Fasting
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keeperofaframer
Posts: 22
I am very interested in what others are doing when they fast. Please explain in depth, what you eat, how long, how many days you fast, and so on. Also, do you count the time you sleep as part of the fasting? I get up at 3:30 every morning and go to bed around 8-8:30p.m. (we commute very far to work) and want to know if I am supposed to count the time I was asleep as the fasting period or the time I wake up? Yall's help would be greatly appreciated!
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Replies
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I haven't done a fat fast, but this is a pretty good article on what it's all about and some example foods you can eat.
http://www.carbsmart.com/fatfast.html
As far as sleeping goes, that definitely counts towards the time you fast.0 -
I've been doing some intermittent fasting for the past few weeks. I definitely count the time sleeping as fasting time. There are many ways you can fast. Some people go every other day, fast on weekends, or simply just skip a meal.
What I've found that works best for me is narrowing my window of eating time. So, instead of eating anytime between 7am and 10pm like normal, I'll only eat between Noon and 6 pm. I've also found that the every other day thing works well for me because I don't feel deprived, but still see results. Initially when I started I worked myself up gradually from going 18 hours without food to eventually 24 hours, but didn't pass that. Typically I only fast for about 20 hours though. In keto it's a lot easier. If your body has been running off of carbs, then you'll feel run down and have cravings.
When I fast, I don't consume anything with calories, and then when I break the fast I try to make sure it's nothing that will throw me out of ketosis. On fast days I do a few sprints and then light exercise like a walk or yoga. On non-fast days I'll do weights.
http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2012/09/17/intermittent-low-carb-study/
There's a nice article that compares 1) eating low calories everyday 2) eating low carb every other day and 3) eating low carb and low cal every other day. Guess which one is best!0 -
Thanks so much!
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When I did IF, I would eat from 7am-3pm (8 on/16 off) or something like 8am-1pm (5 on/19 off). It was definitely helpful in breaking plateaus and building discipline. I would still eat 1500-2000 calories per day, just in a smaller time frame. I think sleeping was a lot easier too.0
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I kind of naturally did IF before I realized that's what it was, it was just how I went through school: waiting until I got home to eat because I was busy / distracted for most of the day.
So personally I kind of found fasting pretty easy to adapt to.
If I do IF, it's about 2-3 times a week, usually in a row.
I count the hours I'm asleep.
Eating window for me is about 4-6PM, honestly because it fit my scheduled best, you don't have to have such a small window.
On the table for me during this time: Water, diet soda and energy drinks - but I try not to go overboard, water is best.
Fasting I find is a good way to try and center(?), I guess, your appetite - you really are thirsty most of the time. And food cravings go away once distracted.
Foods I ate (flipping through my diary) to break the fast:
Canned salmon, veggies, lettuce wraps.
Steak and green beans.
Steak and chopped spinach.
My version of keto pizza, which, really just an almond meal pancake with salami, pizza sauce and cheese on top.
Chicken thighs and cauliflower rice.
Keto omurice (cauliflower rice, any extra veggies thrown in and an egg omelette over the top)
Basically anything I've perfected and could make simply and quickly.
No point in getting fixated on the meal anyway, I choose things I just like.
After I decided the fast is over, I wait a short time, drink some more water, then eat.
Also, you should eat. I've found there have been times where I've gotten close to 24 hours and I don't feel like eating, still, have something in your stomach before you go to sleep. Better than realizing in the middle of the night you're ravenous or having hunger pains hit you.
Sometimes I exercise during, nothing strenuous, walking, biking (30 minutes).
I can get lightheaded but it goes away pretty quickly and it's not every time I fast this occurs.
Hope this helps, please note - this is just one person, my experience isn't like everyones exactly.
Tomorrow I'm going to fast (not sure how long, either 18 or 20 hours).
On the table, probably water and Coke Zero (since I have it handy). Dinner choice (which I might pre-log on to my food diary now), will probably be SlimPasta 'Wok Ready' shirataki (again, since I have it) with some soup spicy powder base and any extra veggies thrown in, plus eggs. And an Atkins Advantage bar or a piece of dark chocolate.0 -
I do Fast 5. I eat from 5pm - 10pm. So 10pm until 5pm the next day is 19 hrs fasting (yes it includes my sleep time. That is part of the attraction of IF because EVERBODY does it already by sleeping. When you wake up, you're already 1/2 way done. )0
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A fast is going with food. Water and 0 calorie beverages is fine. You can intermittent fast with a normal caloric restriction like many people do. Or you can eat normally 5 days a week and fast two days per week to create a caloric deficit. Google Lean gains, Fast 5, The Warrior Diet, Eat Stop Eat. Those are all fasting programs. Google Ketogenic and Palei diet for information on the kinds of foods that work well with fasting and overall good health.
Also, low carb (keto)/paleo and fasting basically go hand in hand.
Get ready for you're whole dieting world to be blown open. It turns out that losing fat is easy once you eat the right foods and learn how the body works.0 -
A fast is going with food. Water and 0 calorie beverages is fine. You can intermittent fast with a normal caloric restriction like many people do. Or you can eat normally 5 days a week and fast two days per week to create a caloric deficit. Google Lean gains, Fast 5, The Warrior Diet, Eat Stop Eat. Those are all fasting programs. Google Ketogenic and Palei diet for information on the kinds of foods that work well with fasting and overall good health.
Also, low carb (keto)/paleo and fasting basically go hand in hand.
Get ready for you're whole dieting world to be blown open. It turns out that losing fat is easy once you eat the right foods and learn how the body works.
Without*0 -
I also do the narrower window of eating everyday... thus extending the night-time fast from sleeping. I only eat from 10am-6pm. I find it easier to go longer before breaking-fast than to go sooner starting-fast.
I (now) start my day at 7am'ish with black coffee and then drink only water til "lunchtime". I actually don't start eating till about noon. Then I usually make a breakfast style meal instead of a lunch style meal. (2 eggs, 2-3 bacon, sour cream or cheese, fish oil capsules.) This holds me pretty well til dinner at 6. I benefit by having a caloric reduction from one dropped meal, and the breakfast at lunchtime meal is simpler to prepare. YMMV.
steve0 -
I've previously done keto (with intermittent fasting) and i'm just starting it again, feel free to add me to share diet plans, food advice and any exercise help.0
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I don't do intermittent fasting, but I fast for a day or two (sometimes more) relatively frequently.
I really like fasting. I feel excellent when I have fasted for over 24 hours. I feel clean, healthy and peaceful. I only take in water when I fast.
Fasting seems to be harder for some people than others, I'm not really sure why that is. I can easily go three days of taking in only water without really noticing it too much, but some people have reported having trouble sticking to an IF schedule. If I didn't live with my boyfriend I would probably fast a lot more than I do now. Fasting is a nice thing for me and I don't feel that it's unhealthy when undertaken with a healthy mind and spirit.0 -
I have a question about fasting also, I've just started the keto diet and am on day 3.
When is it recommened to start the fasting? Only once you've reached the plautue of 2lbs/wk of wieght lost?0 -
I have a question about fasting also, I've just started the keto diet and am on day 3.
When is it recommened to start the fasting? Only once you've reached the plautue of 2lbs/wk of wieght lost?
If its something that helps you stay on track and fits in your day well, I don't think theres any reason not to start right away. If its more challenging for you to do it, then maybe wait since you want to focus on getting things right the first few weeks.0 -
It is a way to purge your body of all the carbs and get into ketosis very quickly, like a crash course. It's not necessary at all.0
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I do IF right now with a 24hr fast thrown in every couple of weeks, or if i hit a bad plateau, drink night before etc.
I only eat, and still get 1400-1600 calories in between 12-8pm everyday. It works well0 -
I eat 1300-1400 calories on work-out days, and 1100 on off days in a window from 5pm-midnight. That just worked out for me because even before Keto, I usually did not eat until late in the day.. I'm a black coffee junkie, so I just don't feel hungry until late in the day. My husband on the other hand, gets shaky, cranky and has headaches if he waits too long to eat. So it's not for everyone.0
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I'm not fasting as such but I typically don't eat until noon and am trying to push that out further and further each day. 2pm today - maybe 2:30 or more tomorrow. I think this is why I find it easy to get back into keto after carb up days.0
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I typically do a 16hr fast most days....I try to include most of the fast through sleep which is easier for me. So I stop eating aroung 8-9pm at night, go to the gym about 11am (work out in a fasted state) then eat around 1pm.0
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I'm using the 20/4 IF to help jump start my weight loss (after putting 25 pounds of my nearly 50 lost back on). I eat all 800-1200 calories a day between 1300 and 1700. I'm trying to be disciplined about updating my weight 1x weekly, so I avoid the fluctuation frustrations, but I will say that I have seen great results these first 5 days, and I feel INCREDIBLE. NO urge to cheat, and I drink NOTHING but ice water and 2 cups of black coffee during my 20 hour fast period.
Edit: I keep posting military time! 1pm to 5pm.0
