I have been on OMAD and recently have tried a 6-day fast over the summer but I found myself so weak and lacking energy or motivation that I just stayed in bed most of the duration of my fast. When I see other people’s posts, they seem to function perfectly well during the day. I want to do another extended fast but now that I’m taking classes I’m worried about lacking energy.( yes I did take electrolytes-maybe not as much as I should have, though) If you have any tips, please let me know!!
I do OMAD for years, but if you want to do extended fasts and feel great, KETO is a game changer. One time i did an expeeriment:
- last meal sunday evening
- week of fast
- last day on saturday i went for a cycling trip, did 150km and felt great
- first meal sunday noon
Tried to do it while on balanced diet, much much harder. Being fat adapted makes the process sooo much easier.
Sleep is extra important on a fast. People say it is so important for weight lifting but it’s twice as important on a fast. At least for me.
The more you fast the easier it gets. Literally every fast I do just feels easier and easier.
Sea salt. Electrolytes.
Optional, but coffee can really help get you out of some low spots I’ve found. I don’t take it every day on a fast. And I take a very small amount usually. But it’ll make me feel normal and energized for hours.
Sometimes at night I get a little more exhausted than normal, but just going to sleep is often like a reset. In the morning I’m good again. And then maybe I take half a teaspoon of salt water and I’m good again.
Staying busy helps me mentally stay focused and energized. Watching tv can kinda make me mentally start feeling off. But there’s nothing wrong with relaxing too.
I haven’t had that issue, but I’ve been in strict ketosis for over a year straight so fasting hasn’t been an issue for me, but when I started keto I became hypoglycemic and light headed and weak. I laid in bed off and on for weeks. You might be getting that when you fast.
Electrolytes, moderate workouts, sleep, hydration, and cardio.
Plus, an understanding that I’m just plain going to be really uncomfortable at times. Just find whatever you can to take your mind off of it.
It’s very difficult for me to do more than 4 days (Starting Saturday and eating lunch Wednesday) doe to being a plumber. Lots of driving to job sites, some days digging sewer repairs, not extensive physical labor during service calls but also not lounging around, etc.. by Wednesday my body is in need of energy. This is coming from someone who has done monthly 7 day fasts a few times a year prior to becoming a plumber.
I’m keto-OMAD normally (23/1) but I’ve done quite a few multi-day fasts over the past few months. I’ve found anecdotally that the first 24hrs are always the hardest. Once I’m on day 2, it’s so much easier to keep going to 3, 4, etc. I’m trying to get back into rolling 72s which I did last month and had a really good groove going, but was derailed by the holidays. Ultimately, the big thing is keeping busy. If I sit on the couch to watch YouTube or something, my old habits and cravings come back hard. But if I’m out or doing work or anything that’s NOT a situation where I used to mindlessly eat then I’m fine. I will also, in those difficult moments, piss on a keto stick and seeing dark purple is a great motivator to keep going.
I was a sedentary faster at first too. Electrolytes, water, staying busy and moving all have helped. It’s like the theory a body in motion stays in motion I think? Start your fast moving and keep moving at an adjusted rate as the days go on is huge.