Doing intermittent fasting as a Malaysian foodie, how to not lose my mind?

I lost 12kg doing 16:8 intermittent fasting as a total makan lover, so it's doable here. My trick: I set my eating window to align with social meals, so my window was roughly noon to 8pm, meaning I still joined lunch and dinner makan sessions with colleagues, just skipped breakfast. That way I wasn't left out. During the fasting hours I drank plain water, black kopi kosong, or plain tea to kill cravings. The key is I didn't ban any food, I just ate within the window and watched portions, so I could still enjoy nasi lemak, just not five times a day. Went easy on the sugary teh tarik though, that's where hidden calories hide. Please check with a doctor first if you have any health conditions or take medication, fasting isn't for everyone.

As a fellow foodie, IF worked for me because it doesn't tell you WHAT to eat, just WHEN, which suits our food culture better than restrictive diets. I did the same, moved my eating window to cover lunch and dinner so I never miss the office makan or family dinner. For the mamak supper temptation, I just accepted a couple of 'cheat' nights a week and stayed consistent the rest, consistency over perfection. Drinking lots of water and keeping busy during fasting hours really helps the cravings pass. One honest tip: don't overeat during your window to 'make up' for fasting, that cancels everything, I made that mistake early. And please consult a doctor or dietitian before starting, especially if you have gastric issues, mine flared up initially until I adjusted. Listen to your body.