Hi so I heard that the reason fasting is so great is because it Dosent effect your metabolic rate. I did multiple 3 day fasts and intermittent fasting\ omad on the days I ate. After I stopped I found myself binging and craving food. Now I gained all my weight back and more. Is this my fault did I I do something wrong? I find it too hard to cut out carbs, is that the reason ? I would appreciate any advice. I am now 10-15 pounds heavier then when I started. I was 240 5”9 now I’m about 255 5”9.
The issue is that you binged, which is not uncommon post-diet behaviour.
Dietary changes need to be lifelong. You can’t just lose the weight and revert. What might be wisest for you is an ongoing fasting regime, where you fast one or two non-consecutive days per week. I do two, but I’m female, it can be easier for males (and younger people).
Then you need to focus on “healthy first”. You can still eat all you want, but eat an apple before a snack. Maybe start your meals with a cup or bowl of broth/vegetable soup. Eat a salad or vegetables before you eat a portion of chips/fries. The result is that for most people, you’ll end up eating less of the unhealthy stuff.
Also consider some swaps where you can. There are loads of websites offering suggestions.
Finally, try to have a nightly cut off, at least in the week. Don’t eat past 8pm for example (you can set your own time, but don’t make it too late). Absolutely avoid snacking until midnight every night.
And if you’re a sugary soda fan, work on cutting that right down. Maybe start by diluting it 25% with sparkling water - you’ll barely notice the difference.
Have you considered a mental health component as part of your quest towards health? Therapy and meditation have been key to understanding my relationship with myself and with food, because overeating is triggered emotionally (for me). I wish you all the best!
Same.
Lost 40 pounds fast. Regained 40 pounds fast. It took me years to become 40 pounds over-weight the first time. Just 6 months the last time.
If you head over to /r/saturatedfat or the blog FireInABottle.net - there is a theory that the ratio of saturated-to-unsaturated affects how well our bodies burn fat. The more saturated fat in our diet, and in our fat cells, the better our fat cells burn fat.
However, there is an enzyme in each fat cell that, when activated, converts saturated fat into mono-unsaturated fat. It does this in part because saturated fat is too stiff at body temperature, whereas unsaturated fat remains a liquid even in refrigerators.
The enzyme is called SCD1. Fasting causes cells to create more SCD1. Fasting, therefore, de-saturates the fat that’s already in our bodies.
When the the ratio of saturated-to-unsaturated fat is high (highly saturated), our fat cells signal the cell to become insulin-resistant. Glucose and free fatty acids remain in the blood stream, and our hypothalamus tells our body that we are full. We eat less, and burn more energy.
When we have too much unsaturated fat, our fat cells remain Insulin-sensitive. They pull glucose and fat out of the blood stream, and store it. Our brain senses the lower nutrients in the blood, and tell us we are hungry and slow our metabolism.
This seems to be a plausible explanation of why we gain weight so quickly after weight loss. SCD1 is high, so our body converts a ton of the fat and sugar we eat into unsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat fails to tell us that we are full, so we stay hungry and suppress our metabolism.
So goes the theory, anyway.
How long were you fasting for? How long binging? Why were you binging? Were you eating a lot of carbs? Were you exercising? Its a bit hard to know why without knowing more. Metabolism isn’t likely to be the main driver of this IMO.
If you don’t eat properly between fasts and you fast way too much and do OMAD your metabolism will drop. Try ADF with lots off veggies and fats, less carbs. Also, a coffee with cream before you break a fast will temper your urge to binge. You may not have been eating enough while feasting and not enough nutrients. Read the books, listen to the videos. Some fluctuations in your appetite are to be expected. Once you are really fat burning your appetite should regulate. Feasting is important. More fiber and fat and space your fasts out of you are doing extended fasts. ADF is better than EF for weight loss, and Dr. Fung doesn’t recommend OMAD long term for weight loss. You run into the metabolic slowing. Are you doing OMAD and bingeing? Or bingeing after a fast? How long have you been fasting consistently?
I’ve recently started taking medication for binge eating.
I do not binge eat now.
Most medical professionals “don’t believe” in food addiction, or binge-eating disorder. Just the facts.
If you have a PCP or psychiatrist, ask about this.
When I do not take my medication, I eat mindlessly, a lot, until it’s all gone. Not because I’m hungry, because I am an emotional eater, and I’m almost NEVER emotion-less.
I’m going to get back into fasting, and multiple-day-fasting at that. I wonder how well I will do afterwards, with my new-found support?!
Not diagnosing you, just urging you to ask someone with an MD if you think you need help with binge eating. I never thought I’d ever get a handle on making myself not eat, voraciously, and I only ate like that because I was feeling shitty, and eating ALWAYS makes me feel better until I step on the scale, or until my pants don’t fit right, or until I look in the darn mirror.
Hi you are starting out with 3 day fasts? Like 72 hours at once???
I strongly belive this is your mistake start small and see how long you can go without binging at the end.
Normally a recommend starting with a 16:8 but if you want to start big go with alternating 24 hour fasts.
Start at noon and end at noon the next day. If you can do that comfortably the look at doing longer fasts.