metabolism issues due to fasting

[Hectorsmum2]

I have been doing a lot of daily fasting recently and think that I have messed up my metabolism. I have stopped losing weight and started gaining. Any advice re restoring my metabolic rate.

[Frenchfields 2024 January]

I don’t really know if our metabolism works like that -I have read about fasting and bodies ’hanging on’ to weight but have honestly never seen a medical article or clinical trial to support it. Check what you’re eating when you’re not fasting. Or perhaps change up what you’re doing, stop fasting, eat differently and do some different exercises -it might just kick start losing again if thats what you want -if you’re getting near your target it often slows. Onward and downward.

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to Frenchfields]

Thanks. I am just going to eat with out fasting for a week or so then go back to twice weekly fasting. If you fast everyday like I have been doing I think your body behaves like it is a diet and gos into starvation mode and holds onto weight, reduces calorie output to compensate. That seems to be my experience.

[Jack2019 Visitor in reply to Hectorsmum2]

Daily fasting does not cause you to starve. If you have any body fat your body will use that for energy. Also daily fasting really is the same as no snacking, after your evening meal you don't eat until the next day, and that is typically 14 hours or so. We use to live like that but now we have been taught snack, mid morning, mid afternoon and evening.

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Jack2019]

Absolutely!

[moggomereno Visitor in reply to Hectorsmum2]

Male, 54…….Hi. I’ve been fasting strictly since January 9th.

Omad. (One meal a day)basically although I will eat during the day if hungry but it’s very rare. I usually eat between 8.30 - 9.00 pm. Lots of protein in the form of all kinds of meat mainly chicken thighs and some fish. Eggs in all forms. I eat lots of salad with live cultured kimchi and occasionally broccoli cauliflower and cabbage. I restrict carbohydrates to the very minimum and avoid all forms of sugar and processed foods.

On the 9th of January I weighed 16 st… 101 kg… Today I weigh 84 kilos about 13.7 stone. I’ve found it to be fairly easy once you get used to this way of eating. I had two or three weight loss stalls and tried a method I read about where you shock your body by eating the foods you’ve basically been avoiding for a day or two. Carb rich foods like cheesy chips of Chinese chow mein. Yes it worked and the weight loss started again. Maybe worth mentioning that before I found out I had cirrhosis I was 21 stone. As jack 2019 above said fasting means no snacks. No snacks is the key and calories add up pretty quickly snacking.

Hope you get to wherever you want to be. Good luck.

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to moggomereno]

Thank you for helpful reply. I was losing about a pound a week fasting two days a week then started fasting everyday, lost lot sof weight first week, then just a pound for a couple of weeks then started to gain. Taking a break for a week then back to two days a week I think. i have lost seven stone so far and am not giving up. I havent been snacking.

[moggomereno Visitor in reply to Hectorsmum2]

I’ve also lost 7 stone+

what are you doing on your not fasting days?

You obviously know what you are doing as you’ve done it, but why not just kick on with what works for you?

[Hectorsmum2 Visitor in reply to moggomereno]

On non fasting days I eat what I most want but dont eat any refined sugar. Tends to be high protein with a lot of fish, eggs, weekly meat. Moderate. I know I could lose more weight if I went low carb but not sure it would be sustainable long term.

[moggomereno Visitor in reply to Hectorsmum2]

Good for you. I think sugar causes so many problems and many people just don’t realise it.

If I had my way you would only be able to get sugar on prescription.😀😄

Good luck HM