I get lightheaded sometimes when I don’t eat for sometime. It’s just 12 hours fast.
First, make sure you’re still drinking plenty of water during your fast. Start with a shorter “no food” time frame and gradually extend it. If you’re still feeling dizzy, check your blood sugar. It may be too low.
Honestly I’ve been doing OMAD so I’m pretty flexible… typically I just eat dinner, if I’m having an off-day where I’m crabby I’ll just have a light snack in the afternoon, like fruit/cereal/oatmeal and a protein like cheese or yogurt.
I’ve been very flexible with myself over the years and for me that’s been the key to success.
Everyone is different but if I couldn’t adjust I would never be able to stick with it longterm.
If you make sure you are getting in sufficient HEALTHY calories during your eating window it will make your fast much easier. I use the Lifesum app to help me keep my macros in balance and ensure I’m getting the right calories. It makes it so easy.
Eat. It’s not the end of the world you broke your fast early. It could be the end of your world if you are dizzy and doing something that could be dangerous like driving a vehicle or something. Just eat and try again the next day.
I think I have some water or electrolytes at least. But, I learned a trick when I was doing this type of yoga called Dahn Yoga. I may have learned it earlier with my other yoga training, but I link it to that style. If I sit up too quickly (in the daily life), or there is some light-headed/faintness in general, I flex my upper abs and gradually flex my abs down to my lower abs. I continue this flexion to my pelvic floor/sacrum as well. Then, I hold my lower abs in a flexed way until I keep my focus on that part of my body for a second or two. I do this until I don’t feel faint or lightheaded. It helps me focus on some part of my body other than the sensation of feeling lightheaded, and then I stop feeling that way. Also, in the power yoga I used to do with Rodney Yee, he emphasized the flexion/connection with the sacrum while doing downward dog. It really impacted me. So, I have focused on that connection in this behavior as well. I’m not sure why this works. It is literally only a 1.5-3second flexion, but then one can focus after the flexion and recalibrate their minds to avoid lightheadedness. I did a lot of yoga growing up (starting age 15), and it helps me center for some reason. But, if you are lightheaded for some other physiological reason, ie specifically with electrolyte depletion during fasting, then that is a primary thing to fix. Take care! Hope it helps!
I’ll make electrolyte juice which has salt and lemon in it (not enough to break a fast for me but enough to help me last longer). This is the recipe I follow!
Calorie free electrolytes! You still need your potassium, magnesium (glycinate), sodium chloride, zinc and calcium. Look up your daily requirements and take them throughout the day. Cells cannot function or burn fat effectively without electrolytes! I also use Hi Lyte.
For a super quick fix throw a pinch of salt into a glass of water, adding fresh lemon juice also helps. However you need more than just sodium chloride. Juice of a lemon is 12 calories and won’t break your fast.
I usually drink a cold glass of water with some lemon and Himalayan salt, if I still feel terrible after I just eat. A lot of people are just going to tell you to eat but that’s not always necessary, it depends on the individual.
normal people: while IF is a very helpful way for people to manage their weight and calorie intake if done in moderation, perhaps fasting until you literally can’t stand up straight isn’t a good thing for you to do.
IF extremists: REE YOU’RE JUST NOT DOING IT RIGHT