Hi fellow fasters. I’m doing a recomp and I fast on days that I do not lift. Yesterday was my first fast and I was starting to feel nauseous and extremely angry and irritable with no ability to focus on anything after a few hours into the fast. I managed to get through it but by the time I was able to break my fast, I was ready to kill a fucking lion just to get anything that had sugar in it. I felt like I was experiencing symptoms of low blood sugar which made everything so much worse - the second I ate a plate of honey nut cheerios I was back to feeling normal.
Any tips to suffer a bit less in future fasts because that was utter hell to go through. I know sugar is literally more addictive than heroin so thats probably why my body reacted so bad - I think its a good thing that I want to lower my sugar consumption anyway since my family has a history of developing type 2 diabetes in late adulthood.
You could have a magnesium deficiency. You might want to get checked out by your family doctor if it’s causing emotional problems such as rage. You should be able to go cold turkey with a water fast (48 to 72 hours) if you are relatively healthy and this will reduce your addiction. Processed foods have been made chemically addictive by American corporations since the 1980s. Eating honey nut cheerios, a processed “food” just resets your addiction. Look into healthier options for nutrition.
It might help you to take a blood glucose measurement at the end of your fast (when you’re craving sugar). A (high) normal result for me was very reassuring; in my opinion people are blaming their blood sugar waaay too much for everything.For the actual craving I needed a transition period of 2-4 days when I ate fruit instead of junk sweet stuff when the (strong) cravings hit. It was then much easier to let go of fruit.
My completely non medical and non experience based advice would be if you’re going to break your fast for sugar, at least pick a natural form of sugar like fruit (not juice) or honey instead of caving for something processed with no nutritional value!
Eat completely keto for 2 days before fasting again. Then break your fast with more keto for a day or two. That will break your sugar addiction. Then you’ll be able to eat carbs in your eating window without ill effects. But, fasting is always easier with less carbs. I wouldn’t break the fast with processed carbs if you break with protein, you get to nourish your body while starting on ketosis. I’d save the carbs for part of your main meal right in the middle of your eating window.
This is me. The hardest thing I struggle with during a fast was random food cravings but they were actually sugar cravings. Technically it only takes three days to get past the worst sugar cravings. But as addiction goes, psychologically it’s still just a choice. And for 30 years I have always overindulged with sugar, so reprogramming my reflexes was not easy. it’s still something I have to work to control.
Basically 16 to 18 hour fasting windows for two weeks in which I did not eat any processed sugars was been a very attainable goal. The only sugars I had were fruit. Currently visiting my mom for a couple weeks and there is candy everywhere in this house. I almost caved. Alas, I have to remind myself that there is a bigger picture I’m working on and haven’t eaten any.
Set a goal and if you cave, it’s ok. Just try again until you get it. The sugar addiction is real.
Fellow sugar addict here, trying to break away from processed sugars. When doing 24hr+ fasts, I used to develop a headache after the 24hr mark & it was an “I miss sugar” headache vs just a normal hunger headache. Something that has tremendously helped me is eating raw fruit & smoothies when breaking fast. The “I miss sugar” headaches have become less frequent during 24hr+ fasts. Hopefully this helps!
I’d like some recommendations also bc it’s the invisible sugars that get me! How to avoid rice, carbs, pasta, and bread that breaks down into sugar :/ I try to limit my sweets based on how much sugar I’ve had that aren’t actually sweet :)
You have to suck it up dude. Go through the withdrawal just like heroin addicts do.
Youll feel like total shit but power through. It doesnt last more than a few days. It helps to stuff yourself with protein, if you get that sugar craving, mow down some steaks. Itll fill you up.
I didn’t start fasting until I had removed sugar and starches from my diet. Then I started intermittent (two meals a day, skipping breakfast) and when that became habit I started 3 day-fasts and had no problems. Sugar is addictive, and removing it and fruit and cereal and bread and pasta and potatoes was the hardest part of the process.
Now when I want to snack I go for a can of sardines or a chicken leg. Anything with sugar is just disgustingly sweet.