Invariably true in my case, Jim. The old conditioning dies hard.
Really helped me the first time I did that, even quite energizing. Haven’t gotten such a “charge” out of it since, but also have not really suffered during fasting. With the Labor Day holiday and long weekend coming up, I’ve thrown in the towel somewhat - hey, gonna eat and not worry much at all. Come September 5, though, back on the high horse with whip in hand.
I think it’s a good idea to take a break from just about anything once in a while. I think I might take a break from fasting for the next few weeks and just wait until the next Zorn fast. Or I’ll start another one in a few days. Whatever. 
I’m trying to keep in mind that this is a lifetime endeavor and that pushing myself to achieve arbitrary goals may be good in the short term it can lead to burn out if you you push too hard too often. So I’m just going to do lazy keto for a while.
Enjoy your break.
Well said, Jim. I’m mindful of that, yet don’t want to make excuses, either - like “Even slipping up some, it’s still a lot better than what I used to do.” Maybe some middle ground is there, or maybe it’s playing psychological games with myself. And you know - playing those games is all fine and good if I’m fasting or good, strict keto…
Definitely. I have always had a problem with slippery slopes. It’s easy to start relaxing and let bad stuff creep in. What I do to try to compensate for that is to try not to have a “what can I get away with” mindset. For example, the other day I bought some bars of lowish carb dark chocolate. I had one row of it and it was good and I was still in ketosis the next day. Now, I could see what happens if I eat two rows. Or three. But I know from my past history that two or three rows can easily become two or three bars. So I’m going to stick with one row. And not every day.
On the other hand, if I’m too strict I tend to fall off the wagon then burn the wagon.
I think there is a middle ground and I think there is room for occasional indulgences. And there is a time and a place for really buckling down and being strict. Eating keto is just one part of life and it needs to be somewhat flexible to fit in with the rest of life. Be kind to yourself and try to look at the big picture. Especially when you feel like you’re struggling.
I’m in a pretty good place right now. I don’t really crave anything non-keto. So I’m just going to KCKO for a while and see how things go.
Whew Doug…I have to say, that disgusting whopper sounds delicious!!! 
As far as thermogenesis, my sister-in-law and I were just discussing this “heat” we experienced after “carbing-up”. I haven’t done this in many months, but this was what began to “eat at my brain” after I would binge on sugar and cookies like a mad woman. And I do mean binge! Afterward, I would feel myself heat-up, and I’m sure that in this case it was hyperglycemia. Scary. No more…
Nova Scotia is beautiful, I just love it there. The time on a lobster boat however…nah! I love the ocean from shore, or perhaps on a schooner, in a bay for a cruise!
Yes, I had two lobsters last night and though my blood ketones were at 1.4 this morning, the FBG was 103. Dang!
I’m trying to rein it in tonight, having some Rib Eye with butter and maybe some creamed spinach and green tea Keto ice cream? I’m on VACATION and I don’t want to be hyper-focused on my eating, but so far I think that I’ve been doing pretty well.
I love this post, and agree that the slippery slope is a dangerous place for me to venture.
Just yesterday I spent hours in the kitchen, working on Keto recipes for chocolate, whoopie pies, bread and more. Most came out much less than exciting, and left me feeling a bit more deprived than I have for a while.
However, I know that I need the Keto and the IF as well, because I don’t want to be that diabetic woman who has a “progressive” and hideous disease. So, I will perhaps just have that ONE row of a real, but low carb chocolate. That way I can have what I really crave and know that there is room for a taste of such things without going nuts.
KCKO, what great advice 
Yeah, definitely this. On the “ONE row…” - I’ve found (several times) that with pizza, for example, 2 or 3 pieces is really the satisfying part, and after that it’s almost all just compulsion. Know, too, that there are keto-friendly pizza versions etc. I think that retiring in a few years will be a saving grace, really able to cook, plan ahead, etc., then.
Love, love the basic cauliflower pizza actually.
After all of the little recipes I’ve tried lately, I think keeping it simple is best just now. I don’t want to get disillusioned with “wanna-be” bread/cookies etc. The reality is, I just need to stay away from most of that and be happy with chocolate mousse, ice cream and some peanut butter/chocolate fat bombs here and there
Retirement…oh how I wish that were closer than it is! Maybe you’ll be able to come up with alternative whopper one day !
I hope the month has gone well for you, Irishred. But… does this mean that the fat burning is done in a couple days…? 
Yes. Any and all weight you want to lose has to be done in the next two days, so better get cracking.
I feel so out of touch, I haven’t had much time to follow the forums. I definitely had more fasting days than eating days at least the first few weeks of August, so it’s been strange to eat (at least one meal) for 5 days in a row.
I do hope to continue burning fat in September. However on September 12 I have my first actual appointment with my new doctor (who is actually an old friend and was once my fertility doctor to help sustain pregnancy – she is now a functional medicine doc). My husband and I met with her for a consultation and signed up for the 6-month program (though she anticipates I am going to be working on this for a year with her). This is going to mess everything up! But I hope the outcome is ultimately a gain. I think I will put the details I know so far in another thread I started regarding my 300+ blood sugars and still registering in ketosis… that’s kind of where I have been logging the medical side of my journey. But here is the gist of it: she wants me to eat a diet that has a good chance of knocking me out of ketosis because it involves 8 servings of veggies a day of a variety of colors. I am also going to have to give up dairy for a while, oh my gravy, what am I going to do? She does believe in intermittent fasting, but not sure she will be sold on the multi-day fasts that seem to have helped me so much. I guess we’ll see. But before that, I do want to try to throw another 7-day fast in there, if I possibly can. (It is hard! But I may not get another chance at this for a while.) So that may be a good way to start September?
Darcy, it seemed to me that you were making real progress on your blood sugar. Yeah - 8 servings of vegetables - the carbs would add up somewhere in there, eh? May be overly-simplistic on my part, but sounds like the doctor suspects some deficiency(s) that the veggies will correct. I’d be interested to hear what the doctor’s rationale is for everything.
Good luck. 
Thanks, I’ll let you know. I am wondering if including adequate fat will help me stay in ketosis. I am sure I am not always staying under 20-30 grams carbs, but I have never seen lower than 0.4 on the Nova Max meter. Today I see 1.5, which I was relieved to see after eating pretty well the last few days. She referred to my current diet as being strict. I guess it is, but it doesn’t feel like it. Still, as a vegetarian, I am not opposed to the idea of eating more veggies. I may have to get used to the thought of possibly eating a protein shake made with beef gelatin or collagen though. We will see how it goes.
Farewell, August, you were a good month. @irishred and everybody - here’s to things keeping on in September.
I’ll be in for September Fat Burnin’…please, no more accumulation. I did a wee bit o’ that on vacation
Darcy, I hope this new doctor/plan will be good for you, but no ketosis and few EFs…I don’t know. I agree, it sounds like you had really been making some progress on your BG. It will all be part of the learning curve though, and you are free to do as you feel is best depending on the results you see. I believe that your body will tell you.
I’ve seen FBG be right back into the 100s now that I’ve been a bit high on protein and eating a 16:8 window nearly every day. I have to say, it’s a bit disheartening to see the scale go up and the BG numbers. I used my last keto strip two days ago and only had a 0.6 blood ketone reading 
I think September is going to be a month for more fasting and some simple strength training and walks. I really enjoyed Ted Naiman’s explanation of 4 exercises to failure 2-3x/week. Sounds simple and like something that gives real results.
Bla,bla,bla, sorry for the drivel Happy September!