Combining fasting with low carb 1

[StuntNun]

This thread is for people who want to combine fasting with a low carbohydrate way of eating such as Low Carb Bootcamp, keto, paleo or primal.

Disclaimer – I am not a health professional – I am relying on my own reading and experience. If you have a relevant health condition then consult your doctor before introducing fasting. For example, people with diabetes or high blood pressure often require medication adjustments if they cut carbs or start fasting. In many conditions, medications must be taken with food which may dictate one or more regular meals per day. If you have had an eating disorder, or tend to be obsessive or controlling about food, then fasting may not be appropriate for you. I’m happy to chat about any of these issues but this thread is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

Why fast?

1. To lose weight
2. For the health benefits (e.g. reducing insulin resistance, triggering cellular repair, lowering inflammation, reducing blood pressure)
3. All of the above!

Types of fasting

1. Intermittent fasting (for example 16:8)
2. Fasting mimicking diet (such as 5:2)
3. Extended fasting (over 24 hours)

I will describe each of these over the next three posts. Most people start out with, or working towards, either 16:8 or 5:2. Before we get started, my top fasting tip is to make sure you have plenty of calorie-free drinks: water, black coffee or tea, green tea or herbal teas. You may need to drink more than usual because you aren’t getting any water from food during your fasting window.

Peacock I think you're supposed to do them one or two hours after eating. It's not so much how high your blood glucose goes as how quickly it returns to normal. Dr Google will be able to advise!

Jollyholibobs - it's going ok. I'm planning on doing the Shred shortly. On Thursdays I do an "easier" version, with sampler weights and slightly more relaxed aerobic sections, so I should be ok.

I avoid seed & refined oils due to their inflammatory properties. I have mildly problematic joints, migraines, IBS & multiple airborne allergies. Anything I can do to reduce inflammation, especially if it's relatively easy, I'll do. I stick to natural oils from meat, fish & poultry, (although I do cut off the larger chunks of fat from meat before cooking or eating, usually), & oils from olive, coconut & avocado, & ghee or butter for cooking. I do occasionally eat pork crackling though, when we have a roast, only very rarely, it's a treat.

I had a few days "off" from low carbing recently, at DH's suggestion. OMG I felt awful. Heavy, slow - mentally & physically. Groggy & sleepy. I can usually manage one meal of moderate carbs, i.e. a slice of sourdough or some brown rice, every 5-6 days, with no ill effects, but this was different. I'm clearly going to have to be careful about reintroducing carbs eventually.

AnExcellentWalker what was the reasoning behind your dh's suggestion? Does he not think low carb is good for you, or is it about what you buy / cook / eat together? What did you eat - was it refined carbs such as bread, pasta, sugar?

I'm like you and can tolerate moderate (healthy) carbs once a week or so - usually lentils or beans or brown rice - they don't seem to spike an insulin response.

You say: I'm clearly going to have to be careful about reintroducing carbs eventually. Why do you feel you need to reintroduce them? Presumably you're already eating some carbs in the form of vegetables, so you're not no carb, do you think it's unsustainable for your lifestyle to eat this way, or do you think it's not good for your health? Our ancestors mostly ate like this all the time - some meat, some nuts and oils, some fruit and veg. Then occasionally they'd come across a honeycomb and gorge themselves, then lay around sleepily for a couple of days. Thank goodness our bodies were designed to cope with sugar! However, for our ancestors the huge amount of sugar might happen once a year, compared to the western diet where it happens 4 or 5 or 6 times a day.

I'm not criticising you, just interested in why you think it's not sustainable.

@venusandmars - I'd had a really bad migraine that lasted a few days & he thought maybe the low carb was a factor in the length & severity of it. I must admit I did wonder as well. However I felt so much worse when I tried reintroducing more carbs that I reduced them again after a couple of days. It's only been about 48 hours back on reduced carbs & I'm already feeling much better. I did have a big nap yesterday though, most unlike me unless I'm ill.

I don't think I'll go back to a full carb diet. I would just like to be able to have a piece of cake, or similar, occasionally.

I had salmon with lemon herb cauliflower rice for my tea this evening. Highly recommend it, I'll definitely be making it again.

I'm just getting used to low carb again after a good week off, extenuating circumstances

Plan to do a few extended fasts over the next few weeks to get me ready for Ramadan in approximately 32 days (not that I am counting or anything!)

@AnExcellentWalker sorry you have been unwell. My DH also likes to suggest that low carb may be the cause of any ailments.

Just approaching 35 hours of fasting. Have woken alert and well rested. Will have a short run and see if I can continue the fast until lunch time. I am enjoying the challenge.

@Jollyholibobs I suffer with chronic migraines, to a severity & frequency that I can't work & (currently) get PIP. I've only recently started on low carb so no-one could blame that for the migraines, which I've been getting for nearly 20 years. Only, the last one was a real bastard... I get really bad ones occasionally & DH looks for something external to blame - the weather, whatever. I am actually feeling a bit better generally though, less achey, my IBS is less. Too soon to tell if any change to the migraines or skin. I'm losing weight as well, finally!

@AnExcellentWalker that’s a lot to cope with. Hope low carb helps you. Sounds like your few days off experimenting with upping carbs certainly demonstrated to downside of carbs for you.

Thanks @Jollyholibobs. It does seem to be helping a bit with my general energy levels. I'm just low carb for the next couple of days, then back to OMAD I think. I feel a bit over full if I eat too frequently TBH, & I was never really a breakfast person. Just once a day suits me really well. Plus, more time for other stuff.

Sorry, super busy here so haven't been posting. In awe of you managing more that 24 hours. I just cannot do it!

I hope that fasting helps with the migraines those f you the suffer.

Fasting til dinner today which will be melazane and a green salad. Might make kale crisps to eat with a film later, or some seed crackers. Seem to be down 1lb this week which is good. I mean I wish it were quicker but slow, steady and sustainable seems good for now.

Just finished my first longer fast (did 23hrs a couple of weeks ago) at 41hrs 40mins. Before my breakfast I did a 5 mile lunch time run. Feel really alert and energetic. I am definitely interested in doing this on a regular basis. I am interested to see what the impact on energy levels and appetite are over the next few days.
Just tucking into lovely buttery mushrooms, spinach, avacado and creamy scrambled egg. Yum.

@Bestbees - TBH I'm just happy to have found a WOE which is actually getting the weight off in a reliable manner. I've been struggling with my weight since DD was born, she's nearly 9. I was slim before that. Managed to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight, with considerable effort, in a couple of years, but it all went back on plus some more. I've not found anything since then that has shifted more than 3-4lb. And the weight has slowly crept up. I've lost about a stone since Christmas though, without too much effort, & no calorie counting which I find quite triggering as I get quite obsessed. Slow & sustainable is good. My clothes fit better. (I do have smaller clothes but that's a way off yet!)

Hello! I hope you're all well. I'm a bit guilty or reading and lurking rather than posting recently! Still trucking on here with weekly 24 hour fasts and usually do 16:8 most days although I'm not really strict about it. I did a 37 hour fast this week, planned for 24 hours and then just kept going. I probably could have gone longer too. My weight loss has stalled a bit as cheats and treats are creeping in when I'm not fasting so I need to get firmly back on track, I'm fed up gaining and losing the same 4lbs!

KOKO everyone and remember all the water!

I felt like I was following this WOE and not losing anything... so kind of stopped... and put on 10lbs! Having Mother’s Day lunch tomorrow then doing hopefully a 30 hour fast after that.

I’ve already put a request in for my Mother’s Day breakfast in bed: herby scrambled eggs on sourdough toast, with sliced tomato & sauerkraut. Toasted seeds on the top (already prepared, I always have some on the go). That will be my treat meal for this week.

Today I’m having hot & sour soup, then cauliflower kedgeree. Both new dishes. Just having a herbal tea now.

Fasting today - looking to have my 500 calories this evening. Salmon ceviche or tartare depending on what ingredients I can find. Eggs too.

I’ve been a bit carby - so need to get back on that really. I have a month to get into my jeans and so I need to focus a bit more!

Sorry I haven't been on much this week, it's been busy busy busy at work. Who's fasting this weekend? I suspect my DCs have big plans for tomorrow - there's some posh cheese poorly hidden in the fridge - so I'm planning my next fast from Monday evening.

CrabPuff what happens in a month that you need to fit into your jeans? That's good motivation though. I think the number on the scales is somewhat arbitrary whereas feeling comfortable in your clothes again is much more satisfying.

Oh no Madmarch how frustrating. Good luck with your fast.

Well done on 37 hours Rocking. What's the plan for next week?

Great news on your run yesterday Jollyholibobs. I find workouts harder when I'm fasting even though you're not supposed to.

Bestbees no need to fast for as long as 24 hours if you don't want to. 16:8 is still great for you and gives health benefits as well as weight loss.

Nothing specific in a month, just the ability to go out! I don’t want to feel like I completely wasted an opportunity (insofar as I can call lockdown that!) where I mostly had total control over my food intake. A trip to the hairdresser and some outside eating that isn’t cooked or washed up by me is my biggest excitement on the horizon.

The hunger is strong within me today!

I'd asked for SLC hot cross buns for tomorrow but unfortunately they've been delayed.
Did 3 38 hour fasts again last week so I'll be interested to see what the scales say Monday morning.

@StuntNun yes I think I am pretty happy with 3x omad. Lost another pound this week taking me to 9.11 so only 4lb to target. It seems pretty sustainable to me too. I have done 16:8 ish every other day, and then eat what I like on Sunday! I think the 'feast day: helps a bit. Stay low carb but indulge if I want.
Today is a FD. I don't count cals (should I?) dinner will be stir-fry veg, prawns and mackerel. Prob yog with keto granola and a few berries.

Anyone else fasting today?

I'm doing a short fast today. I had some (Mother's Day gift) cheese yesterday evening so it will only be about 21 hours until dinner which will be a pork chop with lots of veggies. I've bought Cavalo Nero in the hope of topping up my iron. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to cook it? DH used a garlic-heavy recipe last time we had it and it was inedible.

I don't count calories as I took up weight training at the end of December so I'm not trying to lose fat at the moment while I'm hopefully building muscle. I'm a real hardgainer and I'm dealing with old injuries so progress has been painfully slow but I'm told it takes 12 weeks before you really see the benefits.

@AnExcellentWalker thank you for the detail on your feeder days, that's really useful. Sorry I've not been back sooner, I put myself on a "time out" after getting a bit snarky on threads for no good reason.

Last week was tough, I did a feed day over the weekend and then a longer (30 hour) fast on the Monday. Didn't feel like I'd got anywhere all week though, just felt a bit sluggish and depressed. Anyway, weighed myself on Friday and I had lost 6lb! Which has motivated me again. I also came down with a horrible cold this weekend so I wonder if that's why I had struggled last week.

Onwards and upwards anyway, I'm now at the point where I can see my weight loss and need to start thinking about getting some toning exercise in. I'm not a big exercise fan though so not really sure where to start!

Hope everyone has a good week

Wow at 6lb Buffering that's impressive. What type of exercise do you like? I'm a big fan of Pilates.

Thanks, I was surprised I'm mentally preparing for a plateau week or two now!

I've previously thought about yoga, I know my mum enjoyed pilates. I did c25k a couple of years ago but my work schedule has changed so it's harder to fit in. Are there any YouTube pilates starter type sessions you can recommend?