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I would like to try out fasting more, but I get too hungry! Seriously though, cutting breakfast does seem like an easy way to do it! Eating in the morning is

I would like to try out fasting more, but I get too hungry! Seriously though, cutting breakfast does seem like an easy way to do it! Eating in the morning is more of a habit than a need, plus it would be an easy way to cut calories too.

spydum 7y ago
People often confuse thirst and hunger. I find if I am keeping water or something near by I can avoid eating for quite a while longer
socratesque 7y ago
What does "too hungry" mean to you, and what do you think will happen if you deny yourself food when you feel this?
- roland35 7y ago
  I know I'd be fine of course, but after going a long time with less sleep (baby is finally sleeping 6+ hours, normally) I know my willpower is less than it used to be! Sometimes only thing keeping me from eating every chocolate chip cookie in sight is that I am now lactose intolerant and even that wasn't enough motivation during my most sleepless days.
  - tvanantwerp 7y ago
    That sounds less like hunger and more like craving, to be honest. How often do you feel the same way about roasted veggies as you did about the cookies? A diet full of processed junk food is much more likely to induce constant craving that a healthier one.
OnACoffeeBreak 7y ago
What made a huge difference for me is lowering my intake of carbohydrates and transitioning to a lower carb and higher fat diet. I think the way it works is that our bodies have a lot of energy available from fat stores and becoming more fat-adapted means that during fasting hunger is satiated by energy coming from fat.
- talkingtab 7y ago
  I agree with this completely. For some of us carbs generate craving - they are addictive. The way to test if you are one is to stop all carbs, as much as you can. If I eat a doughnut I gain a pound, not because of the doughnut, but because I then crave more food.
- roland35 7y ago
  Yes I have heard that fat has gotten a bad reputation in recent history - it is carbs which are the problem. It looks like bread, rice and cereal is still at the base of the food pyramid! Protein also seems to be better at keeping satisfied after a meal, although that can be harder to do cooking at home if you don't do meat.
goda90 7y ago
Up your water intake and actively try to enjoy the hunger sensation. Tell yourself that it's your body deciding to burn fat and clean up old damaged cells. Eventually you'll adapt to the fasting period and won't care about the hunger that much anymore.
timonovici 7y ago
Coffee and tea helps me in such cases. Plain, no sugar, no milk. Brushing your teeth can also reduce hunger. Also, try to take it gradually - I don't eat at all on Wednesdays, making a ease-in and an ease-out -the diner the night before and the next day's breakfast in an apple, a carrot or a glass of kefir. Fasting more days in a row take an incredible amount of willpower (one of the reasons why I do it), and also takes a toll on your concentration, physical power. I used to do it on Saturdays, because then I could reduce my physical activity to an appropriate level - but lately I've been going to festivals, or going out with friends, and it was not doable. Try to find a way where it works well with your schedule. Also, it may be a good idea to be discreet about it, because coworkers, friends and family will pester you.
godshatter 7y ago
Hunger is an odd thing. When I first started fasting, just the concept of going too long without food stressed me out. The interesting thing is that I feel less hungry during a fast than I do when I'm eating on a normal schedule. I eat one meal a day (OMAD), and have my normal meal at 5:30 or 6:00pm. I don't feel hungry all day unless someone puts food where I can see it and smell it. But it feels like a craving and not hunger, so I can skip it. If I eat like normal people do on a particular day, I'll feel hungry the next day when I go back to fasting. Then pretty much not again until I go off of it. It's very strange. When I go off my diet, I can really feel the food that is in my system and it's not a good feeling. I feel much better fasted.
mcfunk 7y ago
Definitely agree with the dietary (lower carb, higher healthy fat) advice but it's also helpful to ease into it -- benefits of fasting start at just 12 hours, so if you stop eating a little earlier and start eating a little later every day it's pretty easy to start at 12. Then you can play with increasing your fast time gradually. Most of it is learning your body and the difference between "nope, I need food now" and "I don't actually need to eat".

spydum 7y ago

People often confuse thirst and hunger. I find if I am keeping water or something near by I can avoid eating for quite a while longer

socratesque 7y ago

What does "too hungry" mean to you, and what do you think will happen if you deny yourself food when you feel this?

roland35 7y ago
I know I'd be fine of course, but after going a long time with less sleep (baby is finally sleeping 6+ hours, normally) I know my willpower is less than it used to be! Sometimes only thing keeping me from eating every chocolate chip cookie in sight is that I am now lactose intolerant and even that wasn't enough motivation during my most sleepless days.
- tvanantwerp 7y ago
  That sounds less like hunger and more like craving, to be honest. How often do you feel the same way about roasted veggies as you did about the cookies? A diet full of processed junk food is much more likely to induce constant craving that a healthier one.

OnACoffeeBreak 7y ago

What made a huge difference for me is lowering my intake of carbohydrates and transitioning to a lower carb and higher fat diet. I think the way it works is that our bodies have a lot of energy available from fat stores and becoming more fat-adapted means that during fasting hunger is satiated by energy coming from fat.

talkingtab 7y ago
I agree with this completely. For some of us carbs generate craving - they are addictive. The way to test if you are one is to stop all carbs, as much as you can. If I eat a doughnut I gain a pound, not because of the doughnut, but because I then crave more food.
roland35 7y ago
Yes I have heard that fat has gotten a bad reputation in recent history - it is carbs which are the problem. It looks like bread, rice and cereal is still at the base of the food pyramid! Protein also seems to be better at keeping satisfied after a meal, although that can be harder to do cooking at home if you don't do meat.

goda90 7y ago

Up your water intake and actively try to enjoy the hunger sensation. Tell yourself that it's your body deciding to burn fat and clean up old damaged cells. Eventually you'll adapt to the fasting period and won't care about the hunger that much anymore.

timonovici 7y ago

Coffee and tea helps me in such cases. Plain, no sugar, no milk. Brushing your teeth can also reduce hunger. Also, try to take it gradually - I don't eat at all on Wednesdays, making a ease-in and an ease-out -the diner the night before and the next day's breakfast in an apple, a carrot or a glass of kefir. Fasting more days in a row take an incredible amount of willpower (one of the reasons why I do it), and also takes a toll on your concentration, physical power. I used to do it on Saturdays, because then I could reduce my physical activity to an appropriate level - but lately I've been going to festivals, or going out with friends, and it was not doable. Try to find a way where it works well with your schedule. Also, it may be a good idea to be discreet about it, because coworkers, friends and family will pester you.

godshatter 7y ago

Hunger is an odd thing. When I first started fasting, just the concept of going too long without food stressed me out. The interesting thing is that I feel less hungry during a fast than I do when I'm eating on a normal schedule. I eat one meal a day (OMAD), and have my normal meal at 5:30 or 6:00pm. I don't feel hungry all day unless someone puts food where I can see it and smell it. But it feels like a craving and not hunger, so I can skip it. If I eat like normal people do on a particular day, I'll feel hungry the next day when I go back to fasting. Then pretty much not again until I go off of it. It's very strange. When I go off my diet, I can really feel the food that is in my system and it's not a good feeling. I feel much better fasted.

mcfunk 7y ago

Definitely agree with the dietary (lower carb, higher healthy fat) advice but it's also helpful to ease into it -- benefits of fasting start at just 12 hours, so if you stop eating a little earlier and start eating a little later every day it's pretty easy to start at 12. Then you can play with increasing your fast time gradually. Most of it is learning your body and the difference between "nope, I need food now" and "I don't actually need to eat".