Hi guys! I’m (19F) pretty new to this subreddit and this is my first post. I started my fasting journey in late July, and from July to September went from around 225lbs to about 180lbs. I’m 5’6.8 and still struggling at 175-180lbs to fast for longer than 24hrs. My longest fast was 80+hrs. Help me!! I want to keep fasting but I’m struggling so badly, I just get hungry and eat something. I have no clue where my discipline and self control have gone!!!
May not be a popular opinion but if your doing your electrolytes and drinking water but your body is still wanting to stop, you’ll still see progress with regular 24 hour fasts. Maybe change your fasting schedule to accommodate this roadblock instead of fighting it to save you frustration? Idk just my take.
If you’ve been fasting that long, you’re probably fat adapted. Eat something really fatty, and maybe a pickle or two. I literally just have a spoonful of butter, or a small amount of straight whipping cream and some kimchi.
Your stomach has something in it, which stops hunger pangs, and then fat, fat turns into ketones which is an appetite suppressant.
Yes this technically would break your fast, but you’re fasting for weight loss, and what really matters there is not eating carbs. A pickle has like 3 calories in it. A whole carb. lol Literally nothing. This will keep you going.
Oh, and stop eating your meals at the same time every day. All you’re doing is training your body to have conditioned responses to wanting food shoved in it. Eat at random times each day. Your stomach won’t be able to produce ghrelin in the response to the expectation of food at certain times of the day. It may take some time for you to get used to it, but after a week or two you’ll notice your hunger has subsided significantly. Makes it WAY easier.
Also.. stop snacking. idk if you are or not, Just saying, that also doesn’t help at all. Makes it worse actually, keeps insulin high and makes it harder for your body to burn fat. Slows weight loss. Just have one meal, or a short 4 hour eating window.
Some people can start fasting and just will their way through the hunger. For others it’s harder. I started doing all of these things I just mentioned here years ago and I went from barely being able to go an evening without food. To now being able to do 14 day fasts without even a shred of willpower. The hunger just doesn’t exist anymore. It’s life changing.
Oh, and chewing gum sometimes helps. Some people say it makes them hungrier, some say it helps sate their hunger because it tricks your brain and stomach into thinking you’re eating something because of the constant swallowing.