Traveling Fasted

fasting
travel
(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #1

I have seen many people post about not fasting while traveling, either personal or business, and I have found there to be no burden on me when I travel while fasting. I remember Jimmy Moore, a couple years ago, mentioned that he had to break a couple of his long fast attempts while traveling because he found the travel to be too stressful.

I am starting this thread to try to share experiences and tips about our experiences with fasting while traveling.

Personally, my wife seemed to handle sitting with me at a table as I ordered a cup of black coffee and some water while she had a regular meal. I know she thinks that I am a bit weird and that I jump into things with both feet but she puts up with me.

On business trips I don’t have any issues not eating at meals and have never felt enticed by the other meals on the table - well, there was that one rare steak with the nicely browned fat that was easily in reach! I didn’t feel like any colleagues or customers were really put off: would it have been worse if I ordered something like liver and onions?

So let’s here from all of you fasters out there: what are your experiences of fasting while traveling? I know @Brenda fasted 3 days on her motorcycle trip to Ketofest in 2017!

2018 Lenten Fasting
(KCKO, KCFO) #2

When we flew to Alaska last summer, both directions, i fasted for the flying days. While there, I did OMAD eating great fresh seafoods and local grown veggies. And I had some awesome lamb meatballs in a wonderful yogurt based sauce. Oh almost forgot I did a 36 hr. fast by accident. I was going to eat that day but really wasn’t hungry so didn’t eat til lunch the following day.

I go for coffee on some of my fasting days with DH, if he goes out to breakfast, works for me. If he cooks at home I play on the computer while he makes and eats meals.

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #3

I agree with fasting on the trip: It is sometimes so hard to have the time to find something decent in an airport that I usually just fast on all of my travel days. Easy IF!

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #4

On travel days, I fast.
Specifically, the days I am “in transit.”
This helps with resetting the body clock.
And also avoiding the poor food choices that are typically available in transit.

(TJ Borden) #5

I’ve found the fasting during the “on the move” part of traveling pretty easy. If I’m driving, it means I only have to stop for fuel and the occasional rest area. When flying, it makes navigating the airport (especially on short layovers) easier because it’s one less thing I need to do.

When traveling to an area I frequent, meaning I’ve already had ample opportunities to explore local cuisine, then fasting is easy.

Where I throw in the fasting towel (and the keto/LCHF towel) is when I travel to an area that I either don’t go to often, have never been to, or has too awesome of food not to indulge.

  • Austin/Houston: have to have BBQ and Tex-mex
  • New Orleans: have to have gumbo, red beans and rice, and the king of crack, beignets.
  • Santa Fe: hatch green chili EVERYTHING. The chili’s are actually fine, just all the stuff they put them in aren’t.
  • Memphis… well, I could go on, but you get the idea

Thankfully, a few days of fat fasting followed by a few days of water fasting can usually reset things pretty quick.

(What The Fast?!) #6

THIS.

AND THIS.

I always fast while in transit - it saves a ton of money in the airport and even when I fly business, the food is never enticing. The only thing that pulls at my heart (tummy) strings when flying business is when they serve warm nuts on the plane…

I love to eat local cuisine on personal trips and on business trips, I always take clients out to dinners. I generally choose steakhouses so it makes my choices simple.

(Suzanne Leigh) #7

I struggle with fasting on long haul flights (Australia, Bali etc). I get ravenously hungry when I cross multiple time zones. I’m guessing it has something to do with circadian rhythms and the disruption of my sleep cycle…I’m always hungry when I don’t sleep well, and tend to make poor, irrational food choices under that scenario. The first full day of my recent extended fast was a travel day, but because it was a short flight in the same timezone I had no issues. I haven’t had any long drives while fasted, but I tend to think that would be easy for me compared to the long haul flights.

(Jim Letourneau) #8

I’ve had great outcomes by not eating on long flights. It simplifies my choices in the airport and on the plane and I can hit the ground running at my destination. I really notice the food smells when they push the carts down the aisle but I usually just promise myself something better (like a nice steak) at my destination.

When driving on long trips (ie ~12 hours) I’m much more alert if I’m fasting but those trips are usually solo. I do notice that if I’m often more hungry when travelling with a group of friends or family members. There is rarely agreement on where to stop/what to eat etc. and that minor chaos can sometimes do me in.

(Keto Travels) #9

I agree totally with the IF on travel days and I have zero issues with vacation style travel and fasting … it really is more the business travel, in particular lack of sleep and team dynamics … even if I am lucky enough to have a team that is supportive of a keto diet, not eating is a different ball game alltogether, especially once someone starts worrying about performance … it would probably be easier if I was traveling alone

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #10

I wholeheartedly agree! When in Texas: brisket is King, etc.!

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #11

One other benefit of flying while fasted: not having to do certain business in a lavatory.

(I am a Dog (Dog's eat until they burst!)) #12

Yes, even after losing 70 pounds, those tiny closets are not made for 6’1" men with large shoulders! I really hate the RJs where I cannot stand straight and have to bend in some very unnatural ways.

(Dameon Welch-Abernathy) #13

I wonder who those tiny closets were made for…