1st Day doing 16:8 IF not going well

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bossymom15
bossymom15 Posts: 130 Member
in Food and Nutrition
This is my first morning trying IF 16:8. No breakfast just a cup of coffee, by 9:30 my stomach was upset and I was feeling very shaky! Had a few bites of yogurt and that helped. Had a decent lunch at noon but still feeling Shaky. Is this a normal "first day" reaction? Does it get better?

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  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Do you normally eat breakfast?
  • bossymom15
    bossymom15 Posts: 130 Member
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    yes I always eat breakfast...
  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
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    You might want to try easing into 16:8 gently then, maybe start with 12:12 and cut back slowly? Alternatively you could eat breakfast at say 8 then finish eating around 3 in the afternoon if you'd find that easier, it doesn't have to be 12-8, any 8 hour period is fine.
  • bossymom15
    bossymom15 Posts: 130 Member
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    12:12 is pretty much what I do now. I'm not much of a late night snacker. Just wondered if this was normal and it would get better...?
  • caradack1985
    caradack1985 Posts: 254 Member
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    I don't know, I've always naturally ate that way!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    Some people naturally do better with breakfast (or a morning meal), some don't. Don't know if that also means that some do better with fasting for an extended period and some don't, but I'd bet it does. Other people can adapt to either. I prefer breakfast now but went without for long periods of my life and easily can skip breakfast even now (or fast for a day). I'd say you might get used to it and feel fine and you might not, if you are one of those people who just does better with breakfast. I'd probably work up gradually or just keep up with it as is for a week and see if it gets easier. If not, I'd try something else.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I'd give it a few more days but honestly, there's absolutely no reason to go with 16:8. You have to do what works best for you. IF would NEVER work for me because I turn into a hangry monster if I haven't eaten anything by 9.30am too.
  • bossymom15
    bossymom15 Posts: 130 Member
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    I'll give it another day or so. I have to do fasting lab tomorrow anyway so I have no choice. Thanks for the input.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    There is no need to do this fasting plan. Eat according to your usual schedule, just less of it.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,402 MFP Moderator
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    bossymom15 wrote: »
    yes I always eat breakfast...

    I would agree with others and give it a try for a few more days, but I am like you. I love breakfast and have to eat it. I tried 16:8 and it just didn't sit well with me. So I went back to 3 very large meals a day.
  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
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    Don't do it then if it went horrible? It has no benefit to weightloss and can actually cause some eating issues with people
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    edited August 2016
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    If you like breakfast, eat breakfast and a late lunch and skip dinner maybe.
  • memickee
    memickee Posts: 250 Member
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    If you always eat breakfast, then eat! I agree with above posters, you do not have to do it for weightloss. However, if the other fasting benefits appeal to you, start with a longer window and ease into it. I do 18:6 - shorter window. It does take a while to get used to though, so don't kill yourself.

    My eating window starts at 5:00 p.m. because I cannot sleep on an empty stomach; I am not a breakfast person.

    Do what works for you, always.
  • sunfastrose
    sunfastrose Posts: 543 Member
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    What's you reason for trying 16:8?
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
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    IF is just another way of sticking to your calorie allotment, therefore staying in a calorie deficit to lose weight. Meal timing has nothing to do with it, its staying within your calories is why it works.

    Ive never really been a breakfast eater so skipping it was not an issue and prefer to go to bed with a full belly. It may be different for you if you feel the need to eat in the morning.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
    edited August 2016
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    Does 16:8 require you to only eat between noon and 8 pm? I thought, correct me if I'm misunderstanding it, that 16:8 was just the ratio of fasting:eating time. When you actually do your eating is up to you, so if you want to have your 8 hour eating window from 8 am - 4 pm, you could do that. You get your 8 hours of eating and 16 hours of fasting, just in a time frame that works for you.

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