My Intermittent Fasting Journey: The Good, The Bad, and The Hangry

Why I Started Intermittent Fasting (and Why You Might Too)

Okay, so, intermittent fasting. It’s been all the rage, right? You hear about it everywhere – weight loss, better focus, living longer… I mean, who *wouldn’t* want a piece of that? Honestly, I was mostly interested in the weight loss part. I’d been feeling sluggish, my jeans were getting a little too snug, and I figured, hey, why not give it a shot?

Before I started, I did what everyone does – Googled the heck out of it. There are like a million different ways to do it: 16/8, 5:2, OMAD… It was honestly a bit overwhelming. I finally settled on the 16/8 method. That basically means you fast for 16 hours and eat all your meals within an 8-hour window. Seemed manageable enough, right? Famous last words, I swear. I figured I could just skip breakfast, which I wasn’t always great about eating anyway, and then eat lunch and dinner. Seemed easy enough to adjust. So, I jumped in headfirst. What could possibly go wrong?

The Initial High (and the Crashing Low)

The first few days were… surprisingly okay. I actually felt pretty good. Maybe it was the placebo effect, or maybe my body was just relieved to not be constantly digesting. Whatever it was, I was feeling energized, focused, and surprisingly not that hungry. I was even starting to think, “Wow, this is actually easier than I thought!” I was ready to conquer the world. I even told my best friend Sarah that I was a total IF convert, how could I have waited so long to jump on the bandwagon? Big mistake. Huge.

Then came day four.

Ugh. The headaches started. The hunger pangs hit me like a ton of bricks. And I was *cranky*. Like, unreasonably cranky. My coworkers probably wanted to strangle me. I’m not even exaggerating. I was snapping at everyone, couldn’t concentrate on anything, and all I could think about was food. I even started having dreams about pizza. Seriously, who dreams about pizza? I regretted ever opening my mouth to Sarah, I was so ready to throw in the towel. Who even *enjoys* being this hungry all the time?

My Intermittent Fasting Mistake: Not Listening to My Body

Looking back, I think one of my biggest mistakes was not listening to my body. I was so caught up in following the “rules” of the 16/8 method that I ignored the fact that I was clearly pushing myself too hard, too fast. I jumped right into the deep end when I should have started with a shallower end. I think I would have had a much better experience if I eased into it.

There were days when I really should have just eaten something. Like, when I woke up with a splitting headache or when I felt so lightheaded I could barely stand. But I was so determined to stick to the plan, I stubbornly refused to deviate. I felt like I had to prove something to myself. I wasn’t being flexible, I was being a martyr. And who wants to be a hangry martyr? Not me!

A Moment of Truth (and a Bagel)

I remember one particularly brutal morning. It was a Tuesday, and I had a huge presentation at work. I woke up feeling absolutely terrible. Headache, stomach churning, the whole shebang. I knew I needed to be on my A-game, but I could barely focus. It felt like my brain was running on fumes.

Around 10 a.m., I almost passed out. I’m not kidding. I had to sit down in the breakroom to catch my breath. And that’s when it hit me: this wasn’t working. I was sacrificing my health and well-being for… what? A number on the scale? Absolutely not.

So, I did the unthinkable. I grabbed a bagel. Plain, untoasted, with just a smear of cream cheese. But it was the most delicious bagel I’d ever tasted. And you know what? I felt a million times better. I actually aced my presentation. My coworkers all told me how I nailed it, how enthusiastic I was, how great my insight was. All thanks to a simple bagel. Funny how the world works, isn’t it?

The (Slightly Modified) Comeback

After that bagel incident, I decided to re-evaluate my approach to intermittent fasting. I realized that I needed to be more flexible and listen to my body. No more rigid adherence to the 16/8 method. Instead, I started focusing on eating when I was hungry and stopping when I was full. Some days I might fast for 14 hours, other days maybe only 12. And some days, I might not fast at all.

It’s a much more intuitive approach, and it’s been working so much better for me. I’m still seeing some of the benefits – I have more energy, I’m sleeping better, and, yes, I’ve even lost a few pounds. But the biggest benefit is that I’m not constantly stressed out about food. I’m no longer fighting my body.

If you’re as curious as I was, you might want to dig into other dietary changes, like how cutting down on sugar helped me feel better overall.

Would I Recommend Intermittent Fasting? (Maybe)

So, would I recommend intermittent fasting? It depends. I think it can be a useful tool, but it’s not a magic bullet. And it’s definitely not for everyone. If you’re considering trying it, I would recommend doing your research, talking to your doctor, and being prepared to experiment.

And, most importantly, listen to your body. Don’t be afraid to adjust the plan to fit your needs. And don’t feel guilty if you need to eat a bagel every now and then. We all do. Just remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. It’s all about finding what works best for you. And, honestly, if it makes you feel terrible, it’s probably not worth it. There are plenty of other ways to improve your health and well-being without making yourself miserable. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go make myself a snack. Because, you know, balance.