How to cope with inability to focus when intermittent fasting?

[Anonymous]

I usually fast from 7 pm until noon the next day (17 hours). But by 9:30 am I am usually so hungry it’s almls impossible to focus and do my job. I don’t have the luxury of being able to do something physical or otherwise engaging from 9:30-11:30. I’m sitting at a computer doing boring work that requires mental discipline. What do I do? It’s such a struggle every day at this time.

[Anonymous]

Did you ease into this type of schedule? I have a similar schedule (I eat between 12pm and 8pm) and have not experienced this at all. I do drink a cup of coffee in the morning though, not sure if that makes a difference.

[Anonymous]

I would have a coffee or a hot tea, or at least drink a lot of water.

[Anonymous]

Can you pick different hours? Like 4pm to 9am? That way you'll be asleep or getting ready for work at the end of the fasting period and can have breakfast.

[Anonymous]

maybe 17 hours of IF is not for you. I have tried a variety 8/12, 16/4 and every other day. I saw no real difference, to be honest (but I'm trying to maintain, not lose). What made a big difference for me was eating larger meals and cutting out all snacking. Its now become a habit and I rarely snack. I still eat between the hours of 9/10/11ish and 7ish, but I am 'fasting' between 7 pm and 9 am naturally. If I'm hungry in the am, I eat, and if not, I wait for lunch. The bonus is that I eat real meals because I'm not spending calories on snacks, and they keep me full for hours.

[Anonymous]

Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

+1

Eat food. Real food. Stuff that doesn't come from a box or styrofoam tray. Move a little each day. The rest will take care of itself. No more stupid diets or fads, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

+1

Eat food. Real food. Stuff that doesn't come from a box or styrofoam tray. Move a little each day. The rest will take care of itself. No more stupid diets or fads, people.

Have you ever been overweight?

[Anonymous]

What is the logic of this type of fasting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

+1

Eat food. Real food. Stuff that doesn't come from a box or styrofoam tray. Move a little each day. The rest will take care of itself. No more stupid diets or fads, people.

Have you ever been overweight?

Yep - I was obese until my mid 30s. Started exercising, rarely eating out, and cooking more. Real food, whole foods (ie, "good carbs") and lost 60 lbs. More than that, I've maintained it easily.

[Anonymous]

IF isn't magic. It's just eating less.

If you're hungry in the mornings, eat some hard-boiled eggs or some other high-protein breakfast. Focus on real foods. Don't snack.

If you're dieting, plan your meals, track your calories on myfitnesspal or some other free software/app, eat around 20% less than your TDEE maintenance.

[Anonymous]

This is a really bad idea, OP.

I really advise dropping the fast (it is not fun and will make focusing hard: why do it when there are other methods?).

When I want to drop a few pound quickly, I eat salmon (not smoked because the salt makes me bloat, and it isn't as filling) for breakfast, a big vegetable salad for lunch, and another salad with a hard boiled egg for dinner. It leaves me feeling full and happy, will shave off up to 5 pounds in a week, and is great for my hair and skin.

I used to do stupid fasts in my 20s and was miserable. Also, my skin and hair were always dry and lusterless, and I had bad breath. I was a bitch to be around while fasting, and I was miserable, but I was skinny. The friends I have who continued this are skinny now too, but they look haggard and old in the face.

The book The Perricone Promise gave me so many good ideas about how to eat for nutrition in a way that kept me slim, but that also provided the foods that would make my skin and hair look amazing. So much nicer to eat real, good food than to starve.

[Anonymous]

EAT! If you can't focus, that means you're hungry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

+1

Eat food. Real food. Stuff that doesn't come from a box or styrofoam tray. Move a little each day. The rest will take care of itself. No more stupid diets or fads, people.

I eat real food, I rarely snack and never eat processed food, and I cycle 20 miles every day. Yet I am 60 lbs overweight.

Maybe what works for you doesn't work for everyone? I have found IF very useful in losing weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop with this ridiculousness and eat a healthy breakfast.

+1

Eat food. Real food. Stuff that doesn't come from a box or styrofoam tray. Move a little each day. The rest will take care of itself. No more stupid diets or fads, people.

I eat real food, I rarely snack and never eat processed food, and I cycle 20 miles every day. Yet I am 60 lbs overweight.

Maybe what works for you doesn't work for everyone? I have found IF very useful in losing weight.

You're either (1) not being honest with how much you're eating (like eating two pounds of cashews/day), or (2) are a rare medical anomaly and should be the subject of many special medical studies.