Comment by nvilcins | Hacker News Reader

Comment by nvilcins | Hacker News Reader

I've been doing intermittent fasting for years now, on a not-so-typical schedule: first meal late in the day (5PM-ish) and the second (final) one within a couple of hours.

What I love:

* Total mental clarity during the first half of the day, can focus fully on work or life responsibilities without a single thought about food.

* Freedom to not have to organize the day around food (making choices, planning logistics, "wasting" time). Pays off big time when traveling.

* Never inconvenienced or slip into grumpy mode when for whatever reason I don't get food.

* Eating a lot of high-quality home-cooked food - as I love cooking (when I have time) and I don't depend on eating out / ordering food / quick-prep meals as much.

* Bonus: great ROI of the occasional first alcoholic drink of the day (on a more or less empty stomach). Not a health advice!

I find it amazing how much experiences vary. I think a large part of it may be what you eat when you do eat, and also the quantity. Portion sizes seem to vary drastically.

If I fast, I generally get moody and all I can focus on is food. A lot of friends fast for religious reasons too, and the overwhelming majority of them get cranky instead of more productive and able to focus.

I think the key is simply letting your body get used to fasting. If you only do it occasionally but usually eat at all the socially "normal" times then of course you're going to be cranky and hungry when you decide to suddenly deprive your body of what it is accustomed to. Eventually, with consistent intermittent fasting, that will change.

I find that if you eat or drink anything with calories between waking up and breaking your fast your body switches mode and wants food. Even a black coffee is risky. Maybe something about ketosis.

I do the same lol, it's great isnt it! I also make an effort to cook my "big meal" myself which is also a great habbit! I use my "lunch break" to go to walk to my local market and pick up ingredients.

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