Intermittent fasting

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chelsib17
chelsib17 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

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  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    chelsib17 wrote: »
    Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
    I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

    I don't actually do IF with the specific window, but I have noticed that eating later in the morning is helpful to me. So as far as the hangry thing, what helped me was:
    • Staying busy: I try to schedule tasks prior to the start time so I'm not just sitting there thinking about food.
    • Exercise: Making a plan to exercise after waking up but before eating kept me busy, and the "rule" that I needed to work out before food helped me stay consistent with exercise.
    • Macros: Playing around with my macros really helped a lot over time, because I was eating in a way that helped me feel full. I didn't feel ravenous like I did when my macros were off.
    • Easing the time back: I basically picked a time when I could ostensibly eat (mornings are crazy getting everyone out the door), started there, and pushed the time back gradually until I hit the spot that felt right for me.

    I don't do the eating window cutoff, so I'm likely still eating after you would cutoff and that would probably impact my experience. But some of these tricks may be helpful to you.

    If you click on Groups, there are some IF groups on the site that might have some helpful suggestions about adjusting to an eating window.
  • Mwrarr
    Mwrarr Posts: 27 Member
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    I started with a 12-hour fasting window, and the first few days I just started in the evening when I felt "done" eating for the day. I'm also nursing a 2-month-old baby & have been finding myself standing like a zombie in front of the cupboards/fridge in the dark hours. LOL I never actually felt hangry at all until I tried to do a 16 hr. I've been IF for about 10 days now and I don't notice any weird effects. I leave an open-ended eating window, too. I'm finding that I actually get full/done within about 4-5 hours from my refeed. Additionally, I've lost 7lb in that time.
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,226 Member
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    Welcome @chelsib17 and thanks for asking your question.

    I practice IF and have every single day since last August 31st when my "party" was over and I reported to my own self-imposed boot camp to get back in "fighting shape" weight. Today, I'm 36 lbs. lighter and in a very comfortable position of being at the mid-point of my goal weight range. Up until March 6th, my average fasting period was 16-18 hours, don't know for sure. I have prior experiences actively practicing IF with my first one being during Lent 2009.

    To answer your question, it took me about 3-4 days before I wasn't hungry-feeling. I don't know how this compares to other peoples' experiences but I do tell those who ask to plan for a week. It depends on how busy you are in your life and how much time you have to dwell on your hunger. I think for most of us, hunger is not the best word to describe the feeling. Rather, it's a strong desire to eat formed from many years of habit. I haven't personally experienced real hunger but definitely have many experiences of a strong desire to eat.

    One of the successes, for me, of IF is that is frees up so much time during the day. I'm a business owner and like the no down time that IF gives me during my work day.

    Currently I'm practicing OMAD for Lent 2019 with a 22-hour fasting period and not eating until the sun sets. Today is day 35 and my sources tell me that today the sun sets at 7:38 pm so that's when I'll begin eating today. I give myself a 2-hour feeding window which is more than adequate for me. I'm also abstaining from meat during Lent. None of this I'm doing for weight loss as I had already arrived at my goal weight. So, I've been eating at maintenance but have still lost some weight, depending on when I weigh. I don't recommend OMAD for an IF beginner and even for the IF experienced unless it serves some important purpose.

    It's important to identify why you want IF in your life because there are some drawbacks. If you do, I believe the fasting period you identified in your post is a good one to begin your journey. Hope I've given you something to think about, let me know if you have other questions. Wishing you the best.
  • AustinRuadhain
    AustinRuadhain Posts: 2,592 Member
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    I do something less rigorous right now, and even making sure my fasting window is at around 13 hours has been helpful. I close the kitchen after 7 PM dinner, and aim to eat breakfast 8-9. It actually works well for me to wait on breakfast until I am noticeably hungry. I think eating a high fiber, low glycemic index diet has helped, as "hangry" is not an issue.
    Experiment until you figure out what works well for you! Good luck!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    chelsib17 wrote: »
    Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
    I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

    I would say give it a couple of weeks, if it hasn't resolved by then, either try a different eating window or IF might just not be right for you.

    I started doing IF because I was really not hungry in the AM, I just ate because I thought I was supposed to. Skipping breakfast allowed me to save calories for later in the day, when I did get hungry and needed them!

    At some point last summer, I started waking up hungry. I struggled through it for a little while but it didn't resolve, so I started eating a little something in the morning again. I still need the same calories, they're just spread out different. If at some point I'm not getting hungry again, I'd go back to 16:8 as it was nice to have those couple of hundred extra calories in the PM, but it just isn't worth being hungry and obsessing over just getting to lunch time so I can eat every day :lol:

    I still find it's best for me to "close the kitchen" at a certain hour at night, because I'm a sucker for late night, too tired to think clearly snacking.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    chelsib17 wrote: »
    Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
    I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

    I would say give it a couple of weeks, if it hasn't resolved by then, either try a different eating window or IF might just not be right for you.

    I started doing IF because I was really not hungry in the AM, I just ate because I thought I was supposed to. Skipping breakfast allowed me to save calories for later in the day, when I did get hungry and needed them!

    At some point last summer, I started waking up hungry. I struggled through it for a little while but it didn't resolve, so I started eating a little something in the morning again. I still need the same calories, they're just spread out different. If at some point I'm not getting hungry again, I'd go back to 16:8 as it was nice to have those couple of hundred extra calories in the PM, but it just isn't worth being hungry and obsessing over just getting to lunch time so I can eat every day :lol:

    I still find it's best for me to "close the kitchen" at a certain hour at night, because I'm a sucker for late night, too tired to think clearly snacking.


    I envy you making the transition back. I wish I could eat breakfast sometimes but I find it makes me hungrier the rest of the day so it is better to skip. Just so the OP knows the difference between advice from someone who recently started and those with much more experience how long did you skip breakfast before starting again last summer?
  • 33gail33
    33gail33 Posts: 1,155 Member
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    I don't know if it is common to happen but I started skipping breakfast to leave me more calories for later on the day - but I am finding my nutrition balance is suffering. I usually eat a fairly healthy breakfast but saving those calories for night time has me tending to snack on less nutrient dense foods. Think I might just go back to 3 meals a day. 🤷‍♀️ I always have a hard time getting enough protein anyway I think it works better for me to get some in the morning.
  • deetails26
    deetails26 Posts: 108 Member
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    I have been following a 12 hr fast for the last 2 weeks. Generally though I break the fast with a coffee and creamer (before that just black coffee) and really don't eat my first meal until an hour or 2 later. I plan to gradually extend my fast but found I don't really feel hangry and it has reduced some of my other cravings as well. Also is helping me stay within my calories. Prior I would have been 100+ calories in by 9am because of coffee creamer and craving alllll the sweets. Plus making very bad decisions at night before bed lol.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    NovusDies wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    chelsib17 wrote: »
    Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
    I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

    I would say give it a couple of weeks, if it hasn't resolved by then, either try a different eating window or IF might just not be right for you.

    I started doing IF because I was really not hungry in the AM, I just ate because I thought I was supposed to. Skipping breakfast allowed me to save calories for later in the day, when I did get hungry and needed them!

    At some point last summer, I started waking up hungry. I struggled through it for a little while but it didn't resolve, so I started eating a little something in the morning again. I still need the same calories, they're just spread out different. If at some point I'm not getting hungry again, I'd go back to 16:8 as it was nice to have those couple of hundred extra calories in the PM, but it just isn't worth being hungry and obsessing over just getting to lunch time so I can eat every day :lol:

    I still find it's best for me to "close the kitchen" at a certain hour at night, because I'm a sucker for late night, too tired to think clearly snacking.


    I envy you making the transition back. I wish I could eat breakfast sometimes but I find it makes me hungrier the rest of the day so it is better to skip. Just so the OP knows the difference between advice from someone who recently started and those with much more experience how long did you skip breakfast before starting again last summer?

    Hmmm, I'd say I did 16:8 for 2 -3 years. And before that I would sometimes skip breakfast if I was running late, that's what gave me the idea that maybe I should skip it on purpose.

    I did find that not eating in the AM reduced my appetite for the rest of the day. It's not much of a problem now ( I just have to be more careful to hit my macro goals instead) but I'd happily go back to it if the opportunity presents!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    NovusDies wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    chelsib17 wrote: »
    Anyone practicing any variety of intermittent fasting? How long did it take you to not get hangry before your first meal? Interested in hearing your successes or advice!
    I’m thinking about starting the daily method of fasting 16hr from 7pm-11am

    I would say give it a couple of weeks, if it hasn't resolved by then, either try a different eating window or IF might just not be right for you.

    I started doing IF because I was really not hungry in the AM, I just ate because I thought I was supposed to. Skipping breakfast allowed me to save calories for later in the day, when I did get hungry and needed them!

    At some point last summer, I started waking up hungry. I struggled through it for a little while but it didn't resolve, so I started eating a little something in the morning again. I still need the same calories, they're just spread out different. If at some point I'm not getting hungry again, I'd go back to 16:8 as it was nice to have those couple of hundred extra calories in the PM, but it just isn't worth being hungry and obsessing over just getting to lunch time so I can eat every day :lol:

    I still find it's best for me to "close the kitchen" at a certain hour at night, because I'm a sucker for late night, too tired to think clearly snacking.


    I envy you making the transition back. I wish I could eat breakfast sometimes but I find it makes me hungrier the rest of the day so it is better to skip. Just so the OP knows the difference between advice from someone who recently started and those with much more experience how long did you skip breakfast before starting again last summer?

    Hmmm, I'd say I did 16:8 for 2 -3 years. And before that I would sometimes skip breakfast if I was running late, that's what gave me the idea that maybe I should skip it on purpose.

    I did find that not eating in the AM reduced my appetite for the rest of the day. It's not much of a problem now ( I just have to be more careful to hit my macro goals instead) but I'd happily go back to it if the opportunity presents!

    I think I probably transitioned into it that way myself but it was so long ago I don't remember. I am more of a 18:6 person but not because I try. It just happens that way.

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