New Fast - Breaking It

#1

Hello all!

I have been searching the archives a bit and I can’t find a clear answer.

Back story: I’ve been on the ketogenic program off and on for years, starting with carb nite solution and quickly graduating into a strict sup 20g of carbs or less a day with high fat. It was fairly easy if not fairly dirty keto while deployed to Afghanistan. When I got home I was so burned out on bad defac meat that I went fairly vegetarian - overnight oats and such. I felt terrible and gained a lot of weight on water. I’ve got the discipline to maintain whatever, until I get carbs in my body and mind.

I did a short fast this week 26 hours all told. I was planning on doing a fast but this first one came as sort of an accident or an unexpected opportunity. I got bumped from my routine and didn’t have access to good food options. I wasn’t hungry so I just went with it.

I was really concerned about how to break it. I intended to break it with bone broth only but my wife made me a big ol’ ribeye so I just dug in. So I just had that and went to bed.

Was I supposed to try and jam in a full day of nutrition into maybe a four hour window or just decide to live at a deficit that day. It feels like a taper and a minifast in that case. When does it end?

I can say that my appetite is not right. It’s not a major issue but my appetite still is not normal for me. I had this concern that I’m walking on the path to an eating disorder. Simply not interested in eating. No body image issues or food issues really, just not a priority.

So when does the fast end? Abruptly or another half day or so of caloric deficit? I can say that I’ve felt flushed and a little off lately and that may be normal post fast. I feel good overall and clear headed.

(Carl Keller) #2

I wouldn’t jam anything if it means you end up feeling stuffed. As long as you are feeling well and have good energy, I would trust your hunger. If this were not enough food your body would let you know.

Unless you’ve experienced eating disorders before, I would count this as a fat adapted blessing. That is if you have plenty of fat to burn. Again, your body will let you know when it thinks too much fat is leaving your body, in too short a time. The natural response by your hormones will be to increase ghrelin (the hunger hormone) to halt what it sees as an endless pattern.

Whenever you feel comfortable ending it. If you are fat adapted, caloric deficit is meaningless since you can use your body fat to supply your body all the energy it needs. Your metabolism is not at risk in this state.

#3

Awesome. Thank you very much. I think I was putting too much stock in my macros indoctrination.

LHF

(Todd Batitis) #4

People who do OMAD, which I do on occasion as the time dictates, essentially do just that but every day. They are simply eating after a 23-23-1/2 hour fast and eating within a
30-60 minute period.

I set myself up for 20:4 IF daily but sometimes it ends up being 22:2 or OMAD. I typically start out with a single serving cup of guacamole and an 2 servings (28g) of pork rinds as chips. I then can easily make an omelette/scramble or a chicken/tuna salad for the main part of my meal and then finish it up with some walnuts or pecans (30-60g) toasted in some butter or coconut oil (and/or a small bit of dark chocolate) for dessert and get to the right nutrition range in a very short period of time. My most recent one 1964 calories, 36g Carbs, 14g Fiber, 58g Protein (a bit low on that day but typically I am over 100) and 176g Fat.

And it isn’t a matter of “jamming” the nutrition it, it is easy enough to make food that fits the numbers.

As others have likely said (haven’t read the whole thread) your fasts ends as soon as you eat your first food.