How difficult is it to get used to not eating first thing in the morning if that is what you have always done?

[moonshinepoursthroughmywindow]

A friend was telling me that they had lost weight without ever feeling really deprived by starting to only eat between 11am and 7pm. They eat two meals a day, effectively brunch and dinner, and occasional healthy snacks within that "window," and they drink only water after 7pm, although they will allow themself a day off for special occasions. It sounds interesting to me and worth a try, but I have always been the sort of person who doesn't feel ready to face the day without having had some breakfast. I do realise there are people who are quite the opposite, and don't like eating anything in the morning, but I'm not one of them. I work either mornings or afternoons and the days I work mornings sound tough without some fuel. It's not a very physical job, but my body is used to having been fed beforehand and I'm wondering how easy it is to train it to accept a different pattern. The person who told me had never been an early breakfast person so they didn't have that problem. Has anyone successfully overcome this and how long did it take for it to start to feel normal?

I used to worry about this too, but I changed my eating 'window' to accommodate.
I now stop eating at 1pm, start around 8/9am. Just change the 'window' to fit in with your life and your body.

Yes I was definitely a breakfast person before I started eating only between midday - 8pm. It took me about a month to adjust, the first couple of weeks were really hard. Having more teas and coffees helped! But actually after a month it just became my new normal.

ManxDi thanks - that's a possibility, but I don't live alone and would quite like to be able to eat with my family at least once a day...

MissyB1 oh yes - I love coffee and already prefer it black and without sugar, so that will probably be a life-saver.

Id also like to know this! I have ALOT of weight to lose and want to try it but on the few occasions I’ve attempted it I start to feel quite nauseous/shakey and lightheaded if I’ve not eaten within 2 hours of waking up.

It might not work. I've never been a breakfast person. I'm not hungry until at least 10am. I'm not thin...

I found it quite easy - just keep myself busy til morning break (work in a school) then weekends the habit is set.

I've been doing it for 450 days today.
Don't know how much weight loss but I've gone from a size 16 to a 6 (I'm petite). I'd say it took a couple of weeks to get used to it, but then I started noting that my digestive symptoms improved, I had a bit more energy and by 6 weeks need my clothes felt a little looser. These help keep me on track. I've continued even though I'm not wanting to loose more weight because it made me feel so much better. Like you I want to eat with my family of an evening so I brought meal forward slightly and if we were to have a change in routine I'd change things up and I might relax it one day but fast for longer the next.

I thought I was a breakfast person too until I started fasting. Now I have a coffee/tea when I get up and that keeps me feeling satisfied until 11am. I actually find it easier to fast in the morning than in the evening.

Do you eat a lot of sugar? That can cause sugar spikes with the corresponding drop of blood sugar levels.

@Whereelsetochataboutit
yes I eat way too much sugar ( and I’m type 2 so I really shouldn’t!) it’s become normal for me to finish the evening with sweet stuff (choc, ice cream etc) so could that be why I struggle in the mornings if I don’t eat?

I think it's definitely that. Could you try something like eggs for an evening snack ( pre 9pm) You might surprise yourself. I recommend this podcast episode too:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001wq7f

Well today due to a family member's faffing, I didn't quite stay within the window, but had finished dinner by about 7.20 and have had only water since. I can't believe 20 minutes make the whole thing meaningless. I wasn't desperately hungry at any point but I was very sleepy around 1pm! Tomorrow should be easier as my schedule is slightly different. Come to think of it, I also didn't eat any sugar except whatever is present in multigrain bread, and I didn't even register that until just now. Thanks to those who said it was doable.

I was always a ‘no way I’d skip breakfast’ person until 2021 when I saw a Michael Mosley programme that was recommending at least a 14 hour gap. At the time my children were just 2 and 4 and we always ate after they were in bed so finishing early evening just wasn’t going to work….so no breakfast it was!

I was surprised how easily I adjusted - I’ve done it on and off since but more often on than off and I’m pretty consistent at the moment.

my concessions are though that I have a cup of vanilla redbush tea first thing (with a splash of oatmilk) and then a large coffee with oat milk at some point during the morning. Then I’ll start eating some time after midday. I tried black coffee/ tea but it doesn’t hit the spot in the same way so I’m doing what works for me.

I usually stop eating by 9-10pm at night.

It has definitely helped with preventing weight gain and if I am eating healthily (but not insanely so) I can gradually lose weight with this too.

I think it’s 100% about finding a pattern which you find easy to stick to, with trial and error if needed, and giving yourself a bit of adjustment time.

I do it and find it easy. I drink green tea in the morning and don’t feel hungry. I have an eating window 11am till 7pm. I still tend to have three meals a day, though. Breakfast at 11, lunch at 2, dinner at 6.30.

Hi I just found this thread, I started intermittent fasting last week and so far its fine though I am still finding I am hungry in the mornings, but hoping this will pass and always manage to make it till midday. Are you meant to fast every day or can you say do it every other day etc? Thanks

I dont eat loads fruit for brunch and an light dinner but Iv always ate like that and though I dont have an eating problem I find massive plates of food really off putting.

I had a couple of thoughts.

Firstly, push it back by 15 minutes a day or week. Whatever makes it easy.

Secondly, it’s better to eat early and start fasting early. If you’re a natural early bird by habit, why not embrace that? I find a final meal finishing by 2 or 3pm is my natural position.

I always found that eating breakfast made me hungrier. I was fine, then ate something, and that set my appetite off for the day. It was always worse with carby things. Porridge especially, people always go on about it filling you up but I was always starving an hour afterwards.

Started skipping breakfast when I tried 5:2 for the first time. Fasting generally was a revelation. My first 36 hour was amazing (not eating for two sleeps and the day between.)

Used it to lose weight before my wedding 10 years ago and lost about 25lb. I'm not thin now but I know I would be much bigger if I didn't have these tools.

I naturally only get hungry at about 1pm now. Usually have something substantial for lunch then that usually keeps me going and by dinner time I don't want much. I tend to eat low carb high fat though.

Yes, and how do you deal with it for a month until it becomes the 'new normal? Go to work? Cross the road? Drive?. Surely you need breakfast to give you the fuel to concentrate?

I don't eat anything until 11 I do have one or two coffees you get used to it I try not to eat after 7pm I've lost about a stone and a half try to watch what I eat as well in that rime or you still put on weight at least another stone to go

If you’re not relying on sugar and caffeine, you don’t need to eat to be able to concentrate or exercise or function. After about 25 hours of fasting I feel more alert, clear-headed and energetic.

Depends on your job I guess. If active and early then you need fuel, if not then can wait a bit? So getting up at 5am, travel to work and full on is different to getting up at 8am and wfh. X