Cannot fast with kids, and I feel like I am not in weight loss mode! 🙇🏼‍♀️

(Danielle ) #1

Hi there!

Need to rant! :face_with_symbols_over_mouth::japanese_ogre::woman_shrugging:t3::scream::sob::bowing_woman:t3: I am with the kids during the summer holiday, soon about 8 weeks alone with them. I feel it is very hard to do longer fasts when I am with them. I am so exhausted and do nothing for myself, and I mentally cannot go longer fasts than 16-18 hours, especially when I need to give them meals three times per day.

I feel like I am losing at best about 1 kg per month, despite going very low carb. I measure my blood ketones, and it is around 0.6 around 10.00-12.00 before eating in the morning.

I am so frustrated! I wish I could optimise it and get higher ketone readings and faster results!

(Diane) #2

Yes, stress makes fasting really difficult. You might take this time to focus on meal timing instead. I find that making my eating windows discrete (not eating too quickly after waking up in the morning, not eating too late in the day, eating my meals within a 90 minute window and having at least 4 hours between meals), gives me a lot of benefits even without extended fasts. My ketone readings are higher when I’m very conscientious within these guidelines. The most difficult thing is to not taste the food as I’m cooking so that I don’t eat longer than the 90 minute window. This is really only workable if I’m only eating 2 meals a day.

Good luck!

(Allie) #3

These two things do not actually relate, higher levels do not get faster results. Reduced stress gets faster results though, so ease up on yourself and just do what you can do.

(Brian) #4

Maybe more of a “maintenance mode” while you’re dealing with the kids would be a lot less stressful. Maybe forgetting the idea of fasting and just eating a good quality keto / low-carb diet might be a lot easier with the kids. If you can get in a day with only one meal, great, that’s a 24 hour fast. If you end up eating 2 meals, make them keto friendly and roll with it.

When the 8 months are over and you can do more fasting, you can do it with a lot less stress then, if you still want to.

Relax, roll with what life gives you. I know enough about kids to know that it WILL be stressful. No need to add more stress by worrying about fasting at the same time.

Good luck!

(Diane) #5

Excellent advice!

(Diane) #6

Great points and excellent advice.

(Danielle ) #7

I actually need to correct myself! :face_with_hand_over_mouth: I meant 8 weeks, however, I just finished my bachelor in psychology and going into my masters soon. So it has been a couple of stressful years!

(Danielle ) #8

When I track my weight loss, I can literally see when I was doing my university degree and not. The months during the term was almost completely still weight wise. I have tried to accept it, but when there isn’t a lot of time without stress, then I feel like giving up!

At the moment I always do intermittent fasting. So I skip breakfast and eat around 13.00-14.00. I always finish my last meal before 18.00-19.00.

(Danielle ) #9

I know they don’t, although when I feel like I don’t see any results, at least I can see that I have ketones! :joy:

(Danielle ) #10

Hi Brian!

I just feel like I am not getting the benefits of Keto. I don’t feel like I have more energy and I don’t feel more clarity. I am starting my masters course in September and I see no end to the stress.

I do envy all the people that say how they have so much more energy and mental clarity and weight loss successes, when I still feel fatigued and exhausted after doing this for almost 2 years. :slightly_frowning_face:

(Anderson Herzogenrath Da Costa) #11

I wish I could double-like this post! :slight_smile:

(Diane) #12

One thing that helps me regulate the stress hormone cortisol is to take ginger root capsules. I take at least two of these a day before bedtime. I’m also trying to take 2 capsules with my meals since ginger can also help mitigate blood glucose and insulin response to food.

This is what I take:

image
982C9108-FB70-4219-94D4-B6EA9C2EB6B5.jpeg862×740 104 KB

If you search ginger here on the forums, many people have posted great information about the benefits of ginger.

Have you ever tried supplementing with MCT or coconut oil? Some people report improvements in mental clarity and physical energy.

I suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome which was worsened after several bouts of systemic viral infections. I believe my mitochondrial function is severely impaired. I find that supplementing with l-carnitine tartrate and acetyl l-carnitine (500 mg each, several times a day) improves my ability to mobilize my fat stores and use them for energy. I find I have more mental and physical energy and lose more weight than I do when I am less careful with these supplements.

I also recently began supplementing with angstrom magnesium. It’s expensive, but it has dramatically improved the quantity and quality of my sleep. It’s made a difference in how I feel during the day. Here’s the website I’ve used to order mine:

Just some thoughts that came to mind, maybe none of these ideas seems interesting or useful for you. Sometimes life can be so difficult, I hope you find some answers that work for you.

(Katie) #13

8 weeks: is it worth it to feel so stressed about fasting and weightloss for that long? Consider giving up the goal of fasting temporarily. Reduced stress may actually help you with your goals.

(Danielle ) #15

I know, it isn’t that long, however, I have to admit I am always stressed. I just finished my bachelor and will go into a master. So, there is never any time to rest. :confounded:

I wanted to feel fresh and look good when starting my new university in September.

(Danielle ) #16

Great advice! I did MCT oil, when I was starting 1-2 years ago. I only stopped because I felt my calories went skyhigh. Then also, someone said that the ketones measured in the blood from is actually not “real” ketones. It is just the MCT oil ketones you are measuring.

However, I bought a new bottle now, after your post. I am also looking at ginger root.

At the moment I am taking iron, magnesium and biotin. He magnesium helped me significantly with my insomnia, although I feel like the effect is getting reduced.

Maybe I have problems with my mitochondria as well? I feel like everything is so heavy, and I feel slightly depressed. I have tried to exercise, but it is just too hard for me. I feel reluctant to go out and meet friends, but then also it is that time of the month…

(Katie) #17

I meant that in this season of life, managing stress may be more beneficial than trying to fast, both for mental health/life enjoyment and even possibly for weightloss.

(Mike W.) #18

Stress will kill you faster than being overweight. Also if you always feel stressed you need to find a way to de-stress. You’re not gonna be your best for anybody if you don’t care of yourself first.

(Katie) #19

Make sure that you are doing proper electrolytes. Otherwise this sounds like wonky hormones and something wrong with adrenals, and I recommend getting that tested. Also, try looking into Shawn Mynar’s website.

(Danielle ) #20

Indeed, however, stress is just very hard to control! Especially when pressured by time and money!