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MyFitnessPal Community

Intermittent fasting support.

babyblueskie

Hey everyone I just started doing intermittent fasting 16/8 and I’ve been doing it for 4 days. It’s not getting any easier and I’ve been waking up everyday with a headache. Would love some friends to talk to through this. Please add me so we can be support. I’m 31 married with a daughter. Looking for friends.

Replies

kommodevaran

Not eating for 16 hours shouldn't have that effect. Are you eating way less than 5 days ago?

babyblueskie

I am because I just don’t find myself extremely hungry in the 8 hours that I get to eat

kommodevaran

The headache is a hunger signal.

try2again

The point of using IF is to make it easier to meet your goals, not harder. If you can't eat an adequate number of calories in 8 hours, then I would say that split is not for you.

AnvilHead

try2again wrote: »

The point of using IF is to make it easier to meet your goals, not harder. If you can't eat an adequate number of calories in 8 hours, then I would say that split is not for you.

^ Exactly. There's no magic to intermittent fasting, other than the fact that it helps some people stick to their calorie goals by limiting the hours they eat. If it's not helping you with dietary satisfaction or reaching/sticking to your calorie goals, there's absolutely no reason to stick to it. Weight loss comes down to how many calories you eat, not what time of the day you eat them.

swebb4209

I am also doing intermittent fasting! The first few weeks are the hardest! Every now and then I eat something mindlessly, but it has helped tremendously with maintaining caloric intake. Add me!

babyblueskie

I am losing a half pound or more everyday. I got to 900 calories yesterday because I forced myself to eat before 8. I was only eating 500 in that 8 hours. But I feel if I have like the whole day and just count calories that I go over board so that’s why I wanted the more stricter “eat now don’t eat now” plan.

babyblueskie

swebb4209 wrote: »

I am also doing intermittent fasting! The first few weeks are the hardest! Every now and then I eat something mindlessly, but it has helped tremendously with maintaining caloric intake. Add me!

I don’t know how to add you from the thread? Maybe send me a request?

starfighter65

Maybe drink more water .

kommodevaran

babyblueskie wrote: »

I am losing a half pound or more everyday. I got to 900 calories yesterday because I forced myself to eat before 8. I was only eating 500 in that 8 hours. But I feel if I have like the whole day and just count calories that I go over board so that’s why I wanted the more stricter “eat now don’t eat now” plan.

There's no reason why you can't have planned meals AND not eat too much AND not eat too little.

try2again

babyblueskie wrote: »

I am losing a half pound or more everyday. I got to 900 calories yesterday because I forced myself to eat before 8. I was only eating 500 in that 8 hours. But I feel if I have like the whole day and just count calories that I go over board so that’s why I wanted the more stricter “eat now don’t eat now” plan.

I think some of this is just the new dieter's high we often see... so excited at the loss, a person feels like they just can't bring themselves to eat *all* those calories (and why would they wan't to, right?) That flush of excitement usually passes in very short order, and the sooner the better, because massively under eating the way you are is a disaster for your body.

I have basically fallen into a 16/8 plan, because I discovered I tend not to get hungry until I start eating for the day (except for coffee & creamer). I usually have a decent lunch, 3-400 calories in midday snacks, and a large dinner. If you are waking up with a headache, why not try a few hundred calories as an evening snack (the IF police don't come and arrest you for eating outside of your window)? Otherwise, maybe you should start really liking peanut butter & avacados

MrZinggeler1970

I adopted the practice of intermittent fasting some years ago, and my routine is fairly strict. My split is 4/20; my window is split into two 2-hour blocks (morning & evening). When I first started I suffered from multiple issues connected to the diet: headaches, sleeplessness, etc. What I found is that not only was my calorie count too low (by volume), my nutrient intake was not properly balanced (my nutritional needs were not being met). It took about six months and a great deal of research & suffering on my part to find the "sweet spot". The path along which I traveled included monthly blood tests, meetings with a nutritionist, advice & analysis from multiple healthcare pros, et. al.

Now the you have an idea of my background, my advice is this . . .

If you are looking to loose weight, I suggest that you consult your doctor and discuss your goals. Intermittent Fasting may not be the right diet for you or the best way to meet your goals. If your building a healthy lifestyle which combines Intermittent Fasting with fitness goals, lifestyle goals, etc., then workout your immediate, short-term, & long-term goals, meet with your doctor to discuss them, do research on your own, and make the most of the medical, health, and fitness industries. The roads can be long and winding. But if you educate yourself, seek the help of pros, and have a lot of determination I am sure that you can accomplish whatever you might set out to do.

Diatonic12

IF has evolved into simply skipping meals every single day. Eating all the things during your eating window. Intermittent originally meant every few days or so. 'Intermittent' does not mean consistently doing the same thing over and over but that's the evolution of it.
Calling something you do consistently, intermittent, is a total disconnect for the brain.

Circadian rhythms matter. There's absolutely no miracle cure for weight loss eating all the things later in the afternoon and through the evening. There are two dips with your circadian rhythm metabolic hormones - one at 3 pm in the afternoon and 3 am while you're sleeping. Leptin and Ghrelin. Many say they've found the sweet spot and secret sauce for weight loss by eating all the things later in the day. I don't believe it.

lcarrollccc1

I just started IF a few weeks ago and haven't had the issues of headache, irritability, etc. I've been taking magnesium and potassium supplements and drinking a little bone broth during my fast in addition to water with lemon. I am alternating 24 hour fasts (one meal at dinner) with 18 hour fasts (2 meals including lunch and dinner). I do 24 hour fasts on Mon, Wed, Fri and 18 hours the other days. I have lost 11 pounds in 3 weeks. I agree with the response above about ensuring you are meeting you nutritional requirements. I have bouts of being hungry all day vs. not being hungry at all during a fast. It may have to do with hormone levels (especially in women). Definitely read Dr. Fung's book The Complete Guide to Fasting. Very helpful and informative.

Diatonic12

On a personal note, my college roommate did a test. This is before Keto and IF. Her employer was an ortho-surgeon, he encouraged her to switch it all up. Stop the late night eating altogether and eat all the things starting around 7 am and stop at 3 pm. She ate a large breakfast, whatever she wanted. Bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast, coffee. A large lunch. Club sandwiches, enormous seafood salads with bleu cheese dressing, chicken salad, tuna salad, roast beef, everything. Nothing after 3 pm but water and low caffeine/no sugar drinks. It took her a couple of years but she dropped over a 100 lbs. It's over a decade now with no rebound weight gain. Her maintenance plan is no eating after 3 pm. It took true grit but she was determined not to eat it all back. We went out dancing every friday and saturday night. That was our HIIT for the week. It was interval but fun.

TeaBea

babyblueskie wrote: »

I am losing a half pound or more everyday. I got to 900 calories yesterday because I forced myself to eat before 8. I was only eating 500 in that 8 hours. But I feel if I have like the whole day and just count calories that I go over board so that’s why I wanted the more stricter “eat now don’t eat now” plan.

Eat more.....MFP "defaults" to a low of 1200 calories for women. This is based on nutritional minimums. Hair loss, lean muscle loss (your heart is a muscle) comes from eating too little over extended periods of time.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting

babyblueskie

Ok thanks everyone. I am taking this all in like a sponge. I have done some research myself. I guess I just have to find what hours work well for me I’m having a chat with my doctor about IF on Thursday. She at first thought it was a good idea but we’ll see with all the symptoms I’ve been having.

It’s true for me too once I start eating I usually want to keep on eating because I feel more hungry If it was a normal counting calories and watching what I eat thing. But doing the IF I was actually forcing myself to eat calories because I just wasn’t hungry. So maybe it’s just the time of day. I have no major health issues except the fact that I’m 60 pounds over weight. I don’t have diabetes or asthma or any of the common overweight issues. But that is probably because every 2 years or so I lose it all and then gain it all back over a year.

it’s been a struggle for sure.

try2again

AnvilHead wrote: »

try2again wrote: »

The point of using IF is to make it easier to meet your goals, not harder. If you can't eat an adequate number of calories in 8 hours, then I would say that split is not for you.

^ Exactly. There's no magic to intermittent fasting, other than the fact that it helps some people stick to their calorie goals by limiting the hours they eat. If it's not helping you with dietary satisfaction or reaching/sticking to your calorie goals, there's absolutely no reason to stick to it. Weight loss comes down to how many calories you eat, not what time of the day you eat them.

After some of these comments, I thought this really needed to be repeated.

And OP, I'm sure when your Dr said IF might be a good idea for you, she didn't plan on you only eating 500 calories a day. Eat more whether you're hungry or not. The fact you don't "feel" hungry doesn't mean your body doesn't need food.

kommodevaran

babyblueskie wrote: »

Ok thanks everyone. I am taking this all in like a sponge. I have done some research myself. I guess I just have to find what hours work well for me I’m having a chat with my doctor about IF on Thursday. She at first thought it was a good idea but we’ll see with all the symptoms I’ve been having.

IF can be a great idea, but you have to do it right. Your nutritional needs don't change with your eating schedule.

It’s true for me too once I start eating I usually want to keep on eating because I feel more hungry If it was a normal counting calories and watching what I eat thing. But doing the IF I was actually forcing myself to eat calories because I just wasn’t hungry. So maybe it’s just the time of day.

What you're describing is appetite, not hunger, and you're willing to react on appetite, but not hunger. This is a completely normal, but not necessarily healthy, mindset and behavior. Appetite - the nagging "must have something" that cravings give you, can feel way more compelling than hunger - as you have experienced, you can even ignore headache. Hunger gives you a rush of adrenaline, and adrenaline is a natural appetite suppressant. At your weight, you're not at the starvation stage yet, where hunger actually trumps appetite. You still have to eat. And you have to stop eating when you've eaten enough. And repeat, every day for the rest of your life. We all have to.

I have no major health issues except the fact that I’m 60 pounds over weight. I don’t have diabetes or asthma or any of the common overweight issues. But that is probably because every 2 years or so I lose it all and then gain it all back over a year.

Yoyo-dieting is said to be more of a concern than being overweight.

it’s been a struggle for sure.

New, real information gives you the opportunity to stop the struggling. It's your choice now.