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.

I think I am preparing for a 24hr fast Thursday- Friday! I think I need the challenge, but worried I will struggle like the 22hr one.
So plan is to start fast 6pm Thursday - I have a solid work day til 5 on Friday then use the last hr to work out.
I feel like if I put my intentions out here, I have to make myself accountable!

I did a bog standard 20 hours yesterday and under 500 calories - today is a NFD where I hope to finish my window before 7pm then another 20 hour fast tomorrow. I have a walk with a friend planned then a really exciting trip to the Post Office... bring on the 12 April for some PEOPLE!

I am mostly cobbling everything together diet wise - again, I find not having working scales infuriating but I just have to get on with it.

Things that have worked for me before are low carb and 5:2 (separately) and the joy of 5:2 was not having to order tuna steak when I wanted rigatoni with wild boar ragu.

So at the moment I’m obviously fasting with windows (IF), staying under 500 cals 2 days a week (5:2) and low carbing. BUT - with a view to being happy to eat normally at a restaurant or if I am being cooked for by someone else. I used to have that sense of failure and then really throw the baby out with the bath water if I had pasta or a Malteser or whatever whereas now the FDs remove a lot of the issues and I now stick to it.

My next change in terms of our health rather than weight loss is to swap out some of our meaty dinners with fish dinners. Getting DH on board will involve giving him some sort of charcuterie starter.

I also have a list of reasons to lose weight on my Notes on my phone to look at when I’m hungry.

@StuntNun I'm considering knocking the 36+ fasts on the head as I seem unable to avoid rewarding myself the following day. Yesterday I ate
SLC hot cross bun
2.5 pieces mini baguette when prepping for DD
Tuna mayo salad
SLC brownie
2 small h/m lc peanut butter cookies
1/2 cold sausage
Creamy chicken & bacon casserole
1/2 h/m milk roll when prepping for DD
So much snacking! When I think back to how disciplined I was last summer when I started out.
Last week I did 2 36hr fasts and 2 of 20ish and didn't lose any weight,

That's interesting @CrabPuff are you trying to lose or maintaining?
I'm sure there's a happy medium out there for me, I just need to find it

I’m trying to lose, but I want to be able to sustain it as I’ve been so yo-yo with my weight loss in the past. Lose a stone, gain back a stone and a half etc.

So I have the combination of the fasting and carbing to allow leeway basically. I know with all of it I cannot overeat - that’s the restriction I have to stick with and try to not eat til I’m uncomfortable
, and I’ll put on a couple of pounds of water weight if I do have pasta or whatever (I haven’t had pasta for months, but if I do have the freedom to choose it and don’t feel like I can’t have it then I am less likely to be desperate for it and eat it if that makes sense?!) but the combination of the ways of eating leads me to feel less restricted.

It helps that I like low carb foods on the whole! My appetite has reduced a little and fasting for 36 hours here and there also has made me realise that hunger is in waves, not just one big horror.

Keep us updated on your fast this week MasterOfOne. It's as much psychological as physical so your plan to succeed will see you through.

Why do you think you're snacking so much on fasting days Oneborn? Do you feel it was an excessive amount of food given that you had just finished a fast? I would be more concerned about the carby stuff: mini baguette and milk roll aren't going to do you any favour. But also the hot cross bun, cookies and brownie are low carb but not really the ideal foods to be eating. In my opinion you would be better off sticking with the long fasts but having some high quality foods available for your non-fasting day instead of nibbling on carbs and highly processed low carb alternatives.

I have a similar viewpoint CrabPuff. I can eat any food and they're still out there if I want them. I simply choose not to have them day to day. One of my clients was going on holiday and didn't want to gain back weight she'd just worked so hard to lose so she decided to to allow herself one alcoholic drink per day and one dessert on the last day of her holiday. Well, when she got to that last day she was so proud of herself for eating healthily on her holiday that she ended up not having that dessert and coming home slightly lighter than when she had left! It goes to show that permissiveness can help to keep you on track.

It's unusual that we should have both the hot cross buns and brownies in the house tbh - my DH bought them as gifts. I think it's 50% rewarding myself for having fasted and 50% thinking I'm not eating tomorrow so I'll enjoy it now whilst I can. I might try a few days of omad but will definitely keep it in mind that longer fasts are preferable.
I went out for a walk this morning in inadequate clothing, couldn't get warm hours later (no bath or bed due to DD) so broke my fast early with left over casserole. I've eaten and back into it.
Good luck @MasterOfOne I'm sure you'll be fine

Thanks all. Have decided to try for 22hrs from now until tomorrow 4pm just to try and prepare a little, but starting to feel a little excited.

will keep you posted :-)

I'm 46 hours into a 60 hour fast. Am hoping to make it through this evening and will then have a light breakfast (probably Greek yoghurt) before doing my Ripped DVD tomorrow morning.

How do you feel @prettybird?

Fine - wee bit of a headache so suspect I need electrolytes.

But I'm looking forward to breakfast which I don't usually have

Well done @prettybird I hope you had a delicious breakfast. What's your plan? Do you think you'll do 60 more often?

Does anyone else go on the Life app and find they've forgotten to end a fast on it so it thinks you've done a 530-hour fast? Or is it just me?

Lol! Not yet @StuntNun.

Broke my fast with a couple of generous spoonfuls of Lidl's "Authentic" Greek yoghurt (10% fat) with some cinnamon. Much nicer than their Greek "style" yoghurt which only has 5% fat.

I think I'll do a 36-48 hour fast every week or so (when it's convenient) and a longer fast less frequently.

How did you find it @prettybird ? Did you have to ease yourself into the longer fasts?
I am going for my first 24 hours Thurs dinner to Friday dinner!
How long have you been fasting in total??

Feeling a little dopey today and managed to use the pepper mill in my black tea as opposed to seq salt

Gah! Sea salt

Well I didn't manage OMAD on Monday, but I set a personal best speed running on Monday night (not great by normal standards but I've only been going for 4 weeks!) so maybe the belly pork helped?!

21h fast yesterday (late dinner Monday, earlier yesterday) and today will be around 24h as we're having an early dinner again.

Trying to really up my fluids this week. I'm making a fruit tea every time I have a coffee.

The scales are being really kind at the moment. Down 1.3kg in the last week, only 2.5kg to go for a healthy BMI. I won't get there before Easter though and we're going away at Easter so that will be a big setback because I'll be eating takeaways for 6 days!

@prettybird I miss yoghurt! I just try and remember to eat some at dinner times. I always fancy some in the evenings but if that's hours after dinner then I don't have any.

@MasterOfOne - not long to go. How are you doing?

Hey @VenetoResident not too bad. Doing 22hrs today and with 2 hours to go not feeling too bad. I don't have any decaf tea in so next 2 hours will very water only otherwise I won't get to sleep.
Also managed a really good exercise session today so feeling more positive. The scales are not moving but clothes are def looser and generally feel good.
I find the day time no problem, my issue really begins when the fast starts... I just cant stop thinking about food lol so early night tonight.
10kgs to healthy BMI and I am determined!

@MasterOfOne : I'd done a few 24 hour fasts over the years (usually when away supporting ds at rugby games, so no access to snacks ) and did my first 36 hour fast shortly before Christmas.

I did another 36 hour fast in the New Year and then increased it to 48 hours and then (iirc) a 50 hour fast. 60 hours was the longest I've done and felt fine. I took the view that if I could get through dinner time on the 2nd day, then I could get to 60 hours as most of that would be sleep time Not sure I'd want to go much longer.

Love the fasting chat! I need to get another 36 hour one in soon. It feels so good. As does breakfast afterwards!

20 hours today and 500 cal limit - I did 545 in total but not too tricky - walked 4 miles which was better than nothing but not great!

And YES StuntNun, I’ve done that a lot!

I’m now listening (maybe on the assumption it will put me to sleep) to a podcast called The Fasting for Life podcast. 2 American guys - just on the intro. I used to really like the IF Gin Stephens aaaaaand I can’t remember the other woman’s name but their research and commitment to finding the right answers to listeners’ questions was impressive!

No great plan tomorrow - I finished eating quite late so I don’t think I’ll get round to even 16 hours but we’ll see. Just aiming to get a good walk in.

Prettybird it gets easier after 72 hours as you stop feeling hungry at all. On the other hand though you have to be more careful when you start eating again as your digestive system has shut down.

Is there any material difference between 24 and 36hr fasting? Doing 22hrs again today, will make a high protein dinner and scrambled egg/ protein yoghurt to break fast!