I need help on when and how to fast

newbies
fasting
(Colette Daly) #1

I’m a week in on Keto and no sign of flu. I am drinking more and have a funny taste in my mouth but otherwise I feel good. Just wondering, bout fasting? When should you fast and for how long?

(John) #2

There is no right or wrong answer here. Everybody is different so maybe start easy with 14-10 and go from there if you end up at 16 -8 for a bit then you might try doing a 24 hr. Thats where I am. I dont eat from lunch on wed. till lunch thurs. I chose Wed. cause I do stuff after work till late so its pretty easy to skip dinner without thinkinng about food to much

(Hoby Bradfield) #3

I’ve been doing keto for about 3 months or so, so I’m no expert, but I would suggest you hold off on the fasting for a month or so until you get a firm handle on this WOE… gotta crawl before you run.
Read about fasting. Dr. Jason Fung’s book “The Obesity Code” is a good place to start. The owners of this forum have some great podcasts… listen to a bunch of them. Read some threads on fasting and get some tips.
Start slow… don’t try to do a 24 hour fast right outta the gate… go 10, then 12, then 14, then 16. Then try 24… if that works for you, try 30 hours… then 40… then 48 if you feel so inclined…
But learn the basics of the keto diet… how it works, the inter-play of hormones, the effect on the thyroid, liver, pancreas and other organs. That way you can make an informed, educated, well reasoned plan for your “experiment” in fasting…
or, you might just be the type that can learn by jumping off the bridge with both feet in the deep end of the keto pool!
Good luck on your adventure!

#4

You’re already an experienced faster. You probably fast 10-12 hours daily- the time you finish eating dinner until the time you eat breakfast. If you’ve ever had a colonoscopy or even a minor surgical procedure, you’ve fasted. Even a cold or flu can cause loss of appetite that results in fasting.

Fasting isn’t complicated. It doesn’t require any specialized knowledge. Simply stop eating. Do it when it’s convenient for you. For example, eating dinner then skipping breakfast the next morning could be an 18 hour fast. Wait until dinner time and it’s a 24 hour fast.

There are some nuisances to multi day fasting, but still it’s not complicated. It essentially boils down to:

  1. Listen to your body

  2. Be flexible, don’t let your ego get in the way

  3. If you feel hungry, wait awhile. If you still feel hungry, then eat