fasting?

amandavanvels

sorry if this has been posted here before, but i was just curious if anyone knows anything about fasting?

i've heard some people do 12-18 hour fasts and get awesome benefits from it. the main question i have is...if i were to do a 12 hour fast and then eat dinner or something after the 12 hours are up, should i eat all of the calories i was supposed to eat that day in one meal? or do i just eat a normal meal and then go to bed?

although i do want the benefits that come from fasting, the main reason i want to know is because i'm a wedding photographer...and there's usually zero food for some on paleo to eat while at a wedding. i'm trying to lose weight while eating paleo, so i cut my carbs down dramatically. before, i'd usually just pack a bunch of carrots and nuts with me and maybe some fruit. but all of those are pretty carb-y. i'm wondering if i can just fast for the whole time i'm shooting a wedding (which is usually around 10 hours) and eat when i come home? i don't really know what i could pack to eat that doesn't require a microwave or sitting down for a good chunk of time to eat it. since i have to be constantly moving, small snacks are what usually kept me going before.

anyone have any thoughts on this? i have a wedding coming up on friday and i just started eating low carb, so i'm kind of at a loss at what i should do.

thanks!

Shadowknight137

I suspect you're supposed to aim to eat all your calories at once. That's what I do, anyway.

Regardless of whether or not you're trying to lose weight, eating barely any calories in a day (ie, one normal meals worth) will cause all kinda of problems. All kindz. Namely, the loss of LBM, hair, etc.

amandavanvels

yeah, i want to be healthy about it if i'm going to do this. i could definitely eat a big breakfast in the morning and then fast for 10-12 hours and then eat the remaining calories once i get home?

ichorica

I rarely eat breakfast so I go 12 plus hours without eating. I have been eating this way most of my life as i am not a big fan of breakfast. I just make sure to eat enough in a day, usually in Two meals with snacks if I need them! Make sure you are feeding your body enough food!

Shadowknight137

yeah, i want to be healthy about it if i'm going to do this. i could definitely eat a big breakfast in the morning and then fast for 10-12 hours and then eat the remaining calories once i get home?

Sure, that's fine. In fact, that's just like a normal day.

Prahasaurus

Fasting, or at least Intermittent Fasting (IF), seems to be popular of late. Here's a good site: http://www.leangains.com/

There are various ways to go about it. Many seem to have a "feeding window" that begins around lunchtime and ends around dinnertime. Which is why I like to say another way to describe IF is "skipping breakfast." But it doesn't sound so scientific that way... :-) IF is not for me, but some seem to like it, and have gotten fantastic results.

Occasional fasting - i.e. skipping food for 24 hours or so - is actually quite healthy for the body, according to recent studies. Apparently it allows the body to clean itself out a bit. For example, Muslims around the world fast during the month of Ramadan (no food or water during the day), with no ill side effects.

If you decide to implement a program like this, you should probably consult your doctor, just to be safe.

Good luck.

--P

amandavanvels

thanks everyone! i did it at yesterday's wedding and it went great. i actually didn't even start feeling hungry until the last 2 hours of my shift, so that was helpful!

i'll probably keep doing this on wedding days because it's beneficial to me and i don't have to pack a billion snacks!

thanks again!

breeanreyes

if you do need a little something to get you through the last couple of hours, beef jerky is a great choice and easy to pack with you.

33runnergirl

Here is an interesting article on fasting that is specifically geared toward women:

http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/

dancingdeer

There is a group here for Intermittent Fasting...check it out - lots of good info!