Today is my first planned IF... mini-blog

[avocadosrule]

Some people do fat-fasts. Just define your fast-perimeters and go for it.

[KBG]

Are you drinking Keto-aid or otherwise ingesting salts? This really helps me. Also bone/beef broth helps me. Be careful with carb content, some have a bit.

[Anniegirl9]

I could do a banana fast too, but it’s not really fasting.

[Anniegirl9]

I think it’s an individual thing and if it doesn’t cause you problems, don’t worry about it.

But… if you start to stall, you may need to examine the possibility of eliminating it.

[ladylyssa]

LeeAnn, what is your purpose for a fast and what parameters do you use to define your fast?

[avocadosrule]

Letting people experiment is super important. Keep out the dogma.

There is no keto rulebook

Here’s a tip: Don’t get too anal or dogmatic about anything. That’s a recipe for disaster. If you want to adopt this as a permanent lifestyle, it’s important to relax and keep it simple. There is no “one true way” to be on a ketogenic diet. There are also no rules. Or rulebook. The only criteria is to remain in a state of ketosis If you get bullied or chastised for eating a very low carb Joseph’s pita because it has grain, if pearl clutchers come out of the woodwork because you ate an artifi…

[Anniegirl9]

The purpose is up to you.

If your purpose is to get to reduce insulin production by limiting food intake to a limited time of day (IF), then having a 200 calorie coffee defeats the purpose.

If you are using it as a bridge to being able to go longer without eating, I suppose it may help you. I occasionally do OMAD as a bridge to EF, so if you’re just trying to exercise your fasting muscle, okay. But you aren’t getting the benefits of IF, which is to reduce the amount of time insulin is raised in your body.

I’ve read that anything over 50 calories is considered breaking a fast. I keep it to 20 to be extra cautious. And I only do that once a day with an electrolyte drink. Other than that I stick to green tea or water (as I can’t take my coffee without the extra fat and sweetener too).

[ladylyssa]

So you fast to reduce the time insulin is raised in your body?

[ladylyssa]

Oh, and yes, right now I’m just trying to get used to fasting. Heck, this is just my first time doing it on purpose.

[Anniegirl9]

Yes. This is the whole point of fasting and why fasting can even help non-Keto people lose weight. Insulin is what makes us fat. Everytime we eat, we raise insulin levels. Carbs raise it a lot. Protein about half as much as carbs. And fats raise it minimally, but they still raise it.

Everytime you consume something, it takes about 3 hours to digest. Your insulin is raised much of that time. That’s why we discourage snacking with Keto and why fasting can help speed up weight loss. In IF, you limit the window of time your body produces insulin to the feeding window (plus a period of time during digestion). If you snack, you can be in a perpetual state of producing insulin.

And of course if you go EF, you really stop insulin and your body is able to really start to work off it’s fat deposits.

[ladylyssa]

Have you ever tried apple cider vinegar while fasting? I heard it does something but I can’t remember what. Also, I haven’t looked into bone broth but I assume it has calories, right?

I liked how you called it, exercising your fasting muscle. LOL

[ladylyssa]

What’s a pearl clutcher? LOL

[Anniegirl9]

Bone broth can vary widely depending on brand or what you add if it’s homemade, but you can find many that are less than 50 calories per cup, so well within the ability to use and still be fasting.

ACV has no calories so it’s also fine for fasts. I will take peoples word for it’s benefits as I can’t stand to take it in water. I don’t mind it in recipies, but not in water and certainly not straight up.

[Mangusdog]

So I am doing a fat fast because I was under the impression fat would not raise my insulin significantly. But if I eat more than 50 calories of say butter I am going to raise my insulin anyway?

[ladylyssa]

Bone broth can vary widely depending on brand or what you add if it’s homemade

I wish there were a way to determine the calorie content of homemade food without sending a sample to a lab.

[ladylyssa]

I was wondering the same thing, 'cause I hear about people doing BPC on fasts and it seems to be generally accepted as a fast.

[bej10]

So I am doing a fat fast because I was under the impression fat would not raise my insulin significantly. But if I eat more than 50 calories of say butter I am going to raise my insulin anyway?

Based on how Jason Fung explains it, fat is one thing that very minimally raises your insulin. So IMO, if you feel like you need it, especially at first while you are getting used to fasting and trying to get fat adapted, then by all means, have it. I think after you are fully fat adapted, it’s easier to fast.

[grace2166]

Good on you for posting this and being honest about what is happening when you try to fast.
I could have written a lot of your experiences myself. Fasting is so foreign to me, but I know I have to do it for my health, and that it WILL get easier. Just don’t every stop trying. That’s how I’ve stuck with it.
Finding this forum has been life changing for me. I have a place to come and learn so many amazing things as well as give and get support to others who “get” why keto is so incredibly important.
I like the idea that you are coming here with updates, asking questions, and willing to try things tha might help you.
You can do this. Just keep reading all the wonderful success stories here for motivation and keep reading and learning all the experiences and science that is important for a keto lifestyle.
I too have a long way to go to get my health back to where it must be so I can keep getting older and stay as healthy as possible.

[ladylyssa]

Good on you for posting this and being honest

Thank you Grace. I find it easiest to stick to something if I “put it out there” and even easier when people interact with me. I’m so glad I found this forum and all you lovely people or I’d be in the tall weeds right now and might not even have lasted this 6 weeks on keto. So many things have come together in synergistic ways in my life that I try not to fight it or regret the mistakes. Like getting pregnant after 8 months on low-carb in 2008 then spending my entire pregnancy eating carbs like Italian food and peanut butter and chocolate chips. I just chalk it up to it’s what I needed then, and I have a wonderful healthy little girl. No harm, no foul. I just wish I could have gotten back on the wagon sooner, but again stuff had to happen and I had to learn things and last year I learned a lot so now I’m applying that knowledge. Good things are sweeter if you just look at the bad stuff as being what had to happen before the good stuff could happen.

[Anniegirl9]

You can use a recipie maker on an app like MFP. Just eneter the ingredients in the quantities you use. If the ingredients have a bar code, scan that. If not try to find the best match or google it to find the best match.
I save recipies all the time on MFP.