Intermittent Fasting Question!

bekah818
bekah818 Posts: 179 Member
edited November 18 in Food and Nutrition
I just started IF (I'm on day two), and I'm fasting 16/8. I get that I could eat as much as I need to during the 8 hour window as long as it falls into my calorie goal for the day. However I find that I am starving by 12pm which is when I break my fast, and after eating, I feel like the food just sits there long after I ate.

I haven't been eating anything crazy. For instance today I broke fast at 12pm and I had a large Kale Salad with grilled chicken breast and low fat dressing (it was so good, lol). I ate it all, and now 3 hours later I'm still very full! Is this normal? I would love to hear from people who has done IF or is currently doing IF and what it was like when you first started.

Also, my diary is public, if you want to peak at what I've eaten for the last two days since I started IF.





Replies

  • oldyogi66
    oldyogi66 Posts: 45 Member
    I had a similar experience when I first started. I've been following the same plan for just over 2 months now and don't have those issues. Also at first I had a difficult eating all my calories during my eating window. But I really like it now that I've gotten use to it.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    You're on Day 2. Your brain is sending you signals saying "Hey! We usually have breakfast at 8am, what gives!?!"

    Give it a couple weeks for your body to adjust to a new schedule. I've been doing IF for about a year and I start getting a little hungry around 11am. I used to feel starving by 9am if I didn't have breakfast. Just give it time.

    As for feeling full... have a smaller lunch? It's up to you how you divide up your calories. I personally like a 600cal lunch and a 800cal dinner. If you want to have a bunch of 300cal meals between noon and 8pm, that's fine too.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    In my opinion, IF is just one of many approaches for reducing calorie intake. It isn't any better than any other way and may not work for everybody.

    I find that doing it every once in a while helps me to learn self control. If I have a big meal one night, I'll skip breakfast the next day and still eat a normal lunch, snack, and dinner.

    Also, when I go into deficit (meaning, I've once again gotten too heavy and I decide to go back on a diet), I begin with a lot of hunger. You basically have to tough it out for a week or so before it subsides.

    The only thing I have found that consistently reduces hunger is vigorous cardio. Many times a week, I go do cardio before lunch, right at noon. I'm always hungry when I go, but as soon as I get started, it goes away, and it takes a while to come back afterward.

    Best wishes on your success!
  • bekah818
    bekah818 Posts: 179 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    You're on Day 2. Your brain is sending you signals saying "Hey! We usually have breakfast at 8am, what gives!?!"

    Give it a couple weeks for your body to adjust to a new schedule. I've been doing IF for about a year and I start getting a little hungry around 11am. I used to feel starving by 9am if I didn't have breakfast. Just give it time.

    As for feeling full... have a smaller lunch? It's up to you how you divide up your calories. I personally like a 600cal lunch and a 800cal dinner. If you want to have a bunch of 300cal meals between noon and 8pm, that's fine too.

    You're definitely right! I will try to eat smaller. But I am ridiculoulsy hungry by the time I break fast that I think I have the capacity to eat much more than I normally would. But the last two days, I've kept my first meals around 500-600 calories. I feel like when I wait to long to eat this is what happens... I guess i just have to get use to it!
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