Grumpy on 5:2 fast days - advice to stop me shouting at kids please?!

[CookieM0nster]

I have been doing 5:2 for 7 weeks now and have tweaked my approach to suit me so I can cope with the hunger, (using the very helpful MN forums!)
However I can't find anyone else discussing getting short tempered whilst fasting. I find I am quite grumpy and impatient with the kids in general on fast days and particularly by bed time. They are 4 and 6.
Some days I get a terrible headache that makes my mood worse, I have found drinking loads of water and green tea really helps this, but doesn't necessarily get rid of the headache completely.
Does anyone else find they are more grumpy and 'shouty' too? Any advice would be appreciated!

[cathan]

From what you describe, I'm wondering what you eat for your 500 calories on fast days? Anything carby will make your blood sugar rise and then fall and might make you feel crabby (or give you a headache). Something like scrambled egg (minus the toast!) is good - low in calories but great protein/fat balance. Also, when are you having your calories? Perhaps you need to have them earlier/later. Hope this helps.

[teaandthorazine]

I'd suggest the same thing. Fasting is a lot easier if you're not having blood sugar highs and lows; your hunger is better controlled and you don't get that irritable, snappy feeling. Even if you don't want to low-carb all the time, I'd ensure that on your fasting days you're keeping carb levels low, especially processed carbs. I've just completed a totally unintentional 20-hour fast (no decent food available!) and barely realised tbh because of stable blood glucose levels.

Carby=crabby

[whats4teamum]

I'm the same. Yesterday was a fast day I had made myself a salad to go with some salmon. I turned to find my teenage children putting mountains on their plates that had rice and poppadum and other things I was not having. I was rather snappy to say the least and realise normally I am trying to shove salad down them. I'm fine until the meal is ready and then no one must stand in the way of me eating it.

That doesn't help but let's see if anyone else comes along with a solution.

I avoid carbs completely on fast day.

[CookieM0nster]

Thanks very much for your help and taking the time to answer me.

I happily skip breakfast and it doesn't bother me too much in terms of hunger and I think I eat fairly well on fast days.

For example : Dippy boiled egg & asparagus spears or large salad with a few prawns for lunch, then fresh tuna steak/protein and full plate of 3-4 veggies, usually including cauliflower & green beans & any remaining asparagus (well it is in season!) Or I have an Easy Bean pot with veggies on the side. I avoid obvious carbs like bread and pasta because they use up my calories too quickly!

To the aptly named whats4teamum; I am generous to a fault with my kids, but even they can't come between me and my food on a fast day!

I fast Monday & Wednesday and Monday is particularly gruelling with 2 separate visits to the very humid swimming pool for lessons with one kid then after school the little one watches the older one's lesson and we both get a bit fractious! I think I will try mixing the fast days up a bit to see if that helps.