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Is this normal for beginners?

Hi all, I just started doing intermittent fasting. Currently I'm on a schedule of fasting from dinner to lunch the next day, so about 7pm to 12pm(noon). I've noticed in the morning I've been getting headaches and just feeling utterly exhausted. Can't focus. I'm assuming this is 100% normal but would like to hear from someone else who's been through this that it's expected and I'm not dying or anything haha. Thanks!

Answer

it’s just an adaptation period. Address the headache with paracetamol (or whatever you’re used to treating it with), address low energy with morning coffee. Preferably black but with a tbsp of heavy cream won’t hurt.

if you’re eating every day you don’t have to worry about electrolytes. Those are for the 3 day fasts and up.

Answer

Are you making sure to drink enough? I don’t think this timeframe should have such a noticable effect - I fast to maintain my weight, just at weekends (i.e. I do not have any excess weight to ‘back me up’) for a very slightly longer period than this (6 to 12) and never get headaches or exhaustion even after significant exercise or a solid morning of chores. I make sure to drink two \~500ml drinks across the morning, then another \~500ml drink with every meal and snack when I am eating. I’d be surprised if electrolytes were an issue on this timescale but perhaps if your diet is particularly lacking?

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Alternatively if you were accustomed to snacking late into the night beforehand this may have been more of a shock to the system and you may want to ease into it from a gentler split? But I would not accept these symptoms as ‘normal’.