Trying to combine IF with LCHF

[Whydothis]

I am almost at the end of my two week extreme low carb, as advised, after eating lowish carbs and losing weight slowly for a few months.

After a discussion on here, I am also trying to work towards 16:8, but at the moment I have not even achieved 14:10, which is an interim goal. I have always been hungry at breakfast time, so thought I would try to bring my dinner earlier, but that is no good because I can't sleep if I feel at all hungry, so I am trying hard to make breakfast later. I have at last, this morning, managed to go out for a run before breakfast, and I am now sitting here trying not to think about eating!

I gather that a little butter or cream is allowable in my morning coffee, so that helped a bit this morning. I am still occasionally taking a psyllium husk fibre supplement, as I am worried about reducing my fibre too suddenly, so I am wondering whether I can take that while fasting to help stop me feeling hungry? It says that a 5g teaspoon, which is what I take, has 4.75g fibre, so it would be almost no carbs/calories, but I am not sure whether having something in my stomach would defeat the object of fasting. Any comments would be helpful - and any other advice about how to cope until I get used to eating later.

[Whydothis]

Correction - that should have said almost at the end of week 1 of the 2 weeks!

[BridgeGirl]

Here's my view. One of the joys of LCHF is eating to appetite. Try and tune in to that, rather than forcing a schedule on yourself. Spend these two weeks on your very low carb plan and review at the end. Move towards eating less frequently and/or in a narrower window when your body naturally moves that way

[Hidden in reply to BridgeGirl]

I second that. When i started LCHF, I just ate to appetite. Eating in a narrower window came naturally when my body was ready, not when I wrote it on my calendar. Stick with it Whydothis These days, I'm comfortable eating till I'm full twice a day and rarely feel hungry enough to start snacking.

[BridgeGirl in reply to Hidden]

Same for me

[Whydothis in reply to Hidden]

Thank you - this is reassuring!

[Whydothis in reply to BridgeGirl]

Thank you - I am trying to run before I have learned to walk!

[BridgeGirl in reply to Whydothis]

I think that's right It's such a different way of eating for most of us and I think the priority is getting to grips with what to eat and what's best avoided. Plus trying new recipes and ingredients and getting used to your plate looking rather different. It should be - and it is - enjoyable. You need to find the way of putting it together that works for you

[TheAwfulToad Ambassador in reply to Whydothis]

Quite

I know some people swear by it, but "fasting" IMO is a very advanced move that you'll naturally drop into some months from now.

Relax, and get used to the new way of eating. In particular: eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full. If you get hungry again, either make your meals bigger or eat a low-carb snack. Your body will decide for itself when it wants to skip a meal.

[Whydothis in reply to TheAwfulToad]

I almost finished typing a reply to this when my plumber arrived. Now he has gone, I find my reply has disappeared.

I started to say that you and those above have made me think. I have for some years been telling friends to relax and stop counting calories, but to think more about what they were eating, but now I have allowed myself to start worrying about rules instead of relaxing and just doing it, so you are telling me what I should have worked out!

I will concentrate on getting this next week right, and see what happens after that.

[Cosmo501]

Definitely just relax into it, and don't try to force it. Your body will tell you when it's ready to fast for longer periods. It took a bit longer for me to adapt too. Now sometimes I'm just not hungry or interested at all in food for much of the day. The changes will happen. Just stick to making sure you're definitely eating only low carb food.

Best wishes

[Whydothis in reply to Cosmo501]

Thank you! My meals at the moment revolve around cauliflower in various colours, courgettes, green beans and some onions. The variety comes from whether they are roasted, stir fried or steamed, and whether they are topped with eggs, cheese or meat. I think I'm getting that bit right!

[Cosmo501 in reply to Whydothis]

Sounds yum!

[Whydothis]

That sounds brilliant! I have just spent 6 months trying not to snack!

[BridgeGirl in reply to Whydothis]

You would be best not to "snack". If you name that for what it is - eating between meals - while you're working on having filling meals, you should easily be able to go several hours without eating

[Subtle_badger]

Here's how I fast: when I am hungry, I tell myself I can eat in half an hour if I am still hungry. It doesn't feel like I am denying myself, as it's only 30 minutes! I My hunger goes in waves, so I am never hungry 30 minutes later, it's hours later. And then I restart the 30 minute timer. I actually managed a 62 hour fast by doing that.

I think you will still be hungry after 30 minutes, so eat.

I agree with following appetites, but it's pretty normal for humans not to be able to eat the moment they are peckish. That was true in hunter/gatherer times and is still true if you are on the underground, or in a meeting or whatever. Now I am often sitting right near my fridge, applying a little discipline seems sensible.

[Whydothis in reply to Subtle_badger]

That is very much what I have been doing for the last few months, before starting this new way. No eating between meals, and finding a half hour job to do if I feel I need the next meal early. Then one job leads to another and the meal gets back to its proper time. It is breakfast that has always been different - I have eaten an early breakfast, before doing anything else, for years. I will try the same system, and I am sure I will get there.

[Subtle_badger in reply to Whydothis]

This is not the only way to fast! Skipping breakfast comes naturally to me, so that's what I do. Also, I enjoy an evening meal. But I have read that it might be more healthy to stop eating much earlier in the day. You could try having a good breakfast and lunch, and skip dinner entirely. TheTabbyCat does that. And some days she has dinner.

[TheTabbyCat in reply to Subtle_badger]

That's right I'm doing"go with the flow fasting" . I try to eat enough before 2.30pm. Breakfast and lunchThen I have a mug of clear veggie broth in the evening. If I'm really hungry I'll have a proper meal but I usually manage without.

[Subtle_badger in reply to Subtle_badger]

Eg, I'm peckish right now, but I am in a coffee shop that doesn't have any low carb options. The only thing I can have here is the coffee, and it's probably the carbs in my flat white that triggered my hunger.

[..]

😂 I got distracted by the notification bell 🔔, opened another tab. I've just come back to finish typing this, and I am not hungry now, 10 minutes later!

Could do with another coffee, though.

[Pink4eva]

Hi Whydothis, I am able to fast for long periods of time, my problem is knowing what hungry feels like. It sounds silly , but after years of yo yo dieting and binge eating it has been hard for me to adjust to eating when I’m hungry and stopping when I’m full.

[Whydothis in reply to Pink4eva]

I agree that it is hard to adjust, but fasting is different! The only time I have achieved it is when I had to go 24 hours before having an endoscopy and colonoscopy last year, and I found it very hard.

[Pink4eva]

Right now I am coming up to 24hrs sine I last ate, not really feeling hungry and because I have weigh in tomorrow it’s tempting to carry on with the fast.

[Whydothis]

Doesn't that lead to the danger of the metabolism slowing down too much? I would worry about not having any energy or motivation to do anything!

[AnnieW55 in reply to Whydothis]

Because you are eating good real food, good full fats and protein I.e. feeding the body properly fasting doesn’t cause the metabolism to drop. Fasting encourages the body to use body fat amongst other good things (virtually everyone has several meals - days, even weeks or months worth of fat depending on individual levels of fat retention available) so once you become fat adapted I.e. using your fat stores you will be surprised how much energy you do have.

[Missdoubleyou]

Agree with the above. I am a ‘snacker’ but I think it’s just I particularly like that kind of food, so I now have a plate of snack food to replace a meal. Pre LCHF I used to be constantly hungry, that has definitely changed in the last few weeks. Maybe up your fat intake in the meals you are making?

[BigRedDBA]

I never intended to IF but found that with my LCHF I naturally ended up only eating once a day because I wasn't hungry.

[Whydothis]

How soon after starting LCHF did this start? Quickly, or gradually? You are pointing in the same direction as the people who have told me to relax about it!

[NikonikoFred]

Fasting is simply not eating. So through the day, we are either eating or fasting. Think about it, you are fasting between meals because then you’re not eating. May I suggest you read “The Complete Guide to Intermittent Fasting” by Dr Jason Fung. (He is a nephrologist treating obese and diabetic patients. 👍

[Shield-Maiden]

Hi Whydothis,

I just wanted to say thank you, for this question/post...I have been wondering the same for a week or so. And, thank you to everyone who answered...all very informative and interesting.

I have saved the post (hopefully that saves all of the fab answers too )

[Whydothis in reply to Shield-Maiden]

I agree - all these answers have been extremely helpful. Thank you to all.