The FastDay Forum

So ive been intermittent fasting for about three months now and i love it. I have a lot more energy and am down 32 lbs. i do a 16:8 so i fast for 16 hrs and eat for 8. And that has been working out great for me. Now all of a sudden its like my appetite has gone haywire. Just in the past few days or so. Im starving as soon as i get up in the morning and that never happened before. I cant wait to start my eating time, which is 11:30. Today i ate at 11 because i just couldnt wait any longer! I havent changed the amount im exercising and nothing else has changed. I’m drinking a gallon of water a day just like always, and unsweetened green tea and coffee during the fasting hours, like always. How do i get back on track?

Wow! That's great. Our bodies fight to not lose weight, so sometimes when we do, your body wants you to eat more. Just keep at it and hopefully it will get easier. And you don't have to do it 7 days a week. So you could maybe allow yourself breakfast on Sunday or something like that (and then maybe stop eating earlier.) I do 16:8 as well, but have not been nearly as successful as you!

Hi @droosmom and welcome!

You may be suffering the "famine effect". Google it. Amanda Sainsbury-Salis has written a lot on this. There is a link somewhere in the forum discussion threads, you could search for it here too.

The remedy is to eat! Take a break from 16:8 and just try to eat according to your hunger with nutritious whole foods that will satisfy your hunger. Then when you feel like your hunger is under control, go back to 16:8.

Best wishes and good luck.