Alternate Day Fasting turned ZC...back to fasting

fasting
exercise
cycling
intermittentfasting
(Paula Green) #101

You’re welcome! Funny thing is I did yoga this afternoon :slight_smile: (Although I did run this morning)

(Tim) #102

I’d say through the macro’s out the window on your feasting days. You want to feast to build up that metabolism with excessive calories and fat, not just your usual’s.

(What The Fast?!) #103

I’m not fasting much anymore. Just 16:8. I found that I had super low energy when fasting, so I’m just doing ZC for awhile, and I’ll try throwing in some fasting days when I’m ready. It hasn’t happened naturally yet on ZC.

(What The Fast?!) #104

Whoa! I’ve been ZC for just 16 days and totally free of sweeteners. I also have only had cheese once or twice and in VERY small portions. I find my taste buds changing and I think I’m FINALLY close to kicking my sweet tooth (relied on artificial sweeteners all during keto).

Tonight, after dinner (grass fed T-bone steak), I was craving a different taste, so I had a quarter ounce of Dubliner cheese and WOW, it tasted so…sweet! I tasted all kinds of flavor that I’ve never noticed before in that cheese. It’s crazy - it was almost like eating dessert! I

(KCKO, KCFO) #105

Europeans eat cheese for dessert all the time. We do it here at our house too.

I love Dubliner, it is so flavorful. But goat and aged gouda are pretty wonderful too.

(Joan Hulvey) #106

Are you going to participate in the carnivore (90 day) study?

#107

I can read your frustration. I would try a fast fat if ZC after 30 days is not for you. My husband is still not losing much after 4 weeks and he has over 50 lbs. He is nowhere near as motivated though. He is just happy I am cooking in the summer which I never do. So he knows as long as he sticks to keto I will continue to cook

There are lots of variations including one in books by Atkins and Dana Carpender. Usually its between 600-1000 calories a day broken up into 2-3 snacks, 90% fat. I tried one last week for about 4 days and did not lose as much as fasting but still lost and it was SO much easier than a fast

(What The Fast?!) #108

Hmm, interesting. I really don’t want to undereat - I did for years and that’s part of the problem.

I’m also a cyclist and need to fuel for rides. I did a 43 mile ride yesterday and burned 2000 calories, but maybe I can try that if I have a few off days. Thanks for the suggestion!

@Joan_Hulvey I signed up! I don’t know how long I’ll be doing ZC but if it works for me, I’ll stick with it for that study.

(Joan Hulvey) #109

I have found it extremely hard to lose weight now that I am within 10 pounds of my goal. ZC has helped me break through a stall that no other option/tweaking would do. I’m excited for this study!

(KCKO, KCFO) #110

My last 12 lbs. didn’t budge until I started fasting. Then they were gone plus some more within 2 months. I reached goal at end of April and have been maintaining since then, plus a couple of more lbs. down, as I am mixing up IF and 24 or 36 hr. fasting.

I dabbled in ZC but weight went up so I went back to Keto levels. ZC caused me to stall. I think it is the mixing it up that does break the stall, your body just adapts to what you are doing regularly, so when you change stuff up, it responds.

(What The Fast?!) #111

I agree. When I change what I’m doing, I usually lose 3-4 lbs…but they typically come back after a few days. I wonder if I just kept changing it up, some of those lbs would finally stay off!! :joy: :joy:

Also - I see you changed your pic!

@Joan_Hulvey Tell me about your results!

(What The Fast?!) #112

Welp…still the same weight. I was down to 147 on Saturday morning, then did a 43 mile bike ride, ate normally Saturday (except I had some wine that night) and woke up to 149.3 yesterday, 149.5 today. Reasons #145 I am 100% sure that CICO is garbage.

Ugh. I think I may start adding the 5X5 stronglifts program to my workout schedule. Debating, because I know that yoga is needed and I’d have to add it on top, instead of replacing it.

I’ll also try to add some fasting in, per everyone’s recommendation, though it hasn’t felt natural to do so yet since going ZC.

#113

Years ago I used to ride about 100-150 miles per week. I was much thinner than now but still on the heavier side. I generally would only lose if I limited my carbs by avoiding flour. Even then it was slow going especially compared to how much I was riding. I did find that if I picked up my pace I did lose a little. One thing, within a day or so of anything over 20 miles, between the water and gatorade (I did not restrict carbs during rides, was not close to keto then and was not trying to be) I would often put on a couple of pounds which I would lose midweek (rode both weekend days weather permitting

(What The Fast?!) #114

Interesting. I am fully ZC, I only drink water when I ride.

#115

Just throwing this out there, but is it possible you’re not losing weight or inches because exercising too much? I apologize if I’m way off base. :blush:

(What The Fast?!) #116

I doubt it. I’ve cut down - I’m only doing yoga and cycling. Also, I don’t get how more movement is bad.

(Chris) #117

It’s not. The body gets used to burning those calories, it’s like insulin resistance almost, lol. However, more cycling will get you better at cycling.

(What The Fast?!) #118

Positive thing to share:
I did a 65 mile bike ride yesterday, with over 2500 feet of climbing. As a sugar burner, I would have had whole grain toast, nut butter, honey, and a banana for breakfast - then I would have had to fuel multiple times on the bike (“nutrition” bars, “goo”, fruit, etc). Afterwards, I would have been ravenous the minute I got off the bike.

Afterwards, I had bacon and eggs for breakfast and didn’t eat until about 60-90 minutes after we got home, after I’d showered and relaxed a bit. I ate a 1lb T-bone steak and a half pound of ground beef; I didn’t feel tired or lethargic or like I need a nap. It’s so nice to not need to fuel on the bike and to not feel depleted afterwards.

At our turnaround point - mile 32, this other cyclist asked if we wanted his extra “goo” packets; we politely declined. :slightly_smiling_face: Once my body gets all this healing done and finally starts shedding pounds, we’ll be able to do it all faster! Can’t wait to be lighter on the bike.

(Tim) #119

How awesome is that!?!?!?!? Congrats Andrea!

(What The Fast?!) #120

Day 27 of ZC update:
BM situation is only better with mountains of supplements (currently 6 magnesium pills + 3-5000mg of HCL at each meal).
Weight lost = nada.
Inches lost = nada.

The only difference I’ve noticed on ZC is that I’m not bloated anymore, which is nice, but all in all - I feel the same. Same energy, same sleep, same athletic performance, etc. I do feel like maybe I’m a BIT stronger on the bike…but that could be because I’m not doing fasted rides anymore. My allergies had previously disappeared completely on keto, but seem to be back (not as bad as pre-keto) now on ZC.

I’m going to see a doctor tomorrow, but what I’m really excited about is a new gastroenterologist who supports keto. She won’t see me until I see a PCP though (which is happening tomorrow). I happen to know that this PCP doesn’t support keto, so I’m not even going to get into ZC with him. Ugh. I’m literally going to tell him I’m only there so that I have a PCP so I can go see this specialist. :smiley: Wish me luck.

To recap:
I started keto at the end of March, did 3 months of keto and now about a month of ZC.
Results = NSV’s of improved allergies, less bloating, and ability to do endurance sports without fueling. No physical appearance improvements.

If you’re reading this thread and thinking - she’s all over the place, let me explain why.

The only reason I came to keto was for weight loss. I’m healthy, I’m happy, I love to work out, I have great energy, I sleep extremely well. I always have - I consider myself very lucky for all those things. I just couldn’t seem to lose weight, no matter what I did. I didn’t feel awful eating carbs like a lot of people do. I really enjoyed eating whole wheat avocado toast for breakfast and sweet potatoes at lunch. I just thought - okay, everyone says that if I give those things up, I’ll finally lose weight… So, the complete lack of physical improvements (weight loss, inch loss) is very frustrating.

When I post NSV’s (like the bike ride without fuel), it’s because I’m trying REALLY hard to see the positive. I LOVE not fueling on the bike, it’s FAB, but right now, that’s all I got. And, to be honest, I’m not sure if that positive balances out the fact that I can only poop bricks on keto and ZC.

Please excuse this post if you feel it’s complain-y. I know I’m lucky not to have T2D or any other serious ailments. But, this is real. What I’m experiencing is not the beautiful story of keto that people share - weight melting off so easily, all the while enjoying cheesy bacon cauliflower. But, it’s a real account of someone trying to find their own path to health. I say “health” because CLEARLY something is not right internally. If my body were healthy, it wouldn’t be holding onto this weight. It feels very much like it’s holding on because something is amiss - in my digestive tract perhaps, or something else.

On the positive side, and maybe we can call this a NSV. I’m not blaming myself anymore. I used to think - I must be doing something wrong. I must be eating too much, or not working out enough, or many other things…but now that I’ve eliminated ALL the confounding factors and am literally only eating meat and water, I’m certain there’s a real issue to resolve. It might be low stomach acid, or might be some thing I haven’t heard of yet, but I’m POSITIVE that this is not a CICO issue and it’s not a restriction problem. There’s something deeper happening and if I hadn’t tried keto, I’d never have realized that.
@MKChitown