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Willpower

I fell off the fasting wagon and gained about 25 pounds back. I restarted yesterday afternoon. I don’t have any specific form of fasting decided at this point. I’m using a couple of apps to track everything. My problem is that I want to eat, but I’m not hungry. It’s only been 1 day, and so far so good. But I can’t stop thinking about food. I have a salad at the ready, and I haven’t touched it yet. I’m behind on my water intake, and working on it as I type. I really want to succeed, especially since I’m going on vacation for a week in the beginning of December. I’m keeping busy, but I can’t stop thinking about eating, and I feel like I’m going to mess up.

Answer

There is no messing up. There is fasting, and there is feasting. Give yourself some grace and room for error.

If you are fat adapted, your body will tell you it is hungry and yell for about 30 minutes, 2-3 times per day. The rest will be emotional cravings which can be overcome by staying busy and sleep.

If you are not fat adapted, your body will screech for food until it forces itself to begin digesting its own fat for food, and will do so poorly. As a result, your body will still cry out for glucose.

Version A is fasting on easy mode. Version B is fasting on hard mode. You sound as though you’re on hard mode.

You can’t will yourself to not be hungry. You can only prepare and take the necessary steps. Do not punish yourself. If you want to fast on hard mode, so be it, but you are fighting physiology at that point, and it is not an easy battle. You can either do easy mode, or get comfortable with discomfort.

You’ll begin to think less about food once you’re properly processing and using fat for fuel. But alas - it never goes away completely.

Best of luck to you.