cooking/dried pasta/ raw veggies like cauliflower, you’ll create a huge amount of friction between your craving/cue and the ‘reward’ it wants you to get and the likelihood that you’ll cook yourself food at that time is very small. Then once you’ve spent some time getting used to fasting for that length of time you can put the food back knowing you’ve broken through this issue. As I said I know you have kids which makes things tricky, but if their fruit/snack bars etc were to live in the trunk of your car (or under their own bed without their knowlegde?) for a couple of days it isn’t going to massively disrupt them.