Struggling with fast days - any suggestions

[iisme]

I've been doing 5:2 for about 3 weeks and have been finding the fast days easier food-wise than I expected. I do crave a bit but I find the hunger manageable.

However ... I find my concentration is really bad by lunchtime of fast days and I think it's affecting my productivity at work. I also seem to be a bit ratty and short-tempered by the end of the day - I feel bad for my family!

Does anyone else experience this? Will it pas as my body gets more used to fasting? Is there anything I can do to improve it?

When are you eating on the fast days? Could it help to move to rather than change what you are eating?

I'm not eating breakfast, having a very small lunch (I find the protein pots from M&S great - 122 or 155 cals each) and then supper with the family about 6ish with the remaining calories. I don't really want to change this as we always eat family meals - but maybe will have to if it makes it more manageable. For sure, my most ratty periods are when I am with the kids shortly before supper.

I have breakfast - can't go without that, then lunch. Then nothing till the following morning. I find this easier as I wouldn't really eat what the kids are having, and we cook enough different meals across the week, it's actually a relief to just not bother preparing a meal for me for a couple of evenings a week.

But as you say, it has to work for you. I am also low carbing, which has also helped.

I actually enjoy my fast suppers with the family - large bowl of soup on Tuesdays (plus yummy bread for everyone else), then on Thursday curry with homemade curry paste (so nothing but spices and a bit of olive oil) and tonnes of veg, again with more calory-heavy extras for the others. It works well. But if my body doesn't adapt better during the day, I guess I will have to change this.

Could you try having the protein pot an hour or so before supper and just having miso soup or green tea at lunch time? That way you hopefully won't be grumpy with the kids as you'll get a boost at the right time. I do find just not eating until supper works best for me, as eating makes me hungrier. But it did take a few weeks to be able to do that, I had to work up to it.

Do you think it's the lack of food that's causing the lack of concentration op? If so how about increasing the calories to say 800 on one of the fast days, see if that helps? You can always work on reducing it down gradually. I did 5:2 for a long time but eventually I found the 500 made my hangry. I ditched it completely and regained all my lost weight. The last 2 months I did the bsd plan which is 800 cals/no sugar/high fat/high protein. 800 is a good number when you aren't taking in as little sugar as possibly, and even then I'd say I was averaging 800-1100 a few days. I lost 13 pounds over that time and it's been great. Hope that might help

Thanks for the advice. I'll play around with some combinations and see what happens? Do people think this might just settle by itself as my body gets more used to it?