Hi Brooke!

I am getting great results from fasting until noon everyday and then eating two meals– salads/veggies and protein, followed by a piece of fruit (and plain yogurt at lunch). My question is, when I break my fast at noon I am only able to eat a “small” amount before my stomach makes it super clear it is full– almost uncomfortable. I eat about 4 oz of protein and 1-2 cups of salad and my stomach halts me. This is great, seeing that I’ve been an overeater with a “huge appetite” my whole life. The problem is that I get really, really hungry around 3:30 and am not able to get dinner together until 6:30. The hunger from 3:30-6:30 is pretty disruptive because it is different from my morning hunger in that it doesn’t ebb and flow but is rather pervasive, distracting, and fatiguing. In the mornings I experience an increase in energy when fasting, but the afternoons I feel a significant dip in energy and ability to focus. Bone broth can be super helpful, but I’m not always in a place where I can heat some up and sip it. I heard you say once to a participant who was struggling not to snack that she may not be getting enough to eat at lunch, causing her to be hungry early so I’m looking for guidance because I don’t want to stuff myself at lunch and I also do not want to snack. I have increased fats at lunch (whole avocado, two hard boiled eggs, veggies with ranch dip, and plain yogurt with fruit) and I felt terrible for quite a while afterward because it was too much for my stomach to handle after fasting.

Your wisdom is appreciated!