Current weight: 294 lbs,
Total weight loss: 11.8 lbs.
Alternate-Day Fasting Update
My second day of all day fasting was this past Friday, and overall it went well.
Like the first time on Monday, I was pretty busy at work and so the time flew by during the day. I started the day with a big glass of water and hot tea with some heavy cream.
I was still somewhat hungry with a growling stomach about mid afternoon, but after about an hour or so that passed. And like before, I was pretty tired that night so I turned in early. Again it’s hard to know if I was physically tired, emotionally tired, or just experiencing fatigue and boredom due to lack of food. Probably a bit of each, I’d imagine.
During the day, I felt pretty good overall – not really tired or lightheaded, as some might expect. And actually the following morning I felt pretty clear-headed and unusually productive. When I woke up, I also felt less bloated than I normally do. I don’t know if these feelings are related to intermittent fasting, or a ketogenic diet (or maybe both or neither). But they were interesting to note.
A Ketogenic Diet Helps … But There are Challenges
Part of the reason the day wasn’t too hard may be that I was already on a ketogenic diet before starting fasting. My body was already used to using its own fat stores as fuel rather than relying on sugar from food. (And since there are plenty of fat stores, my body should technically never be hungry….).
I can see how difficult it would be to fast if I were on a typical sugary diet – the type of diet I’ve had for so much of my life. It would definitely be a shock to the system, and make fasting much more challenging.
The other real challenge I can see with fasting is the social aspect. Food is well integrated into our lives beyond the nutritional aspect. It’s a staple of celebrations and bereavements and often used to show love and appreciation. (Umm….Valentine’s Day? Birthday Parties? Need I say more??)
Food is well integrated into our lives beyond just nourishment.
It’s hard to fast when others are eating – enjoying a work lunch, family dinner, or happy hour with friends. Even using a Monday, Wednesday and Friday fasting schedule is a challenge because it significantly limits the social options of Friday nights. But at least for these 100 days, it may be a temporary sacrifice that is worth it in the long term. And I could always drop to fasting just twice a week. Or once.
The few people I tell about fasting look at me like I’m crazy for even considering it. Many equate it either to starvation or a very unhealthy strategy. Some people seem to believe that multiple small meals throughout the day are needed to really optimize health and metabolism. Basically the opposite of skipping meals. But after my experience with skipping breakfast, I have to say I was more open to exploring fasting at least temporarily.
Starting a Regular Alternate-Day Fasting
Tomorrow, I plan to start the more regular alternate-day fasting, which means that I will try to fast regularly on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. As I mentioned before, this is one of the protocols used in Dr. Fung and Jimmy Moore’s book on fasting, The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day and Extended Fasting.
Of course I will be flexible when needed and stop if it is ever too hard or if I don’t feel right. But given my experience last Monday and Friday, I think I should be able to do it.
Again, I don’t know how if this alternate-day fasting is a good long-term strategy or something I’d like to do for a long period of time. And like a ketogenic diet or other nutritional approach, it may not be right for everyone.
But for now, I think it will help with improving insulin sensitivity, weight loss and overall health.
Day #20:
Current weight: 294 lbs
Total weight loss: 11.8 lbs
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