Fasting -Formerly Easy- is More Difficult Lately; Ideas?

(hottie turned hag) #1

Background:
55y/o postmenopausal small framed pretty sedentary (only exercise is walking wee dog ~2h/day) lady, keto since Aug 2017, great success both weight loss (am now 116lb) and other benefits galore. Dropped cheese and veg past few (2-ish?) months to break stall (was 122) and get to goal (110). Feel fantastic.

I’ve been eating once/24h for close to two years now and have gone 48h many, many times and 72h maybe…10? times EASY AS PIE -erm, I mean bacon :bacon:- until NOW :expressionless:

My appetite since dropping the cheese and veg was at first lowered even more than usual (wasn’t getting hungry until around hour 28); however the past maybe 10 days or so it is increasing again (no increased exercise nor other factors) to where by hour 24 I am very ready to eat and have been unable to go to 48h. I mean, not really “unable” but unable to do so easily and comfortably (no cravings, no ravenous hunger) as formerly.

I’m eating aplenty; yesterday I had: a steak, two hotdogs and almost an entire 8oz stick pepperoni. I’ve never counted cals nor macros.

Ideas from experienced fasting folk?

(Carl Keller) #2

It’s not unusual for our hunger to go on vacation when we are fat adapted. But after a while, it’s our body’s natural response to increase hunger to stop what it sees as an endless spiral toward total fat depletion. That does not mean it’s the end of our weight loss road. I believe it just becomes more important to address those hunger signals the correct way.

What helped me was a few days of feasting each week. I didn’t stuff myself but I definitely ate more protein and fat on those days and it definitely helped push my hunger reset button. The day after a feast, OMAD was much easier and hunger wasn’t politely tapping me on the shoulder for half the day. I will admit that weight loss slowed for me at this stage of the game, but that’s to be expected when we approach our weight goal.

(hottie turned hag) #3

@CarlKeller if I’m understanding you correctly, eat more than usual prior to going the 48h. Makes sense; heretofore haven’t had to do this. Maybe because I have such lower fat reserves now.

BUT, since I’m trying to get final lbs off, eating more then going 48h seems like it’d be the same as eating less and going the usual 24h? I know this isn’t about cals and I never count them as I said. But doing 48h formerly always was good for a nice push downwards, weight wise and if I eat more the day before, won’t that negate the effect?

(Karim Wassef) #4

I would say:

  1. As body fat drops, fasting does get more difficult due to reduced reserves

  2. Before fasting, eat more fat and limit protein and carbs to get the body ready for fat oxidation for fuel. The deeper in ketosis you are (based on dietary fat) before the fast, the easier the fasting will be.

(Carl Keller) #5

My belief is based on the idea of addressing the hunger hormone. If that can’t be reassured and pacified then I believe weight loss is going to be difficult. I can’t honestly say that this will work for everyone but it does agree with many experts who subscribe to the idea of feasting and fasting as well as breaking up patterns to avoid metabolic compensation.

(hottie turned hag) #6

Yep I’ve been following fast/feast the entire time and have had such a smooth easy path to succees I am spoiled.

Switching things up has always worked, my most recent switch being the elimination of the cheese and veg, and before that I’d go the 48h or the 72, and weight loss sped up nicely. Fasting always felt great and I never had headaches nor any discomfort even back when fat. Not liking this new development.

OK so you suggest upping intake and @Karim_Wassef above suggests up fat; from what I’ve read of you guys posts they are excellent and knowledgeable so I shall follow both suggestions: eat more, and more fat then do the 48h.

(Mark Rhodes) #7

This may help.

(hottie turned hag) #8

Oh wow nice link; succinct and on point! Thanks! :smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

(KCKO, KCFO) #9

Mark has it right, or should I say Richard? This was the holy grail when I started getting near goal weight.
I have some extra fats before my fasting now that I am in maintenance. My fasting failures usual end up because I didn’t get those extras in before starting.

(hottie turned hag) #10

Seems obvious, I feel a tad moronic for not thinking of it myself (my master’s is in a med sci field to boot).

I think because I found fasting SO easy, from at my fattest when I started to just a little while ago, is why it confounds me. To suddenly have this nonsense crop up; a week or so ago I posted about my decreased appetite after abandoning the veg and cheese. Now it’s increased as I stated. Don’t LIKE!

I formerly had none of the issues folks report when fasting; I EXPECTED them, too.

Feeling weakish, headachey, sluggish and fuzzy headed now when I try to go past the 24h is making me mad :rage:.

Eating more is gonna make me mad too but I trust you guys advice so shall try it and report back.

(Bob M) #11

After being low carb/keto for 5.5 years and fasting 3.5 years, I eat a higher protein, lower fat keto diet. I still don’t have much problem fasting. (Don’t get me wrong – it’s difficult, but I can do it.) I think once you get past a certain point, your body can easily get into or out of ketosis.

(Bob M) #12

When I first started fasting, I could fast 4.5-5.5 days and work out several times during that. Now, I don’t attempt to workout when fasting, even for a day. Lately, I’ve been fasting 36 hours twice per week, with a workout at about the 32 hour mark, then eating when I get hungry. I try to eat a lot on the days I don’t fast. Sometimes I make it 36 hours twice a week (last week, yes), other times, I don’t (previous week was tough, not even one 36 hour fast). I’ve done one 4.5 day fast so far this year, but I did not attempt to exercise during it. It’s gotten much harder. But I’m lighter with more muscle mass.

Is the weakness caused by lack of sodium? I know Dr. Fung states we don’t need salt for one day of fasting, but I find it helpful to take some salt such as salt crystals or pickle juice.

(hottie turned hag) #13

Nope. I consume much sodium. Also note that nothing’s changed as to intake type nor quantity (for the most part).
It’s def just hunger. That this never happened until recently is the maddening part.

Only explanation has to be I have such small fat reserves now; but still need to get to 110 (I am VERY small framed; always need bracelets customized, etc).

(Karim Wassef) #14

I’m fat adapted and fasted for up to 19 days… when I talk about protein intake, I find that 0.7g / lb lean mass works… higher is risky, lower is easier for pre-fasting.

(Bunny) #15

Need to eat more fat before you fast?

(hottie turned hag) #16

Seems to be the consensus so yes I shall try this and report results :heavy_check_mark:

(Bob M) #17

Higher is risky? How so? (I eat quite high protein, a la Ted Naiman.) I have few issues fasting, and any issues I have aren’t related to fat (since I eat a lower fat diet, thereby removing that as a factor).

(Karim Wassef) #18

when I go over on protein, I get glucose spikes, ketone crashes and hunger.

part of my thread goes over this experimentally… Karim's muscle gain carnivore adventure

for context … I can eat 330g of protein a day… that’s excess. :smiley:

#19

@BlueViolet

I feel your pain. I’m a veteran of fasting, hard core since August. Like you I just seem to have reached an impasse. First a stall of two months, then went on extended vacation and fell off the wagon big time for three weeks. But I didn’t gain a whole bunch. But, the problem now is getting back into the fasting mode. Having a hard time getting past that 22-26 hour wall. Keep falling into food traps and even snacking on real sweets.

It has to be psychological in a large part for me. I hope you find the cure and pass it on to all of us. I’m struggling but am determined.

What scares me the most is discouragement followed by quitting and reverting back to old habits.

Time for me to summon up some of my old Marine Corps discipline. Wish the best for you.

(hottie turned hag) #20

@GentleBen thanks and thank you for your service to our country :us:

Minus the psychological component in my case since my rigidity secondary to OCD (heavy on the obsessive aspect :crazy_face:) has disallowed me to ever cheat/fall off wagon since I commenced this in 2017. Has to be just what was stated by the wise ones above. Am going to implement their suggestions of up quantity/up fat then fast 48h.

Wishing you the best as well. Maybe try dropping cheese and veg as I did, broke my stall with the quickness (and eliminated cravings) !