First fast day and I'm so grumpy and headachy.

[Gentleness]

Is this normal? If so, I don't think I can continue for the family's sake!

I'm bf a 6mo-old so have set my max as 700 calories for the first fortnight at least while I work out if it is affecting my milk supply. So breakfast was 40g Shreddies at , lunch was (unintentionally) 3 mini scotch eggs at 165c and dinner was a chicken in mango chutney pilaf thing with lots of salad which I reckon came in around 400c for my portion. And the stupid scotch eggs that called me while the 3yo and 2yo were having a lunchtime strop meant I can't have a Muller Light later. Probably. Does that look like a fair first attempt?

But the grumpiness is worrying me most - have not been the mum I want to be today.

[itstheyearzero]

Im on day 1 of fasting too. I skipped breakfast, had a hard boiled egg and a small piece of ham for lunch and a small chicken stir fry about an hour ago. Can't stop thinking about the biscuits in the cupboard! I don't think i could have coped with it while bf though...

[itstheyearzero]

Also why am I watching Jamie Olivers American Road Trip? I never normally watch it...

[Gentleness]

Ah, I so want to give up. Am so tired and have so much to do and I feel like kicking things...

[mandmsmummy]

I was the same, terrible headache. Planned my second fast day properly and really made a difference. Actually found it refreshing! Keep at it x x

[hallamoo]

Are you drinking enough? I'm more grumpy if I don't drink enough. Also, it depends on where I am in my menstrual cycle, the week before I come on I find the fast days much harder, and I'm much, much grumpier!

Stick with it, I actually look forward to the fast days most of the time!

[Gentleness]

Ok - having a massive drink now and going to get on with busy things. Not going to give in.

Mandmsmummy - talk to me about what made your second fast day better planned - what were the biggest differences?

Thanks for the cheering on - just caught me at the point of digging out the hidden pack of jaffa cakes!

[itstheyearzero]

I could do with some encouragement too. Have planned next fast day already...soup for.lunch and a fish cake and some veg for diner. Think that will.be ok? Step away from the jaffa cakes Gentle!

[hallamoo]

The evenings are the hardest for me, I find it quite easy to go all day without eating, but once the kids are in bed and I sit down I get the munchies. Have started saving about 100 cals to have some plain homemade popcorn in the evenings.

[mandmsmummy]

The first fast day I hardly ate much, plain salad for lunch (not filling enough) and used all the rest of my points on tea which then i struggled all evening (although I've forgotten what it was) because I was soooo hungry.
So second fast day was sweet cup of tea for brekkie, prawn salad for lunch. Prawns are low calories, which made the salad really filling. Then carrot and coriander soup for tea (again low calorie) then enough for a small supper snack.
So I suppose I'm saying have lots of mini meals so the days are easier.
X

[Greedygirl]

It was my first day fasting yesterday and I also found it hard going in the evening. Had quite a banana for breakfast, small egg salad for lunch and chicken and veg for tea. I was ok during the day although a bit headachy and then ravenous by the time I got home and twitchy all evening! I didn't feel too tempted to break it as doing it with my DH but the thought of doing this twice a week for a long time does not fill me with joy! It took ages to go to sleep and I was lying thinking about all the things I had to do, having a mini meltdown - I haven't done that for ages ! When are you all doing your second day? Good luck. I love prawns so perhaps I can plan something like that in next time.

[Greedygirl]

Quite a banana !

[frenchfancy]

Don't worry everyone. It gets easier and the grumpiness deminishess over time. Try and keep away from sugar and carbs (including fruit) on fast days as it spikes the blood sugar which makes mood swings worse (this isn't a rule by the way just advice from a long termer)

[Squiglettsmummy2bx]

I don't think that sounds like enough as you are bf I'd be starving & probably eat the baby too

[Gentleness]

Well, I had a couple of pieces of home-made potato salad which I thought was more psychologically healthy than jaffa cakes, several arguments with dh and went to bed only to find I had not taken my citalopram the previous night. I so rarely forget that it hadn't occurred to me that could be it.

Took a double dose and woke ravenous but not grumpy at all, despite finding child2, age2, butt naked, smearing sudocrem on his face and bottom having wiped them with baby wipes he'd dipped in the toilet bowl. Which I'd bleached before going to bed.

So, it was most likely not the fast that caused all the grumpiness so I'm hugely relieved. And dh might pull his finger out more on household tasks given the earful he got last night. Everyone's a winner, as long as my children don't bear the scars for years to come...

Frenchfancy - do you mean any kind of fruit? I'd been kind of hoping that bananas or apples would be a good healthy snack midafternoon if I experiment with missing out lunch.

Squiglettsmummy - my supply wasn't affected at all yesterday but I'm definitely going to be careful. Dd is just starting solids, but not enough to take a breastmilk supply dip.

[Gentleness]

How did you get on itstheyearzero? When's your next fast day?

[itstheyearzero]

Hi. Next fast day tomorrow I think. I am going to be good today as well though...just had a small bowl of cornflakes for breakfast so far. No wonder you were grumpy dealing with all of that yesterday! When id your next fast day!

[Gentleness]

I'm fasting next on Thursday when there is a small possibility of an afternoon nap!

No, the sudocrem incident was this morning and didn't cause any grumpiness. Thank God for citalopram.

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

I am also bfing a 6mo and tried a few weeks of this - I've now given up until I've finished feeding. I was just so hungry and grumpy and worst of all, I didn't lose a single pound!

I remember with dd1 my body hung on to extra weight until I stopped feeding so I'm putting it down to that, since normally lose weight quite easily.

I plan on trying again in a few months. I want the health benefits mostly.

I think there are people on the main thread who successfully lost weight while feeding, so it could just be me!

Oh, and one great tip I picked up on the other thread - liquorice tea. It's delicious and quite sweet.

[frenchfancy]

gentleness I avoid all fruit on fast days as it contains too much sugar. If you really need to snack try a boiled egg or a carrot. But better still if you feel the need for a snack have a cup of mint tea or similar and wait 30 mins.

[hallamoo]

I've been doing 5:2 since Jan, and I'm breastfeeding. Haven't noticed a dip in supply, but my son is 27 months and only feeds twice a day.

[itstheyearzero]

Ok fast day 2 today. am planning on having a hard boiled egg for brekkie , half a tub of soup for lunch and s fishcake and a bit of veg for dinner. Sounds ok! Kept to 1400 calories yesterday so quite pleased about that! Anyone else. fasting today?

[Gentleness]

1400 on a non-fast day is pretty impressive but does that give the right balance between fast and plenty? I thought it was the contrast that made the difference?

Tomorrow is my next fast. Planning on thinking through breakfast/lunch this evening as I'm not really confident with that, but tea will be bean-burgers in homemade pitta, rootveg coleslaw and plenty of salad. Should be 350-400 calories.

[Talkinpeace]

It all depends how many calories your body needs on a "normal" day ... (your TDEE) ... which in my case is 1500 because I'm not very tall and quite slim

the 2000 on the side of the cereal box is too many for more than half of women ....