Hi smfunnell,

not much of an expert in IF as I just started my routine yesterday with 36 hour fast. This morning I broke fast with a small serve of yoghurt and cereal. And continued to eat other bits and pieces of fruits as was feeling hungry. Seems like my stomach wants more food every time I put something in. My guess is that the body is trying to restore what was lost yesterday during the Fast and mentally (for years) we are so tuned to eating 3 full meals everyday so its our mind saying you need to eat!! (Yes but not that much)

Firstly, there is nothing wrong with it and there is nothing wrong with eating over the limit. Just be mindful of what you go for. A strategy i practice is to snack healthily to beat the hunger pang. Eat fruits and nuts in small portions when you feel hungry. Distract yourself with work or a phone call. Always drink water, keeps you full and hydrated. It is ok if you overeat, just add a 30minute walk (or whatever it requires) to burn it off. So far it is working for me…

Hi smfunnell

I agree with Tony that distraction is a huge help when you’re feeling hungry. I walk my dog to a communal ‘dog walking’ field provided by our Parish Council. There I can lose more than an hour just throwing the ball for my dog and chatting with other dog owners. I never think about food during that time. Chatting with my daughter on the phone is also a brilliant distraction. She talks for hours at a time! Drinking plenty is also good but I prefer coffee to water. It’s amazing how much it keeps me feeling full!

‘esingocerze’ is also right that perseverance is vital and when you stick in and keep going it makes you feel really good!

lpb

Keep going smfunnell, once you get through the first 2-3 weeks your mind and body adjust and the fast days get easier to deal with. At least that’s what I’ve found.

I now almost look forward to the fast days because I know they are a means to the end, my target weight. A non-fasting day today and I did fall off the wagon slightly by troughing a bar of chocolate out of frustration at a mishap. But it wasn’t as satisfying as it once would have been. May mean I don’t hit my loss target for this week but for me a good lesson learned.