Hi Sarah

Hope your first FD has been ok.
I’ve been doing this for quite a while. Initially to lose a little weight and I’ve continued it help with maintenance.

I have some tips, although what works for me will not suit everyone:
– You’ve started the best way by reading the book. It answers most of the questions you’ll have and gives you a framework for how intermittent fasting works.
– Many here find it useful to set 2 specific days each week that are their FDs so that family and friends begin to learn which days to not invite you out for a meal. I don’t do that, although I do select my 2 days before each week starts and then then I stick to them.
– FDs should be followed to bitter end even if it’s struggle all day. If you give up the moment it feels a bit hard, then you’ll keep finding more excuses to do that.
– Count calories for everything on a FD until you have a small collection of recipes or meal plans you are happy to have often on FDs. Then you can stop counting calories as you know what’s in those meals. It makes planning easier too. I have a very small range of meals I continually use.
– Plan ahead. If it’s going to be a busy day have a suitable FD meal that can just be reheated. Make sure you’ve shopped for your FD beforehand – supermarkets are not good when you are hungry on a FD.
– Keep hydrated on FDs, it helps with hunger and potential headaches.
– Start eating as late in the day as you can manage. On FDs the only meal I eat is dinner and sometimes I also have a small piece of fruit at some point in the afternoon. If you need a bit of milk in your tea and coffee and you can’t cope without the tea/coffee then allow for those calories. I set aside enough calories for a cup of milk so that I can have cups of tea whenever I want. For me they make my FDs much easier so are worth the calorie sacrifice.
– Lastly, if you are having a tough time, come and chat to someone on the forum. I’ve found the support here invaluable. The best option is to join an active form thread where people are mostly in your time zone and posting when you are awake.
Go to the Forum Active Topics and you’ll see which ones get the most activity. Have a read of them and get a feel for which group feels right for you.

Good luck.