Hey guys and gals new to the forum. Been keto about 6 weeks now and just started IF 17/7 due to wierd work schedule. I work night shift and break my fast about 1am everyday and for the next 2 hrs I feel like someone sucked the life out of me. I am always good on my macros and only eating 500 to 700 calories per meal usually. Testing my ketones after that meal and still looking good usually about 1.1. Is there any reason other than I’m a vampire and probably don’t get enough sleep that could cause this issue.
Thanks in advance for the help
Super tired after breaking my IF every day
Jrobb2007
(Josh R)
#1
infromsea
(Tim W)
#2
I experience this when breaking a long term fast, and used to experience it like you, after breaking an IF. The effect seems to reduce over time, these days, I don’t suffer from it using just IF (19/5).
Ensure you get plenty of sodium (as always) but otherwise, the effect should reduce as your body gets used to the process.
My hypothesis, while doing the fasting portion, your body is “using” the “free” energy that it would normally be using to process your three meals plus snacks, you don’t notice it. Once you eat, the body has to divert energy that it might have been using for autophagy etc into the digestive process.
So, breaking fast, even post IF windows, is kind of like that post thanksgiving meal crash, even though you are eating a much smaller portion.
It will get better over time (you won’t feel like a truck hit you) but, in the meantime, it might help to eat a very small snack like two boiled eggs and some nuts, then go for a walk, do something active, then come back 30 minutes later and have a larger meal.
Good luck!