The relationship between fasting and bingeing. Your thoughts welcome.

[Stoozie]

Hi all, what do you you feel is the relationship between fasting and bingeing?

Do you never overeat after a fast? Or sometimes or often? What circumstances cause this?

I am interested because I think binge-fearfulness is sometimes offputting to newbie fasters.

[Hidden]

Hi Stoozie I'm relatively new to IF ( I like 5:2 but recently did a 74hr fast purely because I was enjoying it and not really hungry).

In answer to your question I'd have to say that i don't feel the need or desire to binge after a fast. In the past I've fallen into the diet trap of not eating enough calories/fat (starving myself) and have ended up bingeing once my willpower gave out. And set up a vicious cycle!

In my experience IF is a brilliant weightloss tool because it encourages you to really listen to your body and feed it what it needs; and for me, has helped break the starve/ binge mentality that is so destructive.

It's also really misunderstood so I've learned not to mention it because of the negative reactions of well- meaning family and friends.

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Hidden . I totally agree! Fasting for me breaks some strange relationships with food which I hadn't really realised I had.

I'm not frightened of a power food has over me anymore. I've taken back the power, and it's very reassuring to have done so!

I ran a half marathon recently, without taking food/water/gel sachets/jelly babies etc. Whilst I have no criticism of my fellow runners for taking fuel - very sensible! I was glad to know I could trust my body to chug along without that need.

Next stop, human-camel!

[Hidden in reply to Stoozie]

Wow congrats on the half marathon! I've tried the c25k a couple of times but can't seem to get past wk 2! 🥴

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Thank you I started C25k in September 2018, and have gradually built it up from there.

Persevere with C25k if you can, I really rate it as a gentle build up. Are you on the HU C25k forum?

[Hidden in reply to Stoozie]

No I dint know there was a c25k forum

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hidden]

It's here if you fancy taking a look. Lots of people posting questions/tips/wisdom/issues. Enjoy!

[Hidden in reply to Stoozie]

Thanks I'll defo have a look!

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hidden]

sorry here's the link: healthunlocked.com/couchto5k

[Hidden in reply to Stoozie]

Thanks Stoozie I've just read the info and feel pretty excited to have another try!! Eeek! 🤣

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to Hidden]

I did cross-country running for my school - but I gave it up over 50 years ago.

...but I did cycle about 15,000 miles a year for a few years in the nineties.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

I'll just chime in here, if you don't mind. I'm a recent C25K grad Feb this year) having never run before. I couldn't have managed it without the support and tips from the HU C25K forum. I continued running afterwards and got as far as 7K but I've been slacking recently and am going to get back in the groove again this week by restarting C25K. It's a great programme. You can do it!

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Nazz and wow that's awesome!

[Nugger in reply to Hidden]

Well said, especially the negative reactions!

[Symmo]

I’m in to my 3rd week of IF and LCHF eating. I chose to do 16:8 which for me no breakfast. At first I was clock watching for it to be 1pm so that I could have some food, and then make a huge plateful of food but now I don’t even think about it and sometimes is 3pm before I feel hungry and then I only eat enough to fill me up

So after week 1, it doesn’t make me want to binge at all. Initially I was forcing myself to eat more so that I had enough calories but this week I’ve decided (and I don’t know if this is right) to just eat enough regardless of whether the calories are low. I have set MFP to 1400 calories with 70% fat, 25% protein and 5% carbs. I am limiting myself to no more than 25g of carbs daily. So far I’ve lost 9 1/4lbs

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Symmo]

Thank you for another positive story

My MFP ratios are very similar to yours. I think the higher healthy fats is a very good way to curb unwanted hunger.

Wishing you well in your fasting journey!

[S11m Volunteer 70lb IF20 in reply to Symmo]

Many of us find that we can lose weight ¿and live longer? on IF/LCHF without counting anything.

[Stoozie Administrator]

Hi S11m

Could you please link to this from the FAQs, under perhaps: 'Will I binge if I don't eat for a while?' put as a sub-question under your hunger question?

Cheers

[Cosmo501]

Hi Stoozie, usually I feel like having a smaller nibble of something when I break my fast around 11am or midday, then a meal a bit later. Fasting doesn't seem to make me want to binge.. it's seems to make me want to fast more! If I'm getting to the end of a fast and I'm feeling really hungry, then I'll just prepare a full meal - but it's all good low carb food, healthy fats and lots of veggies.

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Cosmo501]

That's fantastic Cosmo501 .

Reading your post, it's as if following the 'spring clean' of a fast, your body is maintaining the nice, clean environment (good foods) rather than letting the cobwebs (junk) back in.

[Cookry]

Hi everyone!!I have started IF last Sunday.I had heard about it before but I was predjudiced against it.After watching a video on this community I decided to give it a try.I am doing the 16:8 plan.My last meal is at 18:00 and my first at 10:00 but I also eat healthily.I feel so good about it!!!!I have already lost 1.5kg and am full of energy.It is so simple and easy.I hope I will be able to go on with it!!!

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Cookry]

Welcome!

Here is our welcome and starter pack for new members: healthunlocked.com/fasting-...

Looking forward to reading more about your journey with fasting

[Cookry in reply to Stoozie]

Thank you very much Stoozie!!!This is so helpful!!!

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Cookry]

Thank you! We worked hard, especially S11m to produce something of use to new members. Please do say if you can see anything else you think should be in there/any tweaks. We need to know the content is absolutely what our members want

Wishing you well.

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Cookry]

PS may I ask what video was useful? I'll pin it if it isn't already.

[Cookry in reply to Stoozie]

healthunlocked.com/fasting-...

[Cookry in reply to Cookry]

This was the link that made me take up fasting and I am very happy I did!I watched the first three videos.Thank you!!!

[Hopalong1]

Before this journey starting in Feb 2019, I used to eat until I felt very full indeed. I hardly recognise myself now. For six weeks I have eaten mostly OMAD(having tried 3 individual weeks previously) and a 38 hour fast this week. After fasting I have more control over my eating, this and the low carb seems to be the key I think, less sugar, less cravings

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hopalong1]

I agree wholeheartedly Hopalong1 . It's absolutely *what* we eat before fasting which is so important.

[sunny369 Five2]

no, fasting doesn't seem to make me want to binge, if anything it seems to reduce or at least steady my appetite, especially if I keep my carb consumption lowish too.

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to sunny369]

Thanks sunny369 I'm pleased this is your experience, and glad you've contributed from a 5:2 follower perspective. I wasn't sure if this was more true for e.g. 16:8 followers, so it's good to know you are experiencing these good results too.

[sunny369 Five2 in reply to Stoozie]

I know, it's amazing isn't it? you would think I would just stuff more food in on the other days to make up for fasting but it doesn't seems to be the case, as I say it seems to stabilize my appetite and general relationship with food Happy with that

I think the lowish carbs also play a big part, it is a good combination.

[Hidden]

That's a good question, Stoozie.

I'm still relatively new to fasting (around a year of 16:8) but I can positively say that binge eating seems to be a thing of the past.

In this time I've also stopped eating processed foods and reduced those foods with hidden carbs. Overall I'm eating a much healthier diet and I'm eating less often. Without calorie counting, I'll add...

I put down the lack of bingeing down to my body being much happier with its fuel supply and, consequently, I've become less susceptible to emotional rollercoasters. What I mean by that is that my hormones are much better balanced and I don't experience the typical crashes of a high-carb diet.

Nowadays, I typically have a cup of black coffee for breakfast; more out of habit than necessity I don't need mid-morning snacks anymore and often don't feel hungry come lunchtime. If I go 18-20 hours without eating, it's OK. My body thinks it's OK too. It knows there still some fat stashed away somewhere for emergencies and doesn't make me raid the sweetie shop

All in all, once I got unnecessary carbs out my diet, and restarted healthy eating, my body did the rest. I'm just following it's instructions!

[Stoozie Administrator in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hidden I'm glad this is going to form part of our FAQs for new members, because your advice in your posts on this thread is very useful.

Thanks for sharing more about your fasting journey

[Hidden]

Re your comment "I think binge-fearfulness is sometimes offputting to newbie fasters.", I think it could be true especially if you haven't got your hunger pangs under control. For anyone who's been a constant grazer, I could imagine that fasting might be unbearable.

Set your targets low, that would be my first steps. Aim to fast between meals (ie NO snacking), then once your comfortable with that, aim to increase the time between meals. Diving in with "I'm not going to eat tomorrow" is a surefast way to fail. "Quickly followed by a binge"...