Food During IF

(Dana Brown) #1

I am in a plateau and am looking to switch it. I found that I can go 16 to 18 hours without much difficulty, which to me means I am pretty well fat adapted. My concern is if I do a 18/6 or 20/4 fast, how do I eat during the 4 or 6 hour period, to satiety or do I squeeze in 1800 calories during that time? I am finding I don’t need anywhere near 1800 calories.

I have been confusing myself recently with research regarding slowing down or speeding up metatbolism. I don’t want to eat too little that is slows down my metabolism to the point where the fasting time is not burning fat the way that an IF will induce. My instinct AND 2 Keto Dudes tell me-eat when your hungry, stop when you’re not. Is this a good mantra for IF? Thanks Ketonians!

(betsy.rome) #2

I agree, there seems to be conflicting info from the experts on how to view eating when doing IF.
Eating less than your minimum protein or caloric requirements = caloric restriction.
But “eat to satiety” is tough to quantify, esp. for those of us who spent decades on “diets”, ruining our metabolism and still have difficulty reading satiety signals (remember binging?).
I agree with the Dudes, if you’re not hungry, don’t eat.
I say, when you eat, eat till you’re not hungry any more.
Eat till you’re full? = maybe too much food.
I agree with @meganjramos & Dr. Fung, when fasting, you fast; don’t eat.

(Dany Bolduc) #3

As long as you are not IF 18/6 or 20/4 ‘every day’, then eating to satiety is fine. No need to overfeed yourself.

The problem of slowing metabolism occurs when you OMAD (one meal a day) for an extended period. If that one meal a day is significantly below your BMR requirement, your BMR will adjust to this new budget.

But if you IF 2-4 times a week with the other day eating normally (feasting), then your metabolism should maintain its requirement unchanged.

While in ketosis, and well fat adapted (especially in presence of ample fat reserves), your metabolism receives the same amount of energy on your fasting days as on your eating days.

The difference being that a more significant part of it comes from your fat reserves.

(jilliangordona) #4

I do IF during the week (I switch between 16/8 and OMAD) and then feast on the weekends. I’ve had the same question, however I’ve found with this method continues my weight loss and muscle gain, and is enough to replenish my body when needed.

(Carpe salata!) #5

Yes. As well as that the IF gives your body the chance to recycle through any rubbish cells and make new ones. Also the IF gives the body signals to reduce insulin. For these benefits, eat as much as you need to in the window and go with water, salt and tea (coffee etc) and nothing else in the fasting window.

(Ernest) #6

A little late to the party. I eat lunch only, Monday through Friday. On weekends I’m still strict keto but I go with the flow.
For my OMAD meals, I try to stick with nutrient dense foods. Most meals have a base of 3 whole eggs plus an extra egg yolk scramble in Pure leaf lard. From there, I add liver, bacon, steak or some other meat.
I do go slightly past satiety.
Veggies, I keep those for the weekend. I want that one meal to have shitload of nutrients.