Intermittent Fasting For Mental Clarity

I always thought that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Cliché, I know. This information is drilled into us growing up and sticks with us as we get older. But for most of my life, I felt lethargic and experienced some level of brain fog in the morning. I know what you may be thinking, and yes, even on days when I didn’t have a few too many drinks the night before. Eating a (relatively) healthy diet, working out consistently, and sleeping 7–8 hours per night, STILL feeling this way throughout the morning. I tried it all to gain mental clarity in the morning. A big glass of lemon water, meditation, healthy food options, smoothies, gut health supplements, Vitamin B12 and D, and working out, just to name a few.

It was when I decided to skip breakfast that my headspace became clearer. I’m not even sure what sparked this concept, a bit of luck I suppose. I wake up and drink only water and coffee until around 11:30 am for lunch. Sometimes I have a latte (coffee and milk), but for the most part, my caloric intake is near zero until lunch. When I do this, I have strong mental clarity and it is sustained for the entirety of the morning. The brain fog is nearly non-existent, and I can feel the energy flowing through me like I never have before. It feels strange to think that it took me this long to figure it out, but for me; not eating breakfast is here to stay.

I’m no scientist or expert on the human body but knowing our hunter/gatherer ancestors didn’t always wake up to a nice big meal in the morning makes me think our bodies just may have adapted to this. Searching for food on empty stomach suggests you need to be focused and alert for when the opportunity strikes. Maybe this needs to be embraced and taken advantage of by modern society?

But what about hunger? Your stomach will growl the first several days of the transition if you’re used to eating a big breakfast. When this happens, guzzle some water, this will typically suffice and might be what your body needed. If you’re in a dire situation, a small snack can get the job done without interfering much.

When I do eat my first meal of the day, I’ve found I’m more likely to choose healthier foods. It may seem like if I’m eating at a lower frequency, I would want to get in a tasty burger from the local restaurant to satisfy my hunger. But I’ve found that it is quite the opposite. When lunchtime comes around, my body is craving something nutritious. It’s telling me it wants real fuel to keep the morning mental clarity going. If you are eyeing intermittent fasting for losing weight or getting healthier in general, this could be a benefit for you. I can’t personally say I’ve achieved it since it is not my goal, but while still consuming the same number of calories, chances are higher you’ll choose healthier calories.

There’s another benefit I’ve noticed…and needs to be noted. You may experience more consistent morning bowel movements, especially if you combine the water you’re intaking with a cup of coffee. This benefit is overlooked in my opinion; clearing your system early and regularly can give you an energy boost and make you feel better overall.

For the breakfast foodies out there: I HEAR YOU, I am one of you. My favorite food is breakfast food, but guess what? Food is food. You can eat it whenever you want. Just because it’s labeled as breakfast food doesn’t mean you have to eat it for breakfast. Breakfast for lunch, breakfast for dinner, breakfast for a snack, it’s all the same. So don’t worry, you can continue to eat the foods you enjoy the most.

So, when I do eat, how should I break my fast?

What I don’t do that you might be doing:

What you know about breakfast could be slowing you down and bringing you unnecessary brain fog and lack of mental clarity. I recommend you give it a shot and see for yourself. Let me know if you do, and how it impacts you!

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