Any Tips on Fasting? (Weight Loss Journey)

Don't bother. Fasting doesn't do anything but help reduce the time when you are snacking. Seriously, none of that stuff about when you eat or what you eat when or how your meals are spread out has any significant effect on weight loss.

You are just starting out. I suggest you wait every three or four hours between eating, but eat small high protein snacks that are low calorie in between meals. Example of a snack that you can eat would be cooked broccoli, raw Celery, a two cups of grape tomatoes. Stay away from fruits because they release insulin and make you want to eat more. Stick to low sugar veggies (no carrots or potatoes). Cook these veggies in the microwave or baked without oil or grease on parchment paper in the oven. When you eat a full meal go for a walk immediately (30 minutes) after. Go for a walk up for about 20-30 minutes. Listen to a book/podcast and multitask. You will remember more and you will train your motabolism to use rather than store your calories. Have two major meals 12 hours apart with 3 to 4 snacks of veggies as mentioned above. As you get use to the "fasting" drop a snack or lessen the amount you eat in the snack...I say cut it out but lessen it till you drop it off completely. This can be incrimental as each month goes by. The first month is 4 snacks 2 big meals. With a 20 minute walk after breakfast, lunch, or dinner. HTen next month lessen one of the snacks and add another 20 minute walk after another meal or extend the one walk. THen next month get rid of the one snack and still keep the two walks or one long walk. The third month spread out the thin out one more snack, etc. Keep it for two months with two walks. Add a cheat day on Sunday where you can have three big meals, but keep away from two snacks. Take two walks for 20 minutes. This incrimental increase in fasting will all your body to get use to the "fun" without you getting "Hangry" with others or yourself. Stay away from protein powders because they are designed to make you gain weight not loose it, and you are going to stay hungry because it leaves your body quickly. At best if you want ot try it, mix it with a peanut butter and eat it with a dessert of an apple and nuts. Red delicious and chocolate protein powder mixed in to peanut butter is yum, and red delicious with pistachios is a good salty sweet combo. Try to get a low sodium version of the nuts when possible, but some salt is okay, but none is better...it just doesn't taste as good. Eventually you will be able to eat two big meals or one big meal with no snacks. Your metabolism will adjust. One other trick is to offer your "suffering" up for those who truely don't have anything to eat, and know that God sees your efforts and will hear your prayer of offering up something you want so someone(s) else can have somethings they need. God Bless. and remember to start out slow...and build. The one meal a day is very hard so if it takes you years to get there or never at all that is okay. the point is it is a journey, and you don't want to put your body in starvation mode so ALWAYS ALWAYS eat atleast 1200 calories a day and not a drop less otherwise you will just get fat and throw your hormones out of wack which you won't feel for a few weeks and that can effect family friends and work in negative ways.

I think the other comments are misunderstanding the post. I’m pretty sure OP means they go 4 hours after waking up, so it’s probably a ~12 hour fast. Honestly, if you don’t like fasting you don’t have to do it. The best tools at your disposal for fasting is staying busy, and drinking lots of water, or various 0 cal beverages if you’re into that.

So. Not sure if the original poster @Beilman_emily is around? I see your original post introducing yourself to the community and this one. Based on the question I would first of all ask... did you setup MFP? Did you set, given the amount of weight you have to lose, a 1lb per week goal as opposed to starting off with something more aggressive? Have you started counting calories yet? How do you split your daily intake currently before you start worrying about fasting and increasing the time between meals.

Fasting, low carb, low fat, time restricted eating, what have you, are all SOME of the methods you can use to manage your eating so you can keep your day within your caloric parameters.

It is critical that you find what works for you. What I do may not work for you. I stop eating at 7:00 and break my fast at 12-12:30 the next day, I wait until I'm hungry to break the fast. This is how I add hours to my fasting, by incorporating it into sleeping overnight.

You will discover your plan that works for you. The one area that is common to all of us is caloric deficit. Fasting does create a deficit, but you can do that without fasting. Fasting has many benefits besides a calorie deficit. You might want to do some research on fasting....Dr Jason Fung is a highly regarded fasting expert. I don't follow his dietary food guides, but he might help you decide if you want to implement it into your program.

Losing weight is a dedicated life style.....I would suggest you start with your plan for a deficit and what foods you enjoy that will provide nutrient density within your calorie parameters. For me, it has to be a program I can live with and enjoy. If fasting appeals to you, IF is probably the easiest way to start. Each of us must discover what we can live with and will produce results. I'm wishing you much health and success on your journey! 🌹

I'm a former faster and my current tip for fasting is don't bother unless skipping a meal is something that already works for you - there's nothing magical about fasting - it's just one of many ways to create a calorie deficit.