How do you keep mental strength and a positive attitude while fasting?

Just wanting to bounce some ideas off this sub. I am doing a typical ~ 16-8 intermittent fast (stop eating at 5-6 pm, eat my first meal the following day at 12 pm) I am noticing my attitude and mentals start getting the best of me around ~ 11 am. I find myself getting frustrated at small things, every thing seems worse then it actually is, I start craving bad food, etc Once I eat, I feel immediately better, I am able to hold off from ordering shit food, and my attitude is completely shifted and I feel more positive. Even if it’s just some eggs, banana, oatmeal, toast, etc. it makes a huge difference. I’m not sure if it’s my blood sugar levels, or what (you guys know better than me when it comes to research and what my body is going through), just curious if you guys have any tips. I guess I could eat earlier, that seems like the easiest solution, but I’d like to be able to wait longer between meals, and a lot of you guys are holding off way longer than I am, so I’m wondering if there is something I can do or what your go to is. Thanks so much, IHTFAN4

Answer

7pm to 11am is 16 hours, so I would just plan to eat at 11am instead of pushing to 12pm for awhile. See if keeping in that rhythm is more sustainable for you and stick with it for awhile. Eventually you may feel like “eh I don’t want to eat yet” at 11am and then just let things go naturally from there.

Some things that did help me were eating more protein-based and less carbohydrate-saturated foods when I was eating. I’ve gotten off the bandwagon lately, but those are things that I remember helped me back when I was doing this more consistently. This is less a “do this” post and more a “listen to what you’re able to work with for now” nudge.

Answer

It’s always the hardest for me at 12h and 16h mark. Gotta push through. Or go keto/low carb. Or go really, really high carb (which is pointless but will keep you from blood sugar dropping so low before your fast is over… But that’s not really the point, is it?).

Answer

I had to break some serious bad mental habits. The worst of those being looking to food to help out change my mood. I’m old and very overweight. It’s taken me a lifetime to get a grip on my relationship with food. Now I’m 40 hours in to a 60 hour fast. I built up to it over the last few months.

The way I pushed through the hunger in the beginning was to flip the script I guess, I started equating every hour spent fasting to good feelings. I don’t know how to explain it thoroughly but that pride in waiting another hour becomes better feeling than food. I’ve tried every other diet known. IF and EF are what’s finally working. I just had to really deprioritize food.

You can do it! Once you start pushing through the hunger pangs it’ll get easier.

Also maybe you weren’t meant to skip breakfast. Start your fasting period after that. Who knows. Maybe try only eating breakfast and lunch then start your fast. Also CICO what you do eat.

Answer

Bro, you’re essentially skipping breakfast, not doing a triathlon. Here’s the answer but you’re not going to like it: Suck it up.

I’m not being hateful, that’s just what it is. You just have to suck it up and realize “only” eating for 8 hours a day never killed anyone.

Edit to Add: If you just want to stop the cravings for junk, switch to eating low-glycemic foods.