Phantom hunger!

(Seth S.) #1

I’m ten weeks into keto and loving it. I’ve lost about 16 pounds, and about 5 inches around my waist – got 38" waist jeans for the first time since tenth grade, which was the most thrilling moment I’ve had in ages. I’ve started working with IF – currently I’m trying to follow Dr Fung’s suggestion (one of his suggestions) to do a 24 hour fast on M/W/F (my busiest days) and follow a 16:8 schedule on the other 4 days of the week, eating keto of course.

Yesterday was my first real 24-hour fast and it was easy – I was tempted to try for 42 hours, but about 6pm I got struck with some intense phantom hunger. I think of it that way because it’s like a phantom limb - my body is feeling hungry because it’s used to feeling hungry, but I’m not actually hungry. It caused me some real anxiety (to my surprise) and I wasn’t able to really chill out and go to bed till after I’d made and eaten several strips of bacon. I’ll try again on Wednesday. I’m curious - how do you guys deal with phantom hunger? Also, any suggestions would be welcome – I’m trying to avoid falling into a OMAD pattern like I did for a while, which really stalled my progress.

(Running from stupidity) #3

I had the same thing on Sunday (was fasting from Sat pm to Monday midday) but I figured it was because I spent about six hours buying and packaging food, so I just pushed on. Brain was triggered but not actually hungry was the story I told myself.

(Katie the Quiche Scoffing Stick Ninja ) #4

Ghrelin is a hormone that is produced and released mainly by the stomach with small amounts also released by the small intestine, pancreas and brain. Ghrelin has numerous functions. It is termed the ‘hunger hormone’ because it stimulates appetite, increases food intake and promotes fat storage.
It rises and falls throughout the day, generally at expected meal times.

#5

That’s how I understand it too. When that time of the day comes around when your brain thinks it should eat, it sends signals to your hunger hormones – “feed me.”

But it is not phantom hunger at all, it is real. Mental and psychological, maybe. But all too real, to me.

I also know it comes in waves and that it will pass.

Nobody said this is all that easy. LCHF and Keto still take some effort.

(Running from stupidity) #6

+1

(Seth S.) #7

Thanks all!
I’m going a little crazy because of a weight loss stall – very typical for this far in (11 weeks) from what I gather. Ugh. KCKO etc.

(Lisa ) #8

I think that being kind to yourself and not having an “all or nothing” attitude helps. If you need to have a cuppa with cream or a piece of bacon then go ahead, accept that it will not ruin everything, and fast on. Don’t think of it as a failure - this mindset sets me up to completely abandon the fast and binge!

(Seth S.) #9

Thank you!