Here's what I did:
1. Make sure you eat late in the evening (I like to eat a snack at 11pm or later)
2. Lower your carb intake
3. Up your protein intake
4. Up your fats
5. Generally have a large dinner instead of a large lunch
Part of this shifting schedule was that I gradually reduced the size of my breakfast and eventually removed it. In the mornings I'm not doing anything physically demanding so I don't need that much energy and my large evening intake is still good enough.
That said, I always wake up with a growling stomach and sometimes even hunger pains. They go away after I have some morning tea (warm liquid) and my body generally forgets its hungry if I make it wait like 20 or 30 minutes before I give in.
As a bonus, my bodyfat percentage has gone down to a stable 11% while maintaining the same weight.
Oh yeah, I also drink 2 to 3 cans of Coke Zero per day to help with my sodium intake. Especially with the amount of working out I do I get leg cramps when I forego soda.
Not true. The 40mg of sodium in a can of coke zero isn’t enough to offset the liquid in the coke.
When I’m fasting I try and get 7 full grams of table salt daily. I’d wager the coke zero is actually desalinating you.
If you’re cramping at all, you need a LOT more salt. Also likely porassium and magnesium.
Your body’s hormones control your salinity levels on a much vaster timescale than your daily, or even weekly, dietary intake.
Source - https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-bod...
Of course my experiment wasn’t super rigorous and double blind so it could be completely wrong. It’s hard to know. But when it comes to body stuff I find it’s usually best not to overthink. If something works for you, keep doing it. Every once in a while try removing stuff you do to see if there’s an effect.
Not saying that's true for you but I thought I couldn't go without breakfast until I actually tried it.
For the record, there are other ways to do IF: I am pretty happy skipping lunch, because eating mid-day makes me sleepy and slow anyway.