So you have talked to your doctor and decided that intermittent fasting is for you—great! Now you are starting your fasting schedule…but you still have some time before your eating window and you are about ready to gnaw off your own foot because you are so hungry. It can be difficult to convince your body to adapt to a new eating schedule, but fear not! Here are some tips for things you can do to keep your mind off of the waiting:

• Drink some water. “It's actually relatively common for people to confuse thirst for hunger. If you're trying to lose weight, it's important to know the difference between how it feels to be hungry and how it feels to be thirsty. Otherwise, you could be consuming more calories than you need, which makes it harder to achieve your weight loss goals…The same part of your brain is responsible for interpreting hunger and thirst signals, which can result in mixed signals.”[1] Drinking water can help you stave off the desire to mindlessly munch, so grab a glass and hold out for your eating window!

• Keep busy. If you are just sitting around and waiting for your eating window to start, you will easily drive yourself up a wall as you fixate on “forbidden food.” Instead, if you can, get up and do something! Go for a walk, clean your bathroom, pet your cat, anything that keeps your hands and mind occupied for a little bit so you are not just staring at the clock. Before you know it, you will have accomplished something AND it will be time to eat!

• Eat something. This sounds counterintuitive since the last two tips were about avoiding food, but hear us out. As you transition to a new style of eating, you might not be able to jump in full force to the main program all at once, and that is okay. Maybe you start out with a 12/12 schedule where you fast for twelve hours and then have a twelve hour eating window, and then slowly walk that down until you are at your desired schedule of 16/8 or 20/4. Major health and fitness changes do not happen overnight and sometimes it takes time to get to the routine you want, and that is okay! Be kind to yourself and remember—even though it is 2020 and all bets are off, the world will probably not end if you eat an apple.

What are your favorite tips for integrating intermittent fasting into your life? Let us know in the comments or tag us on social media @therealbodepro!

[1] Bruso, Jessica. “Difference Between Being Hungry and Thirsty.” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, www.livestrong.com/article/441564-difference-between-being-hungry-and-thirsty/.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.