Expert Q&A

Gave up all my vices… unsure of what to do with myself now while doing intermittent fasting

Navigating the Dopamine Deficit

When you strip away the evening glass of wine, the afternoon sugary snack, and the late-night grazing, you aren't just losing calories—you are experiencing a significant drop in your Dopamine Baseline. For many of my clients in their late 40s and 50s, these "vices" served as chemical rewards for surviving a high-stress day. When you pair the removal of these habits with intermittent fasting, you suddenly find yourself with a surplus of time and a deficit of stimulation. That "unsure" feeling you are experiencing is actually your brain's plea for a quick hit of pleasure. It is a transition period where your neurochemistry is recalibrating to find joy in subtle, natural stimuli rather than concentrated hits of sugar or alcohol.

Rewiring Your Reward System

The key to success in my methodology is not just white-knuckling through the boredom, but actively managing your Cortisol Spike. High stress levels make the fasting window feel like a prison. Instead of focusing on what you aren't doing, we need to focus on activities that promote Autophagy—the body's natural cellular cleanup process—without taxing your joints or depleting your willpower. I recommend "habit stacking" during your usual vice window. If 6:00 PM used to be cocktail hour, it now becomes "mobility hour." Use this time for gentle stretching or a slow walk. This provides a gentle physical distraction that doesn't trigger the hunger hormones that a high-intensity workout might, making the fasting window feel productive rather than restrictive.

Optimizing Your Internal Clock

At this stage of life, hormonal shifts make your Circadian Rhythm more sensitive than ever. When you give up vices, your sleep quality usually improves, but the initial restlessness can be daunting. Use your newly found time to prep for deep rest. I advise my beginners to implement a "Digital Sunset"—turning off screens an hour before bed. This helps regulate melatonin and prevents the late-night boredom that often leads to breaking a fast prematurely. By aligning your fasting window with your natural sleep cycle, you achieve Metabolic Flexibility faster, allowing your body to switch from burning sugar to burning fat with significantly less mental effort.

The Power of Non-Food Rituals

In my work, I emphasize the importance of "sensory replacements." If you miss the ritual of a drink, replace it with a high-quality herbal tea or mineral water in a nice glass. This satisfies the psychological need for a "transitional ritual" between work and home life without caloric intake. You are building a new identity where you are no longer defined by your vices, but by your resilience. This transition is often the hardest part of the journey, but it is exactly where the most profound metabolic and psychological healing occurs.

💬 What the Community Says

The community frequently discusses the "existential boredom" that accompanies the early stages of intermittent fasting, especially when combined with sobriety or a clean-eating reset. On various forums, users often describe the 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM window as the most challenging, as it was previously filled with social drinking or comfort eating. The general sentiment is one of restlessness; many practitioners report feeling "lost" or "irritable" because they no longer have their usual coping mechanisms for stress. There is a recurring debate between those who advocate for "filling the time" with intense hobbies like puzzles or woodworking and those who suggest sitting with the discomfort to reset one's relationship with hunger. A vocal minority emphasizes that the social isolation of giving up vices is the hardest hurdle, leading many to seek out online accountability groups to replace their former social circles. Overall, the consensus is that the physical benefits of fasting are often overshadowed by the psychological challenge of reinventing one's leisure time.
Cite this answer
Clark, R. (2026). Gave up all my vices… unsure of what to do with myself now while doing intermitt. *CFP Weight Loss*. https://ask.cfpweightloss.com/ask/gave-up-all-my-vices-unsure-of-what-to-do-with-myself-now-while-doing-intermittent
Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, FNP-C, APRN
About the Author

Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN, is the founder of CFP Weight Loss in Nashville and CFP Fit Now telehealth. Over 35 years in healthcare — Army Nurse Reserves, Level 1 trauma ER, hospitalist — he developed a 30-week protocol integrating real foods, detox, and low-dose tirzepatide cycling that has helped hundreds of patients lose 30–90 pounds. He and his wife Anne-Marie lost a combined 275 pounds using the same protocol.

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