If you’re looking to jumpstart your weight loss in a quick and easy way, then intermittent fasting just might be the perfect solution for you!
But, that’s not to say that it’s going to be a walk in the park.
In some cases, it’s very easy and you may wonder “why didn’t I try this sooner?”
But in other cases, you might get caught off-guard by some surprising occurrences.
In this blog post, you’re going to learn what to expect in the first few days of intermittent fasting.
That way, you can prepare ahead of time and have higher chances of success!
Ready?
Let’s dive in!
What is intermittent fasting?
Intermittent fasting is a method of eating that allows you to have more flexibility with your diet while still losing weight.
This is because instead of restricting what you eat, you restrict when you eat.
The most common intermittent fasting schedule allows you to eat only between 12 pm and 8 pm every single day.
And you’ll be fasting the rest of the time.
That’s why it’s called “intermittent” fasting – instead of fasting for days at a time, you’re only fasting 16 hours each day.
And intermittent fasting may help you lose weight because even if you eat mostly the same foods, you will automatically reduce your calorie intake by eating only within an 8-hour window instead of whenever you want each day.
Now that you know what intermittent fasting is, let’s explore some of the things you might expect in your first few days of fasting.
1- You might feel tired
The first thing you may notice in the first few days of intermittent fasting is that you could feel a little bit more tired than usual.
This is to be expected since you’re not used to avoiding eating for 16 hours straight.
If you’re really struggling and don’t mind caffeine, having an extra cup of black coffee or tea in the later hours leading up to mealtime can be a big help!
But if you can push through this, after day 3 or 4 – you should start to feel much better – even energized!
2- You may not sleep as well
Next, you may find issues with sleep in the earliest days (I know I did!)
But, rest assured (no pun intended) that this will resolve itself once your body gets used to it.
Now, if you’re a caffeine addict like me then this may interfere with your sleep.
But there are other ways to get around this – just don’t have coffee or tea after 2 pm and you should be fine.
Plus, again, once you get used to this pattern of eating and this lifestyle you’ll find your sleep actually improves.
3- Hunger will come on strong
Fasting does get easier over time, but in the beginning, you might feel like your stomach is eating itself.
This is normal and it will get better within a few weeks of doing intermittent fasting.
But above all, you have to listen to your body.
If you’re really hungry and can’t make it to 16 hours on your very first try, nourish yourself.
You’re likely going to experience some discomfort whatever you do, but intermittent fasting shouldn’t make you feel miserable.
The thing is to be gentle with yourself and allow yourself to ease into the process.
The last thing you need is to go overboard and burn out.
I recommend if you can’t make it to 16 hours, start with 14 or 15 and work your way up.
4- Your moods will change
If you’re anything like me, you might expect your moods to your moods to take a turn for the worse in the beginning.
But this is totally normal and it’s nothing to worry about.
All you need to do is stay positive and remind yourself that it won’t last forever!
In fact, I found that once I got used to fasting, probably within the second week or so, my mood actually improved.
So, if you’re struggling to keep your mood up, just keep pushing through.
Eventually, it will get better!
And remember above all to take care of yourself and be gentle with yourself.
5- You might be tempted to quit
Another thing to expect in the first few days is that you might be tempted to quit.
This is perfectly normal, don’t feel bad about it!
Because intermittent fasting can be really hard to adjust to at first.
But I want you to know that even though it will get easier eventually, this is definitely not something where you have to suffer in order to see results.
In fact, you can have fun with fasting and experiment with different types of intermittent fasting if you’re up for it!
Just keep in mind that this can be but isn’t always a “get results quick” sort of thing.
It’s a process.
It takes time to adjust, so just be patient with yourself and know that everything will get easier as it goes on.
6- You may lose weight
Last but not least, the most positive and exciting thing you might expect in the first few days of fasting is that you might actually lose weight!
It’s not uncommon for people to lose a few pounds right away, particularly if they’ve been eating a poor diet leading up to fasting.
Imagine if you’ve been eating fast food 3 times a day with sugary and fatty snacks in between, then following it up with dessert or alcoholic beverages at night.
Then, suddenly, you only eat two meals a day with maybe just one snack and no dessert or alcohol at night.
It’s not hard to see how just by cutting out those extra meals, snacks, and drinks for a few days, you would lose weight right?
So yes, it’s not uncommon for some people to lose 2-5 pounds straight away within the first few days of starting an intermittent fasting diet.
Though you might not expect it, this could happen to you, too!
That’s why it’s so important to know what to expect and not to quit!
Final thoughts
If you’ve struggled with losing weight for quite some time and are desperate for something to get you on the right track in a gentle way that doesn’t restrict you too much in the beginning, intermittent fasting just might be what you need!
While it’s simple for some people, it’s still wise to know what to expect so you’re not surprised by any unexpected occurrences when you first start.
So, I hope that this blog post helps!
I’m sure that if you do it right and go in with the right mindset, intermittent fasting will be exactly what you need to push past all your weight loss struggles once and for all!
Oh and by the way…
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Happy fasting! 🙂
