Look, I’m not going to lie to you. Fasting is tough. Really tough. I’ve been there – sitting at my desk at work, feeling that first little pang of hunger, and suddenly I can’t think about anything else. My brain starts playing tricks on me, making me think about all the foods I’m “missing out on.” Sound familiar?
But here’s what I’ve learned after talking to hundreds of people who’ve made fasting work: the ones who succeed aren’t the ones who never struggle. They’re the ones who know how to push through when things get hard. And trust me, if they can do it, so can you.
Let me share what I’ve discovered about getting through those tough moments when you want to quit.
Why Fasting Feels So Hard (And Why That’s Actually Normal)
First things first – if fasting feels hard, you’re not broken. You’re human. Your body has been getting regular meals for years, maybe decades. When you suddenly change that pattern, your body is going to protest. It’s like your body is saying “Hey! What’s going on here? Where’s my usual sandwich at noon?”
The research shows that when you first start fasting, your stress hormone cortisol can go up. You might feel more anxious, irritated, or just “off.” Some studies found that people felt more tense and angry during their first fasting experiences. But here’s the good news – this doesn’t last forever.
Dr. Eric Berg explains it perfectly: hunger comes in waves. When you feel hungry, it’s usually because of a hormone called ghrelin that’s telling your brain “it’s time to eat.” But if you can just wait it out for a little while – maybe 30 minutes to an hour – that wave of hunger will pass. It’s not constant, even though it feels like it might be.
I talked to one person who said, “I learned that being hungry isn’t an emergency.” That hit me hard. We’ve been trained to think that any little rumble in our stomach means we need to eat RIGHT NOW. But that’s not true.
The Mental Game: What’s Really Happening in Your Head
Here’s something that might surprise you: a lot of the “hunger” you feel when fasting isn’t real physical hunger. It’s your brain playing tricks on you.
Research shows that when people fast, especially in the beginning, they experience what scientists call “emotional hunger”. This is when you think you’re hungry, but you’re actually just bored, stressed, or following old habits.
One woman I read about put it this way: “I don’t know if it’s boredom… yeah, probably more like boredom. You just sit there, watch TV and munch on something. I don’t think I’m really hungry. It’s just a habit”.
This is huge. Once you realize that a lot of your “hunger” is actually just your brain looking for something to do, you can start dealing with it differently.
Here’s what successful fasters do when they feel that fake hunger:
- They drink a big glass of water and wait 15 minutes
- They get up and do something – take a walk, clean something, call a friend
- They remind themselves “this feeling will pass”
- They think about why they started fasting in the first place
Real People, Real Struggles, Real Success
Let me tell you about some real people who pushed through the hard parts and came out the other side.
Ninita from Texas found fasting “quite challenging” at first. But she joined a group fast during a festival, and having that support made all the difference. She managed to fast for over 12 hours and lost 3 pounds. But more importantly, her blood sugar stayed stable and low. She told me, “The group fasting experience was incredibly motivating and inspiring; I felt supported and didn’t feel alone in the process”.
Vijaylaxmi from Bangalore was scared of fasting at first. She said initially it was “a little hard” but having guidance from doctors and mentors made her capable. The group’s energy and inspiration helped her do it for the first time. Now she does water fasting once a week and says it has made her “spiritual, energetic, and calm”.
The person who wrote about their 16:8 experience said they were expecting to struggle, but it was “surprisingly easy.” They realized they might have only been eating breakfast out of habit. Now they get an energy boost during fasting hours that keeps them motivated. They feel “supercharged and clear-headed” before eating.
These aren’t superhuman people. They’re regular folks who found ways to push through the hard parts.
Simple Tricks That Actually Work
Okay, let’s get practical. Here are the techniques that work when you’re in the middle of a tough fasting moment:
The Water Trick: When you feel hungry, drink a big glass of water and set a timer for 15 minutes. Often, what we think is hunger is actually thirst. If you’re still hungry after 15 minutes, you can decide what to do next. But most of the time, the feeling passes.
The Wave Technique: Remember that hunger comes in waves. Think of it like being at the beach – a wave comes, gets really big, then crashes and goes away. Your hunger is the same. Don’t fight the wave, just ride it out. Tell yourself, “This wave will pass in about 20-30 minutes.”
The Busy Method: One Reddit user said, “When I’m busy, I can go a long time without eating, but when I’m sitting at my desk at work and feel the first twinge of hunger, I can’t think of anything else”. The solution? Have a list ready of things you can do when hunger hits. Walk around the block, organize a drawer, call someone, do jumping jacks – anything to change what you’re doing.
The Future Reward: Some people promise themselves non-food treats if they make it through a tough moment. “If I fight this wave well, I’ll buy that scented candle I wanted”. This gives your brain something to look forward to that isn’t food.
The Reality Check: Ask yourself, “Am I really hungry, or am I just thinking about food?” Sometimes just recognizing that it’s not real hunger helps it go away.
What Your Body Is Actually Doing (The Good Stuff)
When fasting feels hard, it helps to remember what’s actually happening inside your body. You’re not just suffering for no reason – amazing things are taking place.
Research shows that fasting can make you feel more mentally sharp and focused. Studies found that people actually performed better on thinking tests after fasting. That “clear-headed” feeling that some fasters talk about? It’s real and it’s backed by science.
Fasting also seems to help with mood and stress over time. One study followed over 1,400 people who fasted for 4-21 days, and 93% of them reported better physical and emotional well-being with no feeling of hunger by the end. Another study found that people had less tension, anger, and confusion after 3 months of intermittent fasting.
Even more interesting: fasting might actually increase your motivation to exercise. When your body produces more ghrelin (the hunger hormone), it doesn’t just make you hungry – it also makes you want to move around more. That restless feeling you get during a fast? Channel it into a walk or some light exercise.
The Mindset That Changes Everything
The people who succeed at fasting long-term have developed a specific way of thinking about it. Let me share what I’ve learned from them.
They think of fasting as normal, not extreme. One successful faster said, “I remove as much emotion as I can from getting to eat after a fast. I am merely either ‘in a fasting window’ or ‘in an eating window.’ It’s just fact”. When you stop making fasting this big dramatic thing, it gets easier.
They plan for the hard moments. They don’t hope they won’t get hungry – they expect it and have a plan. They know exactly what they’ll do when that first wave of hunger hits.
They focus on how they feel, not just the scale. The woman doing 16:8 fasting said, “Since I started intermittent fasting, I have felt less bloated and healthier overall.” She wasn’t just looking at weight loss – she was paying attention to all the ways fasting made her feel better.
They’re kind to themselves. One expert said, “The most important tips to remember for your fast are first, be kind to yourself and second, do not compare your experience to anyone else’s”. If you mess up, you just start again. No drama, no guilt.
When Your Brain Tries to Quit
Let me tell you about the moment when your brain really tries to convince you to quit. It usually happens a few hours into your fast, when you’re going about your normal day and suddenly food is ALL you can think about.
Your brain starts this whole conversation: “This is too hard. I should just eat something small. Maybe an apple won’t hurt. I can start fresh tomorrow.”
Here’s what successful fasters do in this moment:
They play the “15-minute game.” They tell themselves, “I just need to make it 15 more minutes.” Often that’s enough for the craving to pass. Then they can play it again if needed.
They remember their “why.” Why did you start fasting? Not the surface reason like “to lose 10 pounds,” but the deeper reason. Maybe you want more energy to play with your kids. Maybe you want to feel more in control of your choices. Maybe you want to prove to yourself that you can do hard things.
They think about how proud they’ll feel. One person said they visualize how accomplished they’ll feel when they complete their fast. They think about that moment when they can say, “I did it. I stuck to my plan.”
They remember it’s temporary. Fasting isn’t forever. You’re not giving up food for life. You’re just choosing when to eat it.
Building Your Support System
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to fast alone. The research is clear: having support makes a huge difference.
A friend who lost 35 pounds through intermittent fasting said, “A good friend joined me on this journey and having a partner helped immensely. We share everything about our journey”. They checked in with each other, shared struggles, and celebrated wins together.
You can build support in lots of ways:
- Find one friend or family member who will check in with you daily
- Join online groups where people are doing the same thing
- Use apps that connect you with other fasters
- Even just tell someone what you’re doing and ask them to ask you how it’s going
The key is not trying to do this completely on your own.
What to Do When You Actually Mess Up
Let’s be real – you’re probably going to mess up at some point. Maybe you’ll eat something during your fast. Maybe you’ll give up halfway through. Maybe you’ll have a really bad day and just say “forget it.”
Here’s what the successful people do: they get right back on track.
One expert said, “If you messed up, get up and keep going. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Get up and head to the finish line! The race isn’t over because you fell”.
Don’t restart your count. Don’t feel guilty. Don’t throw in the towel. Just continue with your next planned fast like nothing happened.
I read about one woman who had been yo-yo dieting for years. She lost weight, gained it back, then lost 70 pounds again using 18:6 fasting. Her story shows that even if you’ve “failed” before, you can still succeed.
The Physical Stuff That Helps
Let’s talk about some practical things you can do to make fasting easier on your body:
Drink water like it’s your job. I can’t stress this enough. The minute you get even a little dehydrated, hunger symptoms and discomfort kick in. Start each morning with a big glass of water and keep a water bottle with you all day.
Try sparkling water. Some studies suggest that sparkling water can help you feel full and less hungry in the short term. Plus, the bubbles give you something interesting to drink when plain water gets boring.
Don’t tell everyone you’re fasting. One expert advises being selective about who you tell, because not everyone understands fasting and their negative reactions can be discouraging. You don’t need extra judgment when you’re already dealing with your own challenges.
Change up your routine. Our daily routines are linked to hunger signals, so it’s smart to change things up, especially when you’re starting out. If you usually eat breakfast at 8 AM, do something different at 8 AM during your fast.
Keep black coffee if you’re already a coffee drinker. Coffee is a natural appetite suppressant. If you don’t already drink coffee, don’t start, but if you do, it can really help with hunger.
Small Wins Are Big Wins
Here’s something important: celebrate the small stuff. Every hour you make it through your fast is an achievement. Every time you choose water instead of food when you feel hungry, that’s a win. Every day you stick to your plan, even if it feels hard, you’re building something.
Research shows that people stay motivated better when they achieve smaller goals more often. So instead of only celebrating when you lose 20 pounds, celebrate when you complete your first 16-hour fast. Celebrate when you make it through your first tough moment without giving up. Celebrate when you realize you’ve been fasting for a week.
One person said, “I plan my next day’s meals. If I’m really craving a certain thing, I’ll promise myself I can have it for my meal the next day if I’m still craving it. Knowing I will eventually get what I am hungry for seems to help”.
The Timeline: What to Expect
It helps to know what to expect as you keep going with fasting. Here’s what the research and real people’s experiences show:
Days 1-3: This is usually the hardest part. Your body is protesting the change. You might feel hungry, irritable, tired, or get headaches. This is normal and temporary.
Days 4-7: Many people say this is when it starts to get easier. Your body is adapting. Hunger becomes less constant and more like waves that pass.
Weeks 2-4: For most people doing daily intermittent fasting, this is when it starts feeling more natural. You stop thinking about food all the time. Some people even stop feeling hungry during their fasting hours.
Month 2 and beyond: This is when fasting often becomes a lifestyle rather than something you have to force yourself to do. Many long-term fasters say they actually prefer eating this way and have more mental freedom.
Remember, everyone is different, so your timeline might be faster or slower. The key is to keep going through the hard parts.
Your Action Plan for Right Now
If you’re reading this and feeling like you want to quit your fasting journey, here’s what I want you to do:
Today:
- Drink a big glass of water right now
- Write down why you really started fasting (the deep reason, not just “to lose weight”)
- Plan one thing you’ll do the next time you feel like quitting (call someone, take a walk, take a bath)
This week:
- Find one person who can support you or check in with you
- Notice how you feel during and after your fasts (energy, mood, sleep) – not just your weight
- Celebrate every fast you complete, even if it feels hard
This month:
- Give yourself permission to adjust your fasting schedule if needed (shorter fasts are still fasts)
- Focus on building the habit rather than being perfect
- Remember that getting easier takes time – most people need 2-4 weeks to really adapt
The Truth About Why You Should Keep Going
I want to end with something important. You didn’t start fasting just to suffer. You started because you wanted something to change in your life. Maybe you wanted more energy. Maybe you wanted to feel more in control. Maybe you wanted to prove to yourself that you could stick to something challenging.
Those reasons are still valid. Those goals are still worth pursuing.
Research shows that people who fast report feeling more accomplished, more in control, and more confident. Not because of weight loss, but because they proved to themselves they could do something difficult.
Ninita from Texas said it best: “All I can say is fasting has done too many good things for me. It has made me spiritual, energetic, and calm”.
That person who was scared to try fasting? They now do it once a week and love how it makes them feel.
The woman who thought fasting would be impossible? She now says it’s surprisingly easy and gives her mental freedom she never had before.
You can be one of these success stories too.
Yes, fasting is hard. Yes, there will be moments when you want to quit. Yes, some days will be tougher than others.
But you’re stronger than you think. You’re more capable than you know. And every moment you keep going, you’re proving that to yourself.
The next time you feel like quitting, remember: this feeling will pass. The hunger will go away. But the pride you’ll feel from pushing through? That lasts.
You’ve got this. I believe in you. And more importantly, you’re learning to believe in yourself.
Keep going.
