OMAD and running

[lollies]

Hi all. I'm fairly new to LCHF, been doing it for 10 weeks and have lost 32lbs so far with 28lbs left to my goal. I also do IF and days I work only have OMAD. However I want to start running soon, work days I'm not home til 5ish and these are the days I do OMAD the most. However I'm not sure how that will work with running. If I eat first I'm full for hours, if I run first I'm really hungry and lack energy. Any suggestions?

[Shield-Maiden]

Congrats on your weightloss lollies🏅

Health Unlocked has a Fasting and Furious Forum, and, there is also a Weightloss Forum, if you're interested.

I used to do a lot of running, but due to needing new knees, I now hike instead.

I eat low carb, and, follow IF too (16:8 most days). I prefer to exercise when fasting; I feel that I have more energy.

You could try going for a run, while you're fasting, and see how your body feels. If you find that it makes you hungry, have a small snack, for example, a piece of cheese.

There are some very knowledgeable kind members on Health Unlocked; I'm sure that you will get many suggestions.

Take care

[TheAwfulToad Ambassador]

That's a great result!

As far as running goes: if you're hungry, then eat Don't try to stick to prescriptions like "OMAD" if it's interfering with your broader goals. Eating too little, or not often enough, can indeed speed up weight loss, but it will also keep you stuck in a "less is more" mindset, preventing you from eating healthy, appetite-driven meals.

My personal preference is to have a single boiled egg and/or a glass of milk before I go to the gym, but I often workout fasted. That's not because I think fasting is good but because I'm simply not hungry. If you are fat adapted - which may take several months - then you will have no problem with this.

[Hidden]

Wow, fantastic weight loss 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well done 😇

[Subtle_badger]

I'd say you are not fully fat adapted yet. I find now when I am fasted, I usually don't have much different energy to when I eat. If ketones are your primary fuel, then when you eat you get fat and a few carbs from your food. When you are fasting, you get fat from your body fat, and carbs from body fat and gluconeogenesis. My stomach and liver know I am fasting, but the rest of me is blissfully unaware. If you are flagging, that would suggest you are not quite there yet.

I can't see any value in eating a low carb meal before running. Fat digests slowly, so it wouldn't power you, and it would sit in your stomach.

Options, as I can see them...

1) Go for runs, accept the flagging energy knowing it will get better. You will increase your fat adaption doing that.

2) Try having a small, low GI carby snack a couple of hours before the run. This may help if you are still relying on carbs, but will slow fat adaption.

3) similarly, a small high GI carb just before the run, like a teaspoon of honey or a fruit juice.

4) Run in the morning.

5) main meal at lunch time.

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This is my experience with fat adaption.

When I was 2 or 3 months into lower carb

healthunlocked.com/fasting-...

And then a couple of months after that.

healthunlocked.com/lchf-die...

Well done on the weightless! 🙇