How much to eat on non-fasting days?

(Jennifer ) #1

Hi all,

After trolling around on the internet, I’m starting to think there isn’t a hard answer, but I’m going to ask anyway.

On non-fasting days, what do you guys eat? For context, we’re looking to plan an every-other day fasting routine, usually fasting for between 36 and 48 hours depending on life/schedules/feelings etc. On the feeding days, do you track at all to make sure you’re not going too hog-wild? I have pretty sensitive hunger signals, but my partner (F5’4", 175 pounds) can scarf down 2500 calories without trying. She’s concerned that if she eats to satiety on non-fasting days, she will derail her weight-loss progress. We’ve been full-time keto since September 2017.

I’ve also heard advice (I believe this is a Megan Ramos piece of advice) to really feast on your feasting days, so as to ramp up your metabolism. But how much is TOO MUCH? Of course I recognize that I might not get a hard answer here, that’s okay. If all you have is n=1, I want to hear that too.

I’d love some guidance from the masses here. Have you guys ever truly derailed your progress from fasting by overeating in between? Just looking at the math…I feel like you’d have to put up some serious calorie numbers to truly out-do the weight-loss effects of fasting.

(Stacy Blanchard) #2

If you’re not eating processed carbs/foods and you are getting plenty of fat, it will be hard to overeat. Once you are adapted you will naturally cut back how often you eat and all will balance out. If after several weeks you feel the need to re-evaluate what you’re doing, go for it. You can change how you’re fasting or eating at any point. I would suggest that you both continue to learn more and listen to your own body because everyone is different. There is no one size fits all.

(Dan Dan) #3

I believe the point is not to restrict calories and eat enough to maintain a healthy metabolism.

I have learned how much to eat to get me comfortably to my next meal and continue to loose weight. This has given me peace of mind and holds me accountable so I don’t calorie restrict or over eat.

OMAD 21/3 2000 kcals

ADF 45/3 2500 kcals

OM3D 69/3 3000 kcals

I loosely count calories most days because after awhile you know intuitively how to eat. but I do check a few times a month to make sure :wink:

(Allie) #4

How hungry are you? Eat that much.

#5

I’ve only been keto for 5 weeks, but I have done ADF since September. Before keto I could mess up weight loss by eating so much on FDs when I was stressed, but since starting keto, even in the first couple of weeks when I was eating loads of fat there’s still a steady loss. I keep carbs under 20g but am definitely not counting calories!

(Jennifer ) #6

That’s where I’m at - I don’t want to lower our metabolisms. We’re fairly certain that’s how we ended up at our current stall. We were eating below our BMR for a while, honestly on total accident.

My partner is worried she’s going to eat too much and continue to not lose weight.

I don’t want to under-feed and not be able to comfortably make it to my next meal AND lower my BMR.

(Brian) #7

Love that answer!!

:slight_smile:

(Raj Seth) #8

I would concur with the many others - don’t count calories or worry about overeating on feasting days. Fung “Eat when hungry, Eat till full, Don’t eat when NOT hungry”
Initially, you may eat quantities based on your old carb-infested habits. But after feeling bloated all the time, your body signals WILL win out. You may discover hunger in an entirely new (good) light.
After decades of being told we are lazy and gluttonous and overeat and don’t exercise enough, we are mind-bashed into not eating enough. That needs to pass - and its hard to trust your body signals and eat that delicious fat-laden keto meal sitting in front of us.
Guilt is powerful. Good news - the body has base signals of hunger and satiety that are ninja level powerful that will emerge and win.
You just have to let the body rule.

KCKO

(Ethan) #9

I am do the same thought process now. I started alternate-day fasting last week and way overbought food. A lot ended up getting frozen, and I had to still eat a ton–way more than I think I should have–just to not waste food I bought. I am trying to target about 120% to 150% of my “normal daily food intake” before I began alternate-day fasting. I came up with these numbers based on what I think I can actually eat comfortably without exploding and still getting the kinds of foods I want.

#10

I suspect overeating on non-fasting days is my problem. After an initial loss of 30 lbs since September 17 (same as when you started), I’ve stayed at or around the same weight and size since January. I want to lose another 10 lbs, and it’s jyst not happening.

I am pretty ravenous between fasts, and I’ve never been good at stopping until really full. I hate that full but kinda not full feeling, if you know what I mean. I am also terrible at counting calories. Even with fancy phone apps, it’s just so tedious and confusing.

So yeah, I think I am overeating on eating days. I am now cutting out berries and nuts, and limiting wine to weekends.

(Jennifer ) #11

That’s where I’m at - eat until you’re full. But my partner is concerned with overeating, since she can seriously put it away without blinking twice. I think she just needs to trust her body, but that’s hard when her body will easily let her eat too much. Thanks for you reply!

(Jennifer ) #12

Luckily we have a solid 8 months of keto under our belts…I’m not concerned about my own hunger - I have pretty decent signals now. I actually worry about the other direction - undereating and accidentally lowering BMR. Do you think that’s a valid concern?

My partner is concerned about how much is too much (leading to fat storage). I’m concerned about not getting enough. :joy: :woman_shrugging:t2:

She’s been stalled on the scale for almost 3 months so I think that lack of progress is making her more concerned than I am. I’ve been stalled, but for not as long. I’ve already started losing again after the first fast we did last week, but she hasn’t. I think you offered some helpful advice when I posted then too, so thanks for being so generous!

You have a good point - our weight gain was never truly an overeating issue. So stop being overly fearful of overeating. It was a hormonal issue that LED to overeating.

Again, thanks. You’ve been really generous with sharing your fasting experiences.

(Jennifer ) #13

Thanks - I appreciate you attempting to put a number on it. So you intentionally eat a little extra before the fast, not just “the usual” amount? We’ve been doing that as well, but I wasn’t sure if we were just being overly cautious.

(Ethan) #14

No. I eat a little extra on the days I eat. In other words, If I used to eat 1 portion a day, I now eat 1.2 to 1.5 portions on the days I eat, and 0 portions on the days I don’t eat. Since I eat 4 days a week, I eat 4.8 to 6 days worth of food a week, whereas I used to eat 7.

(What The Fast?!) #15

I’d love this to be unilaterally true, but it’s not. I have been keto for a year and I can easily overeat on keto foods. For example, I just ended a short fast (38 hours) and sat down to some pork belly. I easily ate two slices (about 8 oz cooked) and I certainly could have eaten two more…but I stopped myself because I know I need to watch my intake, even on a feasting day. Not everyone’s hunger signals are so in tune.

(Jennifer ) #16

Yes - this is our issue. My hunger signals are great. Hers are…less great. She can put some serious food away without much effort. Hence her concern over a recommended strategy of how much to eat on these days. Do you have any thoughts?

I’m more concerned about us not getting enough to smoothly transition into another fast.

(What The Fast?!) #17

I wish I had an answer for you. I also wonder the same thing. I do think it’s important to eat above your TDEE on a feast day before a fast, to ramp up metabolism. Keep protein the same, but eat more fat.
I just signed up for a 90 day keto cut program on http://deeperstateketo.com - no fasting, but tracking macros, etc. I tried heavy fasting and it didn’t work for me - it caused some disordered eating patterns and I found myself wanting to eat ALL the things on feast days.