The FastDay Forum

Hello! I did my first fast yesterday and it went well until I went to bed. Could not sleep as I was SO hungry. Eventually got up and ate something at 2am. Promptly fell asleep to wake up with MEGA migraine and in an awful temper. I am not experiencing caffeine withdrawal as I drink only decaf anything. I cannot do this again if the result is lack of sleep + migraine (which I am prone to!) + bad mood. PLEASE any handy hints? Thank you muchly!!

Hiya and welcome!
Well, my first thought is that it can be a coincidence.
My second thought is that a migraine can be caused by ANY withdrawal, not just caffeine. I get headaches if I don't eat carbs for a couple of days.
Last thought is to make sure that you eat something before you go to bed. Save 60 calories and have two rice cakes or a fruit or a cracker.

My first few fasts were the most difficult. I always eat protein on a fast day. Protein and lots of green veggies. I now eat one meal on fast days, but you have to play around to find out what works for you. Make sure you take in lots of fluids.

Why don't you try a minimum cal day rather than a full on fast and see how you go. Quite often it is dehydration or lack of salt I think that will cause headaches. Check the nerd stuff sites for more information.
I also found sleeping difficult the first few times - I tried keeping more cals to the evening and having tea with milk before bed and that seemed to help.

[carorees]

Headaches (and migraines for some) are very common in the first couple of fasts. It gets better quickly - as soon as your body learns to burn fat as a fuel. You can speed this up by keeping fast days low carb. In the early days lots of fluids, one or two salty drinks and a painkiller will minimise the headaches. As you progress you can drop the painkillers and I've found I don't need to drink so much these days...just to quench my thirst whereas I had to really make an effort to drink plenty at first and that helped the headaches.

Thank you all! Yesterday during my first fast I had no carbs at all, making up my cals with protein and veg. I had lunch and dinner normal times, and I drank loads of peppermint and fruit teas and decaf coffee. I think anything can provoke a migraine and this certainly did so.
I am going to try to do it differently next time: eat lunch, finish by x time, eat all my cals for supper (so I am not hungry when I go to bed), and fast with drinks until x time the next day - at which point I will have my normal lunch.
I know that it will not be a 36 hour fast as recommended, but if this will reduce the chance of a migraine and allow me to sleep then why not?!
Any thoughts?

If the migraine is caused by lack of carbs (for example) then whether you do this for 24 hours or 36 won't make much difference.
If you get hungry near bed time, just eat or drink something before that.
I get migraines because a butterfly flew in Chile so I know how you feel but I can assure you that if you eat on a fast days whatever you eat on any day (within the 500 calories limit) then you won't even get a headache.

Hi TML13. Forgive me but I am not sure what you meant by "if you eat on fast days whatever you eat on any day (within the 500 calories limit) then you won't get a headache". Great to have people who know what i am taking about. Thank you!

Well, if everyday you eat protein, veggies and carbs and then on your fast days you eat just protein and veggies then you might have a headache (migraine if you are prone to them) because your body will miss the carbs.
I know for a fact that I get headaches and migraines if I don't drink coffee and I don't eat carbs. So, on my fast days, I start my day with a big cup of coffee and a couple of crackers or low fat/low sugar digestives. That way, I ensure that I give my body what it wants so that it will let me do what I want.

On the migraine subject (nothing to do with fasting), I found that DLPA-Phenylalanine and L-Cysteine help me very much to get rid off them. I buy a bottle of each every 6 months (Holland and Barrett stock them) and have one capsule of each daily.

[Moogie]

Carolius - I think what TML means use that if gig don't cut out certain foods on your fast (eg carbs, fats etc) and just treat it like a really cut down normal day, you shouldn't get withdrawal headaches as you'll still be taking in all the usual stuff just in different amounts.

Regarding the 24 hour vs 36 hour, if you're aiming to lose weight you probably won't get great results doing 24 hours like that as the calorie deficit is negligible if you're going to eat lunch both days (you're just having a small dinner and skipping breakfast). If your going to do 24 hours it would be best as a zero calorie period.

Caffeine will definitely cause the headaches.
If you are stopping caffeine, then do it before you begin your fast.
The sleeplessness was caused by a rebound effect coming off caffeine.
Perhaps also keep 100 cals up your sleeve for when/if you get the munchies - have some yoghurt or something.

Thanks Moogie
I think that it is the carbs and the sugars that I am giving up that cause migraines. I have a history of hypoglycaemia - a major player in the cause of migraine. How I get around that on a fast day I know not. Sugars hold too many calories so that would be impossible.
Any suggestions otherwise?

Peter, she doesn't drink caffeine so this is not what is causing it.

Carolius, 1 small piece of good chocolate (10grms) is 60 calories. If it will stop you from having a headache, it's worth to save your calories for it. A piece of fruit has the same calories and will help with hunger too.
As per carbs, I eat a bowl of oatmeal (40grms) boiled in water with salt and pepper for lunch and another one for dinner. That's 300 calories for both meals.
It leaves me with 200 calories for breaky and one or two snacks.
I make jelly with 9 calories per portion, it helps when the hunger kicks in late in the night.

[carorees]

Sleeplessness is caused by increased cortisol due to the mild stress of fasting, it might also contribute to the headaches.

Thanks all.
Piece of choc for 60 cals + small biscuit for carbs worth 40cals. Total 100 cals. Leaving 400 cals for the day. And if a meal worth 300 cals at night leaves me sleepless and starving until 2am how would i cope?
Not sure it's worth it.
Carolius